日本から全女子ブロードウェイ：ザ・ミュージカル

​＜日本語＞​

          もしも男性俳優たちがいないと女性たちがすべての男性キャラクターたちを描いていると綺麗な色を含めてそしてそれらの女性たちは日本人と独身者の間にニューヨーク市からようにブロードウェイミュージカルがいるならば結果は？宝塚歌劇団です！舞台にすべての女性たちは当たり前に独身者たちの111年間に伝説の全女子歌劇団です、まだ演劇の歴史に少ない知っているでも舞台芸術でまだ大きな影響がある。たぶんフェミニストの特に人々が宝塚歌劇団を観る時に考えるは「ねえ、そのようにもしていることはどう？」って、それで自分の全女子歌劇団を作る試みている；日本からOSK日本歌劇団という一つの他の全女子歌劇団がいると．．．それだけです。それは問題です：日本の外から少ない人々が宝塚歌劇団について知っているからインスピレーションのために様々なチャンスを逃しているかもしれない：女性たちだけキラキラ舞台ミュージカル豪華なショー、そこにスタイリッシュなスーツとタキシードを着ているの男性たちとして女性たちと、観客からある夢中になったの女性が考えているは「ああ～、大好きよ～！！！」って、そしてそれはなぜこの地球にレズビアンたちがいる！宝塚歌劇団のようにもっと全女子歌劇団を調査しているのGoogle（グーグル）に検索は無意味だ、ある人々がジェンダー間の政治闘争とLGBTQ+仄めかしについて怒っているの間に他の試みがないだから。2016年にアメリカのニューヨーク市にリンカーンセンターフェスティバルに宝塚歌劇団が「シカゴ」を演技された、その結果として世界に他の全女子歌劇団はいくついるの？！演劇のガラスの天井を破れていることはまだまだ無理だな～．．．！

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          あいにく、ここに宝塚歌劇団の歴史と遺産またはどのように動くについてすっかり書いていないでしょう、他の記事がすでにそんなことしただから！だけど、追いついたになるのため、まだジェンダーギャップがいると日本エンターテインメントの世界にこの影響力のあるの歌劇団について重要な必要な詳細だけを与えるでしょう。1913年に兵庫県の宝塚市に阪急電鉄の設立者小林一三によって宝塚歌劇団は作られた、その翌年に前は屋内プール今舞台に最初の演技があった、年を追うごとに全く変えた。その最初の演技と、「その屋内プールはいったいどこ？！」って言ったの戸惑わされた人々が今言っていたは「それは面白かった！そのように演技をもっと観たい！」ってありそう、それで宝塚歌劇団は大部分は女性たちでもたくさんのファンたちがいる、KPOPボーイ・バンドまたはテイラー・スウィフトのファンたちのように崇拝している。「清く　正しく　美しく」の宝塚歌劇団に五つの組がいる：花組、月組、雪組、星組、宙組、そしてもっと経験を持ったと年上の女性たちがあるの専科。二つの団体に分かられた：男性キャラクターとして短い髪型と声が低いの男役とディズニープリンセスまたはオペラ歌手のように女性キャラクターとして娘役。二人主役たちは男役のトップスターと娘役のトップ娘役、それぞれの宝塚歌劇団の演技のためにロマンチックかどうか（贋のキスがあると）ストーリーの特になんと重大なのだ。ところで、宝塚歌劇団のメンバーたちがいっぱいや、それはなぜ日本に男性たちよりもっと女性たちがいるの本当の理由かしら？そうならば面白い相互関係だね～！とにかく、宝塚歌劇団の元のメンバーたち明日海りおと七海ひろきだけを良く知っているは私で残念、あんまりたくさんの舞台名があるのメンバーたちがいるんだな、でもそんなことはそれぞれのアイドルグループのようにじゃないの？それらのアイドルグループにたくさんの絶対名前を暗記しないの女性たちがいる！

 

