Schloss Eberbach

MIRROR ENTRY – COMMENTS DISABLED

By: caithion

Posted: January 5, 2008

Notes: Hey all! So, a couple people asked for updates when the El Halcon goods started being released. And they're on their way now!

Firstly, and most interestingly, Yes Asia has the theme CD out for pre-order ($12.75). It's actually a very good price, considering it's free shipping and the original price is 1,260 yen. It corresponds to this item, and it has "El Halcon", "Seven Seas, Seven Skies" and "Revue Orchis" on it, as well as the karaoke versions of those three tracks.

Usually Takarazuka goods aren't available directly through stores which ship to the US. The usual method is to use a shopping service. A friend of mine has written a guide to buying things in this way.

Before I go any further, I noticed that Aran Kei (the actress who played Tyrian) has made an appearance on the cover of February's issue of Princess magazine (the monthly magazine that Eroica is published in). I can't quite read it, but it looks like Aoike did a special report on the show?

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PS - I shall also be naughty here and mention that I'm selling some Aoike Yasuko manga, for anyone who might be interested.

MIRROR ENTRY – COMMENTS DISABLED

Illustrations by: Yasuko Aoike

By: Norwayblue_eyes

Posted: January 5, 2008

Notes: Takarazuka are performing Aoike's El Halcon in Tokyo
from Jan.2nd to Feb.11 2008.

What is often said is that "El Halcon" or "Seven Seas, Seven Skies" was watershed for Aoike Yasuko (the auther of From Eroia with Love).

to even someone who are not really interested in El Halcon,
it would be interesting to read this post as long as you like Eroica or the author Aoike's works.

With this URL of the news about the stage.
You can see some of the stage pictures and Aoike's latest picture here. (Japanese only)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/stage/theater/20080104et0e.htm

( some of Aoike's comment from the above and some images are behind LJ cut )

By: Caithion

Posted: November 11, 2007

Notes: At last! Some photos! So, this'll be my last post on the subject of the musical based on Aoike's "El Halcon" and "Seven Seas, Seven Skies". For the curious, the release date of the DVD is set for February 5th. Unless there's a drastic change in prices, it'll be 10,500 yen for the two-DVD product. ....... Save your pennies? XD Ah, if anyone does want details on ordering and other things like programs, CDs, and such, let me know? I'll post links and things when the product page goes up. Otherwise, I'll leave the comm alone. ;)

There is a review with photos of the opening night of the show "El Halcon" here. I've translated the article (very roughly) here. (For the mildly masochistic, there's also photos from the accompanying revue show here. But it's an acquired taste, methinks.)

There are a couple little clips up from opening night as well. One is the bottom right video on this page. The other I can't link a short cut to, but if you go to the main Takarazuka page (warning, it takes a while to load if you have a slow connection) and click on the black bar under the picture of Tyrian and Gilda (the one with the video camera and the red button with the white arrow on it), it'll pop up. Both of these clips have El Halcon and Revue Orchids in them, so don't be frightened by the enormous pink ruffles...

Aoike Yasuko wrote an entry in her journal about going to see the show and what she thought of it, and I've translated that here.

Another review I've done a hasty translation for here.

(Let me know if you have trouble accessing the links. Technically you're supposed to be a member to see them, but I think the permissions are set so that everyone can see them right now.)

Anyway... ahhhh, it looks really good! Probably not a masterpiece of theater, but a really fun show for fans. I love the costumes! And how can you go wrong with pirates?

By: Caithion

Posted: November 2, 2007

Notes: This Friday was opening night for the stage adaption of Aoike's El Halcon. There aren't any stage pictures up on the news sites yet, and no reviews. There's only this short article from the Takarazuka web site. Aoike-sensei looks so tiny, yet again. :)

Here's a quick and dirty translation of the article:

( More info behind cut )

By: Caithion

Posted: September 27, 2007

Notes: The rest of the main cast for Takarazuka's production of El Halcon was announced today, as well as a few members of the shinjin kouen (or newbie) cast. (Japanese) (unofficial English)

I'm glad to see some familiar names, like Nicholas and Penelope... And I was surprised to see Captain Black listed among the cast. I really can't wait to see what they've done with Aoike's comics!

By: caithion

Posted: August 27, 2007

Notes: The poster is up, and includes the three main characters redrawn by Aoike in her new style.

Ah, the pumpkin pants. ;)

Also, interesting to note that they wrote "Luminous Red Benedict" on the poster, when he was listed as "Luminous Red Drake" on the cast page. I checked, and it's been changed there as well. I wonder if Aoike insisted on it, or if the director just changed his mind?

By: caithion

Posted: August 19, 2007

Notes: I waited very nicely an entire week! XD

Okay, not much news. They've posted the cast list, but as that's basically just all of Star Troupe there are no surprises there. No more role information or DVD release information yet.

I've done a few other rough translations (a bit of an Aran Kei interview and the two El Halcon theme songs) and posted them in my Takarazuka journal here. Completely melodramatic and cheesy, and I'm looking forward to the show even more. Enjoy!

By: caithion

Posted: August 10, 2007

Notes: I think from now on I might just go back and update old entries so I'm not completely spamming the community every few days.

