This special GRAPH feature to commemorate Ayakaze Sakina’s ascension was published in September of 2021.
It is being posted in 2 parts due to length. The first part features statements from Ayakaze and new Top Musumeyaku Asazuki Kiwa, as well as a trio Q&A featuring Ayakaze, Asazuki, and Asami Jun.
Some outtake photos from the back of the magazine are included.
Continue readingThis book, which is something of an ‘oral history’ of Takarazuka’s Rose of Versailles adaptations, was published by Ascom in late 2005, and features chronological accounts from otokoyaku who had performed in the franchise from its first origins through the 2001 productions. Since the book is derived from transcriptions of interviews taking place often many decades after the fact, there may be discrepancies between accounts.
Please note that the term appearing through the text as ‘theatre-comic’ is translated from the Japanese term gekiga [劇画]. Although this term is described as applying to mainly male-oriented comics in most English-language sources, this is no longer accurate. The definition of this word has changed to also include sweeping, romantic female-oriented works with Rose of Versailles being arguably the most famous of theatre-comics. Takarazuka even published its own magazine of theatre-comics in the 1970s.
Chapters have been split in two to make them more readable without too much scrolling to reach the explanatory footnotes. Some paragraph breaks have also been added for ease of reading in English. I have also included some images printed in the book as well as sourcing many other archival images to illustrate the text.
Continue readingThis interview, conducted by Ashizawa Jin, was published for Asami Hikaru’s last appearance in GRAPH before her retirement.
Continue readingZUKA LIVE was an ‘advice show’ style column in GRAPH where readers could write in with questions for stars. Asami’s was published in the August 2021 issue.
(As with all reader features, there is the possibility that I missed some reference in the pen names.)
Continue readingThis Kageki feature brings brief updates on the lives of Takarasiennes. This issue features Yumena Rune, Asazuki Kiwa, Hiryuu Tsukasa, and Kazeiro Hyuuga.
Continue readingThis talk between Asami Hikaru and her classmate Aran Kei was published in Asami’s final GRAPH issue, published in December 2006.
Some outtake photos from the back of the magazine are included.
Continue readingThis book, which is something of an ‘oral history’ of Takarazuka’s Rose of Versailles adaptations, was published by Ascom in late 2005, and features chronological accounts from otokoyaku who had performed in the franchise from its first origins through the 2001 productions. Since the book is derived from transcriptions of interviews taking place often many decades after the fact, there may be discrepancies between accounts.
Please note that the term appearing through the text as ‘theatre-comic’ is translated from the Japanese term gekiga [劇画]. Although this term is described as applying to mainly male-oriented comics in most English-language sources, this not accurate. The definition of this word changed to also include sweeping, romantic female-oriented works with Rose of Versailles being arguably the most famous of theatre-comics. Takarazuka even published its own magazine of theatre-comics in the 1970s.
Chapters have been split in two to make them more readable without too much scrolling to reach the explanatory footnotes. Some paragraph breaks have also been added for ease of reading in English. I have also included some images printed in the book as well as sourcing many other archival images to illustrate the text.
Installments will be posted every two weeks, with some breaks if the next chapter is not complete.
(Please note some images used in this chapter are from photographs rather than scans; I hope to replace these with better quality scanned versions later.)
Continue readingThis in-depth otokoyaku feature, which includes discussion of their onstage work, their offstage interests, and a QA with troupe members, was published in GRAPH during 2021. Snow Troupe Top Star Ayakaze’s was published in the December issue.
Continue readingThis book, which is something of an ‘oral history’ of Takarazuka’s Rose of Versailles adaptations, was published by Ascom in late 2005, and features chronological accounts from otokoyaku who had performed in the franchise from its first origins through the 2001 productions. Since the book is derived from transcriptions of interviews taking place often many decades after the fact, there may be discrepancies between accounts.
Please note that the term appearing through the text as ‘theatre-comic’ is translated from the Japanese term gekiga [劇画]. Although this term is described as applying to mainly male-oriented comics in most English-language sources, this not accurate. The definition of this word changed to also include sweeping, romantic female-oriented works with Rose of Versailles being arguably the most famous of theatre-comics. Takarazuka even published its own magazine of theatre-comics in the 1970s.
Chapters have been split in two to make them more readable without too much scrolling to reach the explanatory footnotes. Some paragraph breaks have also been added for ease of reading in English. I have also included some images printed in the book as well as sourcing many other archival images to illustrate the text.
Installments will be posted every two weeks, with some breaks if the next chapter is not complete.
(Please note some images used in this chapter are from photographs rather than scans; I hope to replace these with better quality scanned versions later.)
Continue readingRhythm was a Q&A feature for young otokoyaku stars published through 2016, with fun questions about the performers’ on and offstage lives as well as some drawings. The specific questions and number of questions vary between features.
Towaki’s was published in the March issue. (At this point she had not yet moved to Flower, so she is still listed under Snow Troupe.)
Some outtakes from the back of the magazine are also included.
Continue reading