Shirahana Remi Ochakai: June 3rd, 2012
Remi’s Danza Serenata/Celebrity daigekijou ochakai was in a really easy-to-find hotel, almost right in front of Takarazuka train station, so I arrived early and got to look around. Held in a lovely eighth-floor restaurant with a wide, crimson floor and full-wall windows through which Takarazuka town stretched, the ochakai had twice as many people as last time in Tokyo, around a hundred. Another fan club member said this wasn’t normal, but special because of Remi’s retirement. A few TMS otokoyaku attended, as did another white person! I’ll call her D. We went to eat after the ochakai.
Because the gathering was so large we didn’t sit at round tables, but in rows of uncomfortable chairs with bottled tea and boxed cakes. -_- Fan club members got the first row, about six of us, one besides myself from another prefecture. That surprised me, because Remi’d had much more support in Tokyo. D told me she’d had a hell of a time finding out how to get to Remi’s ochakai, because Remi “had no club.”
“Of course she does,” I protested. “I’m in it!” But no, said fan club members; Remi had a TOKYO fan club, but none at the daigekijou. This explained what’d I’d seen the day before at demachi: few people. Chie’s club had had maybe a third of the people she’d had in Tokyo, Yuzurun perhaps a dozen; the entire fan scene was small enough that they took up less than one block on one side of the road, though the theater had been full. It seems that fangirling in the birthplace of Takarazuka is less popular than doing so in Tokyo!
The usual scramble for goods commenced. I bought less than before, because I’d bought everything then and now had less to buy, but still got plenty. ^^
Remi entered in a black dress, looking like death. She’s gotten so pale and skinny, and laughed less. I think Hankyu is going to kill her if they don’t let her get some sleep before the Tokyo run.
Questions were asked. The first question, of course, was when she’d decided to graduate; the answer, well over a year ago. “But I really love Takarazuka, so it’s been so hard going through with it.” This year was the year, she decided, because she had the chance to do everything. Aside from varied roles, she did Chie’s concert--including the super-kakkoii burlesque scene everyone loved--and is doing Toyoko’s shows, so there’s been a huge variety in music and dance. She feels complete.
She has a wheelchair scene in Dancer, which she says was fairly easy since she’d gotten good with wheelchairs after being Lucia. ^^ Someone joked that maybe the wheelchair should be saved for Rita (Saotome Wakaba’s character) as she was supposed to be a crap dancer. ^^
In Celebrity, her favorite scene is the one where Toyoko descends the staircase and musumeyaku--lead by Remi--dance around her, because it’s “very warm.” Her favorite costume was her red dress.
There’s a comedy scene in Celebrity where Nene and Remi fight over Toyoko and BAM! Nene’s chest flies out. That was an “interesting” rehersal error they kept up. “Well,” said Remi after a pause, “every day is interesting with Yumesaki!” She called it her last choreographed piece.
Picture time! We went in rows and my hair fell funny. D’oh. I hope it comes out okay.
Then a game. She showed costume accessories she’d made (as musumeyaku often do), and we guessed which role she’d worn them in. The accessories were:
1) Seki’s beaded necklace from Gubijin. “It was a warm role and I really liked it.”
2) Two of Lucia’s hair pieces for Mei-chan no Shitsuji. She made small plastic rose clips for Bow, but because Nippon Seinenkan is bigger, such small clips would be invisible. So, she constructed a bigger, shinier hairpiece that wasn't in profile photos.
3) A purple hairpiece with gems stretching out of it like spider legs for Chuuzume in Hanagumi’s Exciter! Remi had trouble coming up with this one (“すごい悩んでって”), and made it in a hurry the night before the play began when someone gave her “why not something spider-inspired?” advice at the last minute. Up close, it was easy to tell; the gems were uneven. Stage magic, y’all!
4) A pretty, beaded broach from Bund/Neon Shanghai, made for the dance scene with Asato Manato. This stumped almost everyone. Remi said she knew it would. ^^
5) Brisa’s hair combs, made with fake orchids.
6) Lissette’s necklace from My Only Shinin' Star. Remi said she’d seen someone else’s rose necklace years ago and wanted one, so when she got to wear Lissette’s pink dress, she took the chance to make one for herself and excuse it as a work activity, ha ha!