          宝塚歌劇団は何でも演技を演じるできる、何でも物語を語るできる、何でも歌を歌うできる、メンバーたちがほとんど何でもキャラクターになるできる；それは女優の本当の力じゃないのカイ？！たぶんヨーロッパからスタイルが宝塚歌劇団を影響した、証拠は単純な舞台美術、それとも宝塚大劇場（とバウホール）や東京宝塚劇場の建築（宝塚大劇場と東京宝塚劇場は二つの主要な宝塚演技のために会場でも全国と世界的なツアーもした）、そしてもしもお客様たちはホントに宝塚の演技に俳優たちになったらの宝塚ホテルを絶対忘れないでね！

 

          ほとんどのすべての宝塚歌劇団から演技は同じ概念を持っている：まずは主要な物語です、オリジナルかどうか小説または漫画またはビデオゲームなどの脚色かどうか、それとも歴史の幾分か部分に基づく。ロマンス、アクション、冒険、スリル、そしてたくさんのドラマのようにありふれている要素を含めている；他の演劇の演技のようにだな～！もちろん音楽と歌っていることは必要だ、そうでなければ宝塚歌劇団の演技じゃない。私の大好きな宝塚歌劇団の演技は1974年から名作の演技として漫画から舞台化「ベルサイユのばら」、毎回舞台化になる時に一人または二人に違うキャラクターたちについて、幾つかバージョンがいっぱいを至っている、しかしまだ同じ始まりと終わりがある（その舞台化からすべての歌も良いですね）。主要な物語の後でレビュー。レビューは、楽しい歌やオーケストラとジャズとラテンのように楽しい音楽や色々な華やか光や楽しい踊っていることやタキシードとドレスを含めて輝いている服そして女性の力の合同だ、結果は魅惑している喜びに満ちた芸術的な人々は頭に中に「なんとなんとすごいな～」って考えるだろうなのスペクタクル。宝塚歌劇団の演技からレビューの部分はいつもいつも楽しいサ、観客が席から踊りたいでもダメ！それぞれのレビューが主題に頼るだから違うけど五つの重大な局面は必要：１）可愛い綺麗なロケッツのようにダンサーたち（もちろんキックラインがあるのラインダンスを要るんだぞ）、２）男らしい優雅なタキシードを着るの男役たちのダンス、３）スケートがないのシンクロナイズドスケーティングのように（と思うの）優雅も娘役たちのダンス、４）トップスターとトップ娘役が一緒にダンスをしているのこと、５）メドレーがいるとカーテンコールのフィナーレ、その長い光沢があるの階段の上に最後の人はもっと魅惑しているの孔雀尻尾は後ろにあるとトップスター、トップ娘役と他の誰でもの孔雀尻尾と比べてなんと嵩張ったでもまだホントにすげえ！

 

          タカラジェンヌという宝塚歌劇団のメンバーになりたいならば名高いって宝塚大劇場の隣宝塚音楽学校に生徒になるなければならない。大学に応募していることのように入試を合格しなければならないも。女子ティーンエージャーたちだけが応募するできる、大人の女子たちで遅いとごめん！たくさんのそれらの女子ティーンエージャーたちが入試に応募するの間に、40人だけは受け入れられた。入試を合格しなかったならば来年にもう一度頑張るできる。外に入試の結果は公に見せられた、それで反応は感情的なのね～！歓迎式典の後で雑用とクラスが直ちに始まる！そうです、雑用と！宝塚音楽学校の年長組が監督している間に、新入生たちが少ない道具を使うとすべての廊下を掃除と消毒をする、完全にきちんとしていて清潔であるのために。人々が言うはこれはそれらの新入生たちで規律の方法だけど、なぜ問題になるできるの理由を説明するでしょう（新入生たちが訓練係軍曹のように年長組を尊敬するに違いない限り）。その上に、宝塚音楽学校の教育課程は他の演劇の学校のように、ウエブサイトから読んだ時に：演技、踊り、歌声、ピアノ、他！一年後男役と娘役は決めた、そしてそれらの生徒たちがタカラジェンヌになるため限界に達せさせる！最後に、あのタカラジェンヌが数年後去りたいならばもう宝塚音楽学校の生徒はない、宝塚歌劇団の演技の後で卒業式が起こる、そして人生の残りにプロの女優になるまたは普通の生活で社会にもっと良い女性たちになる；それとも、あのタカラジェンヌが早いに去りたいならばいつでもそんなことをするできると誰も気にするはないだろう！

