I think that we are considering two very different types of productions here.Uende wrote:I'm sure the kids who played in this musical, as well as the production staff, the sponsors, the choreographers and everyone else involved who made this big production, will be happy to hear they're not taken seriously.
These guys give it everything they've got, evening after evening. I'm convinced they'll be ecstatic to hear they're considered crack.
I took it seriously for what it was--a way to capitilize on Bleach fandom. It accomplished that goal. Think of the story/characters involved. They are not always serious. I think that they did a good job of keeping the silly separated from the few key scenes that were originally meant to be taken seriously.
Believe me, I've done productions before (not musicals, though
), so I know how much work goes into this sort of thing. I know what it's like to get up on a stage, night after night, and try your darndest. I also know what it's like to be in a production that really sucks because of a few players (the last one I was in had a horrible lead who was type-cast--he couldn't act or project). This was a musical based off an anime--I doubt that they meant it to be placed up alongside Kabuki theatre or Broadway. I could be wrong, since I have no way of knowing what was on the producers' minds, but that's the way it came off to me.
I thought that I made it quite clear that I am tone-deaf. I could not tell that the singing was off. I'm sorry, Uende, I know that you're a wonderful gal, but I will not be personally attacked for something that is beyond my control. I was born with no musical ability. Does that mean that I automatically lose the right to enjoy a musical in any way possible?Uende wrote:The person who actually reviewed it is then being "attacked" for speaking the truth and waved away with “I did not take it seriously anyway” and “Who cares about their singing, I just mindlessly drool at the pretty boooys”
You are entitled to your own opinions, and I believe you that the singing was not all that great, but please do not bash me for not catching bad singing when it is physically impossible for me to do so. I know that you probably weren't aiming that at me specifically, but it did hit me rather hard.
I wasn't drooling mindlessly anyway--I was paying close attention to what they were saying the entire time, trying to glean some Japanese that I can understand. I love being able to do this--that's why I've taken 1 1/2 years of college-level Japanese and am currently attending a Japanese class that takes up much more credits that any other class I'm enrolled in.
As far as the pretty boys go, I consider this musical an obvious attempt to capitalize on the love of the characters. In my opinion, that's why so much trouble was put into the costumes, but it seemed that less went into the set. Also notice how the cast was much more heavily male. There is a female fandom in Japan--females are more likely to go to something like this (heck, you could hear them screaming the captains' names in the behind-the-scenes stuff
)--so they took advantage of that. It looks like the actors were cast with a mix of things in mind--singing/dancing ability, minor resemblence to character, and, believe it or not, how pretty they look. It was another part of the production to appreciate--one that I could understand. I can understand costume, set, acting, dancing(though I can't really dance) and looks. Sorry that I don't get the music part. 
I could be wrong about the objectives of the musical, but unless we interview the producers/scriptwriters/etc, we won't ever know the truth--but that's alright.
The only person who I might have "attacked" before this post is Baakay. I seriously hope that she didn't take me seriously. I joked about Orihime and flat-chested women . . . but it was a joke. I completely agree that they could have gotten someone with ample busoms or just stuffed her with a little tissue or foam or something. Then there was the singing . . . but I already explained why I found nothing wrong with it. So Baakay, if I upset you in any way, you can get kymaera to pelt me with rotten vegetables or something. I deserve it.
I'm sorry if all that did not come across in early posts. I thought it did, but then again, I know exactly what I'm thinking, and I'm pretty sure that none of you have that luxery (or curse, rather
). Hey, anything's possible, though--you guys scare me sometimes. 
All in all, I think this entire thread was written in the true Bleach spirit--sometimes serious, sometimes wacky, sometimes just plain funny. I think that is what the musical was all about.
If I offended anyone with this post, I'm sorry. It's all just opinion anyway.
(I'm not mad--I promise)
