Rurouni Kenshin (Snow 2016)

[snow_poppy]

I was ECSTATIC when this was announced for Yukigumi because having watched the anime in fourth grade, I knew it was character-heavy and therefore would be a very troupe-y show.  I felt the combination of nihomono plus action-y anime would be perfect.  And I was not wrong.  It is indeed a troupe-y show and everyone gets to shine with either their own song or memorable moment.  While Hoshiai was a masterpiece, it was very much Chigi-Miyu-Daimon and the rest of the troupe starred as "villager #2" or "bandit #5." The story works for the show (it consolidates about eleven 20-minute episodes into two hours) and every character has a sufficient introduction.  However, most of the characterization is surface-level.  If you want to walk away with the meaning of life or are looking to learn the deep backstories of each character as elaborated in the manga, you will be disappointed. That being said, the show is visual candy and utilizes swordfights, screen projection, kyakusekiori, makeup, costumes, and props at top-notch level.  Lighting is used to convey the anime-y "swooshes" of the blades and the actresses not only have the choreography down for the swordfights, they have it down in time with various battle sound effects. Kyakusekiori perfectly depicts the stealth of the Oniwaban and other skilled fighters. The music and songs are fantastic and super catchy.



The Story: The summary from the English site is pretty sufficient; or else you will probably get the gist of what happens through my character commentary.  Especially Daimon's.

Actresses:

