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])
008. That time [The era of Asa and Osako]
The first show I saw in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre was Flower Troupe’s Rose of Versailles1.
After that I became a huge Flower Troupe fan,
and after my debut and a rotation through Flower Troupe, I was assigned to Flower Troupe.
I was sooooo happy.
And then while I was a junior actress,
I was able to appear in many otokoyaku scenes as the most junior member,
And ended up becoming close with Haruno-san, who was one class above me.
…or rather, I attached myself to her constantly.
Most of all, I respected her.
‘If I follow this person, I won’t go wrong…’
I was still just a kid but I believed this completely…I wonder why.
Haruno-san’s existence is such a huge part of me,
And even now that she has retired that hasn’t changed a bit.
A long time ago, back when Hoshihara-senpai was Troupe Elder,
She used to call us this, since we were always together.
Hoshihara: “Hey! Asa and Osako!!”
I miss it!!
The 13 years I spent in Flower Troupe were youth itself to me.
And if I’m going to talk about that time, Haruno-san has to be there.
To be honest, I didn’t stand out right away as a junior actress.
I was really laid back about things.
It wasn’t that I didn’t care, but I wasn’t ambitious,
And I felt like it would be lame to push myself wildly.
I was afraid of the hurt that would come when,
Even if I did have a goal and did my best to reach it, I’d fail.
But even though I was like this I had just one dream.
“I want to be in a show Haruno-san stars in.”
At that time there were so many otokoyaku crowded together in Flower Troupe,
And everyone was trying to improve themselves, fighting with both themselves and those around them.
As for me…I did everything at my own pace.
While my classmates and my juniors started getting more and more roles,
I kept silently working towards that one dream…
That might have been the best course…is what I think now.
And then, one day, that one dream came true.
I was cast in The Winter’s Tale!! And on top of that, playing Haruno-san’s best friend!
I was so happy…
I happily worked my hardest, worked my hardest without thinking about limitations,
Worked too hard…and damaged my voice.
I was so frustrated…
My voice was so rough and worn out,
And so though the result might have been inconsiderate towards the audience,
My dream came true.
I discovered that working hard for a dream,
Even if it didn’t end up coming true, was still a valuable thing.
It wasn’t uncool at all.
I’m ashamed that it took so long for me to notice such an obvious thing.
But since I understand it now…well, that’s alright.
…I do things at my own pace to the last.
And by some years after that, they started calling us “OsaAsa” instead of “Asa and Osako”
It’s an unbelievable phenomenon to me.
(end)
1 – This seems likely to be The Rose of Versailles: Fersen (1990), starring Ooura Mizuki, though I have not seen confirmation elsewhere.