Hey, I'm getting back on schedule. And by "back on schedule" I mean I've basically ignored 4 months and will go back slowly to fill in those blanks while continuing to be current in my updating.

For my birthday this year I didn't feel like trying to find another ryokan to have my "spa day", as I am just so tired of traveling by myself now. I have a distant memory of hearing my sister lament the same thing a long time ago, and I guess I too am at the same stage in my life.

I had, months back, whether out of pure dedication to the craft or blind devotion, purchased a ticket to see another 2.5 D production for the weekend of my birthday. Come to think of it, it may have been my "birthday present" to myself, though it really wouldn't be a preferred present. Either way, I went to see the Katekyo Hitman Reborn 2.5 D production over the weekend and it was an interesting contrast to the period pieces I had devoted my time to thus far.
Ah, that's it. I wanted to have something to compare the period pieces to. And boy was there a lot to compare.

First off, this production clearly didn't have as much money behind it as opposed to Touken Ranbu or Hakuouki. It had minimal set, mostly large props and projections to signify scene changes. There was one main fly that resulted in a visually stunning sakura projection set later on, but it was mostly chairs and beds for the most part. Even the projections were not used as extensively, but I appreciated the use of projected manga action lines to draw attention and emphasize specific actors or movement (i.e. fast running). There was the projected "fast jumping around" trick, the projected face close-up to show the attitude-changing bullet, the eye close-up to show the numbers in the pupil... things that are really 2 dimensional conventions that can't really be translated into 3 dimensions any other way, really.

I had forgotten that the main character (for the part of the story this production covered) "hulked out" of his clothing a lot, but they definitely used that with the quick-change costumes for him. Unfortunately, some of the pieces didn't stay together during the scenes preceding the "hulking out", so that sadly look away from the big reveals. oh, ha.
Since this happened on stage, they used a spot on the actor and there were 3 stagehands in black who would rip off the clothing, the spot helping to hide them a bit more in the dark. They used this spotlight trick with another character who had his hands gloved in transformation.

One thing I discovered was that two of the actors in this production were also in every other IP I had seen this year. Mr. Dude and Frogger were both in the Hakuouki musical and the Touken Ranbu stage play. I did not realize this until I was sitting in the audience, looking through the free flyers, which included the flyer for this show. I then (finally) recognized Mr. Dude, and didn't even recognize Frogger at first. It wasn't until I was looking at the pamphlet back at home (another purchase for research. I'm so tired of buying shit...) and saw that he was listed as having been in the other productions that I finally matched his name in the other pamphlets. I had even noted that I was impressed his character did a backflip during the show, and didn't clue in that he was Frogger. I have to say, the hair and makeup is truly transformative and I am in awe at how good they look and how in-character they look. Mr. Dude (look, if I knew their names I'd have recognized them much earlier) is also going to be in another production next month (Cells at Work! It's only playing in Tokyo, otherwise I'd have tried to get tickets), and looking at his schedule, he has literally been doing back-to-back shows, with maybe a month between openings. I am impressed at his tenacity and shocked at how prolific he is. I wonder if this is by choice or by talent agency....

And I think I have become a fan of Frogger.