Only three people got all six, and they won signed photos. Then she picked other names to give prizes to. Most were the usual books and pictures--at one point four girls came up at once and she gave a photo to the wrong girl, heh--but one prize was this pink lacy thing--a nightgown?--she’d worn in a hotel room shared with Kisaragi Ren, Ichijou Azusa and Aomi Rima (“Yumesaki had another room”). Quite a prize. ^^
Song time! I think Remi really likes singing; even Mihoko, who loves it so much she’s made it her career, didn’t have a song corner at the tea party I went to. She sung her “burlesque” song from Reon! which everyone gasped with excitement to hear. It’s a sexy number, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the DVD. However, though she belted the lines beautifully--her voice is really good at this point--between verses, Remi showed no energy, but stood with eyes shut. Her exhaustion was so clear I ached for her.
Then the club daihyou announced Remi had a letter--from Toyoko! (Interesting note; Remi said “Toyoko” instead of “Toyoko-san” a couple times). It said, simplified, that Toyoko felt lucky to retire with Remi, and knew how hard the work was, so “work hard until the end”; she signed it Jose. Remi got sniffly, and said Toyoko was incredibly kind, that she was always smiling and Remi always went to her for advice, especially when she’d first thought of retiring. She, Remi, took great strength from that kindness, Toyoko’s and the other taidansha. As Angelita in Danza was saved by Jose’s love, so Remi coule be in Zuka even when she was exhausted and bathed in sweat and felt she couldn’t move any longer because of the warmth of those around her. The audience cried a bit at that.
Then she went into goodbye plans: for Toyoko’s dinner and goodbye shows, Remi gets her own song!!! The audience gasped in union, a fannish squeal. But that wasn’t the end; there were loads of pictures she was taking for her own magazine spread (Yay! I assumed she wouldn’t, because she didn’t even get a column in the Danza program) and Sky Stage stuff as she’s a Navigator, and her final Tokyo ochakai, and--“Wow, there’s a lot, huh,” she suddenly noted, and everyone laughed.
Then came time to say goodbye. Everyone lined up to give presents and get a little thank-you gift. With so many guests the line went slowly, so I sat and thought. The setup of the tea party had been impersonal with so many people. That, plus seeing Remi so uncomfortable, and being so uncomfortable myself--the hard chair, a growing headache, club members who hadn’t been nearly as friendly as the Tokyo ones--made the experience much less fun than Remi’s Tokyo tea party six months ago. Could I be losing my Remi love, I wondered? Maybe I should call it quits; yesterday at the play I’d been besotted, but today, maybe it was over...I looked doubtfully at the form I’d been given to apply for last-day Remiwear. Was it worth it?
The line shortened and I went to give her my gift. “I’m so nervous,” D whispered. “I know,” I said, not as nervous with my doubts. “I babbled like a total moron when I met her the first time and she seemed charmed, so don’t worry.” “Oh good,” said D. “You go first!”
I did, giving her my gift--a collection of Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) art postcards, because in the new Otome, Remi says she collects picture books--and wishing her early happy birthday. “Oh wow!” she exclaimed and turned the box over and over, peeking through slots and thanking me. Then I was babbling again, about how wonderful she’d been in Danza/Celebrity, about...God, I don’t even remember. I just remember her standing two feet from me, examining my box, and then squeaking that I’d forgotten my own bag back in the restaurant and excuse me please!
I stumbled back inside and fell into a chair and started laughing. Then I was crying, bent over in the chair with one hand over my mouth. No, I realized, no, whatever small discomforts a large ochakai with cheap bottled tea and stiff chairs might bring, for me, Remi was still everything beautiful. I had no more stopped loving her than I’d stopped my heart from beating.
I hung out in the restaurant for a minute after that, because there were a few people left giving her gifts and I wasn’t sure if I could walk by Remi again when everyone else got to go once. The TMS students went last and took pictures with her, and I really didn’t want to interrupt that, so D and I tried to find another way out and almost ran over a waiter when we found another “exit” which turned out to be the entrance to the kitchen. D’oh.