 

          宝塚歌劇団のメンバーになる時に有名人になるや役に立つの演技の経験を持っているできる、しかし、そこにトラブルはまだ存在する．．．

 

          宝塚歌劇団は完璧ってはうそです。宝塚歌劇団と宝塚音楽学校は全然何でもトラブルがないってもうそです。誰も全女子歌劇団の概念を現在に真似する試みたはないから宝塚歌劇団はまだ演劇の歴史でたくさんの影響があるってはうそじゃありません。宝塚歌劇団について良いことだけを話していることはずるい、悪いことについても話すに違いない、そうでなければメンバーたちが悪いことすれば少ない人々が気にするはないと、チケットからお金と絶望的なのお客さんたちを無くしていると死んでいるになるを防ぐのためどうやって宝塚歌劇団が改善するできるの？ある無視するできるのトラブルがいる、例えば、茶色と時々に黒色の化粧を使っているとラテン人や黒人たちのように他のアジア人と白人はないの人々として演技する、だが、すべてのタカラジェンヌは日本人だから怒らせているを防ぐのために他のどうするつもり？！もっとアジア人じゃないのタカラジェンヌを要求するはいい？トランスジェンダータカラジェンヌも？それとも女子ティーンエージャーだけじゃないと誰でも女性は宝塚音楽学校の生徒になることを要求する？！？一つの無視するできないの厳しいトラブルがいる：少なくとも宝塚音楽学校に伝えられる所ではいじめとハラスメントの場合がいっぱい、生徒たちはたくさんの精神的と感情的プレッシャーとストレスを持っていると、それらの生徒たちと年長組の関係は御主人と奴隷の関係と敵対的な職場に下らない従業員と邪魔するなの上司の関係を似ている。2020年秋に宝塚音楽学校の学部がそんなひどい規則を取り除いたと思ったよ、だけど、宝塚にいじめとハラスメントを除くのために戦いはまだ終わりじゃないかもしれないのサ。

 

          現在に、宝塚歌劇団に本当に厳しい申し立てがいる：最近に認めたは2023年秋にパワーハラスメントが起こったありそうなのだった、理由は宙組からあのタカラジェンヌが突然に自殺した、他のメンバーたちによっていじめや長い過労だから。宝塚歌劇団と提供者阪急阪神ホールディングスの阪急電鉄が、犠牲者の家族を謝っていたの後で二度と起こらないだろうを約束するはずでも私の意見にまだまだ改善がいない。その改善が起こったについてまだまだ一つのニュース記事がいない、その改善の目的は宝塚歌劇団はもっとやさしい所になる、すべてのメンバーたちはメンタルヘルスについて心配していないと楽なになるできる、そしてそれらの傲慢なメンバーたちはなんとアホ野郎たちにならない！芸術を作る時に親切も作る；この伝説の全女子歌劇団がこのスキャンダルから取り戻すできるか？それぞれのメンバーたちがそれでも意志がないと覚えているだろうか？もちろんその自殺は一つだけの組ばかりでもドミノ倒しは何でしょうか？！一つの組に自殺が起こったならば他の組に自殺が起こるできるだろうなのだ！たぶんすべてのタカラジェンヌがもっとやさしいになるを約束した、この事件について忘れたのために宝塚歌劇団の演技が帰って来たのことは利益になる（実際は2022年インドから映画「RRR」の舞台化として星組の最近の演技は現在の新しい大ヒットです）、でもこれを書いている間に、宝塚歌劇団のメンバーたちがその約束を破れないだろうなので私は私と同意するの誰でもまだ全く信じさせられない、本当にごめんなさい。

