#lycoris that blazes the earth 2015 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chibimyumi · 4 years

Text

Metamorphosis - Uehara Grell

【Related post: What is your opinion on Uehara’s Grell?】

Dear everyone,

In the post linked above I said that I’d bend over making a comparative analysis of Uehara’s portrayal of Grell if demand was high, and quite some people have consequently showed their interest. I thank you for your warm enthusiasm. So let us look at how Uehara Takuya changed his portrayal of Grell from flamboyant gay man to troubled transgender woman.

A note before we start however: when I use male pronouns in relation to Grell, it is only, solely, exclusively to refer to Uehara Takuya - the male actor.

This post shall be divided into the following headers:

Character Introduction

Femininity

Sexuality

Motivation

Conclusion

Afterword

1. Character Introduction

The first impression is the most lasting impression, and that is all the more true for fictive characters. The way in which a character is introduced has the power to dictate how a reader is going to interpret any and all information given later on about said character. Grell was first introduced as the demure butler to Madam Red. This was revealed to be a false front however, so the audience is expected to scratch any first impressions they have of the character for the sake of the new.

A reintroduction of a character carries much more weight than a standard introduction, because a deliberate reintroduction usually comes with consequences that affect the plot directly. “You ask us to discard our prior knowledge, but what is so important we need to make space for then? NOW the truth comes.”

Now, what is the impression that we are given of Grell in the two versions of the musical respectively?

【2014】

In the first run of ‘the Lycoris that Blazes the Earth 2014′ when Grell judged she could no longer hide behind her guise, she drops the act altogether. She sheds the demure and nervous posture to reveal a flamboyant T-pose paired with a shrill voice.

Grell turns around with her face partially covered and approaches while dramatically shaking her hips. Hereby Uehara effectively draws the attention to Grell’s flamboyant walk rather than her face revelation, giving the audience a first impression of an over-the-top performance iconic for queer-coded men.

How is this over-the-top performance framed? As a threat.

We see Matsushita!Sebas (whose perspective we follow) shielding the boy as he backs away into a safe distance, despite the fact that Grell has not yet revealed herself to be a potential danger to the demon. Sebastian’s alertness here points to his discomfort in the face of Grell’s queerness. The threat of Grell’s true form is further emphasised by the red lighting from beneath; a convention in theatre to signify hellish danger.

【2015】

Contrast this to the rerun in 2015, wherein Grell simply turns around immediately revealing her face. The attention here is drawn to the contrast between Grell’s previous anxious expression (the guise), and her current confident expression (true face). The introduction pose she strikes wherein she leans against the wall also communicates that Grell has a type of casual confidence.

It is likewise in this confident posture that Grell comes forward to meet the audience for real this time. It isn’t before she is fully in the spotlights that Grell strikes the bolder pose. This signifies that Grell is indeed the actress like she proclaimed herself to be.

The lighting is a cool blue from above, a display that is the polar opposite to the 2014 version. In line with this stark opposition to the first run, we also see Sebastyun (whose perspective we follow) approach Grell instead of backing away. Sebastian’s arms are relaxed, communicating neutrality.

Sebastyun’s reaction to Grell’s revelation is impassive as she has not given him any information to form an opinion yet. Accordingly, Sebastian reserves any judgement for later, and instead closes the distance with Grell to assess this person who finally revealed her true colours.

2. Femininity

The portrayal of Grell’s femininity is in stark difference between the first run and the rerun of this musical.

【2014】

In the first run, Grell’s femininity is without exception portrayed as the butt of the joke. When Grell was formally being reintroduced, Uehara stands in the spotlight and is preoccupied with comically brushing the hair, making high and shrill sounds while making very clumsy attempts at performing ‘femininity’. For this post’s sake, I shall call this display ‘comical femininity’. The way Uehara brushed the hair almost looks like a monkey picking lice from its fur.

The timing wherein Grell performs comical femininity also always happens during moments of importance. In this example, it was when Sebastian was ‘expositionining’ to the audience what reapers are, and openly questions Grell’s legitimacy as a reaper known for their hard work. “Well, is Grell a legit reaper?” the audience wonders. The implied answer is clear: “this lice-picking monkey with a shrill, effeminate voice? No.” This too is part of the impression-establishing reintroduction of Grell’s character - Grell’s character as the ‘gay monkey’.

Later when Sebastian imagined a ‘skeletal old guy holding a scythe’ as a reaper Grell protests against this stereotype by blowing a raspberry. It is possible to take this protest serious, but this much cannot be said for Grell as a person whose bold reactions have already been degraded to comic relief material.

Yet another example of Grell’s ill-timed comical femininity is when Sebastian has found a way to neutralise Grell’s best card against a demon- the Death Scythe. When Grell is desperately trying to save her chainsaw, she frantically wipes her hair out of her face as she shrieks and yells unintelligible words.

As is apparent, Grell’s femininity in 2014 is not a character trait, but a cheap tool employed to delegitimise Grell’s female identity, used for comic relief to lighten any threat, and undermine Grell’s status as potent reaper.

