, (born October 9, 1970), is a Japanese actress and former top star ''otokoyaku'' (an actress who plays male roles) of the

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese

Takarazuka Revue The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, manga, and Japane ...

's Star Troupe. She joined the revue in 1991 and became the top star in 2007, five years after her classmates

Sumire Haruno is a Japanese actress, a former member of Takarazuka Revue, specializing in otokoyaku. She joined the revue in 1991, became the top star in 2002 and resigned from the company in 2007. She is from Komae, Tokyo, her birthday is December 15, 1972. ...

(the former top star of Flower Troupe) and

Hikaru Asami Hikaru Asami (朝海ひかる, born January 24, 1972) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters (Otokoyaku). She joined the revue in 1991 and resigned in 2006. S ...

(former top star of Snow Troupe) became top stars. She resigned from the company in April 2009 and is currently pursuing an acting career outside of the Revue. She is original from

Konan, Shiga 280px, Zensui-ji in Konan is a city located in southern Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 54,607 in 24305 households and a population density of 780 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography K ...

, and her nickname is Touko. She is of

Zainichi Korean comprise ethnic Koreans who have permanent residency status in Japan or who have become Japanese citizens, and whose immigration to Japan originated before 1945, or who are descendants of those immigrants. They are a group distinct from South ...

descent and the first from such background to become the top star of the company. However, she is not the first non-Japanese actress to become a Takarazuka top star:

Ran Ootori Ran, RaN and ran may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ran'' (film), a 1985 film directed by Akira Kurosawa * "Ran" (song), a 2013 Japanese song by Luna Sea * '' Ran Online'', a 2004 MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) * ...

, who is of Chinese descent, was top star of Star Troupe from 1975 until 1979.

Troupe history

* Snow Troupe: 1991–2000 * Star Troupe: 2000–2009

Biography

Aran graduated at the top of her class from the

Takarazuka Music School Takarazuka Music School (宝塚音楽学校, ''Takarazuka Ongaku Gakkō'') is a private girls' school in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It is a Takarazuka Revue training school that is a miscellaneous vocational school approved by Hyōgo P ...

in 1991. She was the last member of her class to become top star, and also the last to retire from the Revue when she did so in April 2009. She was one of the promising young stars that were promoted by the company in 1999 along with Haruno and Asami. Before she was promoted to top star status, she was considered as one of top-stars-in-waiting along with former Cosmos Troupe top stars

Kei Takashiro Kei may refer to: People * Kei (given name) * Kei, Cantonese for Ji(姫) * Kei, Cantonese for Qi(奇, 祁, 亓) * Shō Kei (1700–1752), king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom * Kei (singer) (born 1995), stage name of South Korean singer Kim Ji-yeon * P ...

and

Yūga Yamato (born August 4, 1977) is a former '' otokoyaku'' (a female playing a male part) for Cosmos Troupe of Takarazuka Revue. She joined the company in 1995 and became the top star in February 2007 upon the resignation of Kei Takashiro, which made her ...

, former top star of Moon Troupe

Jun Sena , is a Japanese actress and former top star of the Takarazuka Revue's Moon Troupe, a Japanese theatre organization in which women portray all parts. She was born April 1, 1974, and grew up in Suginami, Tokyo. During her time in the Revue, she was ...

, and former top star of Snow Troupe

Natsuki Mizu Natsuki Mizu (水夏希 ''Mizu Natsuki'', born 1972) is the former top star (otokoyaku) for Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue from December 24, 2006 to September 12, 2010. She joined the company in 1993 and became the top star in December 2006 upon t ...

. The last name of her stage name, Aran is from the protagonist of a Korean legend ''Legend of Ariran''. Starting her career in Snow Troupe, she developed her singing and acting alongside Takarazuka legends such as

Yu Todoroki Yu Todoroki (轟悠 ''Todoroki Yū'') is a current member of Takarazuka Revue, where she plays an otokoyaku. She joined the Revue in 1985, became the top star of Snow Troupe in 1997, transferred to Superior Members in 2002 (upon the resignation of ...

