As usual, this feature was published originally all at once, but I am posting it split into two sections. Part 2 can be found here.

In this section, Makaze talks about her likes and dislikes in her work and offstage life.

This feature was originally published in the October 2017 issue of GRAPH.

Makaze Suzuho: Anything

Question 1: What do you like? What do you dislike?

Likes

When I am soaking totally relaxed in the cool tub after working hard in the sauna.
It’s like I can feel the cold overflowing into all my insides and organs!

After I’ve been cleaning and everything’s all tidy, when I put on tea, sit down on my favorite sofa, and think ‘Ah~ now I can drink this’ while holding my cup of tea.
I think “Thank you for becoming so clean, everyone~” (laughs)

When I spray water on the decorative potted plant in my living room and the the leaves perk up happily.

The sky I can see on the way home.
‘Oh, it’s the summer sky’ or ‘I can see so many stars, tomorrow is going to be really clear’. Once rehearsal starts I don’t really have the time to look up at the sky, so when I do that it’s really relaxing.

When I’m walking around a neatly laid out residential area and think ‘Ah, it seems like it’s about to rain’.
The sky suddenly becomes super dark, and the humidity goes wa~y up…
It feels like there’s been a shift in space-time!!

After a performance, when I’ve changed out of my parade costume in the wings on stage left, and I’m heading around to the dressing room on stage right.
The tension goes out of me a bit, and I’m thinking of how everything went fine that day, or how something went really well, and so I go back to the dressing room talking to myself internally. It’s simple but I like it.

Days when I’m changing my hair for every scene in the revue, and it ALL goes just how I want it!
Getting a good foundation is the most important part. When I’m drying my hair I’m thinking ‘for the next hour it has to adapt to whatever I do with it, up, down, whatever, changing all the time’ so I match the motion to that. On a day when all the styles go well I’ll think ‘You did a good job today, little follicles!’

Dislikes

Frogs, Fava beans, coconuts
I hate frogs the most! When I was little I would often see the tadpoles transforming into frogs and it was just… I hate them so much that during Vampire Succession, we all went on a barbecue, and when Aichan (Aizuki) caught a tree frog and was bringing it towards me I said “If you come another step closer I’ll never speak to you again!” I dislike fava beans too, since they sort of look like frogs with their shape and color (laughs). Coconuts are too sweet and I don’t really like the smell…

When I’m pressed for time and I have to hurry.
I hate feeling rushed, so I get up early to make sure I have plenty of time in the morning. Even for quick-changes during performances, from the very moment I exit the stage I’ll start doing what I can immediately, so it’s rare that I have to run.

Cleaning the bath
I like cleaning all the other areas, even the kitchen and the bathroom, but the one thing I don’t like is cleaning the bathtub. I have to stoop over to do it so it makes my back hurt, but if I get on my knees I’ll get wet…

When I go shopping since ‘It’s a weekday!’ but for everyone else it’s a holiday or spring vacation so it’s really really crowded.
At times like that I completely lose my desire for shopping and go home in defeat.

Trying to find things!!
I hate searching for things, as an activity, so I wanted to be able to always know where things were, which is why I ended up liking cleaning this much. But I still lose my cell phone a lot. I’ll inevitably leave it behind when I take a taxi… Therefore, recently I always make sure to get a receipt, so that I can contact the taxi company right away. I’m a pro at calling the lost and found! (laughs)

Searching for a food ticket in the performer’s cafeteria NOVA ticket vending machine.
The organization is way too loose! It’s not split up into categories like ‘noodles’, ‘rice dishes’, et cetera, and totally different menu options will end up with the same button since the price is the same, so I can never just find what I want and I’ll end up searching for a~ges (laughs).