 

          えっ？私が宝塚歌劇団について忘れたいって？ボイコットしたいっても？もう一つの自殺を防ぐできるでなければ抗議として私ともう関係ないって？！永遠に離れたいって？！まあ、完全ではない。この最近のトラブルの悪い結果が消えるを待っているできる、それで宝塚歌劇団の演技を心配していないとまた楽しむ、でも今から経験は前のようにもう同じじゃない、その舞台に他の誰でもメンバーたちはいじめっこたちを恐怖と考えているだから。けど、今これを読んでいると、宝塚歌劇団とタカラジェンヌたちの心からなんとなんと大ファンならば私が期待するはここに述べたの言葉はあなたの経験を絶対台無しにするはない；確実にそこにまだもっと良いタカラジェンヌがいるだね。芸術と芸術家は二つの違うなもの、宝塚歌劇団に関してうまくいけば本当、カーテンの後ろにメンバーの何でも悪い振る舞いは、観客を観ているのすごい歩道とその舞台の上へ行く時にそれは唯一の反映はない。その悪い振る舞いはこれらの宝塚歌劇団の演技のために組み込めたならばそんな状況はもっと更に悪いになった、まさかそんなことがまだ絶対に起こったはないな．．．と思うよ！その舞台の上に観客たちが聞こえると観える限り話すまたは歌う時にあのメンバーのそれぞれの私的な心配と苦労が消える。これは「宝塚歌劇団の演技を観てください」って言うの広告はありませんけど、その代わりにたくさんの楽しいと感動的な宝塚歌劇団の演技を見ていたの後で何を知っていると思い出してるについて書いていることだけ、この時代に特にどのように間違いなく改善するできるの建設的な対話も、そんな対話と結局宝塚歌劇団がもっと良いになるできる。

 

          宝塚歌劇団はなぜ私は演劇がもう一度大好きだったの理由、正直に、ニューヨーク市にブロードウェイ演技より宝塚の方を好むだろうなのです、日本から全女子だから、フェミニストとして私で良い、どうやってを質問すればこの随筆をまた始めから読んでください！宝塚歌劇団がないと、手塚治虫の「リボンの騎士」のインスピレーションは何もなかっただろうなのだ、「美少女戦士セーラームーン」からセーラーウラヌスとセーラーネプチューンの現在の存在がなかっただろうなのだ、宝塚歌劇団の影響だから「かげきしょうじょ！！」は私の一番大好きなアニメの一つになったはなかっただろうなのだ。毎回人たちが宝塚歌劇団の演技を観る時にカラフルってマジカルってメロディーがいっぱいのいつものように愛と魅惑があるのおよそ160分だ、何十年間にわたって困っている障害にもかかわらず忍耐強く続けるだろうなと祈るよ、しかし述べただからもう希望がないの意味じゃない。これをまだ書いている間に今考えているは悟るは宝塚歌劇団をまだ他の私の大好きなもののようにいつも心の中に大切にするよ、全然知っていて成長したの他の人々で同じ意見があれば私はうれしい！まだ説得されたはないのカイ？！個人的に好きなだけこの随筆を読んでください、私が書いたの理由をマジで絶対覚えてろ！！！

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          宝塚歌劇団のスタッフとメンバーたちへ、私のこの随筆に書いたの言葉の結果はもうちょっと観客たちがないだから心配したならば、私が言うは：停止通告書を待っています。そうでなければ、お願い、本当にほんとうにホント～に改善になってください、タカラジェンヌたちを信じるよ！「フォーエバー、タカラヅカフォーエバー！」

