TokyoGirls'Update

“Magia Record,” the Keyakizaka 46 stage show. Magical girls born from a wish

けやき坂46 舞台『マギアレコード』。願いから生まれた魔法少女たち
“Magia Record,” the Keyakizaka 46 stage show. Magical girls born from a wish

Sponsored Links

The stage show “Magia Record Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica Tale” is being held at the TBS Akasaka ACT Theater. It is in the news because Memi Kakizaki and others from Keyakizaka 46, a group of young entertainers, are performing a stage show of the original popular animation.

img_MagiaRecord_01

However, this stage show is not only a stage performance for popular idols who are currently active, but has content which can be appreciated as a masterpiece of the 2.5 dimensional stage, including a high level of reproduction of the live-action version of each character, the fusion of the latest video and music production, and an original story based on the original work which you can be drawn into even without knowing the setting. It is popular among fans of the young entertainers as well as fans of the original animation and game.

This stage show, based on the cartoon “Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica,” which caused a big boom in Japan in 2011, is the stage show version of the smartphone game “Magia Record Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica Tale,” and features new battle scenes with magic girls and develops the spin-off story.

The director is Akiko Kodama, who has experience with the Takarazuka Revue and is now active in 2.5-dimensional stage shows, the script was written by Masafumi Hata, who has already been in charge of the Nogizaka 46 stage show “Star Princess,” and Yasuhiro Ito, who worked on the music for “Ayumi,” which members of Keyakizaka 46 appeared in for the first time this April and which is also being called a masterpiece, was in charge of the music. It is being called SS status grade staffing for the “2.5 dimensional stage x young entertainers” theater.

img_MagiaRecord_02

“Magical girl Madoka ☆ Magica” differs from regular animations about magical girls, which have happy endings, and is a work which can be called a dark fantasy, depicting a harsh fate in which magical girls continue to fight with witches, and the televised animation itself was broadcast in 2011 and gained popularity. “Magia Record Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica Tale” is the tale of the main character Iroha Tamaki coming to the boom town of Kamihama city, where magical girls fight against witches (or rumors), to search with her friends for clues about the disappearance of her younger sister. The magical girl Homura Akemi from Mitakihara city and her friends also turn up there trying to save “Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica” heroine Madoka Kaname.

img_MagiaRecord_07

The highlights of this stage show are the “sword battles,” the so-called battle scenes in which the performers speak in unison even in the dress rehearsal which is carried out prior to the public performance. In addition to the video representation of the enemy witches (or rumors), which is projected onto a large screen above the stage, projection mapping-like production in which images shake up and down, left and right, the occasional display of consecutive unintelligible characters referred to as “witch words,” and the retention of the scenes from the game continuously enliven the battle scenes with light and sound. Memi Kakizaki said, “I love the animation ‘Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica’, so I was very happy to play the role of Iroha in ‘Magia Record,’ but at the same time I was anxious while practicing too. I want to do my best to become an Iroha which all the fans of the game can support too,” and she is tackling the battle scenes as this Iroha.

img_MagiaRecord_03

img_MagiaRecord_11

In addition, Miho Watanabe, who plays mercenary Felicia Mitsuki, a special character among the magical girls, said that she “Learned ‘the aesthetics of death’ from the sword battle teacher, and enjoyed pretending to die with everyone in spare moments on breaks and in daily life. The weapon was a two kilogram hammer, so it was very heavy, but I want to brandish it with all my might.” All the weapons, including the hammer which is larger than Watanabe’s body, were produced to the same scale as in the game, so this type of sword fighting scene in which each character has their own weapon becomes more precise and powerful each time it is performed publicly.

img_MagiaRecord_05

img_MagiaRecord_04

There are definitely pros and cons with regard to making live-action versions of “2.5 dimensional musicals,” stage shows based on the likes of animations and games, and when it was announced that “Keyakizaka 46” would appear in this one, there was noise on the internet centered on fans of the original work. However, the costumes the “Keyakizaka 46” members dressed up in were exactly those of the characters in the game itself. Far from giving a sense of discomfort, the detailed commitment to the costumes and modeling unique to the Sakamichi Series conversely created a favorable impression. If you watch the actual stage show, you will understand that the auditions were carried out with consideration for the likes of the presence and performance of the character in the original game, as well as the personality of the actual person. Of course, the performers themselves are from the “Madomagi” generation, and you can see from the way they have a firm grasp of the characters’ favorite phrases and ways of talking that they have done thorough research into the animation and the game before their appearances on the stage.

