To the Future is a small GRAPH interview of junior actresses. This one was published in the September 2018 issue.

To the Future – Manomiya Rui, Snow Troupe

Profile

Debut – March 2014, Takarazuka Odori
Nickname – Hai-chan, Wentz, Rui
Birthday – January 8
Blood type – A
Biggest offstage interest currently – Learning to do a backflip

“Challenging myself!!!”

First Takarazuka show
Snow Troupe’s Russian Blue/RIO DE BRAVO!!.

School clubs
I joined a crew called OH*TAKARAZUKA that did imitations of Takarazuka revues. We based the performances on Takarazuka productions, and thought up everything ourselves, from costumes to lighting and sound effects, and even did the direction and choreography.

Motivation for taking the TMS entrance exam
I’d always liked dance, so I started taking jazz dance, but then my jazz teacher recommended Takarazuka to me, and my interested shifted from dance to Takarazuka. And then I saw Sou Kazuho-san in EXCITER!! and my feelings changed to a strong yearning.

Memories from your debut
The rockette scene opened with us already on stage on the grand stairs, so behind the curtains on opening day we all held hands to amp ourselves up. I’ll never forget it!

A role that had a deep impression on you
Kusaka Genzui [main cast: Ayanagi Shou], the role I was given in the junior cast of Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate. Ayanagi-san taught me so many things–acting, of course, but also the gestures for a Japanese play and how to best show myself. The way I think about acting and take on the character changed with that role.

Senior actresses you admire
Sou Kazuho-san. Her abilities both as a person and as an otokoyaku are so great and wonderful, but also I admire the way she can seem to envelop everything with her presence and expansiveness.

Your dream as a performer
I want to polish more and more my skills as an otokoyaku, something you can’t find anywhere but Takarazuka, and also be able to put out an aura that nobody else has.