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＜英語＞

            What do you get when you take a Broadway musical like the ones in New York City, get rid of all of the male actors, have the male characters be played by females, add in some pretty colors, and make them all Japanese and single? You get the Takarazuka Revue Company! It’s a legendary all-female musical theater troupe with a lifespan of more than a century where, obviously, all of the performers on stage are unmarried women, and as a result of this fact, it remains incredibly influential in the history of performing arts, even if not mentioned as much in certain theatre history textbooks, if I’m not mistaken. There ought to be people, especially feminists, who watch a Takarazuka Revue Company show and wonder to themselves Hey, why don’t *we* do something like that?!, and attempt to create their own all-female theatre troupes, and there is at least one, also in Japan called the OSK Nippon Revue Company, and… I think that’s about it! You see, this is the problem: Since not enough people outside of Japan know what the Takarazuka Revue Company is, they have no idea what they ought to be inspired by, or what they’re missing out on! Imagine: A glitz-and-glamor-filled stage musical extravaganza starring women and only women where even the women playing handsome men wearing stylish suits and tuxedos could make even the most enthusiastic female audience member go head-over-heels to want to fawn over (And that’s probably how we have lesbians on this planet)! Researching more all-female theatre troupes like the Takarazuka Revue Company with even a simple Google search would be pointless since no one else has yet dared to try to imitate what they could do without being pointed out by certain members of society over gender politics and LGBTQ+ undertones. The Takarazuka Revue Company performed in New York City in the United States in 2016 for their own production of Chicago as part of the Lincoln Center Festival, and how many musical theatre troupes that have no one but women have there been since? You tell me! Thus, the glass ceiling in the theatre world has still officially yet to be broken!

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            Now, unfortunately, I’m not going to spend the rest of my time here providing a fully-detailed history of the Takarazuka Revue Company and its legacy, or what you need to know about the troupe and how it functions, because there have been so many other articles out there that have already done the same thing! However, just so that we’re on the same page, I will only give out some of the important and necessary details about the theatre troupe that has provided such an impact on the Japanese entertainment world that it, sadly, has done little to do anything to encourage the country to improve on its gender gap! Founded in 1913 by Hankyu Railway founder Kobayashi Ichizō, the Takarazuka Revue Company (named after an actual city in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan) held its very first performance the following year on a stage that was originally an indoor pool, and the more performances they held over the years, the quicker they gradually transformed. That very first performance sure must’ve attracted those wondering where they were supposed to go to swim now that their leisure swimming pool was gone! Nonetheless, I’m sure that that confused crowd must’ve loved it, and it has resulted in the troupe having legions and legions of fans, mostly the female ones, with some of them even going so far as to idolize their favorite Takarazuka stars and follow them around, willing to do whatever it is that they tell them to such as carrying their shopping bags. With the motto “Kiyoku, Tadashiku, Utsukushiku,” which translates to “Purity, Honesty, Beauty,” The Takarazuka Revue Company is split into five sub-troupes: the Flower Troupe, the Moon Troupe, the Snow Troupe, the Star Troupe, and the Cosmos Troupe, with an additional troupe called the Senka consisting of longtime Takarazuka performers, probably older than all of the other members of the five sub-troupes. The members are split into two groups, those playing the male characters called the otokoyaku (who tend to keep their hair short and have deep voices), and those playing the female characters called the musumeyaku (who tend to have vocals that make them sound like they’re either Disney princesses or starring in an opera). The two main leads are called the “top star” for the males and the “top musumeyaku” for the females, and are considered the crucial factor to just about every Takarazuka performance in terms of storytelling, mainly about romance (with that obviously fake kissing). By the way, before I forget, with the astounding amount of members for each of the five sub-troupes, could this truly explain why there are more women in Japan than men? If so, what an interesting correlation that must be! Anyway, it’s sad for me to say that the only two members of the Takarazuka Revue Company that I’m most familiar with are Asumi Rio and Nanami Hiroki, both former members, as there are too many members of the Takarazuka for me to catch the names of (They’re all identified by stage names anyway), but then again, that’s my exact same feeling for every idol group: Too many women whose names I won’t remember!

