Every year, the Top Star of the show in which the new class of Takarasiennes debuts will hold a roundtable talk with the 5 students who graduated with the highest grades. In 2018, the 104th class debuted during the Star Troupe production Another World/KILLER ROUGE, and Kurenai Yuzuru hosted the talk which was published in the June 2018 issue of Kageki.

(Please note that 2 of the students in the talk have very similar last names, Mashiro/Mahiro, so keep that in mind while reading)

Some outtakes from the back of the magazine are also included.

Debut Roundtable Talk: 104th Class – Let’s bloom as diversely colorful flowers!

Participants: Kurenai Yuzuru (Star Troupe), Aone Towa, Mashiro Yuuki, Mahiro Ren, Chihaya Mao, Kiyora Haryuu (Debuting Students)

Kurenai: Alright, let’s start with introductions from all of you. First is…

Aone: Yes! I’m Aone Towa.

Kurenai: (looking through Takarazuka Otome¹) Your nickname is ‘Aone’-san, right. Is there any specialty you have? You’re top of the class so you must be able to do everything (laughs).

Aone: No…I like singing and dancing.

Kurenai: I see. Which one do you like best between them?

Aone: I like dance best.

Kurenai: I see. Alright, next person, go ahead.

Mashiro: Yes, I’m Mashiro Yuuki.

Kurenai: (looking through Takarazuka Otome) Your nickname is ‘Piikoro’. That’s so cute! What is your specialty?

Mashiro: It’s acting. I loved the role I was given in the Takarazuka Music School acting recital, so I decided I wanted to get better at it.

Mahiro: I’m Mahiro Ren.

Kurenai: Your nickname is ‘Rooren’, that’s funny. What’s the reason?

Mahiro: It’s from MahiRO REN…

Kurenai: So that’s where it came from (laughs). According to Otome, your specialty is piano?

Mahiro: Yes.

Kurenai: Got it. Next is Chihaya-san.

Chihaya: I’m Chihaya Mao. My nickname is ‘Youko’.

Kurenai: (looking through Takarazuka Otome) You like classical ballet?

Chihaya: Yes.

Kurenai: Yes, your face certainly says you like it (laughs). So, Kiyora Haryuu-san, go ahead.

Kiyora: Yes, I’m Kiyora Haryuu. I like singing and acting.

Kurenai:  ‘Ryuu’… That’s quite a name, isn’t it. Why did you choose that stage name?

Kiyora: It’s from my real name.

Kurenai: I see! (looking through Takarazuka Otome) Your nickname is ‘Ohane’. Next, I’d like to ask what each of your motivations was for taking the entrance exam.

Aone: The first Takarazuka show I saw was the debut of the 96th class², and afterwards I saw An Officer And a Gentleman and I thought Yuzuki (Reon)-san was just amazing…

Kurenai: So then you thought you would try out?

Aone: Yes. I continued studying ballet, and I kept thinking ‘there really is a world like that’, and I decided to take the exam when I was in my second year of middle school.

Mashiro: When I was in elementary school, my mother took me to see Sena Jun-san in Elisabeth, and the moment I saw the program I was shocked and couldn’t think about anything else.

Kurenai: She was really cool. So you decided because of that?

Mashiro: Yes.

Mahiro: My mother would watch the Takarazuka Revue on television a lot, and when I was in elementary school she said we should go to see a show together, but at first I didn’t want to… But after we watched the performance, I was so impacted by it that I couldn’t even eat.

Kurenai: What show did you see?

Mahiro: It was The Legend of the Great King and the Four Gods, starring Matobu Sei-san.

Chihaya: When I was in elementary school, I saw AQUA 5³ on TV, and I thought they were really cool, and afterwards I watched a Takarazuka Revue show on TV and thought ‘so this is where AQUA 5 is originally from…’

Kurenai: Originally (laughs).

Chihara: My first time seeing a performance in the theatre was Mizu Natsuki-san’s retirement show⁴, and since I had always liked dance I longed to be able to dance so much.

Kiyora: My father would watch Takarazuka on the TV once in a while, and I came to like it, so when someone recommended that I try out, I started to learn more about Takarazuka and really got into it.

Kurenai: A lot of the time we hear that pattern of ‘So my mother…’ but for someone to get in to it through their father is unique. Did anything happen that caused you to get into Takarazuka?

Kiyora: It’s not that I saw a particular show, but as I began to research Takarazuka on my own I came to like it.

Kurenai: I see. So, how was it to be onstage for the first time?

Aone: When I watched a line dance from the audience I just thought it looked amazing, but wearing the feathers and dancing myself, I realized that it was much harder than it looked. During the audience address, I felt so happy the first moment when I opened my fan.

Kurenai: Yes, yes, it’s like that.

Mashiro: I can hardly believe that now I will be on the same stage that I used to be watching from the audience… However, it’s amazing…it’s an amazing feeling.

Kurenai: You’re feeling amazing emotions, aren’t you (laughs).

Mahiro: I was so moved during the rehearsals, and then on opening day I was struck once again by how many people were there in the audience. And then at the same time I was thinking, this is the goal I was aiming for…

Kurenai: You were enlightened! (laughs)

Mahiro: I was really happy.