In this scene we are not supposed to laugh at Grell’s weapon being stuck by a tailcoat; we are supposed to laugh at Grell failing so hard at femininity. In practice, in the 2014 version, the hyper-masculine Matsushita!Sebas serves as foil against Grell’s “lack of proper masculinity (because she is ‘supposed’ to be a man)”, whereas Madam Red’s successful femininity is the foil of Grell’s failed femininity. Y------------ikes.

【2015】

Now let us look at the revised portrayal of the same scenes with the same script in 2015. In 2015 when Sebastian is giving the exposition he stands in the full spotlights, while Grell stands in dimmed spotlights. In the shadows Grell is adjusting her glasses and lip-gloss, but the monkeyness is largely replaced by just extravaganza. By casting the full spotlights on Sebastian instead of Grell, the audience’s attention is drawn to the exposition, thereby shifting weight to what a reaper is supposed to be according to Sebastian (who has - mind you - never met a reaper on Earth before.)

Now instead of questioning whether Grell is a legit reaper, the question shifts to: “is Sebastian’s account legit?”

Script-wise, Grell’s protest against Sebastian’s stereotyping is the same, and yet the performance is quite different. Instead of blowing a raspberry, Uehara tones it down and gives a melodic ‘bububu’ in simulation of a buzzing sound at a quiz. Right after this comic display however, Uehara resumes a straight posture.

In short, while in 2014 all of Grell is the humour, in 2015 this slight change turns Grell into someone who has a sense of humour.

Unlike in 2014, in the rerun of the musical, Grell’s femininity is a constant expression, and therefore not a performance. When she was attempting to pull the tailcoat from the chainsaw she was just busy yanking at the fabric. She had her priorities straight and knew that she could not afford to waste time on her hair.

Instead, the only moment wherein Grell fixes her hair is after Sebastian mercilessly punched her in the face. In this revised version, it is more clear that Grell is untangling her hair from the glasses before readjusting said glasses back onto her face.

Not only is the necessity of Grell fixing her face something that we can get behind, but the way Uehara performs this also shows a much clearer elegance and natural femininity than in 2014.

This constancy of Grell’s femininity in contrast to the sporadic ‘outbursts of femininity’ in 2014 is ultimately what distinguishes the 2015 ‘transgender woman with flair’ from the 2014 ‘effeminate gay man’.

3. Sexuality

Grell’s sexuality is probably the most problematic portrayal in the first run of the musical. Not only is it portrayed as ‘perverse’, but it simultaneously functions as a delegitimisation, as well as the amplifier of Grell’s threat as villain. What better way to deal with fear than to laugh it off, right?

【2014】

When Grell first reveals herself to be the wielder of a dangerous Death Scythe she expresses how she really wants to engage in ‘intense exercise’ with Sebastian. When she says this phrase, Uehara explicitly swings his behind towards Sebastian. This sexual provocation is unsolicited and so aggressive that Sebastian censors it from his master.

Here, Grell’s sexuality is portrayed as this irrational emotional this ‘gay man’ cannot control, as is the stereotype that haunts homosexual persons.

Similarly when Grell and Sebas are engaged in brawl, Grell aggressively cocks her head in Sebastian’s direction threatening to rape-kiss him, singing “Oh, Sebby-darling, Sebby-darling”. Sebas is in clear distress; the chances of him getting away grow increasingly slimmer. The music is intense and the lighting frantic, inducing clear discomfort for the viewer. This discomfort is designed to be seamlessly linked to Sebastian’s discomfort at Grell’s provocative sexuality.

By weaving Grell’s deadly attacks using the Death Scythe with her sexual advances, Grell’s sexuality is being equated to deadly aggression.

Similarly when Sebastian’s Cinematic Record starts, we see Grell literally drooling with sexual arousal, while Sebastian is powerless to save himself from being the object of the reaper’s sexual aggression. This again is in accordance with the stereotype of queer people’s romantic/sexual desires being a threat to “““normal people”””. Classic queerphobia in a compact package!

Later when Grell is on the brink of being murdered and desperately trying to get away, Uehara turns Grell’s literal butt into the figurative butt of the joke, again. As she is desperately trying to get away from the demon, she purposely stops to shake her behind at Sebastian, saying: “I want you to come, but don’t come”. Just like before when Grell was fixing her hair like a monkey, here too this ‘gay’ cannot get the priorities straight.

After having established Grell as a real threat to the protagonists we are supposed to follow, we then get this scene wherein we are not supposed to take her seriously. This time round however, the stakes are even higher, because this is after Madam Red has been murdered.

Madam Red and Grell are both Jack the Ripper, but Madam Red died of betrayal after a very emotional song that begs us to sympathise with her. We are supposed to take Madam Red seriously, and understand that Madam is both the culprit as well as a victim to misfortune. Grell however, is not supposed to be taken seriously, and she is simply seen as a manic murderer.

