Beth Winter

Nine, nine good people. On a par with recent top star retirements, I guess, even with the wonderful people who left with Yumiko. We'd better get a lot of 96ths to make up for it!

Manami Sora is going to be missed - a solid upperclassman. She really caught my eye in Zorro, with how dignified she was as the priest. Plus she was Mizu's kurotenshi ♥

Saika Ryou nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw the first 彩 kanji ;) That's a Hoshikage no Hito rewatch coming up. Her batchmate Shiyuu Mirei's leaving too, and that's one more incentive to find the ShinYukiBeth shininkouen.

And speaking of batchmates, we're losing a slew of 90ths along with Mika. Yuuzuki Rena, Azusa Haruki <3 and Yoshino Honoka. And Rudou Masa, who we barely got to know. I think she might get a postcard in French from me ;)

...it could have been worse? It speaks of hope, the way we're not bleeding more upperclassmen. And the ones that are staying, I may get to see come October.

Top star retirements require their own post, really. Soon, soon.

It says something about me that the TakaWiki was the first page I checked this morning. I love many troupes, but I'm a Snow girl in my heart ♥

Yumiko, we knew about already. For the record, I think she's leaving on her terms, whether or not the initial impulse came from the company.

Hamako, on the other hand, hit me hard :( She's definitely put in more than her due, but Naga-san's health already took her out of one show this year, and if Hamako's not there to be kumichou when Naga-san decides that age 60+ is enough high kicks for now, after Mizu's retirement that'll leave... the 84ths Kimu and Yumemi as the eldest people in the troupe O.o Hankyu, you need to work on retaining your distinguished upperclassmen while there are any left!

Nacchan's a bad loss too, but I think we all know the impulse for it. She wanted Snow!Top, she didn't get it, and she probably wants to set up a long-term career while she's still young enough for Japan's extremely competitive scene when it comes to girls of the cute persuasion. Best of luck to her, even though it's another heavy, heavy loss for my troupe, and she's another who'll be getting a letter from me.

JinJin... see upperclassmen, retaining of. And see also, retaining of experienced musumeyaku. Yumemi better not be going anywhere now that she's probably getting the vice-kumichou mantle.

(I've also acquired a Dreamwidth account just for Takarazuka that I'll set up shortly. Then I will be able to babble more without annoying the non-Zuka crowd ;))