But, small clip posted from the El Halcon press conference, including bits of the theme songs (sound quality is rather poor, though). Red-tie is Aran Kei (Tyrian), dress is Tono Asuka (Gilda), and the last woman, in the grey jacket, is Yuzuki Reon (Luminous Red). Nothing of Aoike in this tiny clip. :( Too bad, that would have been fun. If I do manage to track down a real copy of the conference, I'll post it for folks here.

By: caithion

Posted: August 6, 2007

Notes: Time for the weekly report. This is crazy! Clips of the music from the theme songs have been released. I suspect they're trying to lure in curious Aoike fans. ;)

You need windows media player if you have a PC, and if you have a mac I believe you need windows media player 9 for mac OSX. Click on the button with the music note and text on it in the upper right-handish corner of the page if you have a PC; for macs there's a line of text below the button that says "macintosh". (I had problems using firefox, but it worked in ie.)

"El Halcon"
"Seven Seas, Seven Skies"
(the theme for the revue show that will go with El Halcon is also up: "Revue Orchids")

They sound good, even if they're just midis. :)

---

Can't remember if I posted this here as well as the ML, but I've re-uploaded a subtitled clip from one of Aran Kei's shows (she'll be playing Tyrian).Not my favorite character of hers (that's reserved for her eerily Klaus-like, grumpy detective in Glassy Landscape), and it's a Japanese-style production, but it gives you an idea of her singing, since it's not on these midis. And if you search Youtube there are several clips up of her as well, including her in the lead of a production of "Singin' In the Rain".

By: Caithion

Posted: August 2, 2007

Notes: Wow, I stand corrected. I've never seen a special contents page for a show go up this early, but it's up! There's a picture of Yuzuki Reon in costume as Luminous Red in the flash on the main page, among other things. And the lyrics for the main theme songs, which I've never seen Takarazuka post on the internet before. They're really pimping this show!

I am a little bummed, however, because they've released a small "character tree", and I don't see Nicholas anywhere on it. I really hope they've kept his character!

----

For anyone looking for any information on these works, there's the bit on the EroicaFans.org website, of course, and I posted little blurbs a long time ago on my manga review website as well. Does anyone know of any other English-language pages on the series that may have sprung up in the last several years? I'm trying to drag my Takarazuka fan friends over into Aoike Love. ;)

By: caithion

Posted: July 19, 2007

Notes:
</p>Star Troupe's "El Halcon -The Hawk-" / "Revue Orchids -Stars of Orchids-" Press Conference
(source)

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By: caithion

Posted: July 18, 2007

Notes: Oh, it seems... it might actually be working! I'm using a proxy to log in to livejournal from China, since the site is oddly blocked from inside the country. But I promised a running report on Takarazuka's production of "El Halcon" as news becomes available, so hopefully this will stay stable long enough for me to post! :D

A press conference was held about the upcoming show. The top male-role player (Aran Kei), the top female-role player (Toono Asuka), and the second-rank male-role player (Yuzuki Reon) all attended, as well as the director and Aoike-sensei herself. It was revealed that the main role will indeed be Tyrian, while the main female role will be Gilda. In Takarazuka, having a "dirty hero" is a rare thing. Yuzuki will play Red. (Actually, it appears that Luminous Red Benedict has been renamed for the production to Luminous Red Drake.)

There is a head shot and a group shot with Aoike-sensei, as well as the actresses and various staff members. She's so tiny! Maybe someone else will translate this article, but I will also try to translate it if no one else has gotten to it. I'm at a loose end for several days until we get back to the States.

There looks to be a peak shot of the poster for the production at the beginning of the article, though it hasn't officially been posted to the Takarazuka Revue web site yet.

ETA:
Things I forgot to add:
Another report covering the press conference, this time from the official Takarazuka website. And they just posted the page for the Takarazuka Grand Theater run, if you want a slightly better look at the costumes.

Tickets for the Takarazuka run (11/2 - 12/15) go on sale starting on Sept. 29th. Tickets for the Tokyo run (1/2 - 2/11) go on sale Nov. 25th.</p>

By: caithion

Posted: December 15, 2006

Notes: Very, very exciting news! (Well, for me at least.) The Takarazuka Revue (famous among manga fans for their performances of The Rose of Versailles) has announced that they will be adapting Aoike-sensei's El Halcon & Seven Seas, Seven Skies into a musical entitled "El Halcon". I hope this means they will be focusing more on Tyrian's past and less on the slightly silly themed parts of SSSS. Anyway, Star Troupe is scheduled to perform it in November in the Takarazuka Grand Theater, so it will probably play in Tokyo in Jan/Feb of 2008 and come out on DVD shortly thereafter. No cast listing yet, but since Aran Kei (see my icon) is the current top star of Star Troupe, I'm betting she will play Tyrian. Yes! Her thieves/villains are always fun, so I can't wait to see her play an anti-hero.

I can't wait to hear who will be cast as which character....

Illustrations by: Yasuko Aoike

By: shuuki_chan

Posted: September 3, 2006

Notes: I scanned these images for koorifumi, but I thought everyone might enjoy a little Tyrian, Benedict, etc. No such thing as too many Aoike images!

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