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Makoto Rei

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Makoto Rei
礼 真琴
Pronunciationれい まこと
Born2 December
Edogawa ward, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
EducationTakarazuka Music School
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present
Known forStar Troupe Top Star (2019–present)
PredecessorYuzuru Kurenai
Awards2021 Excellence of the Year (Takarazuka)
2021 Rookie Award (76th Japan Arts Festival Awards)

Makoto Rei (礼 真琴, born 2 December) is a Japanese actress and a Takarazuka Revue otokoyaku (男役, "male role"). She is a leading actress of the Star Troupe (Top Star).[1]

Career

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In 2007, she entered the Takarazuka Music School as part of the 95th class [ja]. In 2009 she debuted in the Cosmos Troupe's performance "Amour, it's something like..." and was later assaigned to the Star Troupe. She graduated at the top of her class.[2]

In 2013, Rei was featured in NEW GENERATION III.[3] Same year, had her first lead role in a newcomer performance (新人公演)[Note 1] "Roméo et Juliette" as Romeo,[4] after which had another two newcomer leads. In 2014, Rei had her first main stage lead in a Bow Hall performance The Seagull as Konstantin.[5] She is the first in her class to have a lead role both in newcomer and main stage performance. Also in 2014 she had a female lead role in Gone with the Wind as Scarlett O'Hara.[6]

In 2016, had another lead role in "Le Muguet".[7] In 2017, with the debut of the new leading actress (Top combi) Yuzuru Kurenai and Airi Kisaki, became the second-ranking otokoyaku (二番手, nibante)[Note 2] of the Star Troupe. She had another two non-top lead roles: in 2017 "Aterui"[8] and in 2019 "The Man from Algiers / Estrellas".[9]

Without transferring, she became a Top Star in October 2019,[10] making her the first Top Star of the 95th class and the Reiwa era.[11] She is the 14th Star Troupe Top Star and 5th otokoyaku to graduate first in class and become a "Top" later (after Natsuko Migiwa, Kei Aran, Hiromu Kiriya and Tomu Ranju).[10] Her Top combi partner is a musumeyaku (娘役, "young female role") Hitomi Maisora, who graduated in 2016 as part of the 102nd class [ja] also at the top.[11] They debuted with Mozart, l'opéra rock.[12]

Rei has played a large amount of roles. Notably, she took part in all Star Troupe Roméo et Juliette productions, and played Romeo both in newcomer and main stage performances; played four female roles (including Love in Roméo et Juliette); had a lead role in two productions of French rock operas (rock musicals) (Mozart, l'opéra rock and Le Rouge et le Noir);[1] played Luce in 2012 "A Second Fortuitous Meeting 2nd" which became the lead role in 2022 "A Second Fortuitous Meeting Next Generation".[13] In 2021, she won the Rookie Award for her performance in "The Yagyu Ninja Scrolls / More Dandyism!" at the 76th Japan Arts Festival Awards in the Theater category.[14]

In August 2023, she was absent from 1789: Les Amants de la Bastille run for four days (August 19 - 23), and her role of Ronan Mazurier was understudied by Chisei Akatsuki.[15] She resumed on August 24th, but went on the hiatus during Star Troupe run of Me and My Girl and came back for "RRR x TAKA"R"AZUKA" in January 2024.[16]

In April 2024, it was announced that Rei's partner Hitomi Maisora will retire on December 1st, 2024, [17] after which Rei will not have an assigned musumeyaku partner. They performed together for 5 years.

In September 2024, it was announced that Makoto Rei will leave the revue on August 10th, 2025, [18] 5 years and 10 months since Top debut. This will make her a Top Star with the third longest official run, after her idol and Star Troup Top Star Reon Yuzuki (6 years), and Cosmos Troupe Top Star Yoka Wao (6 years, 2 months).

Biography

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Makoto Rei's father is Tetsuya Asano, a former member of the Japanese national soccer team.[19] She graduated from Tokai University Urayasu School.[2] Her nicknames include Koto or Coto, Kocchan, Makotsuan, and others like Rei-san and Makko-chan. She has a Shiba Inu named Saborou.[20]

Her idol is Reon Yuzuki. The first performance that Rei saw was Star Troupe's "The Dragon Star" (2005)[21] and she became her fan.[22] The character "礼" (rei) in Makoto's stage name comes from her stage name (柚希礼音, Yuzuki Reon). Rei's first stage debut (初舞台, hatsubutai) happened to be the same year as Yuzuki's Top Star debut in The Legend Ver.II (2009).[23] Four of Rei's newcomer roles were portrayed by Yuzuki in the main stage performances (her last lead newcomer performance was also a last show for Yuzuki). Like her, Rei remained in the Star Troupe, became a nibante after 8 years and a Top Star after 10 years in the revue.[10] The musicals "A Second Fortuitous Meeting", which were originally performed with Reon Yuzuki, got a sequel with Rei's original minor role of Luce becoming the lead one in "A Second Fortuitous Meeting Next Generation".[13] They both portrayed Romeo in Roméo et Juliette and Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel.

