This talk session with the brand-new Top Combi and nibante of Cosmos Troupe was published in the March 1998 issue of Kageki. At the time the talk was recorded, Cosmos Troupe had yet to stage a full performance; they were just about to leave for their inaugural Hong Kong tour, Mugen Houjushou/This is TAKARAZUKA!. It was published after they had returned.
Cosmos Troupe Top Trio Talk – Soaring into the heavens!
Participants: Shizuki Asato, Wao Youka, Hanafusa Mari
Wao: Ever since you were in Moon Troupe, I would go and see Zunko-san’s shows as often as I could make time for it. ‘She’s so big’ I’d think. I thought ‘I want to look that big to people one day.’ (laughs)
Shizuki: The Snow Troupe show I have the most distinct impression of is Elisabeth. When I ran into Flower-chan (Hanafusa) in the theatre I thought ‘Ah! It’s Elisabeth <3’ and started talking with you.
Hanafusa: That was the first time you spoke to me, I think.
Shizuki: But the first time the three of us really started talking and hanging out was in May, when we all went to Hong Kong for work1. That was when I discovered Takako (Wao) isn’t a morning person.
Wao: Zunko-san really is super perky even in the mornings. The poster photoshoot was early in the morning, and while I arrived at the studio still half-asleep, Zunko turned up full of energy and was like ‘GOOD MORNING!!’
Hanafusa: It was certainly surprising. In the rehearsals before Taiwan, I recieved a lot of wake-up phone calls for Zunko-san.
Shizuki: Speaking of that May trip, you know…
Wao: Shockingly, due to Zunko-san and I oversleeping, we missed one of our appointments…
Hanafusa: I went and knocked on Zunko-san’s door at the meeting time, but she was still sleeping. ‘No way!’ I thought, but then so was Takako! (laughs)
Shizuki: I remember you had gone totally pale.
Wao: Even so, I felt a ton of LOVE <3 for Zunko-san at that time (laughs). I was like ‘Even Zunko-san can oversleep sometimes too…I’m so happy~’
Shizuki: We felt so bad so we went and apologized really abjectly, but the board member who had accompanied us just said ‘you’re making such a big deal of it’ and laughed.
Wao: We were really so remorseful.
Shizuki: At that time, Takako had to return to Japan alone ahead of the rest of us, so Flower-chan and I sent her a fax message. We got a reply back right away, which startled us!
Hanafusa: That was so much fun~
Wao: It was a time when I had to get my script down perfectly, so I was really on edge and that made me feel so much better.
Hanafusa: After that, Zunko-san had a show in the Grand Theatre, and us two were performing in Tokyo, so we started corresponding.
Shizuki: The letters from you two were such a boost.
Wao: I feel like we gradually became much closer through that.
Shizuki: The first show I saw of yours after getting to know you properly, Ghost at Midnight, was especially fun because of that. ‘Wow~ Such fun people, but they’re acting so earnestly~,’ I thought.
Wao: Meanwhile we were like ‘Wow, ~that~ Zunko really can put on a wonderful show somehow~’
Shizuki: What the heck, you guys (laughs)
Wao: But I think being silly in normal life can actually be beneficial to stage performing.
Shizuki: Yeah.
Wao, Hanafusa: (laughs)
Shizuki: Having through about it, putting together a new troupe is really an unbelievable amount of responsibility. But when I think about being with such cheerful, nice people, I feel like I’ll be able to do my best.
Hanafusa: Me too. If I was thinking about just me, it would be so much stress, but then I’m like, Zunko-san is there, Takako-san is there…
Wao: With us around you won’t get a chance to feel stressed!
Shizuki, Hanafusa: (laughs)
Shizuki: It really gives me a lot of courage somehow. Even though I’d been stressed, once the rehearsals for the Taiwan tour started I was like ‘I can really live with these people~’ and it changed to a really safe feeling.
Wao: The rehearsals for the Taiwan performance were really fun.
Shizuki: While we had worked together before, we’d never had any rehearsals together, right? It was the first time I saw you two behave seriously.
Wao: As for Zunko-san, I just couldn’t get over the difference between your normal attitude and your rehearsal attitude (laughs)
Shizuki: I’m honestly kind of embarrassed to have people watch me being so dedicated.
Hanafusa: Zunko-san is the type to crack and start laughing really easily.
