In the continuation of this feature, Maa-sama answers questions from GRAPH readers as well as questions inspired by her upcoming show (at the time), A-Motion. (Part 1 here.)

Questions from readers

Maa-sama, what is your favorite food from Kyuushu? Mine is tonkotsu ramen! (Umeko)
I like ramen too! Everything’s tasty in Kyuushu, isn’t it. Now that I’m an adult, I’ve really started to love ‘sesame mackerel’; it’s mackerel served in a sesame sauce. It’s super delicious!

Please let us know if there’s anything where you think ‘I’ve just got to have this’ when spending time at home. (1+1=Synergy)
I record dramas to watch later. Right now I’m watching Quartet¹! It has Mitsushima Hikari-chan and Matsu Takako-chan, and the whole cast is really good at acting. I also like how the script feels like it’s not just following one plotline.

Starting in April I’ll be going to a music conservatory, but I wanted to ask: do you have set songs you listen to, like ‘in this situation it’s this song’? (Wata)
Wo~w! A conservatory, that’s so cool!! It’s like the world of Nodame²!! I’m jealous~ So…what was the question!? (laughs) Music I listen to a lot, right? Right now for Kitashirakawa Ukyou in Chateau de la Reine I listen to a lot of songs with a good beat to get my energy up. Before the curtain rises I’ll listen to ’24K Magic’ by Bruno Mars and dance along (laughs). But not just before the show, I’ll listen to it all the time while driving along in my car.

You’ve had dance scenes with Makaze-san in previous performances, but if Makaze-san was a musumeyaku, what sort of situation would you like to dance with her in? (Mame Daifuku)
(bursts out laughing) I can’t even… (laughs) In the first place, wouldn’t it make more sense to picture me as the lady? (laughs) But it’s for the sake of the question, I guess. What do I do… Makaze-san would be a barefoot woman…she has really good style, so she might look really pretty in a long flowing dress or something. And then we’d come down the Grand Stairs…no, that would be dangerous in bare feet, wouldn’t it. In that case, the lake scene  from Red Hot Sea³!! Makaze and I barefoot on the beach, splashing water at each other and frolicking around. ‘Splash!’ ‘Splash!’ ‘Ah, that’s cold!’ ‘Haha, got you~ <3’, and all that (laughs)

When I’m watching Takarazuka Sky Stage, seeing you talking and getting along with everyone has a big impresison on me. What is the communication secret behind how you can get away with being such a joker with everyone? (I Love Otters)
Basically, I like to enjoy myself, so if I’m going to do something, I think I might as well have fun while I’m at it. If I’m working on something with other people it’s no time to be shy. So I take it as a compliment when people call me a ‘good-time guy’. Even Coach Hara, head coach of Aoyama Gakuin University’s track and field club⁴, said ‘being called a joker is the highest possible praise’! (laughs). I feel like whatever you’re doing, it’ll work better if you can be at ease and have fun with it.

Maa-sama, tell us what your top 3 favorite sweets are. (I’m putting on my eggs⁵)
#1 is shortcake, #2 is cream puffs, and #3 is pudding…I think. For creampuffs, I like the ones with double custard and whipped-cream filling the best. I’m not really picky about food, so I’ll like it whether it’s really high quality or just what they sell at the convenience store (laughs).

Questions inspired by the Umeda Arts Theatre show, Asaka Manato Amazing Stage ‘A [Ace]-Motion’

What makes Asaka Manato think ‘this is ace-level!’?
My ‘ace’ right now (laughs) is my MacBook Air! When the computer I’d been using until recently broke I bought a Mac. Since I already use an iPhone, if I sync them up with the WiFi it’ll import all my music, photos, and memos, so I was blown away by how convenient it is! I used to have to put all the backing track CDs they give me for rehearsal into iTunes, but now I don’t need to any more. It’s so thin and light, totally ace! …even though I don’t use it for much more than music, photos, and memos (laughs).

A=the beginning of everything. Is there something you think you’d like to start?
Sometime, and I really mean sometime far off here, I’d like to try playing the cello! That’s all due to the effect of Quartet (laughs). I’ve had experience with wind instruments and piano before, but I’ve never played a string instrument. Cello appeals to be more than violin or viola. The tone is so wonderful.

What’s something you’ve thought was ‘amazing!’ lately?
When I’m playing Ukyou-chan and I think ‘how about if I do the delivery and timing of the lines like this’ and then it totally makes a hit with the audience I’m like ‘Amazing!’ (laughs) I change it up by the day, so when I think ‘for today’s audience maybe this timing would work’, and then my hunch pays off, it’s like ‘Gosh! Am I a genius!?’ that’s how amazing that feeling is. I’m like ‘I did it, I did it!’ (laughs)

Tell us what your ‘motions’ are from getting up to going to bed.
That’s behing a veil of secrecy (laughs)… It’s really ordinary. I get up, take a back, and drink coffee while watching TV. I eat my meals at the theatre. Even in the morning I’ll stay in the hot back for 30 minutes. Once I get home, I’m already in ‘off mode’ after the show, so I’ll dawdle around, do my laundry, straighten up a bit, and head to bed (laughs)

How do you feel about your first concert?
I love how enthusiastic Director Saitou is, so I’m looking forward to see what kind of scenes he’ll write for us. And since it’s Cosmos Troupe’s first concert in a while, I’d love it if everyone could have fun and show off their charms, and get the audience excited!

Finally, put your feelings for the new show into words using the initials ‘A’ and ’M’. [T/N: I promise this worked in Japanese but there’s no way to keep the meaning and the letters]
Wha~t? (laughs) ‘Asaka seriously going for it!’ Huh? It’s A-M-Y that way? Then, ‘Asaka, seriously going for it!’ …the trouble was how I said it?! (laughs)

1 – A TBS drama from early 2017 that won many awards.

2 – Nodame Cantabile, a manga set in a music school that has also been adapted into a live-action drama, anime, and films.

3 – A Flower Troupe revue Asaka appeared in in 2008.

4 – Apparently he’s a well known/inspirational coach.

5 – Letter writer’s original English spelling.