Mari Hanafusa

Mari Hanafusa (花總まり, Hanafusa Mari)(born February 28, 1973) is a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, in which she specialized in female roles (Musumeyaku).^[1] She is from Tokyo and joined the revue in 1991 and retired in 2006. She is the first and the only musumeyaku of her class to receive top billing.

Troupe membership history

Star Troupe: 1991–1993
Snow Troupe: 1993–1998
Cosmos Troupe: 1998–2006

Facts

Considered the "Mary Pickford of Takarazuka", she gained audiences' attention during her first years in Star Troupe, and three years after her debut, in 1994, became top musumeyaku of Snow troupe. Having performed with five different stars as partners, Maki Ichiro (of the Snow troupe), Fubuki Takane (Snow), Yū Todoroki (Snow), Asato Shizuki (Cosmos) and Yōka Wao (Cosmos)--the latter her partner the longest—over the course of twelve years, Hanafusa enjoyed the longest run as star musumeyaku in the Takarazuka's history.

Also, upon her participation in the 1994 new actor production of Gone with the Wind as Scarlett O'Hara, Hanafusa became the only musumeyaku to have her own billing (top billing usually goes to otokoyaku; so this was an exceptional case).

Along with Hitomi Tsukikage (of Star and Snow troupes) and Rei Dan (Moon and Star), she was one of the few musumeyaku to star in two troupes.

In 1998, she founded Cosmos Troupe with Asato Shizuki, Yōka Wao, Wataru Kozuki and Hikaru Asami with an overseas performance in Hong Kong. She retired in 2006.

In January 2007, she came out of retirement and performed on stage along with Yōka Wao in Wao's concert. Up until 2011, Hanafusa worked as an official representative for Yōka Wao in Wao's company, Wao Enterprise, which they founded together in February 2007. During this period, Hanafusa has regularly appeared in most of Wao's concerts or as co-star in stage plays where Wao has starred. It is unusual for partnering stars who have left Takarazuka to continue to work together so closely. As of October 2011 however, Hanafusa has resigned from Wao Enterprise after participating in Dracula with Wao. Although she had participated as a guest star in a couple of performances with other Japanese artists, there was no official announcements as to what Hanafusa's future career direction will be until June 2012.

In June 2012 it was released that Hanafusa had signed with From First Production, a talent promotion agency. Her talent profile is found here.

Notable performances and roles

Takarazuka era^[2]^[3]^[4]

Debut

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	Note
1991	Rose of Versailles ~Oscar~	Moon	Grand Theater

Troupe rotation

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	Note
1991	The Great Gatsby / Lovers' Concerto	Snow	Grand Theater
1991	The Emblem of Venezia / Junction 24	Flower	Tokyo Theater

Star Troupe era

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	New Actor Show Role	Note
1992	Sunset of the Forbidden City	Star	Tokyo Theater
1992	Legend of the Midnight Sun / One Night Mirage	Star	Grand Theater	Mimir
1992	Hello, George!	Star	Bow Hall	Elizabeth
1993	Houjushou / Parfum de Paris	Star	Grand Theater		Dancing Lady S / Lover / Parisienne (HY: Shiraki Ayaka)
1993	Hello, George!	Star	Nippon Seinenkan	Elizabeth
1993	Mayerling / Paparagi	Star	Grand Theater	Millie Stübel	Marie Vetsera (HY: Shiraki Ayaka)	First New Actor Show Lead Musumeyaku

Snow Troupe era

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	New Actor Show Role	Note
1993-4	Seal of the Bourbons / La Cote d'Azur	Snow	Grand Theater	Mariel
1994	A Battlefield for the Two of Us	Snow	Bow Hall / Nippon Seinenkan	Lyla		First Small Theater Lead Musumeyaku
1994	Gone with the wind	Snow	Grand Theater	Carreen O'Hara	Scarlett O'Hara (HY: Ichiro Maki)	First New Actor Show Lead