【2015】

The portrayal of Grell’s sexuality is dramatically improved in the rerun. In the same scene wherein Grell says the line that she wants to engage in “intense exercise”, instead of shoving her behind in Sebastian’s direction, she makes the gesture with her lips and shoulders. This is still unwanted sexual advancement, but it’s already more acceptable.

The effect is quite different and it is reflected in Sebastian’s reaction too; he simply ignores Grell’s advances and does not invite the audience to be grossed out, unlike Sebas did in 2014.

The frantic “Oh, Sebby-darling, Sebby-darling” moment in 2014 is changed into a softer and much calmer reinterpretation in 2015. Instead of the chaotic electric guitars and drums, the 2015 version plays it in a soft tune of the piano. The attempt at rape-kissing Sebastian is entirely removed, and Uehara does not make a single sexual advance physically.

I cannot show you what’s not there, so you’ll just have to see it for yourself. But trust me. Unlike in 2014, Uehara refrains from using Grell’s sexuality as a weapon against Sebas.

In line with this less-sexually aggressive Grell, in the scenes wherein Grell successfully cuts Sebastian, she also no longer drools. Instead of drawing attention to Grell being a perverted voyeur, Uehara now uses this scene to demonstrate to the audience what a reaper like Grell is capable of: playing a cinematic record.

When Grell was trying to get away from Sebastian who has now secured the Death Scythe, the line of “I want you to come, but don’t come” is removed, and Grell simply tries to get away. Unlike in 2014, this Grell DOES have her priorities straight, and we also understand her legit fear for the demon.

4. Motivation

The most meaningful change in Uehara’s portrayal in 2015 is Grell’s motivation in my opinion. While in 2014 Grell was portrayed as the psychopathic murderer who kills for the sake of killing, in 2015 we get a much better understanding of Grell’s motivations.

【2014】

In the original staging of this musical when Madam Red shows hesitation to kill her own nephew, Grell is infuriated and berates Madam for her weakness. “If you don’t kill him, you will be killed!” Grell doesn’t even give Madam proper time to respond and already scythes her down in seeming cold-blood.

At first I thought to understand the spoken line as: “if you don’t kill Ciel, you will be killed by him.” But the way Uehara said it in his low voice, it basically sounded like: “then you will be killed by me,” which...she did.

“You disappoint me!” Grell challenges in pure anger and explains how she has even broken the reaper law for Madam to “kindly” help her create alibis and killing the victims.

The way Uehara sums up the trouble Grell’s gone through for Madam’s sake is like summing up a list of chores she did in hope to get entertainment in return. The fault Grell accuses Madam of is not paying her back with something that weighs up against the effort she put into helping Madam.

“You are unworthy of wearing red,” Grell says as she rips Madam’s coat from her body. What is striking here is the perverse grimace on Grell’s face. This is vindictiveness!

The Cinematic Record of Madam is very emotional and I bet it has made quite many people shed some tears. We now learn of the misery Madam has gone through and how she was trying to find an outlet for her crippling pain (albeit in a very problematic manner, but that’s a different can of worms which I will not open here). But the point is, we sympathise with Madam and we understand that her pain is legit.

What does Grell do though? She yawns. She f*cking yawns using her ‘comical femininity’. This confirms that the motivation behind Grell helping Madam was because she was bored and craved entertainment; not because she feels a connection with Madam in not being able to bear children. In the 2014 version, Grell’s pain of not having a uterus and suffering from dysphoria (which was likely the reason she killed herself in the first place) is entirely skimped over.

Before Grell commits the murder we see her circling Madam and looking at her with total apathy in her eyes. She simply walks up to her as though nothing is up and seemingly “suddenly” decided to stab the woman. Grell cocks her head to the side with the corners of her lips tucked up, suggesting an air of casualness in doing so.

What is made of Grell’s motivation to be Jack the Ripper and killing her soul mate? Nothing; she is rendered just a manic murderer with too much power and too little entertainment.

【2015】

In the reinterpreted version of 2015 Grell also warns Madam that if she doesn’t kill Ciel then she will be killed. The tone in which Uehara says the line however carries way more emotion and weight. When Grell judged that Madam would not come around to her side, she felt betrayed and hurt.

In a moment of rage Grell let her heart be hardened and stabbed Madam. It is but a split second of a moment, but here Uehara communicated very clearly that this was Grell’s personal pain, not cold malice.

Grell approaches Madam and sums up the trouble she’s gone through for her. Unlike Uehara’s cold up-summing in 2014, he now simply names a few things Grell has done for Madam, as though letting all the emotions flow freely.

Here Grell quivers with pain and anger and we see how she very clearly is trying to restrain herself from bursting into a bigger rage or tears.

Grell holds Madam’s dying body and presses her closely against herself. She shakes her head in defeat and her entire face screams her pain at Madam’s betrayal. “WE were in this together, you said we would be,” is the silent message here. As Grell rips Madam’s coat off here, the callous grimace from 2014 is nowhere to be seen, and is instead replaced by Grell squeezing her eyes shut as though this all is too much to bear.

