The problem in acting Angels and Demons on stage

 By now, you should have seen until S1 ep 12 as I, and know, that Mankai defeated God troupe by 467/469, which is the perfect score +2. The reason for that is, it doesn't allow you to rest on your laurels, nor to navel-gaze. You have to always improve or face termination by the recycle bin of history. 

Some criticism to Mankai's understanding of Angels. (Finally I can critique something, I thought, I was loosing my edge, for loving the Hell out of this anime) The angel wings appeared too mundane and ordinary. Considering, Homare Arisugawa in the house, they could have acted King Lear; they could have gotten props from Tanya von Degurechaff, the opening, then the main protagonist was about to be under the train. All the presentations of God, there ordinary people. So in my mind, I hoped, Mankai would go a similar route. Especially then its budget was said to be 10 Million yen or 74,674,52 Euro. That's not much to live a year in Japan and also make all the clothes; buy food; mortgage etc. Its a rather expencive place to be. For students already: https://gogonihon.com/en/blog/student-cost-of-living-tokyo/ accomodation alone costs 65K Yen per month/ 780K Yen per year That's one person. Mankai Company has a total of 24 people, which will make it 3,12M Yen per year That's the mortgage alone, if you're the student. If you also own the dorm, because you are an acting troupe, it will make it more expencive. Also the food and the free time. 

Because of that, I expected to see, how the actors starve themselves. In Estonia, I have heared of, at least one female director, who admitted, that she had to take cold showers; risk hypothermia and starvation, to stay in the budget, because of the stingy bureaucrats, who wouldn't give much anything to fresh projects, unless they guaranteed profit back. So in my mind, I expected this anime to showcase that. I suppose, Naoki Hayashi and studio P. A. works 3Hz didn't want to come forward as anti-governent, to seek the normie audience as well. Probably then, it wouldn't have recommended to me anyhow. So I am not too upset about it. But its something to consider, that we starve our brightest, who give us our best experiences in life. 

I mean, the act of Mankai troupe was non plus ultra, aside the mandatory slip-ups to drive up suspence. And God troupes failure was also self-evident in relying too much on their forte and not giving anything new. Special effects and flashy costumes are not everything in acting. Or choreography. Sometimes too much John Woo, can give you Wu Han Flu. Pun unintended but it sadly is that way. Mostly, it affects Christians the most, being the one main reasons, why churches fail. Too much Forte, too little passion and care for the script and the things, what you can rely on in mimics; bodylanguage and not with words. Even John Woo had passion underneath his skill with choreography, but his fans always miss that. 

That was the very reason, why Tsumugi was a great underdog leader. Especially playing an angel, who is in love with a mortal, who he has to let go, to be happy about her luck in marriage, after defeating her desease, thanks for the angels nobel sacrifice. Many actors kill it with Sturm und Drang, becoming really passionate, until it looks fake. More than average superhuman characters, until the muscles burst like soap bubbles. and the air flows out of the hollow construct of deus ex machina. The actors weakness in person, made the act stronger, because that angel was supposed to be weak from love; sacrifice and heartache facing his own mortality, for choosing this route. The same is true about the cuddler, Azuma Yukishiro. I have the utmost respect before a man, who can do such a job, and even come to terms in admitting it in these days, then people scoff and scold for the tiniest slight of hand reasons. And then take up the nobel profession of acting. What a Superman!! I really love, how Naoki has portrayed his soul and existencial angst. It made me really believe and relate with that character. With all of his characters -- its unbelievable to me, its an anime, and not documentary. It gave me as innocent of a feel as Emanuelle, the first porn movie ever made. That's saying alot. Or Hisoka Mikage, who dost even know, who he is. The best way becoming an actor, you can invent everything about yourself (Homare Arisugawa's suggestion) the way, he got his memory back, although, it was a face expression and the suspence is still intact. I am looking forward into seeing, who he was in his past life. I also didn't expect Tasuku learn props from Tsumugi, though it was perfect. It can't be done betters!!

Because of that, I expected ordinary costumes. Auditions in second hand stores etc. not sowing them yourself, which is the most expencive possible. Or are you gonna cut on the pay of the sowers, -- please say it aint so, Naoki Hayashi!! Are they actually working for food, to stay in the budget? 

Your audience needs to believe real angels and demons are in front of them, not because they see a costume. The act must make the stage livid not the coreography. Coreography is one of the eyesores of Hollywood, along with special effects, which kills Cinematography these days. That is the very reason, people rather read manga and watch anime, then go watching block busters, because anime and manga give the old ways. Then acting was paramount, not special attributes and effects. 

Aside from that, I'm looking forward to seeing more of this anime. Four seasons dost not seem enough, but hey, you can't have everything OwO UwU ^w^