• Chigi (Kenshin): Like Lupin III, Chigi IS Kenshin.  The clumsiness and おろs are just so natural.  Props to also saying でござる every two seconds and maintaining his trademark speech ticks.  She also plays the sincerity of Himura Kenshin so well.  Since the show is more troupe-y, Chigi doesn't have to take the brunt of the singing and when she is singing, it is passionate.  Swordsmanship is amazing, as expected.  Kenshin is a complicated character: he struggles with the past, tries to live in the present, and also deals with the coming together of the two -- and Chigi portrays all of these identities perfectly.  I'm glad he and Kaoru don't share a kiss because that would be very un-Kenshin-like.  I don't really have more to say because Chigi IS Kenshin. Well done.
• Miyu (Kaoru): I was excited to hear Miyu cast in a spunky role since her melting at Chigi's feet off-stage is a bit much in my opinion.  She had a more confident onnayaku role in Sorrowful Cordoba so I had liked where this was going.  She plays Kaoru perfectly...initially: sassy and stubborn. When she first encounters Kenshin, she threatens him with her wooden sword and pledges to take him down.  She leads a spirited song on swordsmanship.  She's constantly huffing in jealousy and at odds with with Megumi.  It's all so perfect. However, my indifference toward her character begins basically once Gerard (Daimon) comes into the picture.  After being charmed by his smooth-talking, Kaoru dons a western dress and decides that she wants to go to Paris.  I felt as though she was too easily influenced by his flattery. She goes from "I'm gonna kill you, Battousai!" to "You've heard of me and my dojo?  Sure I'll quit instructing and go to Paris!"  I wanted the punky Kaoru back!  I wanted her to be sassy with Gerard, but she was smitten with him as he led her in dance (I guess who wouldn’t have been though).  She sings a lovely song reflecting on Kenshin on the ginkyou - but - of the seven times I saw it, I think she nailed the high note only once. Yukigumi flu outbreak and the stress of practice could be the culprit.  During the later shows, she either spoke the high note or sobbed it as if overcome with emotion.  I will forgive her for melting at Daimon's feet because I do every day too when I hand her my postcard.
• Daimon (Souzaburou / Gerard): Stage time-wise, singing-wise, I was not disappointed. Character-wise…it is weak on Koike-sensei's part. I guess I will have to explain since there are many questions surrounding Souzaburou/Gerard which goes to show how badly written his character is. He is first introduced to us as a disguised assassin who slays the owner of the Icchouya tea house. Souzaburou is actually a member of the Shinsengumi (a squad formed to protect the “old order”) but is secretly working part-time as a mercenary to earn money in hopes of buying time with his favorite courtesan, Akane.  When he goes to “buy” Akane, he finds her in the company of Kogarou (Kingu) and it is clear that his love for her is not returned.  Kenshin and the Shinsengumi walk in on the scene and he is declared expelled by Captain Saitou Hajime.  Souzaburou makes his break after holding Akane at knifepoint.  The scene is then followed by a number describing the “new era.” Daimon demonstrates some freaking amazing swordsmanship, dramatically cuts her hair, and belts out her dissatisfaction with the new order (though my ears are certainly satisfied). She makes her next appearance in a VERY satisfying villain entrance.  She rises from the house-right trap door reading a newspaper detailing Kenshin’s residence at Kamiya Dojo as sultry piano plays the opening to her main theme the background.  She wears a black trench coat and short hair with long bangs (not what was in the promotional photos but I am here for this nonetheless).  A poppy (!!!) is in her breast pocket and she tantalizingly holds it and caresses it with those fingers of hers while melting me into a puddle with a song about opium.  Essentially what has happened is that after leaving the Shinsengumi, Souzaburou had created a new name for himself (literally, he now goes by Gerard Yamashita and is a trader between Japan and France).  However, after reading about Kenshin's reemergence, past wounds are reopened and his anger toward the new government is reignited.  He decides to corrupt the regime by hooking people on opium manufactured by Megumi (Seshiko) under Kanryuu (Shou) in exchange for French troops and more importantly, the Gatling Gun, an early rapid-fire weapon unheard of in Japan. However after Megumi runs away, Souzaburou nulls his deal with Kanryu and gives the Gattling Gun to the Prime Minster (Natsumi You) in hopes of gaining favor; though Kanryu assures him he has sent in Aoshi to recapture Megumi.  He then holds a French gala, inviting Japanese and French VIPs (as well as Kenshin and Co.) to try out French food, French dance, French dress… Cue a hilarious song with random French and Daimon going on about how great it is.  Interrupt cue with A DIRTY LOOK TO KILL when Kenshin realizes who Gerard Yamashita really is (i.e. Kanou Souzaburou).  Aoshi reports to Gerard that Kenshin is residing in Kamiya Kaoru’s dojo to which he inquires who she is.  Once he realizes, he fills her head with dreams of Paris and allows her to try on western dress.  It’s obvious he has no romantic interest in her and she is merely collateral damange in his personal vendetta against Kenshin.  Kenshin confronts him in a private room but Gerard manages to convince him (with the help of Kumonosu - a drink spiked with opium) that he is a new person. A couple of scenes later, Kaoru arrives at his house.  He also gives her Kumonosu disguised as French wine and offers her a poppy-printed kimono.  Kaoru declines but then suddenly the conversation takes a serious turn and becoming exasperated, she passes out.  He has his valet take her away.  More scenes later AND KAORU IS FREAKING CHAINED TO A CROSS WEARING THE POPPY KIMONO!!!  Daimon what the hell?!?!  Gerard looks up to Kaoru on this cross and suddenly goes into this "woe is me" solo and recalls Akane (the courtesan he had loved from his past). This is where I get confused because I get that Gerard was trying to sway Kaoru to upset Kenshin but then in this scene he suddenly started projecting his feelings for Akane onto Kaoru.  I just felt like it was a cheap move and Koike-sensei should have chosen between making Gerard an obsessive person fixated on Akane or a vengeful villain with a "I'm just going to watch everything burn" mentality.  After the solo he begins to feel up Kaoru and is interrupted by Kenshin.  Cue an AMAZING song about Gerard trying to get Kenshin down by reminding him of his crappy past, constantly reiterating he is Battousai and Daimon is just belting it out, going octaves higher and KILLING IT WITH HER VOICE while still throwing Chigi around.  Then there’s Miyu in the background on the cross (poor thing, that’s got to be uncomfortable) reminding Kenshin he is Kenshin.  And finally there is Hitoko who has emerged from the trapdoor with a bluish spotlight on her and is fighting Chigi simulatenously.  After symbolically slaying his former self, Kenshin is able to overcome Gerard’s words and the lingering Kumonosu. Then those two are interrupted by Saitou and despite realizing he is royally screwed (to which Kenshin also tries to reason with him about accepting the new era), Daimon cackles and the two duke it out in an AMAZING swordfight over the stairs.  