In the Cinematic Record of Madam when her resolve is wavering, we also see Grell reacting to this with disapproval. But unlike in 2014 wherein Grell showed boredom, Uehara here chose to show disbelief and turns away until what Madam says is no longer bearable for Grell.

When the murder of Madam is replayed, Grell looks Madam in the eyes, making this murder far more personal than in the 2014 version.

This change in portrayal has effectively transformed the manic murderer into a pained woman who was betrayed by not just the world, but also her kin; the only person Grell thought would actually understand her and never betray her.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, after Uehara Takuya realised that Grell is not the Flamboyant Gay™ he was instructed to play following the anime’s popularity, he changed the portrayal of Grell dramatically.

The most problematic aspects of Grell is sadly engraved into her original character design, and there is not much anybody can do about it. She is likewise still the comic relief even in the revamped version of 2015, but in the very least her sexuality, femininity, and by extent her transgender identity are no longer demonised and played for laughs.

In Uehara’s message in the pamphlet of the 2015 musical he wrote the following:

“Now 6 years have passed since the first staging of ‘Kuroshitsuji’ I feel like there is a part of me now that understands the core of Grell. The gap between her cruelty and how she is loved is very charming in my opinion, but personally I think it is the enormous pain that she shoulders which is the most appealing about this character. What I like about her is this eeriness in the emotions she carries...

Now I have reconsidered this [musical] and the directing has now fallen into Mr. Mouri’s hands, now resulting in a new story with new characters. This is the chance wherein I can start from a clean line with all my might.

The comical moments with Sebastian are also new now and we have been trying different things out during rehearsal; that will always be imprinted in my memory. Now that Sebas is played by Furukawa-kun and now that he is the Troupe Lead, I feel I can finally make a new start.

[...] Everyone, I hope that after having seen this new performance, you can all think: “that was fun, I was touched”. I hope you can all enjoy everything thoroughly!”

And indeed as he aspired to, Uehara Takuya managed to portray an entirely different Grell from what he used to from 2009 to 2014. His portrayal of Grell was ‘enjoyable’ in the past, but highly problematic to say the least. After 2015, I would say that he fully redeemed himself and is an excellent example of however bigoted you might be, it is never too late to learn.

6. Afterword

Dear everyone, thank you all again for your warm enthusiasm. This post took a tremendous amount of time to make, so I really hope this was meaningful! Please do share this post if you can. I think Uehara is a very inspiring example of how even with the same script and all, it is the effort and good intention that matter most in respectfully portraying Grell even with all her flaws.

Most importantly, Uehara Takuya’s Grell is now the first and only official portrayal of Grell as a transgender woman in all her rights besides the manga canon, and I think this deserves attention. As shown in this post, Yana herself was brave enough to ask Uehara to help rectify the mistake she could not on her own. Without Uehara’s influence and help, who knows until when we’d have to wait until we’d get an official portrayal that does do Grell’s identity justice?

Thank you Uehara Takuya, I love you, your growth is admirable!

#Uehara Takuya #Grell Sutcliff #Grelle Sutcliff #Kuromyu #The lycoris that blazes the earth #Comparative analysis #Kuroshitsuji #Black Butler #Musical #Lycoris 2014 #Lycoris 2015 #Toboso Yana #Yana Toboso #Huge ass Analysis #LGBT #Transgender #Tw transphobia #Rewatching 2014 was torture...

214 notes · View notes

mourninglockets · 3 years

Photo

Izumi Shuhei as Undertaker in Kuroshitsuji: Lycoris that Blazes the Earth (2015)

#kuroshitsuji #Kuromyu #kuromyu 3 #lycoris that blazes the earth #izumi shuhei #undertaker #nayuta fukuzaki #ciel phantomhive #ociel #my gifs

87 notes · View notes

ancientstone · 3 years

Note

Have you watched the black butler musicials? If so, are they worth watching?

I have! If you can watch them then I recommend! Though personally I found the first two a bit forgettable, I constantly jump back and forth over whether Lycoris or Tango are my favourites!

As a brief rundown:

Musical 1: Kuroshitsuji - That Butler, Friendship

Original story focusing on a pair of original characters who come to England from Japan. Ciel and Sebastian don't really *do* much in this musical, apart from react and run around. I've not felt the need to go back and re-watch it. I don't remember much of the music tbh. Yuya Matsushita plays Sebastian - He's not my favourite actor for the role, but he does well.

Musical 2: Kuroshitsuji - The Most Beutiful DEATH in the World

Original story with original grim reaper characters (Alan and Eric, who are fan favourites who then went on to have cameos in the manga), with elements of the Jack the Ripper arc superimposed on top of it (Viscount Druitt, that *dress* scene). Better than the first. Not perfect, not the best writing in places either if memory serves me correct, but the music is decent ("black and white" and "checkmate" come from this musical). Yuya Matsushita plays Sebastian again in this. He also released the song "hallucination" (from the musical) as part of an album of his own music.

