Takarazuka: El Halcon (Star, 2007-2008)

[winter]

Takarazuka is my mainstay for when I'm feeling down, but not every show is a gem. Since I've just giggled myself silly through El Halcon, I think it is one.

Fans of From Eroica with Love will recognise Tyrian Persimmon, Klaus's ancestor, and let's just say the show starts with the baby Tyrian stabbing the man who raised him as a son to facilitate the escape of the pirate he suspects is his real father. It gets downhill from there, because there's seemingly no depth Tyrian won't stoop to (though I admit Aran Kei looks very at home when throwing women on a bed and pinning them there). The revue has lovingly adapted Yasuko Aoike's penchant for creating memorable backup teams for her heroes, and therefore Tyrian gets not one but two male sailors who keep being posed in typical musumeyaku worship poses, and Asuka's Gilda has her posse of girl pirates.

But I have to admit I'm on the side of Luminous "Red" Benedict. Let's see - he's noble, rash and needs a knock on the head. He has a crazy pirate mentor, and he manages to "kidnap" Tyrian's ward only to get tackled by her as she giggles about (I think) how cool he is. (I believe this would be where Eroica gets his enthusiasm from.) And oh, Hoshigumi have so many lovely actresses there - Yuzuki Reon and Kazu Ryouka work beautifully together, it's such a pity that Kazu's retiring just before Chie becomes top. Other people I'll definitely keep an eye on are Suzumi Shio (she does anger very well) and Tenju Mitsuki - just a baby, but she's got the otokoyaku fire in spades.

The show is... more on crack than From Eroica with Love, which is an achievement. It chiefly earns this distinction via the appearance of the disco-dancing Queen Bess.

Comments

[dunkle-feuer.livejournal.com]

Isn't the crack just absolutely lovely? There are no words to describe just how much I love this performance. And as much as I love Aran Kei's Tyrian, I'm siding with Luminous here as well. Then again, if I had to chose between them, I would have to say that I love Dorian/Eroica a bit more than Klaus, so maybe it's not all that much of a surprise *g*

I'm very happy you enjoyed the performance! And there was no way that Yasuko Aoike + Takarazuka could fail. Both of them are very awesome on their own, so that combination just had to be made of win :D

[galynthia.livejournal.com]

Sounds so cool! I've been bidding on this on Yahoo Japan but I keep getting outbid x.x One day . . . one day I'll have this . . .

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Darnit, it is totally time for me to get a Ceiga or Crescent Shop account so I can buy this one!. :D

[winter]

Ah, but there are some character differences that are absolutely lovely ;) I'm being tempted to pull up Jack Sparrow et consortes just so I can chuck Red and company at them.

[winter]

It's really worth it :) Amusing revue as well, though not one of my top favourites like Tarantella, but the main show is brilliant. I think what makes it is that everyone up to and including the youngest members has a personality for her character and keeps to it.

[winter]

Very much recommended :D I saw Touko (Aran Kei) first as little baby understudy Death in the newbie performance of the 1996 version, and she's retained a lot of Maki Ichiro's grace and coolness. She has such a ball being evil!

[dunkle-feuer.livejournal.com]

Ooh... *gets bitten by plot bunny* Gah! Take it away! I so don't need any new story ideas at the moment!

But I like the idea! Jack and Red could make for an interesting combination. Of course, they would probably drive each other up the wall before long, but still... Or it would just click between them. Though, I'm not so sure how Red would deal with huge octopuses and curses (not that Tyrian isn't a curse on his own, but it is still something different).

[winter]

Red, not too well, but Captain Black and Juliet would probably be delighted ;) I could see Jack and Black being old acquaintances. (And then we have Tyrian vs Elizabeth Swann-Turner, which would be... interesting. In the "gun against sensitive parts of his anatomy" kind of way, which is no worse than he deserves.)

[fuumasfrog.livejournal.com]

Bwahah! Don't tell me there's a Takarazuka version of Eroica out there, too? I never found one, but it would be perfect...

[winter]

Not yet, but since they did El Halcon and Yasuko Aoike apparently loved it enough to see it again and again, I wouldn't put it past them :D The only disadvantage would be a lack of female roles, really. Especially recently Takarazuka's getting much better about giving females powerful roles, so they'd have to either get a female villain, or get the lead musumeyaku to play Dorian. (Mind you, I wouldn't put it past someone like Asuka or Tonami - or of the ones who are not retiring, Yumesaki Nene. Or a girly otokoyaku like Kacha...)

[fuumasfrog.livejournal.com]

Well, then we definitely have something to look forward to! Oh, and could you be a dear and give some more youtube links for the show? I'm totally working with guesswork here since my old comp doesn't even show japanese characters and I have to blindly click around the related links...
And you wouldn't happen to know where I can get the soundtrack? It really sounds good...^^

[winter]

The katakana for Halcon is "アルコン" - there are a few clips on Youtube all from the same source, but you might have more luck with nicovideo.jp. The soundtrack is sold out and not available in Takarazuka-An :( I love the music too, so once I have a moment I might just rip the songs from the DVD and upload them for a few friends :>

[fuumasfrog.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! And I hope, I'm one of those friends, too <3

[tokugawa.livejournal.com]

Ohh this is one show I would love to get since Touko is wonderful and plus it has swords in which should accompany any Touko show, :)

Next show I think you should get is "Aka to Kuro"(the show that Touko wished for her whole life to play in), since I've read good things about that one ohh and finally her shinko digest is coming soon.

[winter]

I definitely want that one :) As well as the shinko digest. I like Touko very much, especially in the Yukigumi Elisabeth shinko - she was so cute in trying to be as proud and dignified as Ichiro :D Now I just wish the main casts of those mid-90s Yukigumi shows would get DVDs...