Archives For theater / stage

It seems like I haven’t blogged about Yu Aoi for a while. I certainly haven’t checked her website, so I’m a little out of the loop.

The title on this post may be a little misleading. I don’t know whether Yu is in India, but the cover for GINZA Magazine for the July edition seems to indicate something similar… or maybe it will just be “India style”. Who knows~

See the bottom title on the left?

Aoi Yu, something about color no INDO he.

While checking Yu’s website, I also found out that WOWOW will be showing a broadcast of Minami he~ it would be super awesome if someone took the time to record that and upload it so we could watch — even without subs. LOL

Minami he – WOWOW
July 8th, 11:30pm

Yup, that’s it.

what have you guys been up to lately?

As you probably know… or didn’t – Yu’s latest play with Satoshi Tsumabuki, Minami he, opened in Tokyo… had some dates postponed (at least) due to the Earthquake, and I think it’s safe to say that it’s done with its running.

There were interesting thoughts on it – hint: only read one review, which you can check by going through the Minami tag – and I ran into this poster for it, which is the closest some of us got to this play xD

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Minami he (To the South)

February 12, 2011 — 5 Comments

So… you don’t live in Tokyo? Or you live in Tokyo but don’t have the time or money to spend a couple of hours in the theater? Well, tough luck!

Yu-chan’s at the theater in her brand new play with Satoshi Tsumabuki, as previously reported.

Tsumabuki portrays a seismologist named Minami who is station at the foot of the fictional Mt. Buji, a volcano that is getting ready to erupt. Aoi portrays Amane, a woman found wandering the slopes of Mt. Buji. The only thing is she may not be Amane at all. Aoi’s character keeps changing the story of who she is, where she comes from and even what her real name is.

via J-Film Pow-Wow (Chris MaGee’s awesome, non?)

Check J-Film Pow-Wow for more information and a photo where Yu’s on the side looking different. Then there’s a video of Yu-chan commenting on the play, and inviting all of us (who can’t go) to see the play.

But it’s not embeddable, so head over here for the video.

But really, even if I were in Tokyo… and I had the time and money to go watch Yu on stage, it’d be for nothing! Because I’m not fluent in Japanese. It’d be like a wasted seat on someone who would just stare O_O and that’d be creepy.

So… is anyone going? And does anyone want to share their thoughts on it?

Yu Aoi and Satoshi Tsumabuki are set to star in Hideki Noda’s new play, Minami he (To South), at the Metropolitan Art Space from February 10 to March 31, 2011. Tickets will be on sale beginning January 8th.

via Nikkan Sports + Tokyo Stages

So Yu will be busy with the opening of Coin de Rue — opening the 11th — and this.

It’s like she knows is my birthday x’D

I could be wrong on this one, but this is the third time she does theater, right? First, Shakespeare playing Desdemona. Then Gakuya, and now this? Well, it’s not like I can attend the theater, since I won’t be understanding anything said xD

CinemaCafe has an interview [jp] with Yu Aoi about Otouto — recently released on DVD and Blu-Ray. If someone could give a proper translation of it, that would rock. In the meantime… some of what I think are interesting bits.

Title of the piece is Kotoba ni Dekinai “Kankaku” ga Kanojyo o Tsukiugokasu, which seems to be something like “It isn’t the words, it’s the emotions that motivates her”.

First sub-title, Ii Deai no Renki ni Megumaremashita, which is something like “Blessed with good encounters,” referring to the people she worked with in Otouto [Yoji Yamada, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Tsurube Shofukutei, Ryo Kase], plus I see mentions of Kyoko Koizumi [from Gakuya].

GAH! I really can’t translate more, but the following paragraphs seem interesting. Like the last one about balancing work and free time. My head hurts.

Here’s some more Yu photos =D Like the intro said something about her gentle smile.

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I thought I would never EVER say this, but this is too much Yu Aoi.

The TBS website for the upcoming drama Unubore Deka (Conceited Detective) just announced guest-stars, and Yu Aoi will be appearing on the 2nd episode. Also guest-starring, actress Kanako Higuchi (ep03), and Kyoko Koizumi.

