This article about Ryuu Masaki’s retirement announcement was published by Daily Sports Online on January 3, 2016. (The article title may seem not to entirely fit the content, as it references a section of the interview that was not quoted in the article.)

Ryuu Masaki: “Set free” by retirement announcement

Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe Top Star Ryuu Masaki, who will be retiring on September 4th of this year at the Tokyo Grand Theatre, agreed to an interview at the Tokyo opening of the Moon Troupe performance “Manon” which concludes performances on February 14th.

It is her first Tokyo performance since announcing her intent to retire on December 15th of last year. At the last performance of “Manon” in Takarazuka, all her colleagues who she had already informed of her retirement “embraced me without a word. It hurt so much it was hard to breathe, but I felt like I had been set free,” she said with a refreshed expression.

After the announcement, “the way the other members of the troupe look at me is even warmer than before. I’m really happy,” she said with gratitude. Regarding the performance, she said firmly “I want to go back to and strengthen my original resolution to give it my all each day.”