Yoka Wao Yoka or Yōka may refer to * Yoka (name) *Yōka Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Yabu, Hyōgo, Yabu, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Lines Yōka Station is served by the ...

and Tatsuki Kouju. With the 1996 production of '' Elisabeth'', she became the first to perform the lead role of Der Tod in the understudy performance. Later on, she participated in two Bow Hall performances starring Wao (''Grand Shanghai'' and ''

Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...

''), in which she had prominent roles. In 1998, she had her first Bow Hall lead performance, ''Icarus''. In 1999, Aran formed ''The Wonder Three'' along with Hikaru Asami and Kouki Naruse. The trio had a Bow Hall performance under the same name. Although similar trios of younger actresses could also be found at that time in Flower Troupe (Haruno, Sena and Mizu) and Moon Troupe ( Ōzora, Kiriya and Yamato), they were the only trio that was considered official. This trio also held the main roles in the special performance of Arch of Triumph; this is the first, and to date, only, instance of the Revue having three casts for one show (the main cast led by Todoroki, the new actor cast led by Rea Ranka, and the special cast led by Asami). In 2000, she was transferred to Star Troupe and became the second man for Ko Minoru, Tatsuki Kouju and

Wataru Kozuki is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters (Otokoyaku). She joined the revue in 1989 and resigned in 2006. She is from Iruma, Saitama . She is the only Otokoya ...

. When Kozuki had the lead in ''A Song for Kingdoms'' (a variation of the opera ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December ...

'') as her top star debut in 2003, Aran was cast as Aida, a role which brought much applause. In the same year, she also held the lead roles in performances of ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charis ...

'' and ''Ganryuu''. Marking the 90th anniversary for the company in 2004, Aran had special appearances in two Cosmos Troupe productions. The first was ''Lightning in the Daytime'', where she replaced Mizu in the Tokyo performance. This was followed by the role of Count Philippe de Chandon in ''

Phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...

'', where she rejoined former Snow Troupe troupemates Wao and

Mari Hanafusa (born February 28, 1973) is a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, in which she specialized in female roles (''Musumeyaku''). She is from Tokyo and joined the revue in 1991 and retired in 2006. She is the first and the only musumeyaku of her clas ...

. In 2006, she had a special appearance in the Snow Troupe production of ''

Rose of Versailles , also known as ''Lady Oscar'' and ''La Rose de Versailles'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda. It was originally serialized in the List of manga magazines, manga magazine ''Margaret (magazine), Margaret'' ...

''. This was both the first and last performance with classmate and former troupe mate Asami since Aran's troupe transfer.

Notable roles and performance

Snow Troupe New Actor era

* '' Elisabeth'' - Der Tod * ''Natasha of the Rainbow'' - Sanjou Kaoru

Snow Troupe era

* ''Grand Shanghai'' - Wong Jin-Shun (Bow Hall performance, starring

) * ''

'' - Edgar (Bow Hall performance, starring Yoka Wao) * ''Frozen Tomorrow -

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The co ...

'' - Jeremy Methvin (Bow Hall performance, starring Tatsuki Kouju and Hitomi Tsukikage) * ''Icarus'' - Icarus (first leading performance at Takarazuka Bow Hall) * '' Arch of Triumph'' - Hyrne Alvarez (regular cast)/Boris Morosow (special cast) * ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Win ...

'' -

Ashley Wilkes George Ashley Wilkes is a fictional character in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind (novel), Gone with the Wind'' and the 1939 Gone with the Wind (film), film of the same name. The character also appears in the 1991 book ''Scarl ...

* ''Hanafubuki Koifubuki'' -

Ishikawa Goemon was a legendary Japanese outlaw hero who stole gold and other valuables to give to the poor. He and his son were boiled alive in public after their failed assassination attempt on the Sengoku period warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His legend lives ...

(second leading performance at Takarazuka Bow Hall)

Star Troupe era

* ''

: Oscar and Andre'' -

Hans Axel Von Fersen Hans Axel von Fersen (; 4 September 175520 June 1810), known as Axel de Fersen in France, was a Swedish count, Marshal of the Realm of Sweden, a General of Horse in the Royal Swedish Army, one of the Lords of the Realm, aide-de-camp to Rochamb ...

