Kageki Shojo!!

Kageki Shojo!! (かげきしょうじょ!!) is a Japanese manga series by Kumiko Saiki. It was serialized as Kageki Shojo! (かげきしょうじょ!) in Shueisha's manga magazine Jump X from 2012 to 2014 and was collected in two  volumes. It was later re-released as Kageki Shojo!! Season Zero (かげきしょうじょ!! シーズンゼロ) in a single volume by Hakusensha in March 2019. A sequel manga by Saiki has been serialized in Hakusensha's manga magazine Melody since 2015. It has been collected in twelve volumes. The re-release and the sequel are licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. An anime television series adaptation produced by Pine Jam aired from July to September 2021.

Plot
Founded in the Taisho era, the Kouka Revue Company (紅華歌劇団) attracts people's hearts across generations on a beautiful and gorgeous stage created only by unmarried women. The 100th generation students who have passed through a high magnification and entered the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts (紅華歌劇音楽学校) to develop their music and dancing skills. Sarasa Watanabe (the main protagonist) is a 1.78m tall student who dreams of acting as a Otokoyaku (i.e. male protagonist) and someday playing the role of Oscar in the Kouka Revue’s production of The Rose of Versailles. She forms an unlikely friendship with her new roommate, Ai Narata, who is a disgraced J-pop idol and former idol group member who hopes to join the Kouka Revue to escape from her troubled past.

Characters

 * Sarasa Watanabe (渡辺 さらさ)
 * She is a Kouka actress-aspirant at the Kouka School who stands out of the rest of the Centennial Class and the entire school, and not just because of her bubbly demeanor and being the tallest student in the school.
 * She is a Kouka actress-aspirant at the Kouka School who stands out of the rest of the Centennial Class and the entire school, and not just because of her bubbly demeanor and being the tallest student in the school.


 * Ai Narata (奈良田 愛)
 * A former idol expelled from her group because of her trust issues with men, she applied at the Kouka School to escape her past and men in particular. She finds Sarasa, her classmate and dorm-mate, to be annoying at first.
 * A former idol expelled from her group because of her trust issues with men, she applied at the Kouka School to escape her past and men in particular. She finds Sarasa, her classmate and dorm-mate, to be annoying at first.


 * Sawa Sugimoto (杉本紗和)
 * Being a huge Kouka fan, she enrolls at the Kouka School, skipping her chance to become a prima ballerina. She is the class representative of the Centennial Class.
 * Being a huge Kouka fan, she enrolls at the Kouka School, skipping her chance to become a prima ballerina. She is the class representative of the Centennial Class.


 * Kaoru Hoshino (星野 薫)
 * She is the daughter of a second-generation Kouka actress and is in the same class as Sarasa and Ai.
 * She is the daughter of a second-generation Kouka actress and is in the same class as Sarasa and Ai.


 * Ayako Yamada (山田 彩子)
 * Timid, shy, and plagued with problems concerning her weight, she almost quit the school due to the pressure; but, despite being underrated, she is one of the most talented performers in the Centennial Class.
 * Timid, shy, and plagued with problems concerning her weight, she almost quit the school due to the pressure; but, despite being underrated, she is one of the most talented performers in the Centennial Class.


 * Chika Sawada (沢田 千夏)
 * She is one half of the Sawada Twins. Inspired by a bunny lady twins they saw on a Kouka performance, she auditioned for the Kouka school with her twin sister, but delayed her admission when her other twin did not make it, which became a flashpoint in their relationship with each other.
 * She is one half of the Sawada Twins. Inspired by a bunny lady twins they saw on a Kouka performance, she auditioned for the Kouka school with her twin sister, but delayed her admission when her other twin did not make it, which became a flashpoint in their relationship with each other.


 * Chiaki Sawada (沢田 千秋)
 * She is the more chipper half of the Sawada Twins. Inspired by a bunny lady twins they saw on a Kouka performance, she auditioned for the Kouka school with her twin sister, but because she did not make it on the first try at auditioning for the school, her sister had to delay her admission, which became a flashpoint in their relationship with each other.
 * She is the more chipper half of the Sawada Twins. Inspired by a bunny lady twins they saw on a Kouka performance, she auditioned for the Kouka school with her twin sister, but because she did not make it on the first try at auditioning for the school, her sister had to delay her admission, which became a flashpoint in their relationship with each other.


 * Sei Satomi (里美 星)
 * The top star of the Kouka Winter Troupe, who is friends with Ai and Sarasa. Her real name is Yasuko Yabe (矢部靖子).
 * The top star of the Kouka Winter Troupe, who is friends with Ai and Sarasa. Her real name is Yasuko Yabe (矢部靖子).


 * Hijiri Nojima (野島 聖)
 * One of the second-year students, and is Ai's student-advisor. She would sometimes bully Sarasa a bit, but she is, in her own way, dedicated to guiding Ai.
 * One of the second-year students, and is Ai's student-advisor. She would sometimes bully Sarasa a bit, but she is, in her own way, dedicated to guiding Ai.


