HATACHI NO HANA

This work pursues a visual expression for the vertical screen, intended for viewing on smartphones. By bringing a musical to a handheld device, it seeks a new form of performing arts, which was originally intended for large audiences in a large space. In this newly written story by NEMOTO Shuko, the performer speaks to individual audience members face to face. The main character Hana (played by TAMURA Meimi, a former idol group member, singer, and actress) loses her beloved dog, which was her best friend and companion. After this, Hana’s life dramatically rolls on in a totally unexpected direction. Music is provided by Koharu of Charan-Po-Rantan. This readily accessible medium for all leaves a strong impression on people’s minds.

I have watched many streaming videos of musicals and plays during the pandemic, but I think my true desire was to watch them in person. However, this work was created for vertical screens. Smartphone screens make the show more immersive, and in fact, the show was specifically produced to be watched on a smartphone. It surely keeps up with this rapidly changing era, yet its stage art, costumes, and music are so splendidly created that they cannot be contained in one’s hand. This work was an experience of the new genre of social media musicals. With an expectation for future growth in this genre, the award is given to this work. (EGUCHI Rika)