 

            The Takarazuka Revue Company can perform any kind of show, tell any kind of story, sing any kind of song, and have its members portray almost any character there is! That’s the true power of what a female actor can do, isn’t it? I’d like to think to myself that the Takarazuka Revue Company has European-style influences, evident in the simplistic background stage designs, or even the architecture of the Takarazuka Grand Theatre (plus Bow Hall) and the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre, two of the main venues for Takarazuka theatre productions (though they have toured to various other theatres nationwide and worldwide), and let’s not forget the Takarazuka Hotel, where the more you wander around, the more it feels like you’re stepping into the world of a Takarazuka musical!

 

            Almost all Takarazuka theatre productions follow the same formula: First, there’s the main story, which can be an original story or based on another medium such as a novel or a manga or a video game, or based on certain parts of history, etc. Considered to be staples for these main Takarazuka shows are bits and pieces of romance, action, adventure, thrills, and of course, plenty of drama; It’s just about everything you would expect out of any kind of theatre production out there! Oh, and of course, there has to be music and singing involved, or it’s not considered a Takarazuka Revue Company production! One of the company’s most famous productions, and my personal favorite, is every time they adapt The Rose of Versailles onto the musical stage beginning in 1974, each time the manga is adapted by the Takarazuka is focused on a different character or pair of characters (and just about all of the songs sound great), resulting in several different interpretations of the stage musical, though they all do start and end the same way. The second portion of a Takarazuka theatre production is the Revue portion, which takes catchy songs, jamming music that ranges from orchestral to jazz to even Latin, wondrous arrays of colorful lights, energetic dancing, glittery outfits including tuxedos and dresses, and of course the power of women, and combines them all together to create a dazzling, exuberant, artistic spectacle that should keep the sitting-still audience wowed and clapping along for about twenty minutes to an hour. The Revue portion of a Takarazuka show is always deemed to be fun to enjoy and makes the audience want to get up and dance even though that’s not exactly permitted, and the kinds of sing-and-dance numbers that are featured vary depending on the theme, but five main aspects need to be present: A group of very lovely dancers performing a routine similar to The Rockettes which famously ends in an exhilarating kickline, a routine each for the masculine-behaving elegant-dancing otokoyaku wearing stylish tuxedos and the grace-and-beauty-contained musumeyaku whom I’m going to say dance like they’re a synchronized skating group without the ice skates, the top star and the top musumeyaku sharing a dance together as they should, and the Grand Finale, which is basically a curtain call with everyone in unison performing a medley of songs that were previously featured in the main story or the Revue, with the last to come down the trademark long and glossy staircase being the top star entering in a feathery but mesmerizing peacock tail attachment to their outfit which is more bulky but still appealing than the peacock tails worn by the top musumeyaku or pretty much anyone else!

 

            To become a “Takarasienne,” or as members of the Takarazuka Revue Company are called, one must become a student of the somewhat prestigious Takarazuka Music School located right next to the Takarazuka Grand Theatre. Similar to applying for a university, those who wish to be on the stage representing the Takarazuka must pass an entrance exam in order to become accepted. The only applicants allowed are teenage girls (anyone older would have to try their luck elsewhere), and of the many who participate in the entrance exam, spots are limited to up to 40 applicants, which means all of the others who do not make it that year would have to try again next year as the results of the entrance exams are displayed to the public for everyone to see, often with emotional reactions. Following a welcome ceremony, classes immediately begin… with household chores! That’s right: Under the supervision of the Takarazuka Music School senior class, first-year students usually have to make sure just about every corridor of the institution is sanitized and clean, spic and span, utilizing a very limited array of tools. People say that this is supposed to teach the first-year students discipline of sorts, but we’ll delve more into how this can eventually become a problem as long as those students are the ones who have to properly present themselves and display the utmost respect towards the senior class as if they’re extremely ruthless drill sergeants (not to sound harsh or anything). Other than that, the Takarazuka Music School’s curriculum is basically similar to that of a theatre school: Lessons on theatre acting, dance sessions of all kinds, practicing vocals, learning the piano, and much more are abound; And that’s the least of what I found on their website! By the end of the first year, that is when the otokoyaku and musumeyaku groups are decided (in regards to who belongs to what), and the real test begins, in which the students find out if they have what it truly takes to push themselves to the limit to become one with the rest of their fellow Takarasiennes. Finally, should a Takarasienne depart from the troupe after many years, thus completely ends their time at the Takarazuka Music School with a graduation ceremony held after a Takarazuka theatre performance, and afterwards they move on to become professional actresses or go about their normal lives as better women in society; On the other hand, should a Takarasienne leave early on during their time in the troupe, they could basically do so anytime they want, but here’s the catch: No one would care.

