One of the yearly retrospective features from the December 2015 issue of Kageki, featuring Flower Troupe Top Musumeyaku Kano Maria.

Looking Back on 2015: Kano Maria

Ernest in Love was full of firsts for me, but Asumi-san and all the other senior actresses guided me kindly, and the whole performance had a warm atmosphere.

I felt like the character of Alicia in Embraced by the Seas of Calista was very charming, but as it was the first time I played the same role for a long time I was able to see my own bad habits and weak points. It was a performance where I really struggled and worried about things but in the end I learned a lot.

Takarazuka Fantasia was a very hard show, but because of that our sense of unity was strengthened and I feel like I was swept up in a great wave.

Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie-Antoinette is a show that I love and have a lot of strong feelings about, so I was able to pursue my own ideals as I played Marie Antoinette. I dug down to find the deepest facets of the character, and realised even more how wonderful the show is. During the Taiwan tour, I was worried about how the audience would see ‘the Japanese Takarazuka Revue,’ but the cheering and applause overwhelmed me. That feeling will become a wonderful memory I can never forget.

The Takarazuka Japanese Dance Recital was a learning experience for me, and the more experienced Top Musumeyaku taught me a lot.

In the show we’re performing in right now, New Tale of Genji, my role of Fujitsubo is quite difficult, but I feel it has a lot of worth for me as a performer. Melodia has a lot of grown-up and passionate scenes, so I want to display a new side of myself to the audience.

Next year I will continue performing in happy musicals with Ernest in Love and Me and My Girl. I hope it will be a fun year for the audience as well.