Italiano
TRANSLATION 25 Aug 2014: Sponichi Annex - GACKT Reprises His Major Role as Kenshin for 2 Consecutive Years, This Month's Fracture is "Also a Good Way to Raise Morale"
On the 24th the annual Kenshin Festival was held in the home territory of a general of the Warring States Era Uesugi Kenshin, and singer GACKT took part in the festivities.
Dressed as Kenshin, he lead around 500 armoured people though the streets in a road march. He is taking on this lead role as Kenshin for the second consecutive year. He first acted as this character in the 2007 NHK historical drama [Fuurin Kazan]. With emotion, he said "Joetsu is like a second hometown to me.".
Earlier this month, it was revealed that he had fractured his left ankle during a rehearsal for his stage play but he said, "It's not a handicap, instead it's a good way to raise morale." as he rode out to the streets on a white horse and to great applause.
Source: sponichi.co.jp
©GACKT ITALIA Team
TRANSLATION Asahi News - GACKT Performed as Uesugi Kenshin in a Kick-Off Procession Niigata/Joetsu
For the 89th Kenshin Festival of Niigata prefecture's Joetsu City's on the 24th, singer and actor GACKT performed as Uesugi Kenshin of the Warring States Era for their [Kick-Off Procession] and the [Re-enactment of the Kawanakajima Battle], energising and captivating fans and tourists.
For the Kick-Off Procession, it took place in the streets near the Kasugayama Castle Ruins and involved around 500 warriors who were split between the forces of Uesugi andTakeda Ryogun as they played out the picture scrolls which depicted the parade.
GACKT, who is taking part for the 6th time and 2nd year in a row, had fractured his left ankle during a rehearsal for his stage play and pushed past the pain for the [Kick-Off]. Appearing into the venue gallantly on a white horse, with awe-inspiring drama he said "To remind to world of the spirit of righteousness, against time, we have come forth to the land of Joetsu. Let's move out". Looking past his performance, the bystanders on the road side yell out "Oyakata-sama~!" in encouragement, reaching the festival's climax.
Source: asahi.com
©GACKT ITALIA Team
TRANSLATION Excite Music report: Gorgeous & Enormous "Pop-up Picture Book", Sequel to GACKT's Play Finally Begins
GACKT has worked on the original screenplay, casting and music production of the play, and in 2012, his life work [Moon Saga -Secret of Yoshitsune-] concluded. The sequel, [Moon Saga -Secret of Yoshitsune- Chapter 2], has since begun performances on 8 August (Friday) in Tokyo's Meijiza.
In the play, during the late Heian period, the magnificent historical drama depicts the story of a young hero, Yoshitsune, who is dealing with the anguish and murder of his cousin and childhood friend, Minamoto no Yoshikana (later known as Kiso Yoshinaka), and pursues peace for the Genji while avoiding war. The stage's set is completely different from the regular artistic sets, and is an innovation where many layers of white panels are used and background changes are projected onto the layers using projection mapping. The stage was like a kaleidoscope with projections of a starry sky, a lush bamboo forest, the seas on which a ship floats, a red moon in the night sky and more. As quoted from GACKT himself, "The stage is a pop- up picture book". The bravura of the fusion between traditional costumes and state-of the-art technology will leave you wide-eyed with awe.
In addition, huge slopes are constructed on stage makes for dynamic action scenes as the actors go back and forth doing acrobatics and tumblign around. GACKT's sense of aesthetics was prevalent throughout that space and spread out across.
The story is set in a world where apart from humans, there are other beings such as the Mononoke who possess powers, and the Mononofu who have powers passed to them from the Mononoke. It is a world where the Mononofu use these powers to rule the humans. Yoshitsune, acted by GACKT, contains the "hyakki" in his body, and out of fear of his powers, avoids using them for he may unknowingly hurt the people close to him. Yoshitsune, who fully grasps the emptiness of war, seeks peace with the Taira who his house has hostile relations with. He grows close with Taira no Tomomori (Kawasaki Mayo) and Taira no Noritsune (Yumi Hiro) but the strings of fate are not so easily broken, and in a turn of unfortunate events, new blood flows. In a conference before the opening night, GACKT said that Yoshitsune was portrayed as "a weak man" and will draw empathy from us who live in a world filled with hesitation, and he feels that it will bring a certain level of reality into this historical fantasy.
