Originally published on the Mindan online newsite on May 16, 2007:
http://mindan.org/shinbun/news_bk_view.php?page=1&subpage=1471&corner=6
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With a Korean’s Pride in her Heart: Takarazuka Star Troupe Top Star, Aran Kei
A fascinating stage
The Defiance of Needing Four Tries to Enroll, Then Graduating Top of Her Class: "I've Surmounted Difficulties to Reach Today"
After the retirement of Kozuki Wataru in November of last year, the new Takarazuka Revue (in Sakaemachi, Takarazuka-shi) Star Troupe Top Star succeeded her: Third Generation Korean-Japanese (1), Aran Kei-san. She is the second woman of foreign descent to become an otokoyaku top star, the other being Ootori Ran, who retired in 1979, and was of Chinese heritage. Aran's debut show as top star will run at the Grand Theater from March 23rd to April 30th. Star Troupe's performance will be a traditional dance show called Sakura and a musical, Secret Hunter. Aran fascinates the audience with her beautiful singing voice and her dramatic intensity as an actress. I asked Aran-san about this half-year that "has rushed by in barely a moment."Since inaugurating the new Star Troupe when she became top star in her debut show, "The strain has just continued". It's been seen many times that, when the top star is replaced, the whole atmosphere of the troupe changes. A top star both receives and doesn't receive feedback at the same time. Being in a position to have to lead the troupe feels like a big responsibility.
Aran-san has an established reputation on stage. Her height is 167cm. This is not particularly tall for an otokoyaku, but her magnificent singing voice and the depth of feeling she expresses gives her a powerful presence. Although her abilities are highly praised, she spares no effort. "I study everyday. No matter how hard I practice, when I'm onstage and hear the applause of the crowd, I'm healed."
Aran discovered Takarazuka when she was in her first year of middle school. Her father took her to see her first show, and she was enchanted by its magnificent stage. She decided, "I'll enter the Takarazuka Revue." Three times each week, she traveled after school from her home in Shiga prefecture to Takarazuka for lessons. She never got home again before midnight.
Every year that she was in highschool, she took the entrance exam for the Takarazuka Music School, but was rejected every time. After graduating highschool, she tried for the fourth time and was accepted. She held in her hand the ticket to her life's wish, the Takarazuka Revue! She graduated in 1991 at the top of her class, and, after debuting in Moon Troupe's Rose of Versailles, was assigned to Snow Troupe. "When I had my debut show, I was overjoyed watching the glittering sparkle of the show's stars."
Her first shinjin kouen ["Rookie Show"] lead was in 1995, as President Kennedy in JFK. After that, she starred in three more shinjin kouen. (2) In 2000, it was decided she would be transferred to Star Troupe. "I thought, ‘Why me?' and worried a lot about whether I could be myself in a new troupe," she says of her confusion in those days.
She also won the award for best New Face
However, having overcome her initial fears, she went on to star in Singin' in the Rain at the Nissay Theater in 2003. That same year, she had the challenge of playing a female role in Song of Kingdoms. Due to the impressive contrast between the two characters, her reputation as a performer increased. Through this demonstration of her abilities, she became the first active Takarazuka performer to receive the Matsuo Foundation's 25th Annual New Face Award.(3)It may seem that she had smooth sailing, but her path to the top was uphill. There were countless times when she was not happy with her placement. There was also having to stand by and watch as her yearmates one after the other become top stars. Now, because she has overcome those difficult times, she can say with confidence, "I am a strong person."
Her family's thoughts included in her stage name.
According to Aran-san, a great source of support for her has been her pride to be a Korean. Her stage name, "Aran Kei" is taken from Aran, the main character in the Legend of Arirang. Together with her family, she decided to use the "安" kanji from her real name, the"蘭" kanji from the orchid flower, and to put the "Kei" from her family's [Korean] hometown, Keishounando, into hiragana. Aran-san says, "Even in front of everyone, I'll call my father Aboji" and not pay any mind.In November of 2005, Takarazuka performed in Korea for the first time, with the show Soul of Shiva, in which she portrayed the god Shiva. "I was really happy. Standing on stage in my homeland, I felt somehow nostalgic. Something came over me and I was deeply moved. Since that time, I've been able to love myself more," as if in her experiences up until then she had been missing a special flavor.
From here on, as Star Troupe's top star, "I want our hearts to become even closer than before, so that we become a troupe with a single passion in our hearts. For that reason, I want to keep on having an invigorating life!" she says with big, shining eyes.
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(1) Zainichi Kankokujin = "Person of Korean heritage living in Japan"
(2) Akanesasu Murasaki no Hana, Elisabeth, and Niji no Natasha
(3) I don't know much about this award, but their website - only lists current year winners - is here: http://www.rosenet.ne.jp/~matsuo-e/foundation.html
Note: The original Japanese text used on this site is the property of the Takarazuka Revue and Hankyu Corporation. It is used without permission, with the intent of publicizing the revue to a larger audience.
The translations on this site were done by me. I reserve all applicable copyright on them and DO NOT give permission for them to be redistributed, published, retranslated, used as fansub scripts, etc.