Andre Grandier
from Rose of Versailles (Takarazuka 2001)
with AJ as Oscar!
Appearances: Fanime 2006, Anime Expo 2006
Awards: Best in Show – Fanime 2006
ON YOUTUBE: FANIME 06 SKIT
Andre and Oscar may just be my very favorite fictional couple ever. I cried nonstop through the last 10 or so episodes of Rose of Versailles. I was introduced to Rose of Versailles through Takarazuka actually! My friend AJ said, “You have to see this musical I got…” we watched it, and though I couldnt understand the japanese, I was totally crying at the end, and then I had to watch the anime and cry some more! The version of Rose of Versailles Takarazuka that started all of this was the 2001 performance. Since then we’d made several Takarazuka style Rose of Versailles costumes… but the most important to me, and to AJ also, actually was these two, Oscar and Andre.
When we heard that Takarazuka was reviving the RoV musical, we had to go to Japan and see it. After seeing it we vowed to finally make the costumes, and within a few months and very sore fingers, we were done.
These costumes specifically from the 2001 performance, and from the scene where Oscar falls asleep on Andre’s lap.
There is a lot of work that went into these. The jackets are fully lined and interfaced with tails in the back. They snap down the front (for easy theater-style access) and all the extra items like belts, epaulets, aguilets, etc, all snap on as well. The buttons could not be found despite a long search… so I actually found them in Japan and bought them while we were there to see the show! (they are just silver buttons! how silly!) The “medals” were sculpted and cast in resin by A.J. and the silver aguilets (the long silver ropes) were twisted by A.J. and Judy. Lastly, there is a ton of silver trim on these things. ^_^
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