 

            In spite of all of the fame and useful acting experience that comes to being a member of the Takarazuka Revue Company at all, even that is not without its own series of issues…

 

            Is the Takarazuka Revue Company perfect? Nope! Is it and the Takarazuka Music School both free from controversy of any kind? Not exactly! Does the Takarazuka Revue Company still deserve to be called one of the most influential theatre groups of all time due to its all-female concept that no one else has yet to imitate? Yes, most definitely! With that being said, it wouldn’t be fair for me to continuously mention the positives of the troupe without delving into the negatives, because if I didn’t, and the Takarazuka Revue Company is called out for doing something wrong and not enough people care about it, how will we know it would vow to improve so it could win back disillusioned audience members and not lose ticket money and go defunct all of a sudden? There are a few problems about this beloved long-running theatre troupe that I can ignore, for example, the use of brown and at times black make-up used to portray other people of color such as Latinos or Black people, but since every single member of the five sub-troupes is ethnically Japanese, what else do you think the Takarazuka Revue Company could’ve done to prevent offending anyone?! Maybe provide a bit more diversity into the troupe with the inclusion of non-Japanese as well as transgender women, perhaps?!? Or maybe, I dunno, allowing women of all ages to become Takarasiennes, not just allowing only teenagers in to the music school?!?! There is actually one particular problem about the Takarazuka Revue Company that I cannot ignore: At least at the Takarazuka Music School, there seems to be a variety of reported instances of bullying and harassment going on that causes the attending students to go through loads of mental and emotional pressure and stress, with master-and-slave-like scenarios regarding their relationship with their senior class members drawing comparisons to hostile work environments where every employee is treated like an inferior and the boss is someone no one wants to mess around with. The staff at the Takarazuka Music School was supposed to have done away with regulations that result in such conflicting relationships back in the fall of 2020, but I suppose we’re still not done in the fight to eliminate bullying and harassment in all areas of what I would call the Takarazuka universe.

 

            You see, right now, the Takarazuka Revue Company is currently under a very serious allegation: It recently admitted that power harassment may have occurred that resulted in the suicide of a Takarasienne representing the Cosmos troupe back in the fall of 2023 due to bullying by the other members as well as instances of extensive hours of overwork. The Takarazuka Revue Company and its main sponsor, the Hankyu Corp. run by the Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., were supposed to be taking extensive measures to make sure that this doesn’t happen again after formally apologizing to the victim’s family, though in my opinion, it appears as if both the Takarazuka and the Hankyu have yet to do any of that. In fact, I have yet to see a single news article that informs me that drastic changes have been made to create a more accepting and understanding environment for all of the members of the theatre troupe to feel comfortable in without being subject to having their mental health damaged, and to make sure the members who think they’re superior above the rest don’t act like total assholes! With the creation of art ought to come with the creation of kindness amongst those creating that art; Only time would tell if this legendary all-female theatre troupe from Japan can ever quickly recover from this scandal and make sure every single one of its members actually learn their lesson even if they didn’t mean to cause others turmoil, despite that all of the trouble that occurred which led to the unfortunate suicide came from this one sub-troupe. Still, who knows what kind of domino effect this could have, because if it can happen in one sub-troupe, it can happen in any or all of the other four! It may seem like all of the members have kept their promise to be more kinder to one another, and the fact that the Takarazuka Revue Company has managed to proceed with holding theatre productions again as a way to relieve themselves of the utter impact that this incident brought is beneficial (In fact, I heard that the Star troupe’s latest production, a stage adaptation of the popular 2022 Indian film RRR, happens to be their newest hit so far), but as of the time I’m writing this, I’m terribly sorry, but I’m just not entirely convinced yet that the troupe has promised to not let this happen again, and neither is anyone else who agrees with me.