Chihaya: When I would watch from the audience, I felt like the silver bridge was a holy object I could never touch, so I couldn’t believe that I was to stand there myself, and when the curtain went up I felt so nervous I didn’t know what to do with myself, but now I’m enjoying it.

Kurenai: Yes, yes, that’s good.

Kiyora: I’m so happy to able to stand on the same stage as Kurenai-san and all the other Takarasiennes I admire. When we opened our fans during the audience address, I was completely overwhelmed by the warm applause from the audience and the atmosphere of the theatre.

Kurenai: You were? I see. I can still clearly remember my debut. It’s all totally fresh in my mind, not just the rehearsals and opening day, but also what was going on in the dressing room. I think you should all remember those feelings as well. That way, when you are a senior actress yourself, you will be able to think of how it feels to be a newly debuting student. You can only ever have one debut, there won’t be another debut for you next year (laughs). You can only feel these things right now, and I think they will be a treasure for you in the future.

All Ken-1s: Yes!

Kurenai: Before the line dance scene in this show, there is a scene where I introduce you all, but when I had my debut we were being introduced by the Top Star at that time, Kouju Tatsuki-san. And then shortly before that, I happened to meet Taa-tan (Kouju) at the theatre. It was really amazing timing. Although the first time I was together with Taa-tan was when we were presenting the line dance for the senior actresses… Ah, you did it with me before too, didn’t you?

All Ken-1s: Yes.

Kurenai: I was really moved this time, to meet with you in the rehearsal room the same way as I did [for my debut]. Therefore I feel a lot of responsibility this time around and I want to look after you as much as I can.

All Ken-1s: Thank you so much!

Kurenai: …you tell that to all the others, alright? (laughs) Next, you all can go ahead and ask me questions.

Aone: What is it that gives you the most energy?

Kurenai: I think it must be performing onstage. Although it’s really difficult, I get such an amazing feeling of accomplishment after a performance. Also, since I personally love Takarazuka, if I think ‘I’m able to be on this stage’ it blows away any despondent feelings.

Mashiro: Do you perhaps have a routine that you follow before going on stage?

Kurenai: I arrive at the dressing room pretty darn early; did you all know that? (laughs)

All Ken-1s: Yes.

Kurenai: Oh, you knew (laughs). The truth is I’m secretly rehearsing. Of course I do a lot during the rehearsals, but even after the show opens, I’ll keep reading over the script, or thinking about issues from the day before and what I can do about them, or listening to recordings of my vocals during the performance…I keep that up every morning until closing. It’s because I think that I want to make it as good as I possibly can. Also, my morning constitutional. Since I take my walk before going to the dressing room it’s really early. My lifestyle is like a little old man (laughs).

Mahiro: What is it that is most important to you, as you have been performing as an otokoyaku for such a long time?

Kurenai: This doesn’t have anything to do with being an otokoyaku or musumeyaku, but I think it is that I never take being in Takarazuka for granted. Of course being onstage isn’t something that just happens, it takes help from so many other people for me to be able to perform onstage, so you mustn’t ever take it for granted. I think everything must still seem totally new to you, but gradually you will get accustomed to it, I think. At that time, I think it’s important to return to your roots, and make sure that you keep a feeling of gratitude, since you are able to be in a world that not just anybody can get into.

Chihaya: How do you get into character for plays, Kurenai-san?

Kurenai: I write down the first impression I get from reading the script. Getting into character is a cycle of building up and breaking down, but in the end my initial feelings are really important, so I keep remembering that as I gather up other things through my various detours. Also, as I am performing I keep asking myself if I’m really saying the lines as if they come from my own heart.

Kiyora: What do you think is the appeal of the current members of Star Troupe?

Kurenai: It’s that they’re so full of energy. Apparently my troupe is really loud (laughs). We’re all athletically minded, and when we get angry we really blow up, but we have just as much love in us, so we can clearly tell each other ‘this about you is no good’ and the person who hears it can accept that. I think we’ve built up really close bonds built on trust. Are you all done with the questions?

All Ken-1s: Yes!

Kurenai: You all here today are the students with the highest grades, so I’m sure you all have something you’re especially good at. Of course it’s very important to display your skills, and it’s great to be able to do that, but I want you all to become performers full of heart as well. The only thing that can make you a performer who can make people think ‘they’re so wonderful to see, that was so moving’ and stir their emotions, is your hearts. I want you to make sure you don’t forget that.

All Ken-1s: Yes! Thank you so much.

Outtakes:

Sayumi when one of the Ken-1s was overcome with emotion…
“What is it? Are you okay? Hm? Is it allergies? No? Eh, you’re too emotional? …what a good kid. And here I thought it was allergies… (laughs)” Sayumi was able to make fun of herself after the disturbance was over.

Even during performances, she keeps reading her script over and over…
Kurenai: It always ends up in such terrible shape, my script is practically falling apart, so I’ll always be holding it together with cellophane tape (laughs).

1 – Takarazuka Otome is a book published each year with profiles of all current Takarasiennes.

2 – The Scarlet Pimpernel, 2010

3 – A ‘boy band’ group of Snow Troupe otokoyaku headed by then-Top Star Mizu Natsuki.

4 – Roget, 2010