(born February 28, 1973) is a Japanese actress and former member of the Takarazuka Revue. She held the position of Top Musumeyaku (lead female-role) in both the Snow and Cosmos troupes, holding the longest tenure in Takarazuka history at 12 years and 3 months. She’s best known for playing Empress Elisabeth of Austria in the Japan premiere of the musical Elisabeth and is currently active under Blooming Agency.
Troupe membership history Star Troupe: 1991–1993 Snow Troupe: 1993–1998 Cosmos Troupe: 1998–2006
Personal information Mari Hanafusa quickly gained audience attention during her early years with the Star Troupe. Only three years after her debut in 1991, she was appointed as the Top Musumeyaku (lead female-role) star of the Snow Troupe in 1994. During her career, Hanafusa partnered with five different Top Otokoyaku stars—Maki Ichiro, Fubuki Takane, Yū Todoroki, Asato Shizuki, and notably, Yōka Wao, her longest-running partner. Her tenure remains the longest in Takarazuka history for a musumeyaku, with 12-year and 3-month.
In 1994, she became the first musumeyaku ever to achieve Top billing during a newcomer performance as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Traditionally, such billing had exclusively belonged to male-role actors (otokoyaku), marking her performance as a notable exception.
Hanafusa’s portrayal of Elisabeth in the Japanese premiere of the musical Elisabeth in 1996 became one of her signature performances. She subsequently continued to take on numerous significant roles, such as Carmen in Passion: José and Carmen, Marie Antoinette in The Rose of Versailles, and Christine in the Japanese premiere of Phantom.
In 1998, she transferred to the newly established Cosmos Troupe, becoming one of the few musumeyaku—alongside Hitomi Tsukikage (Star and Snow troupes), Rei Dan (Moon and Star troupes), Yuri Shirahane (Star and Snow troupes) and Madoka Hoshikaze (Cosmos and Flower troupes) — to serve as top star in two different troupes.
Hanafusa retired from Takarazuka in 2006 alongside Yōka Wao after the production Never Say Goodbye. She returned shortly afterward, co-founding Wao Enterprise with Wao in February 2007, serving as Wao's representative and frequent co-star until 2011.
After leaving Wao Enterprise, Hanafusa resumed her stage career with From First Production in 2012, later joining Blooming Agency. She continues performing in musicals, with notable main roles in The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Bess (in its world premiere, she became the cover feature of a German magazine), Mozart!, Elisabeth, 1789: Les Amants de la Bastille, Romale, Marie Antoinette, The Odd Couple, Galaxy Express 999, Sunny, and Beethoven. In addition to her stage career, she has appeared in television dramas such as NHK's historical drama (Taiga) Onna Joshu Naotora, Berabou, and Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit.
Her distinguished career has earned numerous awards, including the Yomiuri Theater Award (2015), the Kazuo Kikuta Theater Award Grand Prize (2016), an Austrian national honor (2019), and the Matsuo Entertainment Theater Excellence Award (2021).
Performances and roles
Takarazuka era Sources:
Debut Year Performance Troupe Theater Role Note 1991 Rose of Versailles ~Oscar~ Moon Grand Theater
Troupe rotation Year Performance Troupe Theater Role Note 1991 The Great Gatsby / Lovers' Concerto Snow Grand Theater 1991 The Emblem of Venezia / Junction 24 Flower Tokyo Theater
Star Troupe era Year Performance Theater Role New Actor Show Role Note 1992 Sunset of the Forbidden City Tokyo Theater 1992 Legend of the Midnight Sun / One Night Mirage Grand Theater Mimir 1992 Hello, George! Bow Hall Elizabeth 1993 Houjushou / Parfum de Paris Grand Theater Dancing Lady S / Lover / Parisienne (HY: Shiraki Ayaka) 1993 Hello, George! Nippon Seinenkan Elizabeth 1993 Mayerling / Paparagi Grand Theater Millie Stübel Marie Vetsera (HY: Shiraki Ayaka) First New Actor Show Heroine
Snow Troupe era Year Performance Theater Role New Actor Show Role Note 1993–94 Seal of the Bourbons / La Cote d'Azur Grand Theater Mariel 1994 A Battlefield for the Two of Us Bow Hall / Nippon Seinenkan Lyla First Small Theater Heroine 1994 Gone with the Wind Grand Theater Carreen O'Hara Scarlett O'Hara (HY: Ichiro Maki) First New Actor Show Leading Role
Snow Troupe Top Musumeyaku era Year Performance Theater Role Note 1994 A Battlefield for the Two of Us Aichi Annuity Hall Lyla Pre-Top Musumeyaku Debut 1994–95 An Actor's Revenge / Sagittarius Grand Theater Namiji Top Musumeyaku Debut 1995 JFK / 1001 Baroque Nights Grand Theater Jacqueline Kennedy 1995 Aria Dream Song Drama City Mary 1995 Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile Grand Theater Nukata no Ookimi 1996 Elisabeth Grand Theater Elisabeth 1996 Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile National Tour Nukata no Ookimi 1996 Natasha of the Rainbow / La Jeunesse! Grand Theater Natasha 1996 On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Bow Hall Daisy Gamble 1997 Romanesque Mask / Golden Days! Grand Theater Marquise de Merteuil 1997 On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Nippon Seinenkan / Aichi Daisy Gamble 1997 Ghost at Midnight / Les Cherubim Grand Theater Marie Final Performance as Snow Troupe Top Musumeyaku
