A new anime series, "Starmyu: High School Star Musical," will soon begin. It is a coming-of-age story about high school students aspiring to become actors. The first and second seasons have been well-received, and expectations are high for the third season. The much-talked-about musical scenes are sure to be a delight. In this article, we will introduce "Shadow&Lights," the song from the third-year graduation performance, which was also the main theme of the second season of the anime.
What exactly is the graduation performance "Shadow & Lights"?
This is a graduation performance, a tradition at Ayanagi Academy. For generations, third-year students have performed in this performance, with only five selected second-year students performing in the "Second-Year Development Slot." The performance is scheduled for August after graduation, a consideration for the third-year students, who continue to work with the Kaokai until graduation. "Shadow & Lights" is also the first assignment for second-year students, and each will compete for one of five spots to perform alongside their former mentor, the Kaokai. From April through summer vacation, the second-year students will be coached and rehearsed by the "Ancients," who also coach second-year students. Therefore, the graduating students will only be able to participate in rehearsals immediately after summer vacation.
What is the content of the play?
The play is set in London. The story depicts young men from a time when show business was just starting to flourish and theaters were beginning to open in Westland. Two young men, Lambert and Alexis, share a strong bond, but an unexpected accident causes their feelings to drift apart. The play is performed in two acts, with a 15-minute break between the first and second acts. The main roles are Lambert, Alexis, Lucas, and Cliff, but a new character from the Hiiragi generation, which has been expanded by Hanao Kaiga, will be introduced, "Eddie," who will appear as a friend of Lambert and Alexis. Incidentally, second-year development students will play the roles of "Lambert's Shadow," "Alexis's Shadow," "Hardy," "Percy," and "Orlando."
"Shadow & Lights" Character 1: Lambert
As the lead role, it requires delicate acting skills. Every year, the role is played by the top graduating student, but Hiiragi, who was originally scheduled to play Lambert, stepped down from the role due to his Broadway debut. Therefore, at Hoshitani's own recommendation, the lead role in the graduation performance was taken over by the protagonist, Hoshitani. Of course, there's a lot of bilingualism, and the role is usually played by a third-year student. Hoshitani himself sometimes fell into a slump due to the pressure. However, by facing his responsibilities head-on, he was able to perform alongside his idol, Otori-senpai.
He sustains an injury during the performance!
But then something happened. Hoshitani was injured during the performance. If he had continued to perform like this, it would have hindered his future performances. However, Hoshitani could not give up on his dream of performing with Otori-senpai. Ageha stepped in to help. Ageha, who is not much taller than Hoshitani, appeared as a stand-in for Scene 14, "Lambert's Dream," a dance scene that required full body movement. Hoshitani then reappeared in the second half of the film. With the encouragement of Otori-senpai, all the students soon found themselves united in their desire to help Hoshitani achieve his dream.
What kind of character is he?
He is the protagonist of "Shadow & Lights." He is the son of a stage actor and is handsome. Becoming a stage actor has been his dream since he was a child, but due to a lack of self-confidence, he is a shy boy who always hides behind his father's back. He quickly becomes friends with the other main character, Alexis, until an unexpected accident takes away Alexis's dream of becoming a stage actor. Lambert also dreamed of becoming a stage actor, but struggled to find success and never landed a role. However, he refused to give up. He also faced Alexis, who had retreated to her attic after the accident, head-on, visiting her there almost daily. At the same time, they shared a mutual savior, as she was someone he could show his weaknesses to. He passed his first audition and won the lead role after being recommended by Hardy, the star dancer he admired. At the same time, he felt responsible for robbing Alexis of her dream and wondered if it was okay for him to be the only one to succeed. During a dress rehearsal, Lucas threw him off a cliff, shattering his dream of becoming a stage actor. In return, he opened Alexis's heart and brought back his smile.
"Shadow & Lights" Character #2: Alexis
This annual event is performed by a talented and glamorous actor. Incidentally, since Ootori-senpai played the role in the Hiiragi Generation, the protagonist Hoshitani finally got to co-star with Ootori-senpai, a dream come true.
What kind of character is he?
The other protagonist of "Shadow & Lights," he is the son of a theater owner. He was handsome and dreamed of becoming a stage actor, but his dream was shattered when he sustained a facial injury protecting Lambert. Since then, he has holed himself up in the attic and worked as a playwright, but many of his plays were not suitable for London musicals, and like Lambert, he spent his days struggling to make it big. Furthermore, he felt sorry for himself for having his dreams shattered, and the works he wrote in his grief were described as "insane," gradually leading to him being labeled a "madman."
