(no subject)
So, I've now seen all seven Takarazuka productions of Elisabeth. This means I can make my favorites lists without worrying that I'll have to change things 'round when I see a new version. Unless they stage it again in 2011. Which I'm secretly hoping for, especially if it would mean a Chie!Tod.
Anyway, lists. These are lists of favorites, in order. Granted, I love all the Elisabeths, so being at the bottom or near the bottom of any of these lists does not indicate I do not like something/someone. Just that I like others better.
Overall Production
1. 1998 Soragumi
2. 1996 Yukigumi
3. 2005 Tsukigumi
4. 1996/97 Hoshigumi
5. 2002/2003 Hanagumi
6. 2007 Yukigumi
7. 2009 Tsukigumi
I think Soragumi and '96 Yukigumi have the strongest overall casts that all work really well with/off each other. Soragumi gets the slight bump over Yukigumi because, I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for Komu's "Wenn Ich Dein Spiegel Wär". Granted, I'm a sucker for Komu in general, but that's beside the point. '05 Tsukigumi and Hoshigumi also run pretty close neck & neck for third place. '05 Tsuki gets the boost because I think it's overall cast is a little tighter.
Der Tod
1. Shizuki Asato
2. Ichiro Maki
3. Asaji Saki
4. Ayaki Nao
5. Mizu Natsuki
6. Sena Jun
7. Haruno Sumire
I'm basing this, for the record on total performance, not (just) singing, dancing or acting. Really, I think Zunko managed to nail exactly the right character balance for Der Tod - cold, calculating and so very, very self assured. Maki comes very close, the deciding factor here is that I think Maki's just a touch too subtle. I could very easily belive that Maki's Der Tod is just a figment of Elisabeth's imagination. Which don't get me wrong, is awesome. My personal preference just leans towards a slightly more 'real' Tod. Like last list, Mariko and Saeko run neck and neck for third place, which isn't that surprising, since I see a lot of Mariko's Der Tod in Saeko's and Saeko was the shinjinkoen Der Tod for Hoshigumi... Mariko just throws so much of herself into a very, very human Der Tod it pushes her slightly ahead. I should also point out that I am probably a little unfair to Osa, but I've only seen the Tokyo taping and she is really, really not on her game, especially in the first act.
Elisabeth
1. Hanafusa Mari (1996)
2. Shirahane Yuri
3. Sena Jun
4. Shiraki Ayaka
5. Ootori Rei
6. Nagina Ruumi
7. Hanafusa Mari (1998)
You might notice something a bit odd about this list. No, it's not a mistake. O-Hana is both at the top and bottom of the list. Reason is, I love her in '96 Yuki. She plays a wonderful, multi-faceted Elisabeth who we really get to see grow and change over the course of the show. In Soragumi... I kinda got the feeling the director was like "Eh... Well, you've done this before so just, y'know, do that'. And it didn't work as well. Tonami is my strong second place choice because I think she played so well off of Mizu's Tod. I love the end of "Elisabeth, Mach Auf Mein Engel" where she's terrified, because dude, that is Death she's ordering out of her room, but she still does it. That combination of fear and strength is just amazing.
Franz Joseph
1. Takane Fubuki
2. Minoru Kou
3. Juri Sakiho
4. Ayabuki Mao
5. Wao Youka
6. Kiriya Hiromu
7. Hatsukaze Midori
One of my first thoughts when I watched '96 Yukigumi was "Oh hi there Yuki, why have I never seen you before?" (Along with "Dude, she is the most convincing man I've ever seen"). And then she kept impressing me through the whole show. I think she really owned the role. Noru comes very, very close, as do... well most everyone else on this list. I'm not sure Franz was really the best role for Kiriyan sadly, too restrained. And Gaichi... Gah, I love her in pretty much everything else I've seen her in, Franz was just not, not her role.
Luigi Lucheni
1. Kiriya Hiromu
2. Todoroki Yuu
3. Kozuki Wataru
4. Sena Jun
5. Ryuu Masaki
6. Otozuki Kei
7. Shibuki Jun
Kiriyan is the runaway winner on this. She gets the perfect balance of crazy and meta-aware. Tom and Wataru come decently close with the balance, but I don't think either quite get it as perfectly as Kiriyan.
Rudolf
1. Asami Hikaru
2. Oozora Yuuhi
3. Ouki Kaname
4. Ayabuki Mao
5. Aoki Izumi
6. Asumi Rio
7. Kouju Tatsuki
8. Ryouga Haruhi
9. Emao Yuu
Gah, this list was so hard, and not just because I've seen nine 'siennes play the role. Komu is my favorite, admittedly partially because I am admittedly a Komu fangirl. But also I think she plays the best arc for the character, from whiny young man to determined revolutionary, to crushed and desperate boy abandoned by his mother. I love how all of her "Mayerling Waltz" she's got this expression of "Stop me, someone please stop me!" Yuuhi is also amazing and I think she sings the role the best. Teru... Oh gods, I love her mouthed 'Mama' at the end of "Wenn Ich Dein Spiegel Wär" and her crazy smile at the end of 'Mayerling Waltz'
Well, that's it for now. I might get around to ranking the other roles. Or I might not. I'm hoping to get my comparison essay of the various portrayals of Der Tod written at some point, but I'm not sure when that'll happen.