Snow Troupe Top Musumeyaku era

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	Note
1994	A Battlefield for the Two of Us	Snow	Aichi Annuity Hall	Lyla	Pre-Top Musumeyaku Debut
1994-5	An Actor’s Revenge / Sagittarius	Snow	Grand Theater	Namiji	Top Musumeyaku Debut
1995	JFK / 1001 Baroque Nights	Snow	Grand Theater	Jacqueline Kennedy
1995	Aria Dream Song	Snow	Drama City	Mary
1995	Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile	Snow	Grand Theater	Nukata no Ookimi
1996	Elisabeth	Snow	Grand Theater	Elisabeth
1996	Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile	Snow	National Tour	Nukata no Ookimi
1996	Natasha of the Rainbow / La Jeunesse!	Snow	Grand Theater	Natasha
1996	On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	Snow	Bow Hall	Daisy Gamble
1997	Romanesque Mask / Golden Days!	Snow	Grand Theater	Marquise de Merteuil
1997	On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	Snow	Nippon Seinenkan / Aichi	Daisy Gamble
1997	Ghost at Midnight / Les Cherubim	Snow	Grand Theater	Marie	Final show as Snow Troupe Top Musumeyaku

Cosmos Troupe era

Year	Performance	Troupe	Theater	Role	Note
1998	Mugen Houjushou / This is TAKARAZUKA!	Cosmos	Hong Kong tour		Cosmos Troupe Pre-Top Musumeyaku Debut
1998	Excalibur / Citrus Breeze	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Rosaline	Cosmos Troupe Top Musumeyaku Debut
1998	Bow Voyage!	Cosmos	Bow Hall
1998-9	Elisabeth	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Elisabeth
1999	Excalibur / Citrus Breeze	Cosmos	National Tour	Rosaline
1999	Passion: Jose and Carmen / The Revue '99	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Carmen
2000	Black Rose of the Desert / Glorious	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Marianna
2000	Mayerling / Glorious		Cosmos	National Tour	Marie Vetsera
2000	Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger!	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Princess Yu, Catherine the Great
2001	Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger!	Cosmos	National Tour	Princess Yu, Catherine the Great
2001	Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Marie Antoinette
2001-2	Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit!	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Eva-Marie
2002	Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit!	Cosmos	National Tour	Eva-Marie
2002	Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Turandot
2002-3	Miracle of the Holy Star	Cosmos	Drama City / Akasaka ACT	Lydia
2003	Pierre the Mercenary / The Star Dust Party	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Joan of Arc
2003	Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper	Cosmos	Drama City / Akasaka ACT	Turandot
2003-4	Lightning in the Daytime / Temptation!	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Vivianne de Pauvert
2004	BOXMAN	Cosmos	Nippon Seinenkan / Drama City	Dolly Page
2004	PHANTOM	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Christine Daaé
2004	Gone with the wind	Cosmos	National Tour	Scarlett O'Hara
2005	Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Stacy Lancaster
2005	Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue	Cosmos	National Tour	Stacy Lancaster
2005	A Kiss to the Flames / Neo Voyage	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Leonora
2005	W-WING-	Cosmos	Drama City
2006	Never Say Goodbye	Cosmos	Grand Theater	Katherine McGregor/Peggy McGregor	Last musical with Takarazuka

Performance after Takarazuka^[5]

2010: Dietrich – Edith Piaf
2011: Dracula, the Musical – Mina Murray – Heroine
2011: LOVE LETTERS 2011 21st Anniversary – Melissa
2011: MODEA Winter Live 2011 – Guest vocals
2012: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert
2013: No Words, No Time
2013: Eien Monogatari – Yoshioka Yoshiko – Heroine
2013: Broadway Musical Live
2013: The Count of Monte Cristo – Mercédès – Heroine
2014, 2017: Lady Bess – Elizabeth I – Lead role
2014: Mozart! – Nannerl
2015, 2016, 2019, 2023: Elisabeth – Elisabeth – Lead role
2016: 1789 – Marie Antoinette
2018: Romale – Carmen – Lead role
2018: The Secret Garden – Lily Craven – Heroine
2018, 2021: Marie Antoinette – Marie Antoinette – Lead role
2020, 2023: The Odd Couple – Florence Unger – Double Lead with Daichi Mao
2021: Closed today – Teruko – Lead role
2022: The Little Prince – The Rose
2022: Galaxy Express 999 THE MUSICAL – – Maetel – Heroine
2023: SUNNY – Nami – Lead role (based on Korean movie SUNNY)
2023: Beethoven Secret – Antonie "Toni" Brentano – Heroine
2024: The Tiny Wife – Stacey – Lead role

Concert

2012, 1016: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert
2016: 25th Anniversary Hanafusa Mari First Concert 〜Especially For You〜
2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari
2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari ~ Xmas version

