Friendship Networking was a relay-style talk feature published in GRAPH in the early 90s. This talk between Takumi Hibiki and Todoroki Yuu was published in August 1992.
Friendship Networking – Takumi Hibiki and Todoroki Yuu
Todoroki: We’re in different troupes, so we’ve never had a long talk, but even so we’ve always been able to relate to each other somehow, right.
Takumi: It was during this last TMP Festival that we first had a proper conversation, right? I thought you were a more cool person but you were totally different, ‘she’s so unaffected’, I thought.
Todoroki: When I was a junior actress, I had a lot of people tell me I seemed really cold. Since I’m not really the type to make a show of affection (laughs). But as my seniority increased it seems like I gradually became more childish (laughs). I feel like I’ve been aware of Charlie since around four years ago.
Takumi: Oh…really?
Todoroki: And so, my first impression was thinking you seemed like a scary person (laughs).
Takumi: Since I also come off as cold from appearances… (laughs)
Todoroki: But now we’re able to chat like this, and I think ‘ah, she’s such a nice girl’.
Takumi: No…’a nice girl’, I’m blushing (laughs). From the time I was an Upper Student in the Music School, Todoroki-san already seemed like a star, so you felt like a really distant presence1. Even when I entered the company, Todoroki-san and a senior in my troupe, Tamo-san (Aika Mire) got along really well, but the closest I got was watching you talking from a distance. But now that I’m able to talk with you close up like this, you’re a really natural person.
Todoroki: I’m feminine, right?
Takumi: You’re really feminine. And you’re a really cute person, really cute inside.
Todoroki: You don’t have to go that far (laughs).
Takumi: I knew you were a kind person, of course I could tell that much looking at you, but besides that you’re really sensitive and thoughtful. You’re so kind to everyone around you…
Todoroki: More like, above all my life principle is to not cause any bother to people. By the way, when I saw the junior performance for Spartacus, I felt like you had really powerful eyes, Charlie. I think having strong eyes is one of the most important things. Speaking of that, I’ve heard when you were little you were all eyes (laughs).
Takumi: That’s right! I’ve been told when I was born I came out eyes first (laughs). My face was baby sized but my eyes were just like this, so they said I was like a chameleon (laughs).
Todoroki: (laughs) No matter how huge the Grand Theatre is, the eyes still say more than the mouth, so having intense eyes is a great thing. And, Charlie, you have a good otokoyaku voice too, so that’s wonderful. You’re becoming so popular so quickly, so all fans should check you out!
Takumi: No, no… (laughs)
Todoroki: I think you’re so elegant and have such a huge presence, and besides that, you’re so handsome.
Takumi: I did it!! Please print that in bold type (laughs).
Todoroki: You can pay me back later (laughs). Besides that, you have such sharpness to your style, Charlie.
Takumi: Wha~t, I don’t compare to Todoroki-san though~ (laughs).
Todoroki: You’re still hiding something, aren’t you, Charlie. It makes me want to tell you ‘don’t hold back any charisma, you’ll be sorry’ (laughs).
Takumi: No way~ (laughs).
Todoroki: You’re like a Chameleon there too (laughs), you’re fun to watch because your colors change.
Takumi: I’m ken-6 now, but I’m at such a different level than you were at at ken-6, Todoroki-san… Whenever I watch your performances, Todoroki-san, since we’re 2 classes different it really makes me feel ‘I hope I can become like that in 2 years, I want to be get to that point’. So in that way, you’ve given me such powerful motivation.
Todoroki: I’m ken-8 now. Thinking about the ken-8s who were around when I was ken-1, it was people like Nishina Yuri-san and Gou Mayuka-san, and they seemed so senior to me. So sometimes when I think about how, to the current ken-1s, I must look like that, and it’s scary. Charlie, you’re ken-6, right. When I was ken-1, Mimi-san (Kodama Ai) was ken-6.
Takumi: Me too, when I wonder if people are looking at me that way, it gives me the shivers.
Todoroki: It makes me think about how senior I’ve become without even noticing it. Until just recently I thought of myself as still such a junior actress, but before I noticed there were so many juniors I didn’t know coming in, and I had gotten so far up I could be counted in the upper ranks, and it really startled me. I still have a lot of classmates, but then I think about how once my classmates get fewer it will be so lonely… So it makes me happy to have people like you, Charlie, where we can talk even though we’re in different classes and troupes.
Takumi: I’m also really happy to be able to talk to someone from a different troupe.
Todoroki: But being two years apart is a position where it’s easy to talk, right? If we were only one year apart, even if we didn’t try to bring up the time we were in the Music School, the impression from back then would be too strong (laughs). Since you didn’t know me back when I was a frightening Upper Student, it’s easy to talk like friends.
Takumi: I don’t really know why, but you havea reassuring presence. No matter when we run into each other, when you say “How are you?” I’ll say “I’m great~”, and even if I don’t say “Do your best, Todoroki-san!” I kind of feel like you understand…
Todoroki: It feels like we can dispense with empty formalities and talk easily.
Takumi: Todoroki-san, even though we haven’t talked that much, I felt really quickly like I could show you everything about myself. I’m a shy person, so being able to forget that and enjoy talking to you frankly like this makes me really happy.
Todoroki: Even though we can’t see each other much, being in different troupes.
Takumi: If you happened to change troupes…how about Flower Troupe? (laughs)
Todoroki: I’ve had enough of troupe transfers~ (laughs). Charlie, soon you’re going to be the most senior member in junior performances, so you’ll have to do your best.
Takumi: That’s right.
Todoroki: Though on the flip side of happiness will be a lot of tough things, I feel like you kind of get how even that suffering gradually becomes a pleasant sensation, right? So I hope you’ll keep giving it your all, Charlie, and I’ll try to watch as many of your performances as I can.
Takumi: Please do!