She and her classmate Rei Yuzuka had similar career paths. Both had their first Bow Hall lead roles in 2014 (back to back) and both were based on Russian literature (The Seagull and First Love). They also both became Top Stars in 2019 with one month difference and without transfers.[10] They also both won the 2021 Takarazuka Excellence of the Year Award. In 2021, her classmate Kanato Tsukishiro also became a Top Star, and in 2024 Rei appeared on the closing "Eternal Voice" performance to give her retirement flowers.[24]

Rei is a close friend of her classmate Yuria Seo. They both were assigned to Star Troupe following their debut; after Hikaru Aizuki's retirement in 2021, Seo became second-ranking otokoyaku, beginning from "A Second Fortuitous Meeting" and until her transfer to Senka (Superior members) in 2023.[25] In the Sky Stage program "Gather! 95th Class",[26] Rei said: "[Seo's] presense has always been central among my friends". Seo also appeared in Rei's 2024 photobook "Unlimited".[27]

Stage roles

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Notable Takarazuka roles

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As a Top Star

Star Troupe performances

Newcomer performances

Concerts / Shows

  • 2021, "Verdad!!" (Concert)
  • 2018, "Moment" (Dinner Show)
  • 2016, "Princesa!!" (Fuu Hinami Music Salon)
  • 2015, "N-Style" (Nene Yumesaki Musical Salon)
  • 2013, "Reon!! II" (Reon Yuzuki Concert)
  • 2012, "Reon!!" (Reon Yuzuki Concert)

Notes

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  1. ^ Newcomer performance (新人公演, shinjin kouen) happens once or twice during the main show run and is performed by underclassmen (less than 7 years in the revue). Young prominent actresses usually have a few newcomer lead roles over the years.
  2. ^ "Nibante" is not directly announced by the revue. However, it's always clear based on a few factors: when actress (1) wears a smaller version of Top Star feathers for a final parade of the show, (2) continuously gets a central secondary role and is put above the line in the cast list, (3) has her own lead performances and (4) frequently appears on the posters, photos and Sky Stage programs.

References

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  1. ^ a b "礼真琴". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Takarazuka Otome. Hankyu Communications. 30 April 2009. pp. 155–163. ISBN 978-4-484-09505-9.
  3. ^ NEW GENERATION III. Hankyu Communications. 29 November 2013.
  4. ^ "『ロミオとジュリエット』". archive.kageki.hankyu. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "かもめ". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  6. ^ "風と共に去りぬ". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  7. ^ "鈴蘭（ル・ミュゲ）". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  8. ^ "阿弖流為 –ATERUI–". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  9. ^ "アルジェの男". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d "Top Star Chart". TAKAWIKI. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "星組新トップは考えすぎず「ノンストップ」／礼真琴". nikkansports. Nikkan Sports News. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "ロックオペラ　モーツァルト". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "『めぐり会いは再び』の世界". Takarazuka Revue Official Website. Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  14. ^ 2021 Takarazuka Stage Album. Takarazuka Creative Arts. April 22, 2022. ISBN 978-4-86649-190-5.
  15. ^ "【宝塚】星組トップ礼真琴が当面休養　東京宝塚劇場公演は15日から中止、代演で19日から再開". nikkan. Nikkan Sports. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  16. ^ "宝塚歌劇星組トップ・礼真琴「ＲＲＲ」開幕　キレッキレのダンス「ナートゥ」で復活アピール". Hochi News. Sports Hochi. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "星組トップ娘役舞空瞳12月退団　３拍子そろう礼真琴の相手役務め「首席入団コンビ」で話題". nikkansports.com. Nikkan Sports. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  18. ^ "宝塚歌劇団星組トップスター・礼真琴「阿修羅城の瞳」「エスペラント！」千秋楽をもって退団". natalie.mu. Natasha, Inc. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  19. ^ "「雪の女王」エルサやりたい／礼真琴". nikkan. Nikkan Sports. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  20. ^ "SKY STAGE SUMMER SCHOOL". Takarazuka Sky Stage. Takarazuka Creative Arts. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  21. ^ "龍星(りゅうせい)". archive.kageki.hankyu. Takarazuka Revue Company. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  22. ^ "ときめきの原点＃１０「Dear　DIAMOND　柚希礼音」". Takarazuka Sky Stage. Takarazuka Creative Arts. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  23. ^ "『太王四神記 Ver.II』－新たなる王の旅立ち－". archive.kageki.hankyu. Takarazuka Revue Company. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  24. ^ "月組トップ月城かなと　黒えんびで大劇場に別れ、礼真琴から花束　東京千秋楽まで「涙こらえて」". Nikkan Sports News. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  25. ^ "Seo Yuria". TAKAWIKI. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  26. ^ "タカラヅカニュースSELECTION「集まれ！95期」". Takarazuka Sky Stage. Takarazuka Creative Arts. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  27. ^ 【通常版】礼真琴写真集「UNLIMITED」. Takarazuka Creative Arts. March 24, 2024. ISBN 978-4-86649-261-2.
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