(I tend to write narrative style reviews - sorry it doesn't fit in the little form!)

Overall, I found this play both easier to follow and better written than “Hanafubuki Koifubuki” (which I can’t help comparing it to, because it also starred Touko as a Japanese hero – in that case, semi-legendary thief Goemon – who’s final reckoning any Japanese person in the audience would know before even opening their program). The secondary characters were more fleshed out – particularly, somewhat surprisingly, the female ones – and so even if the main character still seemed to spend the vast majority of his time brooding over the tragedy of his fate, I at least felt vested in everyone else.

Hmmm… It’s hardly seeming like I liked this when I read what I wrote. Here’s the thing. You know my “instant Takarazuka plot generator” theory? The one that involves a spinning wheel with random plot elements (“Paris” “Gigolos” “1920”) and a set of darts? I think I’m figuring out the nihonmono version. ;) Nothing wrong with it, but I’m discovering that Takarazuka “Japanese” plays are just as much a trifle as the “regular” ones. It just took me longer to get the hang of them.

So, in a lot of ways this was typical. Music: Enjoyable but forgettable. Plotline: Tangled. Characters: A brooding hero, perky (yet tormented!) heroine, and so many side characters my Otome was dizzy. Yet it came together quite well – not in the way of the few truly great Takarazuka written plays (Arch of Triumph), where you feel like you learned something about the human condition, but the way the simply enjoyable ones do.

I see to have gotten off track… Oh yeah, I wanted to comment on the music. Once again, Takarazuka proves that just because it’s nihonmono, you don’t need to be afraid of western music! Musashi and Kojiro seem to tango through a lot of their duels. And it kind of works. There were also several numbers reminiscent of the “white doves” finale dance from Arch of Triumph. I swear those are the same fans they used.
On to the actors!

Aran Kei: Yeah, like I’m gonna have anything negative to say. This was a role to hit all her good points. Angst! Singing! Really gorgeous kimono. Touko was great, but the role? Yawn. Kojiro was just kind of wooden. Blah blah honor. Blah blah oh-no-my-true-love-hates-me. (Yes, I have no heart.)

Shiomi Maho: I have said it before, and I shall say it again: Shiomi Maho rocks! Minamoto Musashi, as envisioned by Shiomi and the Takarazuka writers, is the biggest bully in the world. Her makeup was rather tanner than Touko’s, and her wigs were always mussed up, and she stamped around the stage looking all evil and ticked off, as Musashi demanded various samurai duel with him (and then killed them). Shiomi made an art out of these sorts of “rough guy” roles, and this is no exception.

Kanou Chika: I wanted to like her. I feel like I should, since she’s one of those more mature musumeyaku who’s been around for awhile. But I just wasn’t feeling her. Tsubaki was actually a character with some potential – although she starts as a typical “I love my boyfriend! I love my daddy!” Takarazuka female lead – but Kanou just kind of kept that same high voice and “cute” attitude the whole time.

Hizuki Hana: Played Anna, a foreign geisha that Kojiro meets later in the story and got fourth billing. I quite liked her. She had a lovely voice, that matched Touko’s very well, and had a stage presence that drew me in right away. I’d like to see more of her.

Several of the underclassmen were also quite good – for some reason, the one who really stood out to me was Ayaka Rei, who played one of Musashi’s opponents, Yoshioka Seijuro. She just came onstage with such authority, and had the “master swordsman” attitude so perfect, that I was shocked to find in my Otome that she’d debuted in 1998! I had thought she was one of the “character actor” upperclassmen. Debuting five years before this came out – practically a baby! That’s when most otokoyaku are getting the cutesy “young lad” roles. Definitely someone I want to see again!