Kageki Shojo!!

Sarasa Watanabe steps onto the grounds of the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts with a singular ambition: to become a tachikata, the male role performer in an all-female troupe modeled after the Takarazuka Revue. Her towering height and boundless energy stand in stark contrast to the refined grace expected of students, yet she aims to master the legendary role of Oscar from The Rose of Versailles. Her path immediately collides with Ai Narata, a former pop idol who transferred to the school after a scandal involving a stalker forced her out of the mainstream industry. Ai carries deep resentment toward men and the performative nature of the stage, creating immediate friction with Sarasa's optimism.

The original series, titled Kageki Shojo!, ran from May 2012 to October 2014 in Shueisha's Jump X magazine before being collected into two volumes. When the magazine ceased publication, Hakusensha republished the story as Kageki Shojo!! Season Zero in March 2019, adding new content to bridge gaps and provide closure to the first generation. A sequel series began serialization in Hakusensha's Melody magazine in February 2015, introducing new cohorts of students while occasionally revisiting the legacy of the initial cast.

Seven Seas Entertainment holds the license for both the re-release and the ongoing sequel in North America. The narrative balances the glamour of stage performance with the gritty reality of backstage labor, physical exhaustion, and mental health challenges. Themes of PTSD, body image dysmorphia, and eating disorders are woven into the coming-of-age story as Sarasa and Ai navigate their complex bond, rivalries, and friendships within the rigorous training regimen. [편집]