This feature from the March 2017 Kageki is a discussion of the then-upcoming show MY HERO, starring Serika Toa. It took place very early in the production of the show, before rehearsals started.
MY HERO director roundtable talk
Participants: Saitou Yoshimasa (director), Serika Toa, Houzuki An, Asazuki Kiwa, Oto Kurisu
Saitou: I feel a lot of happiness and also pressure in being assigned Serika-kun’s second lead show and her first lead appearance in Tokyo. Currently, Serika’s appeal is really blossoming, so I created this show in hopes of bringing her into full bloom, as it were, and showing everyone a Serika they’ve never envisioned before. As shown in the poster, her character in this show is really over the top (laughs).
Serika: So over-the top (laughs).
Saitou: It’s a show styled after a comic book, with a strong comedic element, so while the plot is very simple and easy to follow, it contains themes of friendship, love, unwavering courage, and I also wanted all four characters to grow as people over the course of the story. The character Serika-kun plays, Noah Taylor, is a top-ranking young actor. His father was a suit actor, like those who perform the action scenes in Masked Rider. Noah bears a lot of resentment towards his father, and after deciding ‘I don’t want to be an actor like my father who never showed his face,’ he became a big-time star. Personality-wise, he’s an impudent, conceited star.
Serika: (laughs)
Saitou: Supporting Noah is Terry Bennet, a stunt actor played by Chinatsu (Houzuki). Therefore, Chinatsu will also be in a mask.
Serika: Hahaha (laughs)
Houzuki: What are you laughing at (laughs)
Serika: I’m looking forward to it.
Saitou: You said it was like a high when you put the mask on, didn’t you.
Serika: It really raises the excitement level. Like ‘I’m becoming a hero!’
Saitou: In the poster photoshoot, as soon as you put the mask on you could get the poses instantly!
Houzuki: It’s not like I’m really into Power Rangers type stuff, but when I saw Kiki (Serika) in that costume I was like ‘That’s so cool!!!’ I think it’ll get the audience really excited too.
Saitou: The two of them were at college together, but Noah ended up in the spotlight, while Terry was pushed into the background…they quarrel with each other intensely. But after Noah causes a scandal, he loses his film contract. While he is under orders not to cause any more trouble, he meets Hirame-chan (Asazuki), who plays Chloe Spencer, a struggling gravure idol who was formerly the 901st ranked pro tennis player in the United States.
Houzuki, Serika, Asazuki, Oto: (laughs)
Asazuki: This show Director Saitou wrote has so many characters full of individuality, and when all those characters comes together it creates great synergy – I think it’ll be a really fun show and I’m really looking forward to it.
Serika: When Kiwa-chan (Asazuki) was reading the script she was like ‘Wah~’ ‘So that’s it!’ and acting it out, so that was a lot of fun.
Asazuki: Oh, stop it~
Saitou: Chloe is under an immense amount of debt. The tw of them meet at the worst dip in their fortunes, and while Chloe becomes Noah’s manager and tries to be buddies with him, she only finds him really strange jobs. (laughs)
Houzuki: That’ll be fun (laughs). I wonder what it’ll be like… (laughs)
Saitou: That culminates with the Mask*J Hero Show. There, Noah meets Oto-kun’s character Myra, a volunteer at an old people’s home. While due to an incident when she was 4 years old she lives in a wheelchair, she’s high-spirited and puts her full effort into everything. Ah, the 4-year-old Myra will also be played by Oto-kun, if you don’t mind.
Houzuki, Serika: You’ll do great~ (laughs)
Saitou: Look, your seniors have given it their seal of approval.
Oto: S-sure. (laughs)
Saitou: As Noah begins communicating with Myra, he gains courage from her, and also discovers unknown things about his father’s past.
Oto: Since I’m supposed to be giving [Serika’s character] courage, I’m going to learn as much as I can from the senior actresses and give it my all.