Musical 3: Kuroshitsuji: Lycoris that Blazes the Earth

The Jack the Ripper arc and the first to properly follow the manga. I feel like once the musicals picked up on the actual source material they really began to knuckle down on quality. The songs are killer (*dum dum tis*) and Akane Liv as Madam Red?? 100000/10, cry every time she sings. There are two versions of this musical, the 2014 version which has Yuya Matsushita as Sebastian (his last time in this role), and the 2015 version with Yuta Furukawa as Sebby. Furukawa is, in my opinion, the best version of Sebastian and he really nails it. Fun fact: the actor who plays Ciel stays the same in these two versions!

Musical 4: Kuroshitsuji: Noah's Ark Circus

Follows the....Well, Noah's Ark Circus arc!

Do I cry every time we get to the end and Joker's song? Yes. Definitely. Absolutely. Again, because it can sink it's teeth into the source material, the musical really thrives. The music is great (I personally prefer the songs in the second act of the show), the acting is great (omg, the actor to Doll KILLS ME every time), I love all the circus-elements incorporated into it. Baron Kelvin is creepy as heck. Yuta Furukawa kills it as usual. This is also Reo Uchikawa's first stint as Ciel as well, and he does a good job.

It is worth mentioning, because we can be critical of things we like, that Prince Soma and Agni appear in this musical, played by two Japanese actors. It's hard to tell by the stage lighting, but they have darkened their skin for the role.

Musical 5: Kuroshitsuji: Tango on the Campania

Follows the Campania/Luxury Liner arc.

The musical rushes a bit at the beginning, but considering all they have to get through, it's kinda understandable. The songs are great, in fact, they're some of my favourite in the entire kuro musical collection, and I love the way the opening song keeps coming back around. By the end it really feels like you've just *been* through something, y'know?

The flashback scene with Ciel (Reo Uchikawa again for the last time) and Sebastian (Yuta Furukawa's last go in the Sebastian role) are to die for! You know you've done a good job playing a part when Yana Toboso starts using your poses and mannerisms in the actual manga! I also love the way the bizarre dolls are used and choreographed around the stage, and how they do the last scene with Sebby and Ciel on the boat fighting off the hoard.

ALSO LIZZIE! The actress nails it, and her song is 10/10!

Musical 6: Kuroshitsuji: The Public School's Secret

Came out this year following the boarding school arc. Haven't seen it. Toshiki Tateishi plays Sebastian, and Eito Konishi plays Ciel.

#you asked a simple question and i gave you a novel i'm so sorry #can you tell this has been my life the last few months??!#asked #kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji musical

41 notes · View notes

giggleghostie · 3 years

Text

sorry to put this on my main but goddamn Grell’s voice causes suffering for those who voice her and not for the reasons people usually say a voice causes pain

Like her voice is nice, it’s cute, it’s iconic, but goddamn. Original Japanese voice actor had to pitch his voice down, Grell’s actor in the musicals fuckin pitching his voice up in the 2015 rerun of Lycoris that Blazes the Earth and Very Clearly Struggling whenever he sings, Grell’s actor ALSO having to sing with a cold in that one show (forgot which one)....

Jesus christ I think Grell is just a cursed role and the curse is the looming possibility that you will destroy your throat on camera

1 note · View note

vvlin91 · 4 years

Photo

Musical Kuroshitsuji: Lycoris that blazes the earth 2015

Iconic moments

Buy here

Tagged under 10 years of namashitsuji

#10 years of namashitsuji #kuroshitsuji #black butler #Lycoris that blazes the earth #i've done a lot character-centered gif posts #but now i want to highlight the larger set and designs that also helped make the show so timelessly classic #the way they recreated those iconic scenes in the manga #just such a pioneering production #i hope you all still enjoy them as much as i do #even after all this time #and yes this will be a 3-part series lol

53 notes · View notes

redladydeath · 4 years

Note

WAIT YOU’RE THE ONE WHO UPLOADED THE KURO MUSICALS? THAT’S WHY YOUR URL SOUNDED FAMILIAR? ALSO, MUSICALS PLURAL? I ONLY KNEW ABOUT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DEATH IN THE WORLD WHAT THE FUCK?

Yeah, here are the others:

That Butler, Friendship: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfMFgcU3hUd-rK8WxbDUK8ED

The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World 2010: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfPsZIj5x713zQ6TmFCPZAZh

The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World 2013: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfNRz8in5xJ68AJop8uV3y2h

Lycoris that Blazes the Earth 2014: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfMNOgrA5m2nkG4GbQ6OwrnG

Lycoris that Blazes the Earth 2015: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfNtSJLHb8S-1mtafhjNWkZH

Noah’s Ark Circus: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfMX17A8CEns-tXHsRt4o1Q-

Tango on the Campania: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjJaBJRiRIfOPTNic1iFRmVac2cNdbU95

#redlady speaks #kuroshitsuji

21 notes · View notes

lady-mug · 5 years

Note

Hi there! I was wondering if do you know where to find Lycoris That Blazes The Earth eng sub 2015???