* ''

'' -

* ''The Prague Spring'' - Jan Palach * ''A Song for Kingdoms'' - Aida * ''

'' - Don Lockwood * ''Ganryuu'' - Sasaki Kojiro * ''Lightning in the Daytime'' - Edmond de Lambrouse (Special appearance, replacing

in the Tokyo run) * ''

'' - Count Philippe de Chandon (Special appearance for Cosmos Troupe) * ''Ch'ang-an, Full of Swirling Flowers'' - An Lu-shan * ''Shigure Hill Road in Nagasaki'' - Rasha * ''The Dragon Star'' - Ryuusei (Last leading performance before being top star) * ''Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette'' - Andre (Takarazuka run)/

Oscar François de Jarjayes is a fictional character created by Japanese manga artist Riyoko Ikeda. She is a major character in the 1972 manga series ''The Rose of Versailles'', and its various adaptations and spin-offs. Character history Born the last of six daughters ...

(Tokyo run) * ''Rose of Versailles: Oscar'' - Andre (Special appearance for Snow Troupe, shared with

and

) * ''Too Short a Time to Fall in Love'' - Anthony Randolph

Star Troupe Top Star era

* ''

Hays Code The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

'' - Raymond Woodrow (Top Star debut) * ''Sakura / Secret Hunter'' - Dagobert (Top Star debut at Grand Theater) * ''El Halcon'' - Tyrian Persimmon * '' Red and Black'' - Julien Sorel * ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' - Percy Blakeney * ''Side Story: The Rose of the Versailles - Bernard / NeoDandyism III'' - Bernard Châtelet * ''My Dear New Orleans / A Bientôt '' - Joy Bee (last musical with Takarazuka)

After Takarazuka

* ''The Musical Aida'' - Aida * ''

Wonderful Town ''Wonderful Town'' is a 1953 musical with book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Leonard Bernstein. The musical tells the story of two sisters who aspire to be a writer and act ...

'' - Ruth Sherwood * ''Edith Piaf'' - Piaf * ''Musical MITSUKO'' - Mitsuko Coudenhove-Kalergi * ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...

(Play directed by Yukio Ninagawa) - Cleopatra * ''

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...

in Concert'' - Florence * ''

Sunset Blvd. Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in t ...

'' - Norma Desmond * ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'' - Alice * ''

Next to Normal ''Next to Normal'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing ...

'' - Diana * ''Ghosts, Henril Ibsen'' (Play directed by Shintaro Mori) - Mrs. Helene Alving * ''

Lady Day In the Western liturgical year, Lady Day is the traditional name in some English-speaking countries of the Feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on 25 March, and commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, durin ...

'' directed by Tamiya Kuriyama - Billie Holiday * ''

the Musical'' - Florence * ''

- Marguerite * ''Termite Nest,

Yukio Mishima , born , was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, Nationalism, nationalist, and founder of the , an unarmed civilian militia. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. He was ...

'' (Play directed by Kenichi Tani) - Taeko * '' Little Voice'' - Mari Hoff * ''

Billy Elliot ''Billy Elliot'' is a 2000 British coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Lee Hall. Set in County Durham in North East England during the 1984–1985 miners' strike, the film is about a working-class boy wh ...

'' - Mrs. Wilkinson

Personal concerts

As a member of Takarazuka: * ''The Wonder Three'' * ''Rough Time'' * ''Late Show'' * ''Sense'' After Takarazuka: * ''Uno, 2009'' - Tokyo International Forum * ''Aran Kei Live, Hakobune 2010'' - The Galaxy Theatre * '' Super Duets with

Ryuichi Kawamura is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. He started a solo career in 1997, three years before Luna Sea disbanded in 2000. In 2005, Kawamura form ...

2013'' - TOKYU THEATRE Orb * ''Dramatic Concert 2016'' - Orchard Hall

A note on ''Rose of Versailles''

Like Mizu, ''Rose of Versailles'' has played an important part in Aran's Takarazuka career. She is one of the very few that has been in roles of Oscar, Andre and

, the three prominent male roles in the production.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aran, Kei Living people People from Shiga Prefecture Japanese actresses Takarazuka Revue 1970 births Musicians from Shiga Prefecture Zainichi Korean people