After being disarmed, Gerard finds himself at the window prepice and with a Lucheni-like laugh and crazy eyes, he jumps, taking the curtains with him.  Did he survive?  Did he die?  Was it suicide?That was more of a summary of his character rather than a review but I suppose it helps articulate my disappointment with the writing of his character through my reactions to each of his scenes. As I said before, stage-time was fine (my primary concern with this show was that Daimon would be another Cagliostro-like Takarazuka Original Character™, overshadowed by the well-loved Kenshin characters despite being nibante). The problem is the way in which they gave her more stage time: it was weak and Souzaburou is really only the “bad guy” because he is the strings behind Kanryuu, behind the opium, etc. as opposed to earning it through bad deeds. They try to have him earn it at the end by spiking peoples' drinks and almost raping Kaoru, which I felt was cheap and for effect.  What did he want in the end?  Akane?  To get back at Kenshin?  To destroy the government?  Based on the first scene, I would think of anybody to get back at, it should be Saitou Hajime for expelling and sentencing him to die.  One day, during the final scene, a Japanese Kenshin fan sitting behind me made a snoring sound when Daimon appeared. I was super offended at first but then realized in terms of character, he was rather boring.  I think Daimon definitely did her best and I was entranced to see her delicately handle a poppy, hear her pipes (and be amused by the lisp she gives him), and see her cackle as a bad guy once more, but I think Koike-sensei could have done more with this.  Based off of her ochakai and even as early as the press conference talks, I don’t think she was/is excited about this character.  You’ll have your chance in Don Juan babe, don’t you worry.
• Natsumi You (Prime Minister Yamagata): Well-played.
• Mishiro Ren (Hiruma Kihee / Minister Inoue): Hilarious as Kihee, I like her old man voice.
• Kumichou (Yamagata’s wife): Lol @ forcing stoic Saki Saitou to dance with her during the French dance scene.
• Niwa (Tea house owner / Politician): I liked her silly little songs at the beginning but after that, she plays somewhat of a background person of importance.
• Hime (Tea house owner): WHERE ARE YOU?  At least she gets a moment with Niwa...at the beginning... (T_T)
• Manaharu (Newspaper seller / Shikijou): Blahhhh. Manaharu deserves SO much more than this but she played this lil’ narrator role with her heart out.  She’s so silly and I adore her.  She also plays an Oniwaban member and it's amusing to see her go from the playful newspaper seller to a fiercely make-up-ed assassin.  Though I did not see it, she filled in for Shou while she was out for the flu as Kanryuu.  A friend who saw one of the Manaharu!Kanryuu shows said that they wouldn’t have known she was filling in for someone and that she had the second loudest applause.  I felt bad for Shou's health but I was so happy for Manaharu.  She deserved that moment to shine.
• Dai (Sanosuke): A perfect role for her since Sanosuke is a tall bro and Dai is essentially, a tall bro.  I was surprised that she wasn’t on the list of taidansha since I thought this would have been a good role to go out on, but perhaps she is waiting for Chigi. While they did not delve much into Sanosuke’s past as a member of Sekihou Army, they made his character more comedic by having him present things in a Kabuki/Kyogen-like manner (i.e. hyoushigi wooden blocks being hit in coordination with his kata to announce something profound, show off his obnoxious weapon, make a dramatic pose).  One day I went, somebody kakegoe-d XD.  She gets overshadowed by some of the other characters in act two but anyway, it’s a great role for her.
• Seshiko (Megumi): I KNEW she’d get this role but it has been so satisfying to see the costuming and progression from the press conference.  She is a sharp lady: pouring glittery opium through her fingers to Daimon’s song (bless), to locking her captor Kanryuu to a chair and threatening him with a knife, to flirting with "Ken-san" much to Kaoru’s chagrin, and to seductively singing about Kumonsu to Saitou Hajime.  This role was Seshi.  A little sad she really only sang in one group song but it is a good role no less.  I'm not letting you go.
• Kingu (Katsura Kogorou / Belcour): Kingu received disappointingly nobody roles for her taidan show.  Her first character is Kogorou who was a former Choshu clan leader (same domain from which Kenshin comes from).  He almost gets into a fight with Daimon’s character over the courtesan Akane (played by Momohana Hina). That lasts a whole one scene and then she returns in the second act as Belcour, a French VIP visiting Gerard’s French party with his wife.  She has no speaking part save for a couple of random French expressions at the end, but if you watch this, please focus your opera glasses to her during the scene when the party attendees are introduced to Kumonosu if you want to laugh your ass off. She pretends to get high almost too well. XD
• Gaori (Sebastian): Gaochan’s main role is Sebastian, a flamboyant[ly gay] French dance instructor (who can speak Japanese!).  Being the somewhat Takarazuka representative of the show, she and Satsuki Aina demonstrate their dance skills to the incompetent Japanese attendees.  She switches partners often and is amusingly annoyed over having to teach these people who cannot dance to save their lives.  During a fade-out moment, she can be seen fixing Kanryuu’s hair or brushing off his clothes, depending on the day.  But the BEST is what goes down in Daimon’s mansion when no one’s around, and that is Gaori is the master of ceremonies in an opium den where everyone is getting fucked up by Kumonosu.  She leads an inverted version of the ballroom dance song she had taught (which is brilliant) and babies climb out of the stage like spiders amidst a spiderweb cast across the mini kaidan while all the politicians and attendees are smoking the peace pipes.  Her voice in tandem with the scene is mesmerizing and Daimon cackles on as Gao gets everybody messed up.  Once Kenshin and Co. arrive at the scene, Gao calls upon the babies to take them down.  When she and Dai fight, it’s more like a dance and Dai slaps her cheeks twice.  When Gaori manages to get a hold of Seshiko, she utters some random French and then blows a kiss to Saitou.  Classic.  I am here for gay French smoking orgy-inducing Gaori.
• Paisen (Mengin tea house owner): Slightly disappointed she was given background vendor #1 and #2 but when I finally brought my opera glasses to her, it was amusing to watch her interactions with the babies. Specifically she is the goatee-d omelet chef.
• Riisha (Beshimi): Riisha is soooo pleased to be Beshimi, she leaves her Oniwaban makeup on during the finale.  Just kidding, I think it has more to do with the difficulty of getting the makeup off / having to wear it in the parade but she plays the more expressive member of the Oniwaban, always smiling with the help of joker-like lipstick. During kyakusekiori, she rides a poor baby down the aisle lmao.