Hey Anon! So here is all I know about Kuroshitsuji now:

https://twilightknight17.tumblr.com/post/149818796009/kuromyu-masterpost

The forum where the subtitles were unfortunately has been taken down :/

#guidance

10 notes · View notes

brooke-the-poet · 5 years

Text

Pawn & Sword

This summer I had been asked by @chibimyumi to make a version of Pawn & Sword Reprise that was singable in English. Taking her translation, and working on it bit by bit over the past 7 months or so, I came up with this version, which conservatively keeps a lot of the original wording, which I felt was rich in imagery and poetic to begin with and added a lyrical touch to better fit the sounds in English.

For anyone interested, yes, I listened to this song on repeat for hours, weeks on end like a fiend to match the right sounds. It's become one of my auditory stims now. Haha

Japanese poetry and lyrics are for the majority narrative, sparing with images, just enough to give you a feel or sense of the image like smoke.

If I were to elaborate, without keeping strictly to lyrics and only focusing on concepts the imagery would have been far greater. More like page poetry. But not singable perhaps?

I have sung this several times now tweaking it and perhaps it will be tweaked more, now that I have time. But not a lot.

Here are the notes I kept while working on it. If you think these are a lot, imagine the work a translator goes through to figure out how the original should be. Please go lavish @chibimyumi with praise for her translation work and so forth. It's some of the most tiring work ever.

(I have professional linguist/ translator friends, I hear all about it)

If anyone is so inclined I would very much take pleasure in hearing karaoke or a cover of the song using these lyrics, just to test how well of a job I've done. please.

Pawn and Sword Reprise: Annotated transcription - Brooke Nilsson.

(1)Your (2) relentless (3) wishes

(4)surpass your (tiny) form (5) .

(6)Wishful eyes of despair. Greedy soul!

(7) I shall be

the One to grant

Your wish.

I will be your power

Your invincible pawn!

(8)Monochrome dissonance

Plays out on this stage

Until silenced.

-----------

1. /Your/ the song needed to open on a similar hard sound to Gouyoku, it’s important that openings and endings sound the same in both languages otherwise it throws the whole song off.

2. relentless: this is synonymous and gives an almost identical image to ‘welling”, it has connotations with swiftness, hard, unending tasks and treatment and is also synonymous with revenge, using it tells you the nature of the wishes.

3. Wishes is the cannon word, it is more specific than desire (this has been used in other translations), which has deeper romantic/sexual connotations and is not specific. The 3 wishes reference.

4. This is a creepy joke going on in the original which is part of Sebastian’s intent, but in English, doesn’t fit the elegance of the rest of the song. I went with the implied image of the wishes being grander than the size of the wisher. Surpass has connotations of fast, upward movement, and mobility both physically and in a class sense. It sounds British. Tiny can be inserted to reinforce the original concept, but it might be cumbersome? try it out.

5. Form vs. Body: A note about Anglo-Saxon origin words vs. Latinate. Anglo-Saxon origin words are rougher and heavier in sound, they add weight to a word, but are notably harder to sing and less elegant. Latinate origin words have smoother flowing sounds and are easily sung. While these two words mean the same thing, the Latinate carries connotations of elegance, education, and sophistication (cold, snobby, sadist) which suits Sebastian. The quickest way to differentiate class and vocal tone in English is to use Latinate vs. Anglo-Saxon. (small vs. tiny: same as described)

6. This is a compounding of the original concept/image described in this line. I moved the mention of greed from the first line to here, as it works better as a form of address and reinforces the other concepts. The same goes for the next line.

7. These two words carry the weight of ownership over a task: /Shall/ indicates “determination, obligation, something owed”. It comes from Proto-Indo-European and is the origin of the word “shield, debt, guilt, blame, fault, it is also proper present tense. (formal British). /Will/ indicates wish/desire, to do something, be used, to choose. It is future tense. It comes from Latin word vel “wish”: to satisfy, be stuffed. will/wish synonymous. (These are all archaic and 19th century Sebastian hunger centric words, for that reason this entire song is one of the best Lord/vassal oath ballads I’ve read, in epic poetry.) The last line is unchanged as it is iconic.

8.I felt that there was importance to this already being in English, so I kept it. Monochrome (ancient Greek origin) doesn’t mean the contrast of black/white, it is the opposite, the sameness. It can be any colour but only one colour, of different shades. In photography it means greyscale. But the archaic form is more precise. This metaphor is used to describe moral ambiguity/hypocrisy. Everyone assumes they have higher/different motivations but in reality, the motives are all the same. (especially in the Madame Red arc) Dissonance is conflict, harshness of sounds. I interpreted this verse to mean the resolution of the conflict, everything suddenly becoming clear and audibly silent. The mention of the stage, it’s a nice sophisticated way of saying everything will be resolved in the next act.

-------------

Ciel:

Sebastian Michaelis

Your name affixed

Sealed with our contract

The demon

fallen into my grasp. (9)

Sebastian:

Even if my body dies

your heart’s desire will be fulfilled

For I am your faithful servant.

