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zukadiary · 6 years

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The Sky is on the Banks of the Red River / Citrus Breeze -Sunrise- ~ Cosmos Troupe 2018

For the first time ever I’d been here a full month without seeing any of *my* ladies, and while BADDY was an absolutely thrilling experience worth the sacrifice, my first viewing of Soragumi felt so much like a long-awaited return home I teared up as soon as the prologue started.

Amazing prologue aside, Red River was not my girl Koyanagi-sensei’s best work. Watching it I can imagine why it was tempting for her; Soragumi must be a tricky troupe to write for right now. Not only are they absolutely stacked with tracked talent, tracked?? talent, and non-tracked upperclassmen who nonetheless never fail to land high-profile roles, but they’re unusually stable. With Kiki’s move coming right after Maa’s taidan, essentially the only spot to open up in the last 3+ years has been top musumeyaku. Everyone—particularly 95th downwards—is 3+ years stronger, more polished, and more charming... but they have nowhere to go. Take that and add the retiring Magee and it’s an even bigger conundrum. Red River has A LOT of characters, and it definitely succeeded in giving every one of those people a solid principal role. However, it’s also a very long manga, and in an effort to give everyone a juicy character I think Koyanagi tried to stuff way too many storylines into a measly hour and a half. I got everything because I read the manga ahead of time, but I think it would have been difficult to understand even for a Japanese person who has not read it (it almost felt like watching the shinko of a 2-act, where they abridge it on the assumption you already know the whole story). Also unfortunate: while the characters’ storylines do all ultimately intertwine, they unfold very much separately, such that it often doesn’t make sense to have them on the stage at the same time. As a result a bunch of the major roles, while distinctly juicier somehow, wound up with less actual stage time than some of the more minor roles. On the plus side it was visually nice, pretty good for some unexpected people, and definitely gets a passing grade for stage fighting, which, I’ve recently come to appreciate, is something that gives certain troupes a great deal of difficulty, making it oh so satisfying when it’s done well (I assume? It’s possible it was only done well in my very narrow Soravision). Makaze and Madoka have also DRAMATICALLY improved their harmony sound since West Side Story. It hit me right in the chest.

People will be quick hits, as there was not exactly room for deep character exploration in this show:

Makaze seemed to relish all the campiest parts of playing a shoujo manga love interest, from her delivery of the ridiculous lines to her execution of the overly aggressive “romantic” gestures. Plus she’s just downright handsome, and absolutely believable as the greatest warrior prince given her stature.

I thought Madoka was absolutely wonderful given the limitations of the role, which winds up fairly badass but is still a sixteen year old girl. Madoka played Yuuri with amazing strength, and she’s such a natural actress even the groan-worthy manga lines came out passable. Someday I hope they let her play an actual adult though.

Kiki was a favorite less in terms of Ramses as a character and more in terms of this continued evolution of New Kiki. It was not as much of a shocking portrayal as some of her recent characters (Bernardo, whatever that dude’s name is in Yamataikoku), but still definitely a progression for how effortless it came off. Even as the nibante she’s not exactly on stage all the time, but outside of the prologue she gets the best song. A+++ on the visuals too.

Aichan as the Prince of Darkness and Akkii as Nefertiti kind of fall into the same category for me (I just realized writing that that they play siblings, but that’s not why). I feel like they both had extremely minimal stage time and storylines stuffed in at great pains (especially Aichan), and relied entirely on the wow factor of their visuals to give their roles weight—Aichan as the stereotypical dark sexy dude in an impressive floor-length wig, and Akkii as a very glitzy queen. If we hadn’t had to send off Magee and thus had one more prominent role open, I’d say the story would have benefitted from cutting the Prince of Darkness storyline entirely.

Seiko as Queen Nakia and Magee as her sidekick Urhi are the real villains of the manga, and in the rushed storytelling I think we lose a bit of how truly diabolical they are. I think I’m less frustrated with Nakia simply because I’m delighted that that’s the role Seiko landed, but Magee’s involvement felt extremely subdued.

Zunchan is once again the perfect little brother, but is betrayed and killed fairly early.

To my VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE, Riku, Sora, and Makise, who I assumed would wind up being Nobodies 1, 2, and 3 respectively, somehow wound up benefitting from the storyline battle among the principal characters; while they weren’t exactly blessed with a wealth of lines, they were on stage a lot, and actually contributed quite a bit to the general progression of things with their wordless background acting. No idea how much of that will show up on the DVD, but in the theater it was a joy to watch. Special shout-out to Sora slow-motion kicking Moeko’s ass all the way on the right wing of the stage while Makaze and Kiki have their dramatic final wrestle in the middle.

And a few people really lucked out! I have no idea who Mitsuki Haruka bribed to land Ilbani, but that’s the most I can ever remember her doing in a Grand Theater show (not complaining, I adore her). Fuuma Kakeru was a disheveled old man, but got her OWN! SOLO! and a very passionate one at that (more solos for Kakeru 2k4ever). And Manami Hikaru, armed with youth and shortness, benefitted from the fact that Tito, a fairly major character, is a literal child.

I LOVE CITRUS BREEZE WITH ALL MY HEART.

I remember thinking right around when Tsukigumi started in the Grand Theater that Citrus Breeze is the perfect thing to follow BADDY, because one has no choice but to forgive its lack of innovation in light of Soragumi’s 20th anniversary. I TAKE IT BACK because that implies that there is SOMETHING TO FORGIVE. It’s old, and it’s definitely on the wholesome side, which is not usually my thing... but it’s perfect. I love the songs, I love the dance numbers, I love the costumes, I love the big round 1970s music variety show light bulbs screwed into the sets that radiate nostalgia. Much of it is the same old Citrus Breeze, but—and it’s possible this is because I’ve only seen past versions in the form of mediocrely rendered Sky Stage recordings—this one felt so bright and polished and perfected. I’m pretty certain it’s my favorite.

Highlights, though it’s hard not to just say all of it:

Kiki’s Paradiso scene, basically only as long as it takes to saunter across the ginkyou once, but plenty to take in in that short time (I was most struck by how expertly she spread her hand on her hat at the final pose)

Mr. Bojangles, a shoo-in for favorite if Asu e no Energy didn’t exist, for a) Kumichou center b) SPATS and c) Sora dancing on a level so OTHER that it hurt my stomach

The chuuzume, which instead of being the fire-up type is just beautiful in a heartbreaking way

Madoka’s opera. I knew she was talented but I didn’t know she had that in her. She’s so stunningly beautiful in that scene too (and something about a heartbroken Kiki throwing down a glove to duel just kinda makes you wanna cry).

Chiaki hamming up the center of the rockette with these knowing expressions that are mostly fun but definitely also a little dangerous

Asu e, I bawled through it both times and listened to it on loop through my full 8 hour work nights 3 days in a row. The old Japanese lady next to me the second night screamed WOOOO all by herself at the end of it and I was so happy. Sora’s dancing, once again, a whole other level.

More than one lovely sendoff scene for Magee

And the SUNRISE bit, a very classic otokoyaku dance in bedazzled white tails in front of a burning sun, not out of place in the wholesomeness of the rest of the revue but with just enough fire to melt you the exact right amount.

I’ve SEEN IT and I knew I’d LIKE IT but I didn’t expect to love it THIS MUCH. I could watch it 1000 times.

#takarazuka #reviews #red river #citrus breeze #might as well just tell people I live here

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