Anyway, lists. These are lists of favorites, in order. Granted, I love all the Elisabeths, so being at the bottom or near the bottom of any of these lists does not indicate I do not like something/someone. Just that I like others better.
Overall Production
1. 1998 Soragumi
2. 1996 Yukigumi
3. 2005 Tsukigumi
4. 1996/97 Hoshigumi
5. 2002/2003 Hanagumi
6. 2007 Yukigumi
7. 2009 Tsukigumi
I think Soragumi and '96 Yukigumi have the strongest overall casts that all work really well with/off each other. Soragumi gets the slight bump over Yukigumi because, I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for Komu's "Wenn Ich Dein Spiegel Wär". Granted, I'm a sucker for Komu in general, but that's beside the point. '05 Tsukigumi and Hoshigumi also run pretty close neck & neck for third place. '05 Tsuki gets the boost because I think it's overall cast is a little tighter.
Der Tod
1. Shizuki Asato
2. Ichiro Maki
3. Asaji Saki
4. Ayaki Nao
5. Mizu Natsuki
6. Sena Jun
7. Haruno Sumire
I'm basing this, for the record on total performance, not (just) singing, dancing or acting. Really, I think Zunko managed to nail exactly the right character balance for Der Tod - cold, calculating and so very, very self assured. Maki comes very close, the deciding factor here is that I think Maki's just a touch too subtle. I could very easily belive that Maki's Der Tod is just a figment of Elisabeth's imagination. Which don't get me wrong, is awesome. My personal preference just leans towards a slightly more 'real' Tod. Like last list, Mariko and Saeko run neck and neck for third place, which isn't that surprising, since I see a lot of Mariko's Der Tod in Saeko's and Saeko was the shinjinkoen Der Tod for Hoshigumi... Mariko just throws so much of herself into a very, very human Der Tod it pushes her slightly ahead. I should also point out that I am probably a little unfair to Osa, but I've only seen the Tokyo taping and she is really, really not on her game, especially in the first act.
Elisabeth
1. Hanafusa Mari (1996)
2. Shirahane Yuri
3. Sena Jun
4. Shiraki Ayaka
5. Ootori Rei
6. Nagina Ruumi
7. Hanafusa Mari (1998)
You might notice something a bit odd about this list. No, it's not a mistake. O-Hana is both at the top and bottom of the list. Reason is, I love her in '96 Yuki. She plays a wonderful, multi-faceted Elisabeth who we really get to see grow and change over the course of the show. In Soragumi... I kinda got the feeling the director was like "Eh... Well, you've done this before so just, y'know, do that'. And it didn't work as well. Tonami is my strong second place choice because I think she played so well off of Mizu's Tod. I love the end of "Elisabeth, Mach Auf Mein Engel" where she's terrified, because dude, that is Death she's ordering out of her room, but she still does it. That combination of fear and strength is just amazing.
Franz Joseph
1. Takane Fubuki
2. Minoru Kou
3. Juri Sakiho
4. Ayabuki Mao
5. Wao Youka
6. Kiriya Hiromu
7. Hatsukaze Midori
One of my first thoughts when I watched '96 Yukigumi was "Oh hi there Yuki, why have I never seen you before?" (Along with "Dude, she is the most convincing man I've ever seen"). And then she kept impressing me through the whole show. I think she really owned the role. Noru comes very, very close, as do... well most everyone else on this list. I'm not sure Franz was really the best role for Kiriyan sadly, too restrained. And Gaichi... Gah, I love her in pretty much everything else I've seen her in, Franz was just not, not her role.
Luigi Lucheni
1. Kiriya Hiromu
2. Todoroki Yuu
3. Kozuki Wataru
4. Sena Jun
5. Ryuu Masaki
6. Otozuki Kei
7. Shibuki Jun
Kiriyan is the runaway winner on this. She gets the perfect balance of crazy and meta-aware. Tom and Wataru come decently close with the balance, but I don't think either quite get it as perfectly as Kiriyan.
Rudolf
1. Asami Hikaru
2. Oozora Yuuhi
3. Ouki Kaname
4. Ayabuki Mao
5. Aoki Izumi
6. Asumi Rio
7. Kouju Tatsuki
8. Ryouga Haruhi
9. Emao Yuu
Gah, this list was so hard, and not just because I've seen nine 'siennes play the role. Komu is my favorite, admittedly partially because I am admittedly a Komu fangirl. But also I think she plays the best arc for the character, from whiny young man to determined revolutionary, to crushed and desperate boy abandoned by his mother. I love how all of her "Mayerling Waltz" she's got this expression of "Stop me, someone please stop me!" Yuuhi is also amazing and I think she sings the role the best. Teru... Oh gods, I love her mouthed 'Mama' at the end of "Wenn Ich Dein Spiegel Wär" and her crazy smile at the end of 'Mayerling Waltz'
Well, that's it for now. I might get around to ranking the other roles. Or I might not. I'm hoping to get my comparison essay of the various portrayals of Der Tod written at some point, but I'm not sure when that'll happen.