Ciel:

I do not seek happiness

(10) Not for anyone's sake or my own

Until my revenge, until that day

I will move ever forward

Sebastian:

Maddening, noble form

exuding that alluring scent

You are my beautiful lord

If it is your wish…

Sebas: To anywhere – I shall guide you

Ciel: To anywhere – at my command

Sebas: Even in dreams, your shadow

Ciel: Swear to me –

Sebas: Secretly

Ciel: Your loyalty

--------

9.The English phrase for this concept is “fallen into my lap”. I took inspiration from Nayuta’s grasping upwardly into the air when he sings this, and felt the concept best understood as “fallen into my grasp” meaning to hold unexpected power over something, to gain power unexpectedly.

10. This line about Ciel’s motivation is often the least well understood. The idea that he is seeking revenge out of principle, duty, despite knowing that it won’t bring him or anyone else happiness. My take is that he is fulfilling a duty, satisfaction coming from the idea that no one thought he was capable of anything, yet here he is doing this task. It can be seen/felt as selfish proving yourself this way. This concept comes up a lot in disability discourse.

--------

Sebas:

(11)Bound by the threads of fate

Between dreams and reality

At the edge of reason

Wanders your soul

While the pages of your story still turn

I’ll continue to light your lamp

(12) Shielding your soul–

Even if your throne should fall

And your shimmering crown, rust away

And the dead pile towers high–

I shall heed

Until I hear your final call!

------

11./The borders of black and white/ in this context I decided that the concept here referred to ‘mental twilight’ or reason/sanity.This gets referred to a lot in the series. The threads of fate concept I rearranged the lines to give them the alliteration of the original and better narrative order in English and make it singable. Ending lines on n/l or a vowel is a professional tip.

12.The concept of preservation being sung of here, /shielding/ is a synonym for preservation and ties back to the original concept of the vows */shall/ being made. The ripening of the soul I left to subtext as this concept is redundant to the rest.

#furukawa yuta #kuroshitsuji #sebastian michaelis #our ciel #ciel phantomhive #kuromyu #lycoris that blazes the earth 2015 #i will be your pawn & sword reprise #annotated #thank you for translating!

9 notes · View notes

shihohinmakai · 5 years

Text

Does anyone know where I can watch lycoris that blazes the earth (2014)?

I've been dying to watch it again, hell I'm so desperate I'd go without English subs if I had to...

I just really wanna watch it again-it had some of the best music/lyrics and I actually liked it more then the 2015 ver (not like I can find that one.....)

The only option I've found is to buy it and it's coming from Japan....I live in a shelter and can be moved at any moment so I don't like ordering things that take longer then overnight shipping

So if anyone can help please do so!

#kuroshitsuji #lycoris that blazes the earth #madam red #sebastian #ciel phamtonhive

1 note · View note

chibimyumi · 4 years

Note

Hi Chibi, your Grell post was fascinating and I loved it. I didn't even realise that the character had been revamped in such a way. One question, if I were to purchase the DVDs of that musical, which version would it be? Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this, it's very much appreciated by us all!

【Related post: Metamorphosis - Uehara Grell】

Dear sixieandiknowit,

First of all, thank you for your kind compliments! I am very happy you liked it.

It would be the 2015 version! Amazon.co.jp has restocked it and is to the best of my knowledge the cheapest. The link is here. There are no different DVD/BD covers, so if you see the blue stained-glass design, go for it. If you see the white background with rose petals, that’s the old version.

Amazon.co.jp does worldwide shipping, here is a link to the instruction about how to change the site to English.

Otherwise if you prefer other shopping methods, please use #proxy on my blog to find multiple helpful tips ^^

A reminder that in exchange for proof of legal ownership I provide free English subtitles for all three Kuroshitsuji musicals of the Furukawa era!

Dear other askers, your asks are all in my inbox, I will get to you, please don’t worry ^^ My apologies for the delay, I just quickly answered this one outside my normal order because it’s very quick, and perhaps more people will buy the DVD then!

#Lycoris that Blazes the Earth #Lycoris 2015 #Rerun #Kuromyu #Kuroshitsuji #Musical #DVD #purchase #buy #Amazon.co.jp #Furukawa Era kuromyu #Grell Sutcliff #Grelle Sutcliff

34 notes · View notes

shitsuji-hcs · 6 years

Text

Kuroshitsuji’s Timeline

@akumadeenglish has already compiled a great history of Kuroshitsuji’s canon timeline but we're re-uploading our timeline of Kuroshitsuji’s release. Here’s all the important dates of Kuroshitsuji so far. Dates such as fan events and brand collaborations have not been included.

