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: Weight loss is briefly discussed in this chapter.
013. A trio [Classmate trio]
If my time in Flower Troupe was my first youth,
Then my second youth has to be the performance in the 90th anniversary year, where I was in a role rotation with 2 of my classmates1.
Every day was so much fun.
Though it was soooo tough (seriously!!) it was fun!!
Gradually I lost weight.
Though, to be frank, I had never been below 50kg (what a thing to brag about) I finally ended up at 49kg.
The cool beauty, Ms. Oozora, was so drained that during the rehearsals for the TCA Special,
She burst into tears so cutely that it was as if ‘are you five years old?’
(That she was cute is the point here.)
Ms. Takashiro left behind 2 nonsense sayings.
“I’m dying of suspense” and “Do you feel like killing?”
But then, after thirteen years without transfers, being raised to uphold the policies of our troupes,
The three of us were performing on the same stage.
That fresh feeling, and the fun of it, was such a motivation to me.
Right now the three of us have all experienced troupe transfers that we never could have imagined back then,
And we’re all progressing while battling with ourselves2.
After experiencing so many memories, I’ve realized even more strongly how blessed we were back then, despite how hard it was, and how optimistic we were.
I really want the three of us to just relax and talk about stupid stuff again.
(end)
1 – 2004’s The Glow of Sunset in Asuka, where Sena Jun, Takashiro Kei, and Oozora Yuuhi were trading off three roles.
2 – After becoming Top Star of Cosmos Troupe, Takashiro retired in 2006 and transitioned into mainstream theatre.