The Alucard Show

Wow! Just wow! That was fantastic. Where to begin?

Alright, I'll begin with this. What on earth am I talking about? I'm talking about my experience last night seeing "The Alucard Show".

(Promo poster for the show; credit: Tumblr)

What is that you ask? "The Alucard Show" is a musical directed by Masahiko Kawahara with choreography by MIKIKO and music by Atsushi that has gained much popularity and a bit of cult following here in Japan, known as "Alucadnia". The demand to see it was so great after its first run back in 2013, that they brought it back for a re-run in 2014! Fans prior to the second showing all posted photos of themselves doing Alucard's pose (perhaps made even more popular due to Mangaka Yana Toboso's drawing rendition of Alucard back in 2013) to cheer on the cast and crew and thank them for coming back to give everyone another chance to see the show. So of course, when I heard that it was coming back for another run, I quickly bought my tickets as soon as I could! There was no way I was missing out on this.

(Vlad as depicted by Yana Toboso, "Black Butler" Mangaka, from her blog back in 2013) 

Starring names like Silvia Grab (シルビアグラブ), Takeshi Kongochi (金剛地武志), Yasuko Mitsuura (光浦靖子), Takuya Uehara (植原卓也), and Yuya Matsushita (松下優也) (and yes, the latter of which is why I wanted to go), Alucard tells the story of Maria, a pop idol attempting to make a comeback by hiring 6 new backup dancers, when all of a sudden her show is stolen from her by the mysterious "Vlad". Now with 7 members, the group "Alucard" is created.

(Alucard Pass with the seven members of "Alucard")

(2014 Commercial for The Alucard Show's second run)

At its core, "The Alucard Show" is a vampire story. But it's clear that the reasons for its popularity stem from far more than just that. I had a vague idea of what I was getting into when I went to see the Alucard Show (I was also once again the only foreigner in the audience and while I could go on about why that is a crime because the show is so good, I won't). I had pre-ordered the CD (available here) and had been listening to it since it arrived in early November, but that was nothing compared to seeing this musical live.

(CD Cover)

(Pre-Order Poster Gift; Envelope Reads "Dear Alucadnia)

Alucard is impressive for numerous reasons. The first of which that stands out to me though, is the dancing and choreography. With a moving stage, the dancers moved with such vigor and in such sync, it was hard to decide where to focus your attention at times. You wanted to see it all! Dancers back-flipped, rolled across the floor, and demonstrated various styles of dance through out the musical (I could pick out pop, hip-hop, and classic, to name a few). It was captivating with every turn.

(Check out the 2013 Commercial for some of the choreography work!)

The second reason that Alucard probably stands out is that its style, it's roots as a vampire story, something that classically speaking, derives to mind old decrepit buildings, the drinking of blood, monsters, and death, is woven so well into a "modern" world, where fans gather to meet their idols, posters of Alucard spread across the land, and the two music styles (classic and new) are combined so tastefully.

(Second depiction of "The Alucard Show" by Yana Toboso)

(Shot from the show; Credit to sumabo.jp)

Being a costume person, I also loved their costuming department for numerous reasons. The costume changes were quick and effective. While the character of Maria had some pretty fantastic costumes, in particular, the 6 members and Vlad perhaps had the best. The most stylish, the most in sync with the ampire feel, and incorporating the modern street flair that made their outfits so appealing and interesting to look at. They were something that any girl would love her boyfriend to wear. Vlad's were stunning as he goes from a random man on the street, to a pop idol and the leader of a Vampire legion, always maintaining that feeling of classic 'Dracula' in some form.

(Even their Premium Seat gift, a special rendition of Hello Kitty was decked out in Vampire gear! I'm not much of one for Hello Kitty but this thing is super cute!)

All of the characters had interesting personalities too. The first character that I greatly enjoyed was that of Maria. Maria makes a compelling character as she seems to be the only one unswayed by Alucard's beauty and appeal. While normally Maria's character might have annoyed me due to her sense of entitlement at the beginning of the story, watching her fall and feeling helpless and betrayed made her a much more intriguing character. You wanted to root for her, but at the same time, watching Vlad, you sat there wondering if she was fighting a loosing battle, if he was insurmountable, or even if he had somehow gotten you under his spell (or rather charmed you over to his side) as well.

(With a curtain like this prior to the show, how can you already not be charmed by it? And yes, those were candlesticks off to the sides.)

And speaking of Vlad, I must talk about his character for a moment. Vlad was a brilliant creation of a character (and definitely my favorite). Vlad maintains silence the majority of the time, save for when he sings. The only times he does talk, you can tell that he is holding all the cards, knowing and understanding everything going on. He holds a power unlike any of the other characters present. Matsushita's performance as him was also phenomenal, as he kept a refined, sophisticated air about him, while also maintaining an air of danger and mystery. Watching Vlad, you could tell he was amused by watching people follow him for reasons they could not understand. And while he was often aloof and mysterious, he had a personality that felt very real, like a young man holding the world in his hands and knowing it too.

(Mid-performance shot of Vlad; Credit to sumabo.jp)

I often felt that Matsushita's voice literally breathed life into the whole show as well, as in some ways, it felt like a medium for connecting the whole show, even the audience, together (probably intentionally so too). It took the show from a great show to a spectacular one. Take all of that and add in the stellar performances by Silvia, Takeshi, and Yasuko, and you really have a compelling story with music and dancing that takes the whole show to another level of entertainment. I won't spoil the ending, but needless to say, it's good. Really good.

(Check out the 2014 New Song here which features Matsushita's voice prominently)

The Alucard Show is currently showing at the AiiA Theater Tokyo until the 24th of November. As it stands, the show is now completely sold out (rightly so, might I add).  However, the DVD is available for pre-order on ASmart (here) and will be released in March of 2015.

(Sign Announcing the DVD Release at AiiA Theater)

The theatre itself was a good location between Harajuku (原宿) and Shibuya (渋谷) stations on the Yamanote line (山手線). It is well run and has a style that matches that of Alucard's. My only complaint was that the seats were not the most comfortable. They were okay, but not great like that of Bunkamura's Cocoon's or Blue Theater's. The pro of the seats? No matter where you were, you were sure to get a great view of the show. Literally.

(The entrance to the AiiA Theater Tokyo)

(Side view of the Theatre)

Goods were sold on location and it was honestly hard to show self control for most of the things available (I thanked my lucky stars that I only had cash on me).

(Goods Stand)

(Some of the Alucard Goods)

(Bromides of Uehara and Matsushita)

Anyway, if you have the chance to go to "The Alucard Show" you will not be disappointed and if you have the chance to view it on DVD, don't debate. Do it. Watch it. It literally is a work of art, appealing to both the classic lovers and new generation of Musical goers alike. Till next time!

(My shot for Alucard)