is a Japanese

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

series written and illustrated by

Akimi Yoshida is a Japanese manga artist and a graduate of Musashino Art University. She made her professional debut in 1977 with the short story , published in ''Bessatsu Shōjo Comic'' magazine. Yoshida is best known for the crime thriller series '' Banana ...

. It was serialized from 1985 to 1986 in

Hakusensha is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company mainly publishes manga magazines and is involved in series' productions in their games, original video animation, music, and their animated TV ...

's manga magazine

LaLa Lala may refer to: Geography * Lala language (disambiguation) Places * Lala (Naples Metro), an underground metro station in Naples, Italy * Lala, Assam, a town in Assam, India * Lala, Ilam, a village in Ilam Province, Iran * Lala, Lanao del No ...

. The story focuses on individuals from a drama club that are putting on

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

's 1904 play ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

''. The manga was adapted into a film in 1990 by Shun Nakahara, and a remake was released in November 2008. Theatrical stage productions debuted at the

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space is a centre for the performing arts located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1990 and is operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture. There is a concert hall with 1999 seats and a playhouse with 834 seats a ...

in 1994 and at the Aoyama Round Theatre in 2007 and 2009.

Plot

The drama club of Oka Academy an all-girls high school put on the play ''

'' by

for the anniversary of the school's founding. Each chapter follows the life of one of the club members while the preparations for the play go on.

Characters

; :Atsuko is dating Shinichi Sakata, a boy on the

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

team at another high school, and worries about progressing their relationship. ; :A girl who did not want to come to an all-girls high school, Noriko becomes friends with Yuko after she stood up to fellow clubs members spreading rumours about her. ; :The president of the drama club, is seen by other members as having it together and is always addressed using polite Japanese because of it. Due to being teased when she was younger Yuko has a dislike for men. ; :A close friend of Atsuko, Kurata is troubled by her height and femininity. She is popular with the girls at school for playing the role of a male character the year before. ; :Atsuko's boyfriend, plays rugby for another high school.

Media

Live-action films

The manga was adapted into a film in 1990 by Shun Nakahara (English title ''The Cherry Orchard''). A remake was announced in 2007 by the same director and was released in November 2008. The plot is similar to the original manga, in which a modern-day all-girls high school traditionally celebrates its anniversary by staging Chekov's play, but the faculty consider canceling the play because Noriko, a senior, was seen smoking in a coffee shop with students from a rival school. The 1990 film uses a recording of ''Variations on a Theme of Chopin'' by

Mari Kumamoto Mari Kumamoto (熊本マリ, born October 15, 1964) is a Japanese-born professional pianist known for her recordings of Spanish and Japanese composers. Early life Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kumamoto began piano studies at age five. At age ten, sh ...

as the soundtrack throughout the film.

Theatre series

Two stage productions have been adapted, one at the

in 1994 and another at the Aoyama Round Theatre in 2007 and 2009.

Reception

James Welker thinks the manga "could be included in the lesbian manga canon."

Yukari Fujimoto is a manga researcher and professor of global Japanese studies at Meiji University. She was born in Kumamoto Prefecture. She was an editor for Chikuma Shobō. She is a manga critic, gender theorist, family theorist, current events critic, author, ...

notes the Class S-like setting of ''Sakura no Sono''. The 1990 film won the Best Film awards at the 15th

Hochi Film Award The are film-specific prizes awarded by the ''Hochi Shimbun , previously known as , is a Japanese-language daily sports newspaper. In 2002, it had a circulation of a million copies a day. It is an affiliate newspaper of ''Yomiuri Shimbun''. ...

and at the 12th

Yokohama Film Festival The is an annual awards ceremony held in Yokohama, Japan. Ten films are chosen as the best of the year and various awards are given to personnel. The first festival, held on February 3, 1980, was a small affair by fans and film critics. In 1994, ...

and it was nominated for Best Film at the 14th Japan Academy Prize.

References

External links

* *
Stage Aoyama Round Theatre
* {{Navboxes , title = Awards , list = {{Hochi Film Award for Best Film {{Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film {{Yokohama Film Festival Best Film 1985 manga Akimi Yoshida Best Film Kinema Junpo Award winners Hakusensha franchises Hakusensha manga Live-action films based on manga Manga adapted into films Yuri (genre) anime and manga Art in anime and manga Theatre in anime and manga Japanese drama films