Opening of ‘The Poe Clan’ in Takarazuka – High praise from original creator Hagio Moto: ‘I could go over and over’

This write up on the fist day of Flower Troupe’s latest show was published by Daily Sports Online on Jan 1. The original article can be found here. (Archive link here.) There are several photos as well so by all means give them some traffic!

Please note that I have not seen the show and am mostly unfamiliar with the source material, so I hope I understood the references properly.

Some mild spoilers ahead!


Opening of ‘The Poe Clan’ in Takarazuka – High praise from original creator Hagio Moto: ‘I could go over and over’

The Takarazuka Revue Flower Troupe’s production of The Poe Clan opened on the 1st in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre in Hyogo prefecture. It is based on the manga of the same name, first published by manga author Hagio Moto in 1972, which has gathered many fans up to the present day. Top Star Asumi Rio plays the immortal Vanpanella boy Edgar, in a world that unfolds as if it was taken straight from the manga.

Due to the great number of fans of the original work, Ms. Asumi has taken great pains with her appearance. ‘His curly hair is very impressive, so I was very particular about the wig and also the blue contacts,’ and as she said she uses blue color contact lenses onstage. ‘For the vampire scenes I want to convey the beauty of the world of Poe and of Takarazuka’, she said, expressing her confidence in the aesthetic scenes created for the show.

Ms. Hagio, who saw the show, was ecstatic. ‘I felt like my head and heart were going to burst. It was all so beautiful it seemed straight out of the manga.’ As lines from the original work were used directly in the dialogue and theme songs, she said ‘It’s a bit embarrassing. I’m very emotional about it,’ seeming to blush as she covered her cheeks with her hands. ‘The last scene where [Edgar and Yuzuka Rei’s character Alan]1 go out through the window gave me goosebumps. The scene where [Edgar and Alan are saying] “I wish…” was amazing. I might end up going over and over just to see those two scenes.’ She is totally in love with the show.

1 – bracketed sections in original source.

Sakihi Miyu makes her acting debut playing her historic Takarazuka senior, Otowa Nobuko!

This article about Sakihi Miyu’s acting debut in The Story of Koshiji Fubuki was published by Sanspo on Nvember 25th. The original article can be found here (along with several photos of Sakihi in costume). (Archive link here.)


Sakihi Miyu makes her acting debut playing her historic Takarazuka senior, Otowa Nobuko!

It was publicized on the 24th that Sakihi Miyu (26), former Top Musumeyaku of Takarazuka’s Snow Troupe who retired this July, will be making her debut as an actress in the Asahi mid-day drama The Story of Koshiji Fubuki (Mon-Fri 12:30pm airtime), which starts in January of next year.

In the drama, Takimoto Miori (26) plays the famous post-war star Koshiji Fubuki (died 1980, aged 56), a former Takarazuka Top Star1 and singer who was called ‘the Queen of Chanson’, in the story of her life. Koshiji performed as an otokoyaku Top Star in her time in Takarazuka, and after retirement recorded many hit songs, such as ‘Hymne a l’Amour’.

Ms. Sakihi plays Koshiji’s Takarazuka classmate Otowa Nobuko (died 1994, aged 70), who became a famous actress after retirement. As Ms. Sakihi is making her acting debut playing her historic senior, who also performed as Top Musumeyaku in Snow Troupe, she is unusually motivated. Her acting skills have been highly praised since her time in Takarazuka, so she stands out as a performer.

In the storyline of the drama, Ms. Sakihi, who returns to her ‘old haunts’ to play her character from her time as a Takarazuka Music School student, says emotionally “everything’s new to me, but everyone helps me out and I am learning new things every day.” Regarding the responsibility of playing the famous actress Otowa Nobuko, she says “as I watched various materials of hers I started thinking that she was a really alluring person. I’m also explaining to Ms. Takimoto, in my own way, how precious the relationships between otokoyaku and musumeyaku are.” As she has the most personal experience, she is advising Ms. Takimoto, the lead, about Takarazuka.

“I am aiming to become an actress like a Jack-in-the-box, someone who will make people think ‘she’s such an interesting person’,” she says about her future ambitions. As she uses her great talents from Takarazuka to brighten this drama, she is rapidly climbing the stairway to stardom as an actress.

1 – While the article uses the Top Star/Top Musumeyaku terms, and Koshiji and Otowa were leading performers, the terminology is not historically accurate as the Top Star system dates to the 1970s. However, Japanese sources often use this terminology for older stars for ease of comprehension.

Amami Yuuki meets Oscar-winning actress she admires for the first time in L.A. – “I’m so inspired”

This is a short article reporting on the October 10th red carpet of Thor: Ragnarok. The original article was published by Sponichi and can be found here (with some photos of Amami meeting various cast members). (Archive link here.)

Please note: there is some discussion of the Las Vegas shooting.


Amami Yuuki meets Oscar-winning actress she admires for the first time in L.A. – “I’m so inspired”

On the 10th (the 11th in Japan Time), actress Amami Yuuki (50) participated in the Los Angeles world premiere of Thor: Ragnarok (dir. Taika Waititi, opens Nov. 3d). In the Japanese dub, she provides the voice for the character played by Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett (48), the ‘goddess of evil’ Hela. Amami, a big fan of Cate, met her for the first time on the red carpet. “I’m really inspired,” she said, bursting with happiness.

She deeply respects Cate’s talent, which has won her two Academy Awards, as a fellow actress. So much so that in January of this year, she flew to New York to see Cate’s first time taking on the challenge of Broadway in The Present. Cate wore a close-fitting gold dress, and as she approached the red carpet Amami said “she’s here, she’s here, she’s in gold,” with sparkling eyes.

Amami said in English “I’m actually your dub voice actress. I’m so honored,” and Cate replied excitedly “Oh my god! You are? I want to go to Japan right away and hear you!” After the premiere, during a question session, she smiled and said “since I’ve worked for so long listening to her voice it’s as if she’s not a stranger at all. I’m so moved that I was able to meet her.”

Due to the effect of the shooting incident in Las Vegas on the 1st, there were metal detectors set up at the authorized participants’ entrance. There was such strict security that someone working on the film said “I don’t remember there ever being this level of security before.” Amami said “the people who were victims – I have no words,” but also stated “part of our job is cheering up people who are down. When I see all the people who came here today, I’m really glad we were able to hold this event.”

Even the original creator declares ‘It’s lovely!’ Opening of Flower Troupe member Yuzuka Rei’s lead show ‘Here Comes Miss Modern’

This article about Yuzuka Rei’s Drama City show was published by Sports Hochi on October 7th; however, the page has since been removed with no archives remaining.

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Takarazuka Snow Troupe’s new Top Combi, Nozomi Fuuto and Maaya Kiho: ‘This is such a dream come true…is it really alright?’

This report on the press conference for ‘The Path of Light’ and ‘SUPER VOYAGER’ was published by Sports Hochi on September 22nd, but the page has since been removed with no archives remaining.

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6000 fans at Cosmos Troupe Top Star Asaka Manato’s home territory retirement parade! ‘Thank you for showing us a love larger than the galaxy’

This brief report on Asaka’s Takarazuka retirement was released by Sports Hochi on September 25; however, the original article has since been removed with no archives remaining.

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