The daihyou said it was fine. She and D and I talked a bit about previous shows, and then Remi was free again so I sort of bowed my way out mumbling sorry for forgetting my bag like that. Remi giggled, and I told her I was crying a bit, and incredibly moved, and would do everything I could to see her in Tokyo.
She smiled and said, “もう、エリザベスさん！”(“Oh, Elizabeth-san!”)
She called me
Elizabeth-san.
D had to help me to the elevator.
Because the gathering was so large we didn’t sit at round tables, but in rows of uncomfortable chairs with bottled tea and boxed cakes. -_- Fan club members got the first row, about six of us, one besides myself from another prefecture. That surprised me, because Remi’d had much more support in Tokyo. D told me she’d had a hell of a time finding out how to get to Remi’s ochakai, because Remi “had no club.”
“Of course she does,” I protested. “I’m in it!” But no, said fan club members; Remi had a TOKYO fan club, but none at the daigekijou. This explained what’d I’d seen the day before at demachi: few people. Chie’s club had had maybe a third of the people she’d had in Tokyo, Yuzurun perhaps a dozen; the entire fan scene was small enough that they took up less than one block on one side of the road, though the theater had been full. It seems that fangirling in the birthplace of Takarazuka is less popular than doing so in Tokyo!
The usual scramble for goods commenced. I bought less than before, because I’d bought everything then and now had less to buy, but still got plenty. ^^
Remi entered in a black dress, looking like death. She’s gotten so pale and skinny, and laughed less. I think Hankyu is going to kill her if they don’t let her get some sleep before the Tokyo run.
Questions were asked. The first question, of course, was when she’d decided to graduate; the answer, well over a year ago. “But I really love Takarazuka, so it’s been so hard going through with it.” This year was the year, she decided, because she had the chance to do everything. Aside from varied roles, she did Chie’s concert--including the super-kakkoii burlesque scene everyone loved--and is doing Toyoko’s shows, so there’s been a huge variety in music and dance. She feels complete.
She has a wheelchair scene in Dancer, which she says was fairly easy since she’d gotten good with wheelchairs after being Lucia. ^^ Someone joked that maybe the wheelchair should be saved for Rita (Saotome Wakaba’s character) as she was supposed to be a crap dancer. ^^
In Celebrity, her favorite scene is the one where Toyoko descends the staircase and musumeyaku--lead by Remi--dance around her, because it’s “very warm.” Her favorite costume was her red dress.
There’s a comedy scene in Celebrity where Nene and Remi fight over Toyoko and BAM! Nene’s chest flies out. That was an “interesting” rehersal error they kept up. “Well,” said Remi after a pause, “every day is interesting with Yumesaki!” She called it her last choreographed piece.
Picture time! We went in rows and my hair fell funny. D’oh. I hope it comes out okay.
Then a game. She showed costume accessories she’d made (as musumeyaku often do), and we guessed which role she’d worn them in. The accessories were:
1) Seki’s beaded necklace from Gubijin. “It was a warm role and I really liked it.”
2) Two of Lucia’s hair pieces for Mei-chan no Shitsuji. She made small plastic rose clips for Bow, but because Nippon Seinenkan is bigger, such small clips would be invisible. So, she constructed a bigger, shinier hairpiece that wasn't in profile photos.
3) A purple hairpiece with gems stretching out of it like spider legs for Chuuzume in Hanagumi’s Exciter! Remi had trouble coming up with this one (“すごい悩んでって”), and made it in a hurry the night before the play began when someone gave her “why not something spider-inspired?” advice at the last minute. Up close, it was easy to tell; the gems were uneven. Stage magic, y’all!
4) A pretty, beaded broach from Bund/Neon Shanghai, made for the dance scene with Asato Manato. This stumped almost everyone. Remi said she knew it would. ^^
5) Brisa’s hair combs, made with fake orchids.
6) Lissette’s necklace from My Only Shinin' Star. Remi said she’d seen someone else’s rose necklace years ago and wanted one, so when she got to wear Lissette’s pink dress, she took the chance to make one for herself and excuse it as a work activity, ha ha!