Cosmos Troupe era Year Performance Theater Role Note 1998 Mugen Houjushou / This is TAKARAZUKA! Hong Kong Tour Cosmos Troupe Pre-Top Musumeyaku Debut 1998 Excalibur / Citrus Breeze Grand Theater Rosaline Cosmos Troupe Top Musumeyaku Debut 1998 Bow Voyage! Bow Hall 1998–99 Elisabeth Grand Theater Elisabeth 1999 Excalibur / Citrus Breeze National Tour Rosaline 1999 Passion: Jose and Carmen / The Revue '99 Grand Theater Carmen 2000 Black Rose of the Desert / Glorious Grand Theater Marianna 2000 Mayerling / Glorious National Tour Marie Vetsera 2000 Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger! Grand Theater Princess Yu, Catherine the Great 2001 Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger! National Tour Princess Yu, Catherine the Great 2001 Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette Grand Theater Marie Antoinette 2001–02 Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit! Grand Theater Eva-Marie 2002 Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit! National Tour Eva-Marie 2002 Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper Grand Theater Turandot 2002–03 Miracle of the Holy Star Drama City / Akasaka ACT Lydia 2003 Pierre the Mercenary / The Star Dust Party Grand Theater Joan of Arc 2003 Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper Drama City / Akasaka ACT Turandot 2003–04 Lightning in the Daytime / Temptation! Grand Theater Vivianne de Pauvert 2004 BOXMAN Nippon Seinenkan / Drama City Dolly Page 2004 Phantom Grand Theater Christine Daaé 2004 Gone with the Wind National Tour Scarlett O'Hara 2005 Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue Grand Theater Stacy Lancaster 2005 Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue National Tour Stacy Lancaster 2005 A Kiss to the Flames / Neo Voyage Grand Theater Leonora 2005 W-WING- Drama City 2006 Never Say Goodbye Grand Theater Katherine McGregor / Peggy McGregor Last Musical with Takarazuka
Performance after Takarazuka Source: 2010: Dietrich – Edith Piaf 2011: Dracula, the Musical – Mina Murray – Heroine 2011: LOVE LETTERS 2011 21st Anniversary – Melissa 2011: MODEA Winter Live 2011 – Guest vocals 2012: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert 2013: No Words, No Time 2013: Eien Monogatari – Yoshioka Yoshiko – Heroine 2013: Broadway Musical Live 2013: The Count of Monte Cristo – Mercédès – Heroine 2014, 2017: Lady Bess – Elizabeth I – Lead role 2014: Mozart! – Nannerl 2015, 2016, 2019, 2023: Elisabeth – Elisabeth – Lead role 2016: 1789 – Marie Antoinette 2018: Romale – Carmen – Lead role 2018: The Secret Garden – Lily Craven – Heroine 2018, 2021: Marie Antoinette – Marie Antoinette – Lead role 2020, 2023: The Odd Couple – Florence Unger – Double Lead with Daichi Mao 2021: Closed today – Teruko – Lead role 2022: The Little Prince – The Rose 2022: Galaxy Express 999 THE MUSICAL – Maetel – Heroine 2023: SUNNY – Nami – Lead role (based on Korean movie SUNNY) 2023: Beethoven Secret – Antonie "Toni" Brentano – Heroine 2024: The Tiny Wife – Stacey – Lead role 2024: Ōten no Mon – Shouki – Special appearance 2025: Bagdad Cafe the Musical – Jasmine – Lead role (Based on movie Bagdad Cafe) 2026: Musical Pagwa – Chogak – Lead role (based on Korean novel The Old Woman with the Knife) 2026: Musical AGATHA – Agatha Christie – Lead role
Concert 2012, 1016: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert 2016: 25th Anniversary Hanafusa Mari First Concert ~ Especially For You ~ 2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari: Stories of the Queens 2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari: Stories of the Queens ~ Xmas version 2022: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Mari Hanafusa: Stories of the Queens Vol.2 2025: Imperial Theatre Concert - THE BEST New HISTORY COMING
Television drama 2017: Naotora: The Lady Warlord – Sana 2017: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit – Yuuka 2021: Meiji Kaika: Shinjuro Tanteicho – Kanou Atsuko – Episode 1 (guest) 2024: Black Forceps Season 2 – Toshima Kazuko – Episode 4, 5 (guest) 2025: Unbound – Hōren-in 2025: News Anchor - Odonera Motoko
Elisabeth trivia
Hanafusa was the first star to perform as Elisabeth of Bavaria in the musical Elisabeth and the only one to do so twice: first in a 1996 Snow production and then in a 1998 Cosmos production. Thus she was an Elisabeth who was haunted by two deaths (Maki Ichiro and Asato Shizuki), married to two Franz Josephs (Fubuki Takane and Yōka Wao), assassinated by two Luigi Luchenis (Yū Todoroki and Wataru Kozuki). She crowned four Prince Rudolfs (Tatsuki Kōju, Yōka Wao, Hikaru Asami and Sakiho Juri) because Kōju and Asami changed troupes before the Tokyo performance and were substituted by Wao and Juri.
Most of the actresses playing Franz Josephs, Rudolfs and Luigis became stars later on, except Juri, who was moved to Senka.
Fubuki Takane (Franz Joseph [Snow])--> Snow Troupe Yū Todoroki (Luigi Lucheni [Snow])--> Snow Troupe Tatsuki Kōju (Rudolf [Snow])--> Star Troupe Yōka Wao (Rudolf [Snow] and Franz Joseph [Cosmos])--> Cosmos Troupe Wataru Kozuki (Luigi Lucheni [Cosmos])--> Star Troupe Hikaru Asami (Rudolf [Cosmos])--> Snow Troupe
References
External links 花總まり 公式プロフィール – Official Website 花總まり (hanafusamari_official) – Instagram 花總まり – Ameba Blog