This interview was published in the June 2017 edition of With Takarazuka. The original article was written by Natori Chisato and can be found here. (Archive link here.)

Fairy Interview: Snow Troupe’s Towaki Sea

The 103rd class debut performance, a 2 part production consisting of a musical comedy based on the 1957 film Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate and a revue show themed around the initial S, Dramatic “S”! plays [in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre] until May 29th.

Towaki Sea has fairy-ike good looks and a dignified air. She is savoring the happiness of learning directly from Top Star Sagiri Seina in her retirement performance as she takes on the challenge of her fourth junior lead.

Her fourth shinjin kouen lead – breaking out of her shell and taking on the challenge of a heart-warming comedy

Towaki Sea dances as if she is speaking with her whole body. The dance movements and the intervals between them speak volumes. She is a member of the 97th class; she debuted in April 2011 and is now ken-7. She is currently appearing in the retirement show of Top Star Sagiri Seina and Top Musumeyaku Sakihi Miyu, the musical comedy Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate and ‘Show Spirit’ Dramatic “S”!.

“It’s impossible to measure how much Sagiri Seina-san has taught me, so I’m very sad she is retiring. Therefore I want to value the happiness of learning from her directly up to the last moment.”

In the junior performance of Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate – a replica performance in which only actreses ken-7 and under appear – Towaki Sea is challenged with her fourth lead role, following Lupin III: Chase the Queen’s Necklace in January 2015, Rurouni Kenshin in February 2016, and Caleb Hunt in October of the same year. “This is my fifth time being allowed to play Sagiri Seina-san’s role, starting with Okumura Suke-emon in the junior performance of Maeda Keiji: A Dreamer and a Hermit. For the junior performance of Lupin III, I feel like I made it through on energy. However, the role of live-in worker Saheiji in Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate is based on traditional rakugo blended with heart-warming comedy, so obviously it requires a good comedic sense, but also deep acting skill. I think I have to enter into the performance with enough momentum to break out of my shell, or I won’t be able to do the part justice. Also, since in this show I’m one of the most experienced performers, so I think I have the responsibility of creating an environment where the junior actresses can show off to the full extent of their ability. Since this is something the senior actresses have done for me until now, from now on I have to focus on not just working hard at my own role, but also understanding the whole work better than anyone else and making plans to draw out the best aspects of the junior actresses. I am prepared for the heavy responsibility of seeing how well I can manage together with my two classmates still in Snow Troupe.”

In February 2017, Towaki Sea was one of the central members of the Takarazuka Bow Hall performance New Wave! -Snow-. “I realized then that I still had some passive personality traits remaining. If I don’t put in the effort to present what I’m feeling, it will never reach the audience. From now on, I’m going to use those vital experiences in my future stage work.”

The first of those future stage works is Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate/Dramatic “S”! Her surging energy makes it impossible to look away from her striking performance.

Towaki Sea’s first encounter with Takarazuka was a DVD she borrowed from a friend. Her first time seeing a show at the theatre was Me and My Girl and she was overwhelmed by the glitter of live theatre. “While I love ballet and kept studying it, it was as if some sleeping ability had been awakened in me and this new love of acting kept rising up. I’m totally into acting now. No matter how long we spend talking about the technicalities i’m always ready for more.”

What is Towaki Sea’s goal for her otokoyaku image? “While I think it’s necessary that I have a goal in mind for the otokoyaku image I’m trying to create, the truth is I don’t have a satisfactory answer there. The Takarazuka otokoyaku is a unique creature that one can perform specifically due to being female. I like the kind of smart, stylish otokoyaku who’s suited to black tuxedos, so that’s the ideal I want to make. Only a woman can perform with that kind of delicate, pure sexiness pervading all the way to the fingertips. While I do consider how men move, my real otokoyaku foundation is senior actresses. I think it’s a matter of learning from your elders and their many years of experience, and creating an original otokoyaku on that foundation.”

Towaki Sea’s excellent internal balance is another of her appealing aspects. She says that if she is giving her best in rehearsal, it helps her create good relationships with other people. “My rival is myself. I’m never thinking about how I can beat anyone else, only about how I can overcome my current self.”

Towaki Sea becomes a luminous body to send off her colorful message; I want to have the experience of sharing a moment like that with her live in the theatre.¹

1 – This phrasing is odd in Japanese as well so make what you will of it.