 * Risa Nakayama (中山 リサ)
 * The second-year student who is Sarasa's student-advisor. She would stand for her ward whenever Hijiri becomes a bit malicious with her.
 * The second-year student who is Sarasa's student-advisor. She would stand for her ward whenever Hijiri becomes a bit malicious with her.


 * Akemi Takei (竹井 朋美)
 * She is sometimes seen with Hijiri and Risa, as she is in the Second Year, and serves as the class representative of the 99th Class.
 * She is sometimes seen with Hijiri and Risa, as she is in the Second Year, and serves as the class representative of the 99th Class.


 * Mamoru Ando (安道 守)
 * He is known to Kouka school alumni and theater fans as "The Phantom" for his portrayal in The Phantom of the Opera. He is currently retired from acting after an accident during a performance, and is now an instructor at the Kouka School.
 * He is known to Kouka school alumni and theater fans as "The Phantom" for his portrayal in The Phantom of the Opera. He is currently retired from acting after an accident during a performance, and is now an instructor at the Kouka School.


 * Taichi Narata (奈良田 太一)
 * Ai's uncle and the only male she trusts. He is an instructor at the Kouka School.
 * Ai's uncle and the only male she trusts. He is an instructor at the Kouka School.


 * Akiya Shirakawa (白川 暁也)
 * He is a kabuki actor who is the heir-apparent to the name of the 15th-generation kabuki actor Shirakawa Kaou (Shirakawa Kaou XV). He is also Sarasa's boyfriend, although they act like simple childhood friends. His real name is Hiroshi Atarashi (丁嵐宏).
 * He is a kabuki actor who is the heir-apparent to the name of the 15th-generation kabuki actor Shirakawa Kaou (Shirakawa Kaou XV). He is also Sarasa's boyfriend, although they act like simple childhood friends. His real name is Hiroshi Atarashi (丁嵐宏).


 * Kōsaburō Shirakawa (白川煌三郎)
 * A kabuki actor and is married to the daughter of Shirakawa Kaou XV. Sarasa is rumoured to be his illegitimate daughter, but in actuality, she is the illegitimate sister of his wife, making her his sister-in-law. His real name is Masakazu Shimizu (清水真和).
 * A kabuki actor and is married to the daughter of Shirakawa Kaou XV. Sarasa is rumoured to be his illegitimate daughter, but in actuality, she is the illegitimate sister of his wife, making her his sister-in-law. His real name is Masakazu Shimizu (清水真和).


 * Shirakawa Kaou XV (十五代目 白川歌鷗)
 * A legendary Kabuki actor, he is the head of the Misatoya Acting House (a prestigious Kabuki acting house) and a Living National Treasure. He is a renowned tachiyaku, specializing in the aragoto style and whose best role is Soga Gorō/Sukeroku in Sukeroku. He is also Kōsaburō Shirakawa's father-in-law and Sarasa Watanabe's father, making Sarasa his secret illegitimate daughter. His real name is Hideo Atarashi (丁嵐英雄).
 * A legendary Kabuki actor, he is the head of the Misatoya Acting House (a prestigious Kabuki acting house) and a Living National Treasure. He is a renowned tachiyaku, specializing in the aragoto style and whose best role is Soga Gorō/Sukeroku in Sukeroku. He is also Kōsaburō Shirakawa's father-in-law and Sarasa Watanabe's father, making Sarasa his secret illegitimate daughter. His real name is Hideo Atarashi (丁嵐英雄).


 * Captain Anai (穴井 一尉)
 * The School's drill sergeant.
 * The School's drill sergeant.

Manga
Kageki Shojo! is written and illustrated by Kumiko Saiki. It was serialized in Shueisha's Jump X magazine from May 10, 2012, until the magazine ceased its publication on October 10, 2014. Shueisha collected its chapters in two volumes, released on May 10, 2013, and October 17, 2014. Hakusensha later re-released the series an omnibus volume, with the title ''Kageki Shojo!! Season Zero'', on March 5, 2019. The re-release has been licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment, who released it under the title ''Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises''.

A sequel series, titled 'Kageki Shojo!!', began serialization in Hakusensha's Melody magazine on February 28, 2015. The series has been collected in twelve volumes. The sequel series has also been licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment in North America.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation, also titled 'Kageki Shojo!!', was announced in the December issue of Melody magazine on October 28, 2020. The series is animated by Pine Jam and directed by Kazuhiro Yoneda, with Tadashi Morishita handling series' composition, Takahiro Kishida designing the characters, and Tsuneyoshi Saito composing the series' music. It aired from July 4 to September 26, 2021 on AT-X and other channels. The opening theme song "Hoshi no Orchestra" (Starry Orchestra) is performed by three-member band saji, while the ending theme song "Hoshi no Tabibito" (Stellar Traveler) is performed by Sayaka Senbongi and Yumiri Hanamori. Funimation licensed the series.

Stage play
A stage play adaptation was announced on June 23, 2023. It ran in Tokyo from October 18–22, 2023.

Reception
The School Library Journal listed the first volume of 'Kageki Shojo!!' as one of the top 10 manga of 2021.