Television drama

2017: Naotora: The Lady Warlord – Sana^[6]
2017: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit – Yuuka
2021: Meiji Kaika: Shinjuro Tanteicho – Kanou Atsuko – Episode 1 (guest)
2024: Black Forceps Season 2 – Toshima Kazuko – Episode 4, 5 (guest) ^[7]
2025: Unbound – Hōren-in^[8]

Elisabeth trivia

Hanafusa was the first star to perform as Elisabeth of Bavaria in the musical Elisabeth and the only one to do so twice: first in a 1996 Snow production and then in a 1998 Cosmos production. Thus she was an Elisabeth who was haunted by two deaths (Maki Ichiro and Asato Shizuki), married to two Franz Josephs (Fubuki Takane and Yōka Wao), assassinated by two Luigi Luchenis (Yū Todoroki and Wataru Kozuki). She crowned four Prince Rudolfs (Tatsuki Kōju, Yōka Wao, Hikaru Asami and Sakiho Juri) because Kōju and Asami changed troupes before the Tokyo performance and were substituted by Wao and Juri.

Most of the actresses playing Franz Josephs, Rudolfs and Luigis became stars later on, except Juri, who was moved to Senka.

Fubuki Takane (Franz Joseph [Snow])--> Snow Troupe
Yū Todoroki (Luigi Lucheni [Snow])--> Snow Troupe
Tatsuki Kōju (Rudolf [Snow])--> Star Troupe
Yōka Wao (Rudolf [Snow] and Franz Joseph [Cosmos])--> Cosmos Troupe
Wataru Kozuki (Luigi Lucheni [Cosmos])--> Star Troupe
Hikaru Asami (Rudolf [Cosmos])--> Snow Troupe

References

^ Sands, Ryan (ed.). Electric Ant #2: Exquisite Corpses. Electric Ant Zine. pp. 15–. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
^ Yume o egaite hanayaka ni: Takarazuka Kageki 80-nenshi: 80-shūnen Takarazuka Kageki (Teiho dai 2-han ed.). Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: Takarazuka Kagekidan. 1994. ISBN 4-924333-11-5.
^ すみれ花歳月を重ねて―宝塚歌劇90年史―. Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: 宝塚歌劇団. 2004. ISBN 4-484-04601-6.
^ Hundred years' history of Takarazuka revue: 虹の橋渡りつづけて. 東京: 阪急コミュニケーションズ. 2014. ISBN 978-4-484-14600-3.
^ "Mari Hanafusa". Blooming Group (in Japanese).
^ "おんな城主直虎". Haiyaku Jiten. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
^ https://topics.tbs.co.jp/article/detail/?id=20570
^ "来年大河『べらぼう』新キャスト11人を一挙発表横浜流星を囲む豪華な顔ぶれ【キャラクター紹介あり】". Oricon. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

External links

Preceded by Tomo Murasaki	Top Star (Musumeyaku) for Snow Troupe 1994-1998	Succeeded by Hitomi Tsukikage
Preceded by None (Troupe newly established)	Top Star (Musumeyaku) for Cosmos Troupe 1998-2006	Succeeded by Rui Shijō

[Sands(editor)-1] Sands, Ryan (ed.). Electric Ant #2: Exquisite Corpses. Electric Ant Zine. pp. 15–. Retrieved 25 May 2011.

[2] Yume o egaite hanayaka ni: Takarazuka Kageki 80-nenshi: 80-shūnen Takarazuka Kageki (Teiho dai 2-han ed.). Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: Takarazuka Kagekidan. 1994. ISBN 4-924333-11-5.

[3] すみれ花歳月を重ねて―宝塚歌劇90年史―. Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: 宝塚歌劇団. 2004. ISBN 4-484-04601-6.

[4] Hundred years' history of Takarazuka revue: 虹の橋渡りつづけて. 東京: 阪急コミュニケーションズ. 2014. ISBN 978-4-484-14600-3.

[5] "Mari Hanafusa". Blooming Group (in Japanese).

[6] "おんな城主直虎". Haiyaku Jiten. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

[7] ttps://topics.tbs.co.jp/article/detail/?id=20570

[8] "来年大河『べらぼう』新キャスト11人を一挙発表横浜流星を囲む豪華な顔ぶれ【キャラクター紹介あり】". Oricon. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

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