September 2006 – First chapter release

February 2007 – First volume released

March 2007 – Start of the Red Butler Arc (Chapter 6)

August 2007 – 1st Drama CD released

December 2007 – Start of the Indian Butler Arc (Chapter 15)

September 2008 – Start of the Circus Arc (Chapter 24)

October 2008 – First Season

November 2008 – 2nd Drama CD released

March 2009 – Kuroshitsuji Phantom & Ghost (DS Game) release

May 2009 – That Butler, Friendship’s 1st run

November 2009 – Murder Arc (Chapter 38)

January 2010 – English manga release

May 2010 – The Most Beautiful Death in The World’s 1st run

July 2010 – Second Season & release of character songs

December 2010 - Luxury Liner Arc (Chapter 51)

April 2012 - Public School Arc (Chapter 67)

May 2013 – The Most Beautiful Death in The World’s 2nd run

November 2013- Start of the Emerald Witch Arc (Chapter 86)

January 2014 – Live action film

July 2014 – Book of Circus

September 2014 – Lycoris that Blazes the Earth’s 1st run

October 2014 – Book of Murder I

November 2014 – Book of Murder II

September 2015 - Start of the Blue Cult Arc (Chapter 108)

November 2015 – Lycoris that Blazes the Earth’s 2nd run

December 2015 – Lycoris that Blazes the Earth plays in China

November 2016 – Noah’s Ark Circus 1st run

January 2017 – Book of the Atlantic

July 2017 - The start of the flashbacks (Chapter 130)

April 2018 – Chapter 139 - The end of the flashbacks?

If you want any more dates to be added that are of significance, please message me!

Status: Up to date from May 2018.

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #ciel phantomhive #sebastian michaelis #about black butler tag #mod eden

92 notes · View notes

clockworkstage · 6 years

Text

Kuromyu Franchise Summary

Also found at ClockworkStage

Timeline:

That Butler, Friendship (2009) The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World-A Thousand Souls and a Fallen Shinigami (2010) The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World-A Thousand Souls and a Fallen Shinigami rerun (2013) Lycoris That Blazes the Earth (2014) Lycoris that Blazes the Earth rerun (2015) Noah’s Ark Circus (2016) Tango on the Campania (2017/2018)

Based on the manga and anime of the same name, the first Kuroshitsuji musical (hereafter referred to as Kuromyu) was held in 2009. As with many first ventures into 2.5D, the budget for That Butler, Friendship was small and the sets simple. Despite this, it attracted some big names into the cast including singer Matsushita Yuya and Tenimyu alumni Uehara Takuya, Sakamoto Shogo, and Aoyagi Ruito. (Uehara is one of the two cast members who has continued to reprise his role.)

Due to the first musical’s popularity, another original storyline was created. This featured two original characters who would become so popular with fans that they have made cameos in the anime since. The sets and costumes were improved, and this trend continued with the rerun of The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World*. For the rerun, the songs were updated, particularly a remix of the “Shinigami Dispatch Society” song which featured a rap to suit the talents of Ide Takuya, the new Ronald Knox for that production. As Kuromyu’s popularity continued to grow, there has been a play every year since the rerun of The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World.

For the next three plays (including a rerun of one), the musicals have been adapting fan-favorite manga arcs for their stories. The first was the infamous “Jack the Ripper arc” titled Lycoris that Blazes the Earth. Lycoris refers to a blood red flower that is used as a metaphor throughout the play. Uehara Takuya reprised his role as Grell, with several others from the The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World cast doing the same.

A large change came with the rerun, when Yuya Matsushita left his role as Sebastian Michaelis. He was replaced by Furukawa Yuuta. While fans are split as to whether they like the “original” Sebastian or Furukawa’s more demon-like portrayal, manga artist Yana Toboso has stated that she thinks Furukawa is a perfect Sebastian and has drawn him in the role several times. Furukawa has continued to reprise his role as Sebastian in the two new musicals.

For Noah’s Ark Circus, the play was held in a smaller venue, which let the viewers feel as if they were part of the audience for the circus performance itself. This play included some pyrotechnics and creature puppets, as well as professional trapeze artists to give more authenticity to the circus setting. Due to the new setting, it also included many new characters as well as a few new faces. Some highlights from the new performers included Miura Ryosuke (Kamen Rider OOO) as Joker and Mitsuya Ryo (Tenimyu sixth cast Fuji) as Dagger. One other item of note is the casting of Uchikawa Reo, who was 12 years old, the same age as his character Ciel Phantomhive. Because of his young age, there was also a significant height difference between him and castmate Furukawa Yuuta, that mirrored their manga counterparts.

The most recent (currently playing at the time of writing) play is Tango on the Campania. This play adapted the manga’s Campania arc, a storyline that was featured in the cinematic film Book of the Atlantic the previous year. For this play, many cast members returned, including Uehara Takuya as Grell. The songs for this production had a very Broadway-like quality to them and the choreography was a highlight to many fans. Tango on the Campania also surprised fans by not recasting Izumi Shuuhei (the only actor to be in every Kuromyu play to date) as Undertaker. Izumi himself stated that the Undertaker is revealed to be a “sexy character” in the Campania arc, so he was unsure if he fit that new facet of the role.

While the next edition has not yet been announced, fans are eagerly awaiting whatever the next play could be!

--Summary by Bridge

*This play is very near and dear to Bridge’s heart as it was the first Japanese stage she ever saw live~

#Bonus Content #Bonus Content: Franchise Summary #Kuromyu #Kuroshitsuji Musical

10 notes · View notes