• Taiji (Policeman): A little sad for this one in regard to this being her taidan role but it IS highly comedic and funny to see her not having her shit together at Saki’s feet.  I’m always giggling at her dramatic MOOOOUSHIWAKEGOZAIMASENs.
• Shou (Kanryuu): I cannot say enough how perfect this role is for Miss Ayanagi Shou.  It is pure comedy and hilarity and she puts 10000% into this.  Her Kanryuu cackle is to die for and every gangly movement is clearly calculated.  I was worried she would just be walking around and smoking a cigar since that’s essentially all that happened in the promotional material, BUT SHE IS SO MUCH MORE!  Her trademark song is from the “Gatling Gun” scene in which her fantasy of blowing her condescending cohorts to smithereens is enacted.  She caresses it, rips off her jacket and sings about the said desires as all the people who had looked down on her dance in the background and are pushed around by her.  The climax of the song allows for an adlib and basically every time my friends and I see a show that the other didn't see, our first question is “WHAT WAS THE ADLIB?!”  Some days, it involves Shou emphasizing the syllables in “Gatling Gun,” some days she attempts to do cartwheels, some days she rubs her hip against Daimon’s…It’s always a terrific moment (and so satisfying to see Daimon trying not to laugh even though she has a general idea of what Shou will do beforehand).  After this, she then blows down everyone and Daimon has an especially dramatic “death scene” in which she adlibs in return.  Shou is hilarious in this comedic role with the sing-speaking, expressions, and evil laughter.  I think now with having “lost” to Saki, she can focus on giving 1000% of herself (as she did in this role) to the characters she plays. Good on Shou!
• Saki (Saitou Hajime): *WARNING: THE FOLLOWING MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18* Holy smokes (literally as she is smoking every two seconds).  So after seeing her almost kill a woman during the National Tour version “Kimi ni Aitai” (ラ), I knew it was a matter of time before she reached her second evolved form.  This role is it.  Her Saitou is tall with slicked back hair with strands that can’t seem to go down and a uniform tailored too perfectly, sword at her hip.  She’s always smoking a cigarette and puffs it so erotically into the air that one must put down the opera glasses because it simply is too much.  It’s fun too to see her dynamic with the other characters because she’s bossing around basically everyone older than her.  Saki’s really getting there with her singing too - I think her only shortcoming is that she tries a little too hard to have a deep voice and sometimes she can't get back up there for the higher notes, but I know she’ll find herself soon (again perhaps now with the sanbante competition over, she can focus on this).  Aku soku zan. Aku soku zan. Aku soku zan.
• Asu (Newspaper seller / Hyottoko): One of the younger upperclassmen, I’m so glad she has her moments as the newspaper seller.  She has a lovely voice and I love her fairy-like face.  She is basically flying as she dances with her engineer cap and breeches while chipper-ly clapping her feet together.  BUT THEN she dons epic eye make-up and is cartwheeling around as Hyottoko.  Asu is severely underrated.  Someone please adopt this cutie.
• Leo (Hannya): The most serious of the Oniwaban, uttering a brief “koko ni” when Aoshi calls upon them, her makeup is fierce as is her dancing.  It was a little scary to see her up close during kyakusekiori.  But there is also a moment when the Oniwaban appear and she has her hipped popped out -- it looks a little funny, especially with the signature mask on.
• Reiko (Aoshi): Dimples in leather.  Enough said.  Though she is not the shiniest of the 95ths, she has certainly mastered the smoulder.  Her Aoshi is cold and cool.  It’s a little disappointing that the writers made him more of a puppy-like mercenary (like Kanryuu and Gerard use a WHISTLE to call for him) as opposed to a force to be reckoned with, but his song with the Oniwaban is probably one of my favorites.  I love when Beshimi helps him unsheathe her signature dual swords and Reiko wields them AMAZINGLY.  I died a little when she ran toward my row down the aisle and then locked those smoky eyes with mine. Though she doesn’t appear as much, when she is on stage the feeling is of coolness and calibre.  Compared to the footage from shonichi, she has also got those higher notes down from the song, which is fantastic.
• Anri (Tomoe): This is a non-speaking role but she plays the part very elegantly as Kenshin’s wife.  I particularly love the scene when Kenshin is being engulfed by the scent of the Kumonosu and she and Hitoko dance around him, like shadows of his past as he relives the tragedy and heartbreak in his disorientation.  I wish she got to sing instead of looking pretty and ghostly since she does have a lovely voice and she recently had a nice solo in Cordoba, but I guess the part wouldn’t warrant it.
• Hitoko (Kenshin’s Shadow): I was so excited when it was announced almost a week before shonichi that rather than being a member of the Shinsengumi, she would be playing "Kenshin's shadow."  Having just seen how well Miyaruri played "another Charles" in Manon, I thought this symbolic dual character could be really effective, especially as Kenshin is always dealing with his past as Battousai.  While not a speaking role, Hitoko owns this.  She precisely studied Chigi, which makes the mirror Battousai-Kenshin scenes very memorable.  Her facial expressions of anguish and pain during both Tomoe’s death as well as the Kumonosu hallucination are perfect.  One of my favorite parts is when Kenshin is recalling how he got his cross-shaped scar and in the background, Hitoko slays somebody and then quickly looks down to him and grabs her cheek.  Even though it quickly cuts to black and you can’t see her face, that body language effectively conveyed Battousai's regret / self-doubt of having slayed the man before him as well as the surprise of having been carelessly injured.
• Arisa Hitomi (Tae): A decent role for someone of her age.  She has a great voice and plays the part well -standing up to Kanryuu’s gang and being a welcoming host.
• Seina Nozomi (Tsubame): A cute role, but a little weird to see to see her getting high. (PROTECT ALL BABIES!)
• Michiru (Yahiko): This one wants it soooo bad and this role is a good justifier.  Using high school boy-talk which I am well-accustomed to, she plays the punky, spritely Yahiko very well.  Unfortunately as more main characters are introduced, her character fades into the background, but during her introductory scenes and most of act one, she really shines.  It’s valuable to be able to work so closely with upperclassmen at such a young age.  She has a personality (which unfortunately in this company can make or break you) but I’m rooting for this one anyway.
• Suwa Saki: She gets a mention because she is cropping up everywhere and I won’t be surprised if she gets a shinko lead sooner or later since Hitoko can't get them all the time.  She played Daimon’s character in the shinko but in the honkouen ,she plays a background villager, one of the gambling gangers, and one of Daimon’s valets.  She is certainly noticeable and it's funny to pick her out, like when she tries to be "cool" (i.e. by awkwardly rubbing her chin) during one of Ren's meetings.

