INTERVISTE/ARTICOLI

TRANSLATION: Moon Saga 2 Report E-Plus - Wholly Produced by GACKT

The long awaited sequel stage play, [Moon Saga -Secret of Yoshitsune- Chapter 2] has kicked off. The story begins from March in year 1184 2 months after the final scene in the first play. The Genpei War and troubles of the hero, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, acted by GACKT,was dramatised from a new perspective drawn with a color of entertainment and a fresh breath of aesthetics.

(With stage equipment that uses projection mapping to its full potential, a fresh stage play experience is created for the historical fantasy!)

It is set in the days after the Heian Era. The Mononoke, who were feared since ancient times, the Mononofu, who are humans who gained the Mononoke's powers, and the humans, who are being ruled by the Mononofu. In this scenario, the Heike and the Genji families, along with the other Mononofu around them, possess various powers like telepathy and seeing the future.

The opening looks back to the first chapter. A stylish video captures the events when Yoshitsune awoke the powers which resided within him and killed his cousin and childhood friend, Minamoto no Yoshinaka (later known as Kiso Yoshinaka).

This was a prominent showcase of video usage. Projection mapping was used to its fullest in the background, using a simple device in the front of the stage, a video tailored to the scene was projected to create depth. It was an enjoyable stage evolution which changed in sync with the actors' performances. The scene constantly changes as reality and illusion worked interchangeably to create the image of flipping a pop-up book. Not only was it easy to imagine the kinds of powers that the Mononofu possessed, it greatly enhanced the entertainment factor of the play.

Thoughts of Yoshinaka in the woods, the anguish which confronts Yoshitsune, a samurai named Nori who is as beautiful and delicate as a woman.

It is he who is known as the strongest Mononofu in the Heike, along with his brother, Taira no Tomomori, who looks for the path of peace between the Genji and Heike with Yoshitsune. However, his half-brother Minamoto no Yorimoto, and his wife Hojo Masako, look for ways to bring Yoshitsune down using Kajiwara Kagetoki to cause disorder... ...

The stage setup uses numerous steep slopes and creates an unparalleled highlight of intensive action. The amount of training that it took to pull off the scenes will definitely catch your attention. Furthermore, the gifts of GACKTs daily training can be enjoyed in the superhuman wire action fights.

In addition, all the characters' personalities are one of a kind, not to mention main character Yoshitsune, and more like one of the Yoshitsune's big four Musashibo Benkei, the lady Mononoke who possesses bewitching beauty Hiyori, Noritsune who sides the Heike, Chimori, Kikkoumaru and Ginroumaru the Mononoke protege of the Taira, and including Yoritomo, Masako, and Kagetoki. From actors like Kawasaki Mayo who feels a sense of dignity amongst such young company, and Yumi Hiro who feels that this is ine of the commemorable plays for the Takarazuka Revue, they've said that this is possibly the only stage play where a character's personality gets expressed so clearly.

The show went on without a break for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Despite the extremely sad story that developed, it was a truly impressive finale of absolute beauty that instils hope in one's heart. Without going into detail, the highlight of the story comes in the climax of a one-on-one battle scene, where it can only be expressed as an enormous performance of the Mononoke Battle. This is truly a play one can only fully experience in the theatre, so by all means, please do watch it.

[Reporting - Tanaka Ritsuko]

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
Source: E-plus

© GACKT ITALIA

by Erika