This talk between classmates Masaki Ryuu and Sagiri Seina was published in the September 2009 issue of GRAPH. I was working from the version reprinted in Sagiri’s memorial book so there is a possibility it may have been edited in some fashion.

Dual Road – Masaki Ryuu vs. Sagiri Seina 

Ryuu: Chigi (Sagiri), you were always really pretty even when you were still in the Music School. And also you spoke really strong Kyuushuu dialect (laughs).

Sagiri: That’s since I’m from Nagasaki. When I was getting notifications by phone prior to the entrance ceremony, the girl who called me was really startled (laughs). Masao (Ryuu), even though you knew that, since you wanted to be an otokoyaku, if you made it in you would have to go to a short cut, you had flowing hair down to your shoulders, didn’t you?

Ryuu: No, no. Just a sort of long short style. (laughs)

Sagiri: That can’t be called short (laughs).

Ryuu: But it wasn’t that long either. Everyone just talked it up so much that it changed in your minds (laughs).

Sagiri: And then you came in late to the pre-entrance orientation with your hair flying behind you (laughs).

Ryuu: That did happen (laughs).

Sagiri: I have the impression that we were in classes together a lot after entering the Music School.

Ryuu: But really, in our situation, didn’t we end up having more opportunities to talk after entering the Revue?

Sagiri: Yeah. In the TCA Specials and things we’d end up together. And if we noticed each other in rehearsals we’d always talk. ‘Are you working hard? Are you good?’ We’d confirm that each of us was doing okay (laughs).

Ryuu: Not only was that reassuring, but it also made us feel like we should keep working hard together. But even if we didn’t ask anything, we could tell just by looking how the other was doing.

Sagiri: Right, right. Since we’re classmates, we can sense anything like that.

Ryuu: When I was really stressed out during the rehearsals for Elisabeth, Chigi would tell me just what I needed. And that kind of thing, offering just the right words for that moment, is ever so encouraging.

Sagiri: Yeah. We do that mutually. In the rehearsal space, you’ll often say things like ‘This is no good,’ don’t you, Masao?

Ryuu: Especially during Elisabeth.

Sagiri: Of course, with such a big role. Lucheni! I was really startled when that was announced.

Ryuu: I was really startled too (laughs).

Sagiri: That time, I finally was able to go see Elisabeth, since I absolutely wanted to see Masao as Lucheni. I heard gossip that you were working really hard, but of course I wanted to see for myself, since seeing that would also give me a lot of strength.

Ryuu: But weren’t you having a hard time yourself? Since you were joining in the Snow Troupe production with the Tokyo run¹. I was so worried that I thought maybe I should phone you on the day of the Snow Troupe opening.

Sagiri: Really?

Ryuu: But, when I was worrying about it that day, my classmates in Moon Troupe told me ‘It’ll be fine. If something did happen you would definitely have heard gossip about it. And since there’s none of that she’s certainly fine’ (laughs).

Sagiri: Thank you (laughs). I got one of the Lucheni program stills from back then! (laughs). Even though we’re classmates, since we’re in different troupes it’s hard to get each other’s stills and things.

Ryuu: But I have a lot of Chigi’s stills (laughs).

Sagiri: Why!?

Ryuu: So I can study your makeup (laughs). Listen, you and Koma (Saou Kurama) have such pretty makeup. Didn’t you know?

Sagiri: No (laughs). But, Masao, aren’t you someone who’s really focused on your hair and makeup?

Ryuu: Yeah.

Sagiri: Like in The Two Noble Kinsmen, you even got extensions and things. Ever since you were in the Music school you’ve always been one to try doing things yourself that other people might not do, I think.

Ryuu: I’ve imitated your hairstyles too, Chigi (laughs). During A-REX.

Sagiri: That was my hair from the A Kiss to the Flames junior performance, right!? People were telling me ‘Are you Janet Jackson!’ because of that hair (laughs).

Ryuu: At the hairstylist’s, I saw the picture of Chigi they had up and said ‘This is it’ (laughs).

Sagiri: I heard that from the stylist (laughs). Since [they] worked really carefully on it, I think they were happy to have someone say that.

Ryuu: Chigi has good acting sense, and your dance skills are so good, and there’s nothing else I can say to describe you than that you’re beautiful. I haven’t been able to see many Cosmos Troupe shows, but for the junior performance of Sketches from the Life of Sakamoto Ryoma, I was just able to see the rehearsals. The role of Ryoma really suited you; it felt just like Chigi.

Sagiri: And if we’re talking about you, Masao, of course it’s YOUNG BLOODS!!, right? I thought, ‘I can’t beat her sparkle’. Masao is such a good rival, and such a good conversation partner, and such a reliable classmate, and I hope you’ll stay in Takarazuka forever.

Ryuu: (laughs) It’s great to have a companion who can motivate you so close by, isn’t it. I hope you’ll stay in Takarazuka forever too, Chigi (laughs).

Sagiri: (laughs). Since you play a lot of strong and bright characters, I’d like to see you play a really naive character or one with some darkness inside next time. One of those roles where they have so much darkness its unattractive but even so that still makes them cool somehow.

Ryuu: I see. I’d like to see Chigi perform in Nova Bossa Nova.

Sagiri: Huh!? Why this all of a sudden? (laughs)

Ryuu: Since I already know you can be really cool.

Sagiri: This is the first time I’ve heard you praise me so much, though (laughs).

Ryuu: Really? (laughs) I want to see you dancing up to your limit so that it makes me forget how cool you are!

1 – In 2009, Sagiri Seina and Ouki Kaname swapped troupes in the middle of the Snow Troupe performance Zorro; Sagiri took over Ouki’s role for the Tokyo run.