Sparkling TIME is a long-running photo/talk feature from Kageki. An and Shou’s was published in the September 2016 issue. They are classmates from the 92nd class; at the time, Houzuki was in Flower Troupe and Ayanagi in Snow Troupe.
Sparkling Time, Houzuki An (Flower Troupe)/Ayanagi Shou (Snow Troupe)
Ayanagi: You know, I was a big fan of Chinatsu (Houzuki) ever since we were in the Takarazuka Music School (laughs).
Houzuki: No way, no way, what are you talking about? (laughs)
Ayanagi: Don’t you remember what I’ve been saying this whole time!?
Houzuki: Hmmm~ I remember you told me something (laughs). But it wasn’t that.
Ayanagi: Come on! You’re so slender, and your limbs are so long, I was like, what are you, a crane?
Houzuki: Ahaha! (laughs)
Ayanagi: I felt like that was the first time I had ever seen such a stylish person.
Houzuki: The first time I met you, Ayaka-chan (Ayanagi) already had (points at Ayanagi) that kind of aesthetic, so I thought you were really amazing.
Ayanagi: Huh? What’s this? (laughs)
Houzuki: But like, usually, people have to get past their baby stage, right? (laughs) But in Ayaka-chan’s case, even the first moment I laid eyes on you you were already so pretty.
Ayanagi: No, no, no (laughs). In our class, the two of us were the youngest, so we were still really childish, weren’t we.
Houzuki: For sure. But especially me, I kept feeling like ‘am I gonna be okay?’ (laughs). I’m so startled at Ayaka-chan’s beauty when I look at photos from back then.
Ayanagi: No, no! That’s not true at all (laughs).
Houzuki: And then for this I was able to do a photoshoot together with the beautiful Ayaka-chan.
Ayanagi: Haha (laughs). This is the first time the two of us have been in a photoshoot together. We’ve done some things together, like when a bunch of people appeared for the New Years’ program on Sky Stage, right?
Houzuki: Yeah. There was that. That was the one where my gaze was too strong in one feature and I got scolded (laughs).
Ayanagi: Right, right (laughs). But since it’s only been that, when I heard about the photoshoot I was really happy, and the real deal was very fun too.
Houzuki: Same here!
Ayanagi: We both wore animal print (laughs)
Houzuki: It ended up being pretty ‘wild style’ (laughs)
Ayanagi: We don’t normally have many opportunities to talk in-depth, since we’re in different troupes.
Houzuki: Yeah. But even if we’re out of touch for a while, if we run into each other we can converse easily; I think that’s probably because we’re classmates.
Ayanagi: That’s true. …The two of us are both a little too laid-back, aren’t we? (laughs)
Houzuki: I get people telling me that all the time (laughs). But you’re not laid-back at all, Ayaka-chan. You’re just a naturally calm person.
Ayanagi: Really? That’s the first time I’ve heard that (laughs).
Houzuki: Well, this is coming from me, though (laughs).
Ayanagi: Got it (laughs). I think we probably both just like going with the flow.
Houzuki: That’s it. I like going along with other people.
Ayanagi: I’m very flexible, like ‘Whatever is fine~’. But sometimes I struggle with making decisions when I actually have to (laughs).
Houzuki: Right, right (laughs).
Ayanagi: But Chinatsu is really so amiable, I’ve never really seen you get angry ever, even in TMS.
Houzuki: Hm, that’s true I guess. But also for Ayaka-chan, my impression of you even in TMS was that you were very mature and while you were quiet you had a lot going on internally. Huh? Hey, did we ever have any classes together?
Ayanagi: Uh, music or something? No, maybe not.
Houzuki: I don’t know. I don’t really have any memories of my time in TMS (laughs).
Ayanagi: Me either!
Houzuki: I guess that just happens to some people.
Ayanagi: But I have a ton of photos I took together with Chinatsu. I even have one of us making strawberry jam together during a field trip.
Houzuki: Right, we did that! I have a photo of that too (laughs).
Ayanagi: Right? There’s a bunch of others…I really have a lot with you. I must have been going after you all the time like ‘Take a photo with me~!’ (laughs)
Houzuki: Haha (laughs). But I was really shy, so at the time I don’t think I was able to converse with people very well.
Ayanagi: Yeah, same here. I’ve only become able to talk with people so easily since entering the company.
Houzuki: The two of us have trained in a lot of things (laughs).
Ayanagi: We’ve really grown up, haven’t we (laughs).
Houzuki: Recently, I was able to go and see the Snow Troupe show Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate/DRAMATIC “S”!.
Ayanagi: Oh, you came to see the show, Chinatsu?
Houzuki: Yeah! I thought ‘Ayaka-chan really has such a splendid aura.’ Just coming on stage you can feel in the audience ‘she’s so awesome, she’s so cool~’, which is a big thing already, but you’re not even doing it on purpose… I especially love seeing Ayaka-chan perform in revues.
Ayanagi: Really?
Houzuki: It’s really exhilarating. It makes me feel ‘I’m really watching Takarazuka!’
Ayanagi: Really…thank you! Though it’s a little embarrassing when I have to yell and such (laughs). How long has it been since you transferred from Moon Troupe to Flower Troupe, Chinatsu?
Houzuki: Uh…three years, maybe?
Ayanagi: You know, when I see Chinatsu’s performances, it makes me think that, not to mention your transfer, you’ve had many different experiences in the process of becoming a senior actress, and I can feel your determination of ‘this is the sort of otokoyaku I want to be’. Chinatsu’s otokoyaku ideal…for one thing, I think it’s really amazing that you had such a firm vision.
Houzuki: Ahhh…thank you so much. Yeah, you do shout a lot (laughs). Ayaka-chan, is there any role you’ve thought you would really like to do?
Ayanagi: Well, there are a lot, but…
Houzuki: Snow Troupe does a lot of traditional-style shows, so I picture Ayaka-chan as wearing hakama all the time.
Ayanagi: Really? Once I ended up being the ‘hakama specialist’ for a year (laughs)1. Oh! Sometime, in a traditional-style show, I’d like to play a youthful kabuki actor.
Houzuki: Wearing just a kimono… ahhh, you’d be so pretty!
Ayanagi: What about you, Chinatsu?
Houzuki: Hm? I wonder what…and here I was asking you (laughs).
Ayanagi: What about a really villainous character. Someone totally black-hearted, how would that be?
Houzuki: Yeah, that I’d like to try. I’d like to try some really in-depth acting in a small theatre, and for that I might like to play a totally irredeemable villain.
Ayanagi: A complete break from what you’ve done so far.
Houzuki: Yeah.
Ayanagi: We’ve ended up becoming rather senior in our troupes, haven’t we?
Houzuki: You’re right.
Ayanagi: In this situation, it’s not just important to be secure as your own otokoyaku, but I’m also really conscious of what I’m doing to support my troupe. Therefore, in order to help with that, I have especially now been thinking of how important it is to be as complete a character as possible in the story of each production.
Houzuki: Right, I get that. As you progress towards being a senior actress, there’s a sense that both your good and bad traits are becoming more fixed, so you’re always trying to be aware of anything you can do to be the most appealing… But unlike when I was a junior actress, when I was so desperately focused on trying to improve myself, now that I am a senior actress I can pay more attention to what is going on around me, and as I calm down a bit I’m hoping I can continue to see changes within myself.
Ayanagi: Right. By the way, I just now thought of this, but Chinatsu is such a good listener.
Houzuki: Huh? So sudden (laughs)
Ayanagi: (laughs)
1 – Probably she means 2015, when she had 3 characters in succession who wore hakama (in Lupin III, Man of Starlight, and One Night of Stars)