Wait, There Are No Guys in This!? The Takarazuka Revue's Upending of Gender Norms and Sexuality

     The Takarazaka Revue is an all-female theatre troupe that was founded in 1913 by Japanese male railroad magnate, Ichizo Kobayashi. He had thought that traditional Japanese theatre was becoming stale and boring to the Japanese public, and thought that an all-female theatre group would be unique enough to be a profitable business venture. The Takarazaka Revue was highly influential on a young Osamu Tezuka, creator of two of the anime from my first post, Astro Boy (shonen) and Princess Knight (early shojo). The influence is seen throughout a number of his works, with his depictions of gayness, feminist themes, crossdressing, and strong female characters. Princess Knight is the story of Princess Sapphire, who was born with both a boy and girl's hearts (sounds weird, but this anime), who fights crime and injustice in a male persona and guise. Other shojo that have been influenced by the Revue have been Rose of Versailles and Revolutionary Girl Utena, which I have previously blogged about. Women dressing as men, saving other women and men are themes in both of these series. 

    The Takarazaka Revue was an immediate hit in its native Japan, and its popularity has carried over into the present.  It plays for about 2.5 million people annually, with the majority of its fanbase being women. They perform traditional and modern Japanese plays, adaptations of Western works, along with adaptations of anime, manga, original works and performances of popular music hits. Its performers are known as otokoyaku , or "women who play men". While it does have a large lesbian following, most of its female fans are heterosexual. Professor Erica Abbitt theorized that it is not sexuality that draws straight female fans, but the idea of Japanese women "getting away with a male performance of power and freedom." Another quote that I found to be enlightening comes from female mangaka Keiko Takemiya whose works have featured characters who crossdress and are in homosexual relationships, "the purpose of this graphic and narrative genderbending is “to mentally liberate girls from the sexual restrictions imposed on us [as women]”.

    I found out about the Takarazuke Revue when doing research for a paper I wrote about Revolutionary Girl Utena. In looking for media to support my paper, I came across a youtube video of the Revue performing a Utena adaptation. I have since become something of a fan of the Revue, as their performances are not only entertaining and engaging, but an alternative to every-day, mainstream theatre and media. Here are some videos of some of their performances. You would probably do better to check youtube for yourself and pick out the ones you personally like. What is coolest to me about the Revue is its its implicit otherness that is presented to audiences without comment. Women play men in their pieces, but that is never really highlighted or commented on. They just are. I guess audiences can interpret this in their own way, but I admittedly was attracted by this novelty, but after watching a few of their pieces on youtube, didn't really notice it as much. Your mileage may differ, but at least give one of their videos a watch.