 

            Does this mean I’m going to boycott and forget about the Takarazuka Revue Company as I distance myself further away from them forever and don’t want to have anything to do with them again as a form of protest against them failing to prevent another suicide from occurring in the future? Well, not entirely. The least I can do is wait off until the negative effects of this latest controversy slide off so that I can enjoy Takarazuka Revue Company shows again with a somewhat peace of mind, but for now, I cannot view the troupe the same way anymore, because at any point in time, I can troublesomely imagine which of any of the actors on stage could’ve bullied who else amongst their peers without apologizing. However, if you’re reading this right now, and you are a significantly huge fan of the Takarazuka Revue Company by heart (as well as all of its members), I truly hope that nothing I say here affects your experience watching their theatre productions and completely ruins it for you forever because of the notion running inside your mind that there have been fewer good-behaved Takarasiennes. There is the concept of separating the art from the artist, and I want it to remain true here, because any of the bad behavior shown by these members behind the curtain are not a sole reflection of how audiences see them when they enter that large and lustrous stage that happens to include an incredible walkway. Only when that bad behavior ends up being incorporated onto these Takarazuka shows can we see that the issue has become even worse, which I’m entirely sure has never, ever been the case, and that goes for any time an actor comes up on the stage for anything; Every one of their personal worries and troubles are wiped out the moment they say their lines in front of plenty of watchful audience members. In no way is this an advertisement where I convince you to watch a Takarazuka Revue Company show; Instead, this is only me writing about what I know and remember about looking up an endless array of their theatre productions that range from nonstop fun to emotional and riveting, attempting to provide constructive dialogue along the way that can help make the troupe even better, especially in the times we’re living in.

 

            The Takarazuka Revue Company was why I once again fell in love with the theatre arts, and honestly, I would prefer them over any Broadway production in NYC any time of the day, simply due to the fact that it’s an all-female troupe and it originated in Japan, which is great for feminists such as myself to relate to, and it’s probably all because of the reasons I have already stated in this essay! Without the Takarazuka Revue, Tezuka Osamu wouldn’t have had the inspiration needed to create Ribon no Kishi, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon wouldn’t become who we know them for today, and Kageki Shojo!! wouldn’t have become one of my favorite anime series of all time due to its endless Takarazuka influences. Every time a person goes to see a Takarazuka-branded theatre production, it’s always such a colorful, magical, and melody-injected good old-fashioned approximately 160 minutes or less well spent, filled with love and enchantment, and I pray that it stays that way in light of all of the troublesome obstacles that it has faced over the decades, but just because I brought those obstacles up doesn’t mean I have decided to entirely lose hope on them. Thinking about it now as I finish writing this, I’m beginning to realize that the Takarazuka Revue Company still means a lot to me and remains a special place in my heart, like so many things that I have been interested in throughout my lifetime, and it would be great if it was the same for anyone who grew up becoming familiar with this troupe at all! Still not convinced? Read this essay as many times as you like and make sure all of the reasons I have given out are stapled onto your brain!

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            And to the Takarazuka Revue Company itself, its members and its staff, concerned about everything I have written here up to this point that could cause at least a slight drop in audience attendance to your theatrical productions, I will say this: I await your cease-and-desist letter. Otherwise, please be better; I know you can do it! “Forever, Takarazuka Forever!”