img_MagiaRecord_09

It must be remembered that the story of the “Magia Record” characters is the main story of this stage show, and in terms of the game, it weaves together up to around chapter five in approximately two hours. While the attractive background depiction of each character feels insufficient due to the issue of time, but there is irresistible, must-see content designed to appeal to the core fan base, including a scene in which water element Yachiyo Nanami, played by Mirei Sasaki, plants herself on her enemy’s element and comes forward, confronting her enemy and saying “I’ll handle this!”, and the mug from the Mikazuki villa scene where the friends have gathered.

img_MagiaRecord_10

img_MagiaRecord_14

Of course, it is nice to see characters from “Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica” at important points. However, they appear in fewer scenes than the Magi Reco members, and as a fan of the original animation, I look forward to further stage productions of “Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica” with these with this Madomagi members.

In the “Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica” series, if you ask Kyubei, a mysterious extraterrestrial life-form device which could also be called a mascot, in return for becoming a magical girl on the condition that you shoulder the harsh fate of continuing to fight with witches, you can have one wish granted.

img_MagiaRecord_06

img_MagiaRecord_13

In connection with the content of the work, when the members were asked “What would you wish for if you became a magical girl?”, among answers typical of young entertainers, such as Kyoko Saito, who plays the role of Kyoko Sakura, who said, “I like ramen, so I want magic that allows me to make ramen appear immediately,” Miku Kanemura, who plays the role of “Sayaka Miki,” who said, “I love eating, so I want an inexhaustable stomach! “, Miho Watanabe, who said in a separate interview, “Magic that allows me to keep eating bread indefinitely,” and Suzuka Tomita, who plays the role of Tsuruno Yui, who said, “A body that won’t get fat,” Akari Nibu, who plays the role of Madoka Kaname, the absolute heroine throughout the series, said “My future dream is to make people happy, so I want to be able to bring smiles to many people,” impressing the group of reporters and scoring top marks for her characteristic Madoka Kaname comment typical of Keyakizaka 46 and the “happy aura” which is the theme of their activities.

img_MagiaRecord_08

Keyakizaka 46, which is also known as “hiragana keyaki,” have continued their activities as the protegee of Keyakizaka 46, which has Yurina Hirate, but the likes of the full-time service of former hiragana keyaki member Neru Nagahama with Keyakizaka 46, and the difficulty of activities which accompanies the low level of publicity compared with the kanji Keyakizaka 46, creates quite a harsh fate. However, this June they released their first solo album as “Keyakizaka 46,” and the tour was also a great success, and although they don’t appear on the stage, their activities are suddenly attracting attention recently, including Nao Kosaka from the second graduating class being selected as a exclusive model for “Seventeen” magazine.

“It’s okay, it’ll definitely be okay. Let’s believe that. Magical girls make dreams and hope come true”

img_MagiaRecord_12

Just like Madoka Kaname’s famous line, “Keyakizaka 46” will grasp the opportunity to emerge with this stage show. It’s a must-see stage show for confirming the glow of their soul gems.

Magia Record Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica Tale
Venue : TBS Akasaka ACT Theater
Running period : August 24th, 2018 〜 September 9th, 2018

https://www.nelke.co.jp/stage/magireco/index.html

Magia Record Magical Girl Madoka ☆ Magica Tale official twitter :
https://twitter.com/stage_magireco

Sponsored Links

Author
TokyoGirls'Update

We bring the latest news of Japanese girls' culture from Japan to all over the world! Here are hot topics about KyaryPamyuPamyu, AKB48, Hello!Project, and other cute Jpop artists. Everybody wanna be KAWAii, and wotaku in whole world, cheeeeeeeer UP!

comments powered by Disqus