This photo and essay book was written by Moon Troupe Top Star Sena Jun and published during promotions for the 2008 show ME AND MY GIRL, where Top Musumeyaku Ayano Kanami retired. It’s very charming and occasionally emotional.
Some chapters are very short, or contain only pictures, and thus are combined.
The book also featured dual Japanese and English chapter titles, which were not always the same. Where these differ, both are included, with the translation of the Japanese title following in brackets. (For example, Chapter 8 is That time [The era of Asa and Osako])
Content note: This chapter contains discussions of dieting.
006. Diet [Diet!?]
When we were in the Takarazuka Music School, Ms. Oozora and I were really laid-back and carefree.
We followed wherever our instincts led us.
We did what we liked, ate what we liked,
And watched our beloved Takarazuka’s performances.
And then ate, and ate…
…basically we just ate.
But even we eventually thought “Why don’t we try going on a bit of a diet?”
Right, today’s the day!!
Once classes let out, we were off straight to the supermarket!!
(At least rehearse!)
What should we make…Maybe rice soup would be nice…
(Why would it be rice soup!?)
Alright, that’s it!!
The Violet Dorm1 was still deserted.
The two of us started diligently making rice soup.
We worked so hard on it.
We made a lot of it.
Tons and tons of it.
…
Then we ate all of it.
What’s the pooooooint!
In the end, that diet only lasted one day.
And the label on that package of rice soup was:
‘H*gsh*maru’s Just A Little Rice Soup’
If only it had been just a little…
We never learned from that, and 17 years later on a national tour we left behind a similar tale.
‘The Legend of the Acorns’
I’ll write about that properly later.
(end)
1 – The dormitory where TMS students who live too far away or choose not to commute live, as well as many Takarazuka performers (although at the time these may have been separate buildings).