Only three people got all six, and they won signed photos. Then she picked other names to give prizes to. Most were the usual books and pictures--at one point four girls came up at once and she gave a photo to the wrong girl, heh--but one prize was this pink lacy thing--a nightgown?--she’d worn in a hotel room shared with Kisaragi Ren, Ichijou Azusa and Aomi Rima (“Yumesaki had another room”). Quite a prize. ^^
Song time! I think Remi really likes singing; even Mihoko, who loves it so much she’s made it her career, didn’t have a song corner at the tea party I went to. She sung her “burlesque” song from Reon! which everyone gasped with excitement to hear. It’s a sexy number, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the DVD. However, though she belted the lines beautifully--her voice is really good at this point--between verses, Remi showed no energy, but stood with eyes shut. Her exhaustion was so clear I ached for her.
Then the club daihyou announced Remi had a letter--from Toyoko! (Interesting note; Remi said “Toyoko” instead of “Toyoko-san” a couple times). It said, simplified, that Toyoko felt lucky to retire with Remi, and knew how hard the work was, so “work hard until the end”; she signed it Jose. Remi got sniffly, and said Toyoko was incredibly kind, that she was always smiling and Remi always went to her for advice, especially when she’d first thought of retiring. She, Remi, took great strength from that kindness, Toyoko’s and the other taidansha. As Angelita in Danza was saved by Jose’s love, so Remi coule be in Zuka even when she was exhausted and bathed in sweat and felt she couldn’t move any longer because of the warmth of those around her. The audience cried a bit at that.
Then she went into goodbye plans: for Toyoko’s dinner and goodbye shows, Remi gets her own song!!! The audience gasped in union, a fannish squeal. But that wasn’t the end; there were loads of pictures she was taking for her own magazine spread (Yay! I assumed she wouldn’t, because she didn’t even get a column in the Danza program) and Sky Stage stuff as she’s a Navigator, and her final Tokyo ochakai, and--“Wow, there’s a lot, huh,” she suddenly noted, and everyone laughed.
Then came time to say goodbye. Everyone lined up to give presents and get a little thank-you gift. With so many guests the line went slowly, so I sat and thought. The setup of the tea party had been impersonal with so many people. That, plus seeing Remi so uncomfortable, and being so uncomfortable myself--the hard chair, a growing headache, club members who hadn’t been nearly as friendly as the Tokyo ones--made the experience much less fun than Remi’s Tokyo tea party six months ago. Could I be losing my Remi love, I wondered? Maybe I should call it quits; yesterday at the play I’d been besotted, but today, maybe it was over...I looked doubtfully at the form I’d been given to apply for last-day Remiwear. Was it worth it?
The line shortened and I went to give her my gift. “I’m so nervous,” D whispered. “I know,” I said, not as nervous with my doubts. “I babbled like a total moron when I met her the first time and she seemed charmed, so don’t worry.” “Oh good,” said D. “You go first!”
I did, giving her my gift--a collection of Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) art postcards, because in the new Otome, Remi says she collects picture books--and wishing her early happy birthday. “Oh wow!” she exclaimed and turned the box over and over, peeking through slots and thanking me. Then I was babbling again, about how wonderful she’d been in Danza/Celebrity, about...God, I don’t even remember. I just remember her standing two feet from me, examining my box, and then squeaking that I’d forgotten my own bag back in the restaurant and excuse me please!
I stumbled back inside and fell into a chair and started laughing. Then I was crying, bent over in the chair with one hand over my mouth. No, I realized, no, whatever small discomforts a large ochakai with cheap bottled tea and stiff chairs might bring, for me, Remi was still everything beautiful. I had no more stopped loving her than I’d stopped my heart from beating.
I hung out in the restaurant for a minute after that, because there were a few people left giving her gifts and I wasn’t sure if I could walk by Remi again when everyone else got to go once. The TMS students went last and took pictures with her, and I really didn’t want to interrupt that, so D and I tried to find another way out and almost ran over a waiter when we found another “exit” which turned out to be the entrance to the kitchen. D’oh.
The daihyou said it was fine. She and D and I talked a bit about previous shows, and then Remi was free again so I sort of bowed my way out mumbling sorry for forgetting my bag like that. Remi giggled, and I told her I was crying a bit, and incredibly moved, and would do everything I could to see her in Tokyo.
She smiled and said, “もう、エリザベスさん！”(“Oh, Elizabeth-san!”)
She called me
Elizabeth-san.
D had to help me to the elevator.