Finale:

• Scene 1: Daimon arises from the house-left trap door with her back to us, does a thing with her fingers, and turns around, glittering and smiling.  She sings the Rurouni Kenshin song gorgeously across the ginkyou.  And I just weep everytime.
• Scene 2: Rockette dance!  Cute and energetic.  It's to the "Akabeko Restaurant" theme.
• Scene 3: Chigi is in an outfit with like glitter on top of the sequins and her hair is blown out.  She does a "fuu" (!!) and dances with the musumyaku to the sultry “Opium” theme.  She also primarily dances with Seshi.  This is very sexy but the first time I saw it, I started crying because of taidan feelings lmao.  There’s one part where the violin crescendoes and the musumeyaku take the hair sticks out of their updos and long hair flows down elegantly.  Good shit.
• Scene 4: Next is the otokoyaku dance which is VERY reminiscent of the Elisabeth otokoyaku dance.  The rest of them file down the okaidan in a very solider-like manner with Daimon in the middle to join Chigi.  Everyone is smouldering and Daimon is wearing red lipstick ahhhhhhh.  Kingu and Chigi get a little moment which is sweet.  Leo, Asu, Manaharu, and especially Kazuki have heavier makeup on since they have to reprise it in the parade, which looks kinda funny.  When I’m not looking at Daimon, Shou is looking fine, Saki is slaying people, HITOKO CAN BE SEEN, and Reiko continues to work the smoky eyes.
• Scene 5: THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CHIGI LEAVES AND DAIMON IS LEADING EVERYONE. FEELINGS.  So sexy.  It's like a bonus otokoyaku dance. And foreshadowing.
• Scene 6: Next is the pair dance to Kenshin's song about being able to love.  Miyu and Chigi are so sweet and have excellent dance chemistry.  Something that makes it very special is that when Chigi goes in to kiss Miyu, she backs away abut then comes in and grabs both of Chigi's cheeks and plants on her herself!! You go girl!
• Scene 7: Parade is particularly fun because you get to hear all of the great songs again and etoile is Arisa.  It was also hilarious to hear Kenshin fans with no background in Takarazuka shout "すげぇぇぇぇぇ！" when Chigi appeared with her top star feathers.