Saitou: An then, as Noah is falling, Terry rises to stardom and becomes more and more popular. He is sponsored by ‘Smile Company’.
Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: ‘Smile Company’!?
Saitou: They have plans of their own which become clear later. The goal of this show is through the bonds of father and son, and personal clashes that develop into mutual understanding and friendship, to give the audience energy and encouragement.
Serika: I haven’t had the chance to appear in one of Director Saitou’s shows since El Halcon: The Falcon, and when I first read the plot synopsis I thought ‘What? I can’t show my face?’ (laughs) But after hearing the story, I think it has a lot of fun and exciting elements to it. I’m kind of worried about whether the rehearsals starting soon will be enough (laughs).
Saitou: We’re going to be doing filming, too. The idea is to screen a ‘trailer’ for Mask*J The MOVIE before the curtain rises.
Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: Oh~! That’s so fun!
Saitou: While Noah is egotistical, he’s not completely hateful. He doesn’t consider the effects of his words or actions, and subjects Terry to a lot of verbal abuse.
Serika: (to Houzuki) Sorry about that…
Houzuki: (laughs)
Serika: Since I’ve had a string of ‘nice guy’ roles for ages, I’m pretty happy about this. And since it’s an ‘Action Stage’ then of course there has to be…
Saitou: There will be plenty of action.
Serika: I’m still a bit worried about the action scenes, but I’m looking forward to it.
Houzuki: Even though Kiki keeps being cast as heroes on the side of good, she has a ton of imagination and so does Director Saitou, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of Kiki will appear in the show he’s created for her.
Serika: Thank you. But I’m not a hero of justice at all in the dressing room makeup area. I do nothing but meddle (laughs)
Houzuki: For sure (laughs)
Serika: In Me and My Girl, I was in a male-female couple with Chinatsu as Gerald and Jackie, but in terms of acting together as male characters…
Houzuki: We haven’t done that before so I can’t help looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Saitou: I thought that as well, so I decided to make the two of them completely opposite character types and make them confront each other. The two musumeyaku roles are also very different; it’s nice to show a lot of contrast, I think. To finish up, why don’t we all say what we’re excited for in this show, starting with Oto-kun.
Oto: I’m nervous since this is my first time appearing in one of Director Saitou’s plays, but I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope this wonderful show will raise the spirits of everyone in the audience.
Saitou: I’m hoping you will dive in fearlessly. While you’ll have your movement ability limited by being in a wheelchair, you’ll be able to dance popularly in the finale.
Serika: Ah! There’s going to be a finale with it! Hurray!
Saitou: It’s a Takarazuka Hero Show (laughs)
Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: (laughs)
Saitou: Then, Hirame-chan…
Asazuki: I got really excited hearing about the story, so I’m certain the audience will be really excited too. I want to make sure I do my part thoroughly even though I’m in the midst of so many different characters. I hope it will be a wonderful, fun production.
Saitou: Some of Hirame-chan’s scenes will be central to setting the tone of the show, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ll do with them in performance. What about you, Chinatsu?
Houzuki: I think there are a lot of things about this show that will make people think ‘I want to watch that!’ so I want to work hard at making Director Saitou’s show the best it can be, as well as enjoying myself.
Saitou: I’m hoping you will be a hero who is an opposite foil to Kiki-chan’s character. Finally, Kiki-chan, go ahead.
Serika: Of course for Takarazuka, entertainment is the main point, but I think it’s best when a show isn’t just fun but also conveys some kind of message to the audience. I’ll do my best!
Saitou: I’m hoping this show will be great for Kiki-chan’s growth. I ended up writing that in my New Year’s statement for Kageki this year…
Serika: I read that (laughs)
Houzuki: She was like ‘He’s advertising MY HERO!’ (laughs)
Saitou: It’s true. I hope people will enjoy the passionate drama and coming-of-age story surrounding all the heroes and heroines, starting with your four characters.