Takizawa Kakumei 2011.01.01

What better way to start off the new year than with Takki! How I wish I could’ve been there… especially knowing how special this year’s opening show was… Those who were there are really lucky ne! Anyway, here are some tidbits about the Kakumei ’11 opening show:

** SPOILERS ALERT **

• As you enter the theater, there are “100th anniversary” signs everywhere. And after the ticket/security check point, you enter the “World of Takizawa Kakumei” as you pass through a huge beautiful arch made of pink flowers.
• Like always, fans received otoshidama as they entered the theatre. But compared to the otoshidama from previous years, this year’s envelope was much smaller in size.
• In the lobby, fans saw congratulatory flowers sent from Tono’s many acquaintances, including new ones(?) like NIKE Japan and the actor Kitaouji Kinya! sugoi!!!
• In regards to the goods, a fan said the lip cream is grape-flavored. And apparently, the photo of Takki on the front of the clearfile also appears inside the pamphlet (good news for those who cannot afford everything on the goods list!). For those who are going to Kakumei, remember that they are selling goods on the first floor and second floor of the theater. However, fans recommend going to the stand on the second floor because the lines go much faster and because it will still be open after the show.
• There was no Show Time, but in total, the duration of the show was 2 hours 45 minutes.






• It seems like the story has gone through quite a renewal, while keeping all of the things that were signature to Kakumei (i.e. performances like ONE NIGHT, Miracle World, Kareha no Kage and Futari no Yoru). There were also a lot of new costumes and new songs, including the ones that were self-composed by Tono. Many people have also said that the story was altered and is much easier to understand this year. But I have yet to find a report that explains what the story is about… I am only assuming that the Darth Vader villain was replaced with a Kinokuni Queen?
• The sparkly checkered outfit that Tono appeared in very briefly during J-Countdown is apparently the outfit for the new opening song.
• Tono was holding onto a rope as he flew over the audience. This is something new, although the fan who reported this does not remember if this happened during the Ai Kakumei performance… Speaking of, there is a lot more rope action and new rope stunts this year.
• Last year, as part of his act during the DEEP performance, Tono would sit near the back end of the stage behind all the dancers and pretend to drink wine. This year, Tono sat near the front right corner of the stage, so now it’s much easier for the audience to see what he’s doing.
• A fan doesn’t remember when she saw this… but she saw Tono’s red boxers/spanx peeking out just a little bit from his pants/outfit? fufufufu~
• As we saw in J-Countdown and the newspaper reports, they are using a lot more water this year because Tono came up with the idea of creating a real waterfall on stage as a background for the battle scene. (Perhaps this was inspired by his canyoning trip with his buddies? hehe). One scene that continues to awe everyone is the moment when Tono faces the audience as he stands in front of the waterfall. A huge wave of water comes down from behind and directly splashes against Tono’s back but he doesn’t budge at all, standing as still as a rock, unaffected by the force of the water (kyaaaaa~ kakkoii~~~).






• The name for Act 2 has been changed to “A Collapsed World.” Some fans noted that Hidejiji’s new wig looks different and that Yuma-kun also appeared on stage looking like an old man (So the only people left in the world in 2060 is Hidejiji, Nikki-jiji, and Yuma-jiji LOL).
• There is apparently a newer and more sexier version of the mask-changing segment. Btw, “Boku no Kakera” is the ending song for Act 2, but its bgm/melody was introduced sometime during this performance.
• Tono was playing the shamisen during Futari no Yoru?!
• Tono also performed Epilogue, but he did not fly above the audience (as he usually does).
• After the standing ovation, Tono (in a new red finale suit) and the cast came out and bowed to the audience. After another curtain call, Tono came out again to greet and thank the fans. He said something like “I wondered if it was really okay for me to start off the 100th year anniversary of Teigeki (Teikoku Gekijou), but then I realize that we were honored with the role of leading our generation into the next century / the role of connecting our generation to (the ones of) the next 100 years.” At the beginning of his speech, he mentioned how weird it is for him to be standing there giving such a serious speech… so at the end, as the curtains dropped, Tono ended the spectacular first show with a cute pose.