You can also strongly feel the presence of the music artist GACKT as you get drawn into the story with a variety of musical expressions and effects which range from heavy tunes, from Dubstep to quiet string music and piano music. Also, the well-projected dignified lustrous voice of GACKT came to good use in his stage play career. Even as it is dominated with a serious theme, heroine Hiyori (Hatsune/Kuroda Arisa) is a light-hearted fairy whose cuteness will calm hearts, and the pranks exchanged between Dennai Noriyoshi (Suzunosuke) and Noritsune will make you smile. Kajiwara Kagetoki's (Kinoshita) desperate political jokes are scattered everywhere and left a great impression and laughter when it happened. Also, Takarazuka Revue's well-known tallest Yumi stood side by side with GACKT and created an unprecedented colourful stage. In engaging wire-action scenes, sharp movements and elegant gestures will make you gasp. This is not a movie nor a television show, but the dynamic raw action that can only be tasted and presented on such a stage.
Performance will continue until October and I cannot give away the ending of the play but every character in this play grapples with hesistation and their struggles, yet are fascinating and filled with passion. Watching the tragicomically of these characters, you will begin to painfully realise the human foolishness of rushing into war out of paranoia. Thought-provoking to us who live in this modern age, please do experience this realistic yet beautifully tragic story.
Credits: excite.co.jp
©GACKT ITALIA Team
TRANSLATION: Joetsu News: GACKT Kenshin Performance - 89th Kenshin Festival, Performance of an Elegantly Brave Figure
On the 24th was the highlights of the 89th Kenshin Festival, the Kick-Off Procession and the Re-Enactment of the Kawanakajima Battle, which took place in the area of Kasugayama in Joetsu.
While the citizens and fans watched along the route of the Kick-Off Procession, he drifted by with a strong and powerful presence, and acted out the beautiful and brave character of the Warring States Era's strongest warrior. Giving out the order to move out, his voice, filled with the spirit of righteousness, rang out across the marching route. The audience returned it with loud cheers.
GACKT Kenshin wages war in the evening at the Kasugayama Historical Castle Square for the Re-enactment of the Kawanakajima Battle. The full-house audience was once again filled with awe.
*A 10 page feature article with pictures will be posted in this newspaper on the 25th.
Source: J-times
Translation: GACKT ITALIA team
© GACKT ITALIA
TRANSLATION: GACKT-Kenshin at the Kenshin Festival - A cry of triumph to the crowd by the roadside
The 90th Kenshin Festival (also the main sponsor of the event) kicked-off the 2014 programme, held at Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, by welcoming back musician GACKT as Uesugi Kenshin. This is GACKT’s 6th appearance as Kenshin (and for 2 consecutive years) as he appeared wearing a black costume riding a white horse. Accompanied by a 500-strong entourage and leading with a cry of triumph, a tide of enthusiasm engulfed the audience standing by the sides of the road.
GACKT headed from Kasuga Elementary School, towards the intersection at Sanroku-sen’s Kasugayama. Like last year, GACKT was wearing the familiar black suikan (the everyday garment worn by nobles in ancient Japan), the same outfit he had worn when he was acting in the 2007 NHK Taiga-drama [Furinkazan].
As the white horse went back and forth, from the intersection at Sanroku-sen’s Kasugayama, reciting that [to convey the soul of righteousness, Uesugi Kenshin has surpassed time to visit this land of Joetsu], the 500-strong entourage raised the cry of triumph [EIEIOOOOO].
The roads were filled with many people, who raised cries of [my lord] and applauded and cheered in loud voices when GACKT appeared.
GACKT comment that [To me, Joetsu is like a “second hometown” and a special/important place. Through this event, I hope from my heart that the the people who are attracted to and love Joetsu like me will increase.]
Source: JoetsuJ.com
Translation: GACKT ITALIA team
© GACKT ITALIA