Relation to the Manga/Anime:

Coincidentally, [American] Netflix put season one of Kenshin up so I watched up to episode 24 to jog my memory.  Plotwise, the show appears to cover episodes 1-11 but it includes characters like Saitou Hajime and Tomoe, who bother appear in the later seasons.  Here are some of the main differences:

• The Hiruma brothers' scheme to take over Kamiya Dojo (manga) is blended with Kanryuu's goals.  They also work under him.
• Sanjou Tsubame is just an assistant waitress and her backstory is not elaborated on.
• Sanoksuke's past as a member of the Sekihou Army is not really touched on nor does he try to leave Kenshin and Co.
• The policeman is probably based off of Chief Uramura/Muraki but is made inept and works under Saitou Hajime.
• Obviously Kanou Souzaburou is an original character but he mostly borrows from the traits and aims of Kanryuu (opium manufacturing, working in the arms department), Udou Jin-e (deserting the Shinsengumi, trying to get Kenshin down by reminding him of his manslayer past), and Shishio Makoto (wanting to conquer Japan and recreate the chaos of the revolution).
• The Oniwaban don't die and rather than having their trademark fighting styles, they are all for the most part basic assassins and wear masks.  Hannya wears his signature demon mask.
• Akane Tayuu (the courtesan Souzaburou loved) may be based on Komagata Yumi, also a courtesan who loved and was loved by Shishio Makoto, who shares some similar qualities with Souzaburou.
• Tomoe's relationship to Kenshin and death is simplified: she appears to be his wife and is killed trying to defend Kenshin during a battle (I haven't been paying attention closely to see if it is from Kenshin's own sword or the song lyrics so I will get back on this one).  How he gets the second half of his scar [by Tomoe] is not explained.

WTL/DR: I enjoyed this show very very much and am looking forward to its run in Tokyo.  This amalgamation of impressions and reviews is mostly for myself.