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Takarazuka musical theater fans might be the nicest in the world, according to Japanese Twitter

Dale Roll May 13, 2020
Tweet

They only want to share their love of Takarazuka with everyone else!

When you go to an event for something you love, like a sports game, concert, play, or performance, naturally you’ll want to get the best seats possible. You’ll want a good view of everything, and in many cases you’d pay top dollar for those seats, wouldn’t you? Some fans, like those of Love Live! and AKB48, are so passionate that it can become a dog-eat-dog world for them and their idols.

But not fans of the all-women musical theatre troupe Takarazuka. They’re quite possibly the nicest fan group in the world, because they consider themselves a community and only want to share their love of Takarazuka with everyone else:

▼ Translation below:

「宝塚ファンが参入してきたら資金力で負ける」と怯えておられるる刀ステの民には、われわれ宝塚ファンが強いのは、クラスタ(集団)ではなくソサエティ(社会)を形成しているからであって、決して札束で殴り合っているわけではないですということを申し上げたい。
奪い合いではなく身内で譲り合うのです

— veilchenblau (@veilchenblau) May 8, 2020

“Fans of other non-musical theater groups like to try and intimidate us Takarazuka fans by saying, ‘Takarazuka fans can’t afford to see our shows!’ But what I want to say to them is that our strength lies in the fact that we’re a society, not just a group. We’re not always fighting each other with bundles of cash. We don’t scramble for the best seats but let each other take them as needed.”

▼ Takarazuka show “Once Upon a Time in America”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 宝塚歌劇 (@official_takarazuka_revue)

According to fans like @veilchenblau, what makes Takarazuka fans special is that to them, sharing the experience with their fellow fans is more important than getting the best experience for themselves. After all, they all know how amazing Takarazuka is, so they just want everyone to enjoy the show with them. In fact, according to one Twitter user, fans would rather first-time viewers have the best seats so that they can get the full, perfect Takarazuka experience:

“I asked my mother, who is a die-hard Takarazuka fan, where the best seats are in a Takurazuka theater. She said, ‘The regular viewers don’t sit in the best seats. We give them up for the first-timers or the tourists. We regulars fill up the gaps and corners and support the troupe from there, no matter what day it is.”

But Takarazuka fans don’t just give up the best seats, they also give up their own seats, according to stories shared by other Twitter users:

“The first time I went to see Takarazuka, my coworker, who bought the tickets, told me, ‘We fans don’t care where we sit. We want people seeing it for the first time to have the best seats.’ That’s when I saw the elegant doors to my new obsession opening up.”

“When I moved to Osaka, I decided I wanted to see Takarazuka at least once, so I went to the Osaka ticket booth with my baby in tow. That day I couldn’t get any tickets, so I was just about to leave when a nice lady gave me her ticket and said, ‘Use this ticket! It’s especially hard raising kids these days, so I want you to see the show.’ The show was amazing, like stepping into a special world. I’ll always be grateful to that unknown woman.”

“When I went on a trip with my company, even though the theater was full, we were able to get some really good seats. Maybe this is why!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 宝塚歌劇 (@official_takarazuka_revue)

Since Takarazuka is an all-female musical theatre troupe and the women play male roles as well as female, their performances, and the actresses, are known for being both elegant and cool. As such, Takarazuka fans can be just as die-hard as any Love Live! or AKB48 fan, and some Takarazuka stars achieve idol-level status among their fans. Given that that idolatry can lead to some nasty behavior on the part of fans, it’s really nice to see how generous Takurazuka fans can be. Since they’re so passionate about sharing their love, you can’t help but want to check it out!

Source: Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Instagram/@official_takarazuka_revue
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