Relationship with Lambert
However, Lambert was not afraid of him, and continued to visit him in the attic every day even after the accident. He tried to chase him away every day, but was unable to do so. He couldn't leave Lambert alone, and even comforted him, as he only showed weakness to him. One day, Lucas recognized his work and invited him to perform it on Broadway. However, he could not leave Lambert behind and sent Lucas away. However, this ended up costing her her dream of becoming a stage actor, and her guilt led her to close herself off even further. Although she blamed herself for a lot, Lambert remained cheerful. He helped her open up, and the two reconciled.
"Shadow & Lights" Character Introduction! ③ Lucas
As the only antagonist in the story, he has many scenes. Hiiragi played this role, which is usually played by a member of the Kao-kai.
What kind of character is he?
A sponsor of American Broadway musicals. Despite his glamorous appearance, Lucas is ambitious and will stop at nothing to succeed. One day, he saw a play by Alexis at a small theater and was captivated by it, but Alexis's work was not well-received in London musicals.
He therefore tried to get Alexis's work to Broadway, even hiring detective Cliff to track down Alexis. However, Alexis, unable to succeed without Lambert, kicked him out. Lucas then decided to eliminate Lambert solely for his own success, and he pushed him over the edge. However, detective Cliff later uncovered his crime and captured him. At that time, he received a confession written by Orlando, who had known about Lucas's scheme but turned a blind eye.
"Shadow & Lights" Character Introduction! ④ Cliff
Although Cliff's character is primarily comedic, he has a martial arts-focused moment in the latter half of the story. This required physical prowess, and he was played by Ren, who is skilled in martial arts.
What kind of character is he?
This detective was hired by Lucas in England to persuade Alexis. He's a skilled detective, but he's obsessed with alcohol, women, and money. Lucas hired him with the intention of bringing Alexis back to his home country, but the irresponsible Lucas prioritizes his own leisure activities over the client. His assistant and chaperone, Percy, always tries to stop him. He's depicted drinking freely and keeping women around, but at the same time, he diligently completes the client requests he receives. He even has a firm grasp on Alexis's location. He also took the opportunity to help Lucas injure Lambert and contributed to his arrest.
Shadow & Lights Character Introduction! ⑤ Eddie
This character did not exist when the Kao-kai had only four members. However, when the group expanded to five, he was added by Hiiragi's generation. Akatsuki was the first to play Eddie. Because this character interacts with the main characters in every scene, an actor who can balance the characters is recommended.
What kind of character is he?
A childhood friend of Lambert and Alexis, she also served as Lambert's confidant. Seeing Lambert visit Alexis's attic every day, she acknowledged his kindness but also worried about him. On the other hand, she often gives Alexis advice, hoping to somehow reconcile the two, who are at odds with each other. She took various actions to help the two return to their former friendship. Furthermore, when Lambert was thrown off a cliff and injured by Lucas, she used the confession Orlando left behind to pin the blame on Lucas.
Introducing the "Shadow & Lights" Characters! 2nd Year Development Slot Edition
Alexis's Shadow
In this story, a "shadow" is someone who watches over and supports a character. Alexis's shadow is innocent and resembles Lambert. He was a mirror image of Lambert, who always had a smile on his face and supported Alexis. Incidentally, Alexis calls him "my angel." He is the only member of the development slot who has a solo singing part, and Tsukihime, who was once the top student, also performed it. The team's talented members took the exam, but it was Tatsumi who was selected for the development slot.
Lambert's Shadow
Lambert's dark, cold gaze is similar to Alexis's, making him a mirror image of her. Incidentally, Lambert believes he represents the darkness in his own heart and calls him "my devil." Although he has no lines, his role is constantly on stage, requiring delicate acting skills. During the audition, Hoshitani and Kaito swapped roles, with Kaito being selected for the training slot.
Hardy
He's a West End star and a leading dancer. He was the one who recommended Lambert, a former struggling stage actor. Because of his role, he's a higher-ranking character than Lambert, so balancing him with the character is crucial. There are scenes where he performs difficult dance moves. Tengenji won the development slot.
Percy
Detective Cliff's assistant and watchdog. Cliff's love of money, alcohol, and women makes him a real pain, but he appreciates his detective skills. Like Cliff, he has many lines, and his impression changes depending on the actor playing him. This time, Ukawa won the development slot.
Orlando
Kuga is a fellow actor and an unsuccessful stage actor. However, when Lambert was recommended and passed the audition, he became jealous of his success. He also noticed Lucas's scheme but overlooked it. However, he realized he was wrong, felt responsible, and wrote a confession blaming Lucas. Kuga won the role.
"Shadow & Lights" Summary!
That's a summary of "Shadow & Lights." As it's a graduation performance, they're putting a lot of effort into it. It's also the main theme of Season 2, so it's a very important play. With Season 3 starting soon, I'm looking forward to seeing the characters' charms unfold even more.
