Abstract
Takarazuka, the Japanese all-female musical theater troupe has been inspiring Japanese audiences since 1913, when it first began as a place for training young girls to becoming ryosai kenbo, or “good wives, wise mothers.” The women are assigned either as a musumeyaku (daughter-role) or otokoyaku (male-role) when performing on stage. The founder, Ichizo Kobayashi hoped that the training through the Takarazuka Music School as well as the experience of performing male roles would strengthen the character of these young women, ultimately preparing them for marriage. Around 1930, he also created the school motto, “Kiyoku, tadashiku, utsukushiku,” meaning “[With] purity, righteousness and beauty,” to clearly state the type of women Takarazuka was promoting. This paper will closely examine how Takarazuka influences the audience’s perception on gender roles and sexuality, and whether it challenges or supports the traditional family idealism.