NaNoSomething

[auronlu]

Heh. Here I'd given up posting a word count, since my progress is measured in posted chapters not words written, but I wish to celebrate a minor victory. The logjam chapter from hell is finally starting to untangle itself.

New words for the week of Nov 15-21: 2519. That's not including deleted/edited words, just positive word count.

And now for something completely different. So that this is not entirely a boring post, here's Haruno Sumire doing what she does so well. Just in case you need smexy company during the late shift, Sissy.

translation here

Note to self so I can find it later: 2002 Flower Troupe Elisabeth. (Does that DVD play in U.S. video players?)

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

All the official Takarazuka DVDs we own have played in all our playing devices withput incident.

And we need an official copy of that omg because the pirated version someone gave us as a gift has degraded beyond playability.

I really wanted the limited edition version of ALL the Elisabeths from 1996 through 2010's Sena Jun Tod. Doubt it's available now.

[flynn_the_cat]

That's nice O_o


Also, up for a bit of Latin geekery? I need to exploit someone's brain, and you're my best bet (forums - my thread, should be pretty obvious. Don't worry if you're not up for it right now ).

[auronlu]

Done. (And since this may be the first time you've run into a Takarazuka video, it's an all-women Japanese troupe that does opera and musicals. HC introduced me to it. Video clips occasionally leak onto YouTube. The "Death" actor seen in this clip, nicknamed Osa, was one of their top stars, and in my biased opinion the best to play the part.)

[flynn_the_cat]

I did Google it - couldn't find a description of what the performance is about though, barring the very very basics.

And she is rather marvellous.

[auronlu]

I'm a little fuzzy on it myself. I know it's a fictional dramatization of the life of Empress Elisabeth of the Hapsburg dynasty.

In the musical, Elisabeth nearly dies as a young woman, but Death falls in love with her and sends her back to the world of the living, vowing to follow her. Here's a video of that scene and the English translation.

She's not entirely ready to fall into his arms, however. Here's another bit: video and translation (down towards the bottom of that page, after Franz Joseph leaves.)
Death manipulates her son Prince Rudolph along the way as well. I don't know the whole storyline, but the confrontation between them is a fascinating seduction scene (two women, both playing male roles): video (different production) and translation. I'm very sad that the Osa version of this scene was taken down from YouTube; it was what grabbed me in the first place. (Although clearly not hard enough; if I were a true fan I'd have found a copy of the whole musical already instead of just hunting for bits of it posted online.)

A good chunk of Takarazuka's Elisabeth is translated here.

Of course, it's actually an appalling love story: Der Tod is a manipulative bastard and a stalker from hell. But it's that oddly magnetic Japanese archetype of the bishie bad boy with androgynous features, silver hair, and a black trenchcoat. I donno why that archetype is so charismatic, but it works for me when most American Hollywood archetypes leave me unimpressed.

[flynn_the_cat]

Oh dear, I never came back. Serves you right for linking me to interesting things - I spent far too long wandering around through Wikipedia following up interesting historical figures.

Something unrelated for you: http://vimeo.com/54130221

[auronlu]

Ooo, very pretty!

[flynn_the_cat]

My flatmate just got given the Hot Wheels Mars Rover for their birthday and I knew what it was because of you. *feels smart*

Also MORE LINK STUFF:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bIy6w_iubSs

[auronlu]

Wow, the turnaround on slick viral videos parodying a new meme is now a matter of hours.

Very cute. (And I can't believe they got Curiosity, an Atari joystick, an original Mac, and LambdaMOO all in the same frame plus a video game I didn't have time to focus on but is undoubtably from the same pre-web internet era)