Mika Nakashima stars on the show alongside Tomoya Nagase, who plays the deluded detective.

A 30-year-old single detective (Nagase Tomoya), who is under the illusion that he is popular with females is called ‘Unubore’ by friends. He is an ultra romantic and susceptible to conceitedness. He has such a strong desire to marry to the extent that he has bought an apartment for his newlywed life. He falls in love with female criminals at first sight each time. While the sheer desire to meet wraps around him, he will get proof that the female is the culprit. And so, he will thrust both the arrest warrant and marriage papers at her, proposing with the words, “If you marry me, I won’t arrest you.” If that still does not work, he will hold out an engagement ring and his handcuffs. In the end, the criminal will choose to be arrested and his heart will be broken. He will cry as he puts the handcuffs on her…

via DramaWiki.

To be honest, the premise sounds BLAH.

But Nagase is funny… at least he was on Tiger & Dragon, but that was a different monster. However, I will probably give it a go… after all, if I don’t like it, it’s only going to be two episodes. [added to the calendar]

Let’s play 6 Degrees… Mika Nakashima starred on Worst by Chance — and Yu Aoi made a short appearance there. Tomoya Nagase was on Tiger & Dragon with Yu. Kanako Higuchi played Aoi Miyazaki’s mother on Atsuhime… Miyazaki is besties with Yu. And Kyoko Koizumi starred on the stage piece Gakuya with Yu.

Yu Aoi and the Rest of 2009~~~

September 15, 2009 — 4 Comments

It’s hard to believe it’s almost the end of the year… only 3 proper months left!

Anyway! I was checking YesAsia stuffs and turns out Ikechan to Boku will be released this coming December 4th… sadly, no English subtitles listed. TuT So I’d figure we’d list what’s left of upcoming Yu related stuff (without counting magazine and CMs appearances because frankly those are hard to keep track of).

October 9th, 2009
NHK – Gakuya Presentation

October 15th, 2009
2009 Calendar Launch [Amazon.co.jp][HMV.co.jp]

eh… Nov? xD

December 4th, 2009
Ikechan and Me DVD [R2, no subs] [YesAsia][Amazon.co.jp][book]

Yu Aoi’s Gakuya on NHK

September 11, 2009 — 1 Comment

Crap! And it’s not on NHK World Premium…
whatever~~~

If you haven’t missed my past Yu posts, you’ll know that she worked on a play called Gakuya this past May and June. Well, Yu’s site was updated saying that Gakuya will be broadcast on NHK next month.

October 9th, 2009 at 10.30pm

get more Japanese info here.

There’s also some text saying that there will be some more info on Yu’s new 2010 Calendar, which looks kinda Hansel-y and Gretel-y… ja? Do you wanna know my opinion? Yu’s Message page has only been updated twice this year. Once with that cryptic message from Venezuela [part1][part2], and the other announcing Portugirl. Before those posts? There was a 2009 Calendar post. Am I complaining? Yes, I am. LOL

But damn, I can’t ever stay too mad.

They’ve also posted photos off-shoots from the So-En shoot.

Yu Aoi - So-En - Off-shoot

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First things first~~

I found another Yu Aoi article that talks about her role on Ikechan and voice-acting. It seems to quote a bit on this previous interview, but there also seems to be a bit of extra info, can’t be sure since I just skimmed-Google-translate it. We are in need of proper translations for this and the previous articles (trust me, you don’t want to rely on my Japanese LOL).

I also ran into this piece of info. I know it’s late, LOL’

Gakuya - Dressing Room - Poster

It’s a stage drama/play/theater piece… whatever your choice of noun is, called Gakuya – or as it translates Dressing Room – alongside Kyoko Koizumi, Nozomi Muraoka, and Eri Watanabe. It ran from May 10th to June 14th (again, sorry for the tardiness xD) – any Japanese fans seen it?? It would be awesome to get comments on that… or even a synopsis xD

Gakuya - Dressing Room - Cast

— July 1st EDIT —

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