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> inbuninbu:
>
> Takarazuka is truly without precedent in the world, at least in terms of scale of its success - when other revue troupes were shutting down it continued to thrive.

Well worded! But beware of offending OSK fans. There was an article recently in Takarazuka Precious that referred to Takarazuka as "the only place today with the revue entertainment form." Which is blatantly untrue, and upset a lot of fans.

In a way, I respect New OSK more than Takarazuka. They've really struggled to rebuild and continue since they lost their giant corporate support, and they're done very well in just a few years. And since they never had to deal with the "Berubara Boom" and all the fanaticism of that era, the actresses of New OSK are a lot more approachable. :)

I'll check that link out, but I have a hunch that just perhaps their source might have been Jennifer Robertson's infamous book. I don't have it with me though so I can't check. Just a hunch, ne.

In any case, I too find it hard to believe they'd keep running it if it weren't turning over some kind of profit. After all it's primary raison d'etre was to draw more commuters into using the dead-end Hankyu line and thus earn Kobayashi some pennies, as he'd built the line but nobody was using it. After that it changed and blossomed and from its original merely financial purpose, expanded and developed in new and unforeseen, artistic ways.

Takarazuka is truly without precedent in the world, at least in terms of scale of its success - when other revue troupes were shutting down it continued to thrive. If they tried to shut it down today it could quite conceivably spark mass protest, or potentially even mass suicide by fans. In that sense, Takarazuka is a bit like a runaway train, or a Frankenstein monster - it's fate is out of the control of its creator now, to a certain extent.

Yes, theatre business is an expensive one - all the sets, costumes, props etc, which might in part explain the huge costs of merchandise, but if they were operating in the red I don't see why they'd ever have even considered opening a second theatre in Tokyo.

So personally I'd be somewhat skeptical of those comments. Long live takarazuka! :-)

> I read a magazine article on this website - http://belladonna.org/ShojoKageki/index.html - I'm not sure how old it is exactly (I think it's late 60's), or how accurate it is. It claims the Takarazuka Revue, and I quote - "hasn't shown a profit in it's 54 year history."
>
> I'd love to know if that was true and if it's true today. I find it incredible that any professional company would continue to run for so long without making a profit but I haven't been able to find anything else at all on the subject.

I find it unlikely, cynic that I am. Even as recently as 1980, SS tickets sold for 2500 yen. Today they're 10000. Of course you need to take into account inflation, changing technology, and the building of three new theaters, but that's still quite a jump in price. And I think anyone who has wandered into Quatre Reves is going to have a problem believing Hankyu isn't out to make some kind of profit. I think DVD sales must be a major source of revenue for them, but I don't have any kind of business sense, so that's all in my head.

Still, it must be an expensive branch of the Hankyu company. They broached and then ditched the idea of selling Takarazuka shares. I'm sure there are more business savvy things they could be spending their resources on, so I'm glad they've decided to continue the Revue.

> inbuninbu:
>more popular tends to equal more bums on chairs, and we know they love to be raking in the dough more than anything else! That's the cynic in me >speaking anyway.

I'm not so sure they're in it for the money. I would imagine the costs involved inputting on the shows are phenomenal. Those enormous feathers must cost a bomb.
I read a magazine article on this website - http://belladonna.org/ShojoKageki/index.html - I'm not sure how old it is exactly (I think it's late 60's), or how accurate it is. It claims the Takarazuka Revue, and I quote - "hasn't shown a profit in it's 54 year history."

I'd love to know if that was true and if it's true today. I find it incredible that any professional company would continue to run for so long without making a profit but I haven't been able to find anything else at all on the subject.

I second that on Kashi-chan. Watching videos of her retirement on Youtube (I'm addicted. Officially) you can see how dedicated and loving her fans are.

It seems strange that they should retire such a popular actress, because more popular tends to equal more bums on chairs, and we know they love to be raking in the dough more than anything else! That's the cynic in me speaking anyway.

Top stars pose lots of reasons at press conferences when they announce their leaving Takarazuka, DEEP Japanese fans never believe what they say.

Why not? Because we came to know top stars cannnot decide when to retire. Who decides, then? .....The company does.

Anyone remembers what Emao Yu (known for her candidness) said at the press meeting in 2002? "Why are you leaving so soon after becoming a top star?" "Because it's the company's direction."

We all got mad at the company and learned we should never believe publicly announced beautiful reasons. -SIGH-


Ms. Webmaster(s),
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What I don't understand is why Kashige (Takashiro Kei) retired so quickly...she was only around for 7 months! Would love to know any info about that.

I don't know that there was ever any officlal, specific statement as to why she retired when she did, but I've always gotten the impression that she was just ready to move on and wanted to try other things. I wish she had stayed longer though, she's absolutely one of my favourite 'siennes.