One more thing to wish for: COSPLAY!

Yes, the non-Japanese Takarazuka Kagekidan fandom has been in a bit of a whirl right now and there are many ruffled feathers a-flying. No, it's not because there have been fights or anything - it's just that people are retiring. That makes us all sad pandas.

[That latest announcement just hit two days ago and I'm not sure we've all recovered from it yet. Me? With Yumiko retiring, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop: will Mizu Natsuki do the same?]

Anyway, the subject of today's entry is ベルサイユのばら Berusaiyu no Bara. The English-speaking world knows it as "The Rose of Versailles". This shōjo franchise is the brainchild of Ikeda Riyoko and encompasses 10 manga volumes, a musical play in several story versions, an anime series, a live-action movie, and a ballet, with an Italian opera production upcoming.

For the Takarazuka Kagekidan, BeruBara [as it's abbreviated] is the play that established the Top Star system *and* triggered a large surge in the Kagekidan's popularity, the "BeruBara Boom". No wonder it's one of the most-performed plays in the company repertoire, and Ikeda-sensei even pens original stories for them to bring to the stage.

I've always wanted to cosplay and Lady Oscar François de Jarjayes being one of my favorite female characters in the history of EVER, she's one of my cosplay targets. Just check out the following photos:


You saw this one already, in the Takarazuka wishlist entry.

Last night I found THIS one:

The title on the poster is still ベルサイユのばら, but this is probably the movie Lady Oscar. That's Catriona MacColl in her acting debut.


Oscar also has a third uniform, the red one, seen here in a still from the anime series. This is my favorite of the colors because it contrasts so strongly with her blond hair.

Man, what I'd do to be able to get fit and make Oscar's uniforms look GOOD. *sigh*