Shizuki: At the beginning I would blush all the way through the duet dances.
Wao: Seeing Zunko-san and Hana (Hanafusa) as a couple was too funny (laughs)
Shizuki: So it does look that way… (laughs) Once in a while we’d just start laughing during the dance. It was so fun~
Wao: I was singing while looking at you, and you were really lovely~
Shizuki: A smile that wells up from inside you is a really precious thing, I think.
Wao: You’re such a magnanimous couple.
Shizuki: She’s always helping me out so much. In the dress rehearsal, when it seemed I might fall down the Grand Stairs, she grabbed me and held me up. She’s so trustworthy~
Hanafusa: In return for that, I do fling myself at you in the tango scene, though.
Shizuki: Go ahead, as often as you like. It’s a trial of strength between us.
Hanafusa: Thank you (laughs)
Shizuki: While we’ve been desperately trying to deal with all this new stuff, I feel like in a time like this, rather than settling on a goal to work towards, we’ll get something more significant out of it if we just let it all happen naturally.
Wao: I think you’re right. After all, not having a specific style is ‘Cosmos Troupe style’.
Shizuki: Right, right. I think it would be best if we let what everyone has to offer come together of its own accord. Of course I feel responsibility as the leader of a brand new troupe, but if I think about it, I don’t have any strange feeling about being Top – I feel like I ended up here today naturally. Therefore I’ve decided not to hide my weak points, but acknowledge that the things I can’t do, I can’t do, and learn from everyone else in those areas.
Wao: Zunko-san has always been a spontaneous type.
Shizuki: It’s easy to declare ‘I’ll do my best’, but I want to go in without having to say that so seriously. The more of a drag rehearsals were, the more we laughed about it afterwards, right? I think that’s because there’s such a good atmosphere in the rehearsal room, and because everyone is heading towards the same goal we are experiencing the same feelings. Therefore, I think being able to laugh about it so much right now is a sign of how hard we’re working.
Wao: We’re a troupe full of laughter, aren’t we.
Shizuki: I often get asked in interviews ‘what kind of shows do you want to do?’ but there too, it’s not that I’m desiring anything in particular, but I am looking forward to whatever I might encounter, I think.
Wao: That’s right. It’s more fun to look forward to things and think ‘I wonder what show I’ll be able to do next!’
Shizuki: While of course it’s good if you can be like ‘I’m this sort of performer, so I’d like to play these sorts of roles,’ and keep that in mind, but I don’t really understand what kind of style I have… In the 11 years before I got here, my way of thinking about it was to take the roles given to me and try to immerse myself in them.
Wao: Thinking about it as an observer, your style in a suit for FAKE LOVE was simply wonderful, so I think I’d like to see that once again. Also, I haven’t seen you in period noble costumes much, so that would be nice to see.
Shizuki: I’ve not done much with themes of manly friendship and such, so that might be fun. Flower-chan, you going from young Elisabeth to grown-up Elisabeth left quite an impression, but I’d like to see you play a more high-spirited, energetic young girl or something…but you’d also be lovely in sexy adult roles. Everything looks good on you, so I want you to wear all sorts of costumes.
Hanafusa: And Zunko-san will wear those costumes as well, right?
Shizuki: Sure. I’ll put them on in the wings, so make sure you get photos (laughs). Takako and Flower-chan were together in Snow Troupe, so do you know each other well?
Hanafusa: We’ve been paired up in shows, so…
Wao: Hana is a really fun person. But recently, I feel like she’s gradually been becoming even more fun. I don’t know when that started or how, though.
Hanafusa: Who are you talking about?
Wao: I’m talking about you!
Shizuki: (laughs)
Wao: Well, Hana’s like that, but the three of us space out a lot, don’t we.
Shizuki: We’re all O-types together.
Hanafusa: Zunko-san, aren’t you a Pisces?
Shizuki: Yeah.
Hanafusa: An O-type Pisces makes you the same as me!
Shizuki: ……? You’re an O-type Pisces too?
Wao: Didn’t you already get really excited to discover that while we were in Hong Kong!?
Hanafusa: Gosh, it’s like you don’t listen to a word I say!
Wao: See, readers, we really don’t get on at all!
Shizuki, Hanafusa: (laughs)
1 – This seems to be a promotional trip before the tour.