No wonder Akio was chain smoking in the first one, he was afraid of being slaughtered by fucking zombies.

AHAHAHAHA, I can't get over it!! Anthy with a machine gun!

Well, at least now I have a good idea for my next comic.

xxkiriyamaxx wrote:

Besides, Anthy holding a machine gun would be like "Resident Evil gone Ikuhara!" or something like it! I wonder if by any means no big zombie wielding an enormous bazooka appeared on stage and said "STAAAAARSSS!!"... hehehe!! XD!!

Yeah, this whole machine gun thing comes from so far out of left field it's just hysterical. I'm sensing that the director of this show has a reputation for this sort of non seqitur humor. Unfortunately, all three stage shows are performed by all-female casts, so unfortunately anything Nemesis-sized is pretty well out of the question for petite Japanese women. It's basically chicks wrapped in bandages.

While I'm on the subject of casting, there is either a case of unusual pseudonyms coinciding, or Akio's actress in this show is a porn star.

The creepy thing about this is that I recall Giovanna having a dream about a new Utena musical, or something along those lines.

Am I done translating stuff about this silly musical? Hardly! So enjoy hir's comments on the cast and overall opinion. If at all possible. This one's a double.

Part 3: Cast

Productions for the small stage form a diverse group that, ideally, are themselves diverse in content and limited in quantity. I am one of those who originally started watching theatricals closely after Seramyu, so my knowledge of this branch [of theater] is close to zero. Keep in mind that for that reason, my impressions may be off the mark.

Utena: Ichinose Megumi -------------

Her hair is short, but her Utena is solid. She really got into the role of a tomboyish girl. I assume it's her specialty.

Actually, she doesn't go to the extremes seen in the Utena of the original, and due to that it becomes a faithful portrayal of the common "slightly boyish energetic girl" character. I have a feeling that this way makes the character more accessible, though.

Even wearing shoes with 10 cm heels she's shorter than the rest of the cast. I was worried that she was going to fall. When Touga gets near her she gets flustered [unyaunya?]. Good.

Anthy: Minaguchi Kazuyo -------------

Her hair is more sauvage [waved hair style] than Sazae-san, but solidly Anthy. Her voice and delivery bear an extremely strong resemblance [to the original]; I was amazed. With the "...Yes☆" and whatnot. I could get addicted to this.

She turns away when she sees Touga putting moves on Utena, even kicks Utena from behind while she's dithering [over him] and knocks her over. Reminds me of #So Long [no idea]. To top it off, she smiles and says "I am your bride☆". Anthy, are you jealous!?

Seeing it like this, she has become a character that is easy to become fond of, unlike the anime.

These two actresses seem to be Gesshoku's current headliners. They certainly have the ability for it. If you look for them on an internet search you'll see enough to demonstrate that.

Touga: Saitou Rei -------------

Reprising from the 1st musical. She suffers a lot of indignities this time, getting stabbed up, kissing people's shoes, and so forth.

Akio: Misato Ruki -------------

What struck me was her unusually serene delivery. Even when she was being strangled her voice didn't get shrill. That's Akio for you.

Nanami: Narumiya Kanon [a.k.a. Misaka Chieko]

She pierced the space with the high-pitched, loud laughter of her nuisance character. Even during duels and while facing down the undead, she chases after her big brother. Whenever she appeared the sense of tension on the stage suddenly went up, and that is enough to show how convincing her presence is. She kind of reminds me of a girl I know...

Others -------------

The Egyptian-influenced chorus is full of intense people who exude a dark aura with their whole bodies. Among them, Honami Rin who played Marshak had a big impact with her villain role power. Getting Touga to capitulate is unprecedented.



Part 4: Review

About the Company -------------

This is my first time seeing Gesshoku Kagekidan, but unsurprisingly I got a strong feeling of underground atmosphere. Candlelight, blood and an eerie mood. I am well aware that this is their specialty.

To the best of what I've learned through internet research, they have an ongoing tradition of "fighting shoujo" themed works (St. Mikaela). With sailor fuku and school festivals and the like.

Going into this, I'm don't have a lot of background in theatrical production so I can't say how appropriate my review will be, but... essentially, they're the sort of group where 'the people who are into them are really into them'. In that respect I feel they are on the same level as Seramyu.

In the context of 'fighting shoujo' the themes of Utena fit perfectly, and I think the compatibility is favorable. Beyond just the acting the level of faithfulness was very high. I could even say I am fortunate to have seen the developments from the duel with Akio onwards in real life. Because I saw it  from the first row, I continue to be overwhelmed by the spirit of the actors. And of course, I was overwhelmed by the blood splattering too.

About the Composition -------------

Finally, to completely reconstruct, it [the play] concentrates solely on:

*Utena and Anthy's relationship (?)
*Anthy's liberation

The Student Council arc is cut down to Saionji and Touga, the Black Rose arc is wholly swapped out for the Egyptians. After that it links to the conversation about the future from the End of World arc, and the end. Utena's image and Akio's ambition both should be key themes, but I get the sense that these went slightly undigested.

As a person who has only seen character musicals up to now, the extremely high density of the production made an impression on me. The summary was difficult to write because of that... In a musical, the energy always get taken up by song and dance. Perhaps [the difference is that] all that went towards dialog and acting.

By the way...

"Shoujo Kakumei Utena" is Ikuhara Kunihiko's (and Enokido Youji's) story, and when I think back afterward, I feel like I can see links between it and Gesshoku.

While I was writing the summary, I really felt these differences in disposition:

Unlike the original, people get cut up indiscriminately. Perhaps I should say sliced up. Utena and Touga get injured up badly, and though they should be on the verge of death they just keep fighting as they are. The Student Council members who I thought had died later get treatment and revive too. (I'm really wondering about Miki, who somehow survived getting his throat slashed with blood flying everywhere.)

I have fears that the inner workings of Utena and Anthy's hearts was not sufficiently expressed. Neither has any subtext with Akio, so in that respect the tension between them cannot be seen. That might make it difficult for those who haven't seen the TV series.

I've been writing about all these things, but in the end my sense of satisfaction after seeing the show was high so it's no problem. After all, the conclusion is the ultimate catharsis. I do think that assessments will change [depending on] if you're looking for Gesshoku or looking for Utena.

Digression -------------

"Utena" is a difficult to understand story that incorporates the absurd, but its ending is clear and leaves you with a refreshed feeling. Like "Thin Red Line", the complicated story is difficult to follow until the end. If the ending was a scene of "roses in full bloom in a sunlit garden with little birds flitting nearby" instead of Anthy setting out on her journey, it definitely would have started a riot.

What makes absurdism difficult to deal with is that there are absolutely no footholds by which to logically explain [what's happening]. In Utena especially, [there are no such footholds for] whether each event was the reality, whether it was metaphor, or whether it was both. A story where it's impossible to explain 'why did that happen like that?' generally attunes your mind to accept it as it is. Normally this would be enough, but when you try to use logic on ones like this it actually makes it worse. Maybe it's incomprehensible-ism, then.

[Utena] will keep going. Probably.

So violent with the kicking and strangling and slashing of throats... <deflects flying blood>

BTW, St. Mikaela Gakuen Houryuuki (Castaways of St. Mikaela Academy or something) is probably the most famous work of Takatori Ei, and by extention Gesshoku Kagekidan. It involves time travel and girls in sailor fuku fighting with swords, thus the comparison to Utena.

Anthy with a machine gun... Me LIKEY!! No, no, wait, that's not right. It's Me WANTEE!!

I keep hearing the phrase, "I'll be back" after reading about the Anthy w/ the machine gun thing.