This photo feature, which ran in GRAPH through 2016, had subjects selecting photos they had taken with other Takarasiennes. The March installment features Miya Rurika, Sumiki Sayato, Minami Maito, and Kisaki Airi.

With Sienne

Miya Rurika

In Manon I played ‘The other Charles’, a role where I’m like Masaki-san’s (Masao) spirit, and Masaki-san had matching Ao Dai made for us in Vietnam! She even investigated my size herself before she went…I was so happy. We were taking the photo imitating the poster, but I was laying down in the opposite direction (laughs). It was a difficult role, but through things like this our hearts naturally drew closer, and she pulled me in a good direction, and not just when it came to the character. I’m grateful that this role came my way. I want to treasure this time I’m spending with Masaki-san and keep absorbing lots of things from her until the end of the run.

Sumiki Sayato

This was our classmates group shot from the Takarazuka Special rehearsals last year. This was my third time appearing in it, but every time before when we were split up to sing medleys or things like that, I’d never ended up with any of my classmates. When I’d see other classmate groups singing together I’d think “Wouldn’t that be nice~” and get jealous. But now, for the first time, the three of us got to sing together! “I’m so happy, we’ve got to get a photo~” I said, so this is the picture we had someone take for us (laughs). Since we’re in different troupes we don’t have many opportunities to relax and chat, but the moment we were back together again it was like we went straight back to our Music School days; that’s classmates for you. They’re such precious people and make me feel so reassured to be with them.

Minami Maito

I graduated from junior performances with The New Tale of Genji last year. Oono Takuji, the director, examined even the smallest details, and the atmosphere in rehearsals was really nice. We were able to focus and make it through our performance! This is a full-cast photo from the last day of rehearsals in Tokyo. I couldn’t believe the day had come where we’d be in the center! The girls from the year below us were freaking out, “This can’t be your last time~!” (laughs), but I know I felt the same kind of fears at ken-6 too. But even though it’s really hard to be the ones looking after everyone else, you can really get to know exactly what each girl junior to you is like. So I think from that way of looking at it it’s a really good experience.

Kisaki Airi

Our classmate Gojou Marina was retiring with Guys and Dolls, so during the Tokyo run all of us classmates in Star Troupe went to Disneyland together. This was actually our first time since going on an outing together since we were ken-1! It was a fresh feeling, different from how it feels being in the dressing room together every day, and it was so much fun. It was so hard to get our desires in line with seven of us (laughs), but Shidou and Takuto played tour guide for us, since they know the most about Disneyland. Just getting on one of the thrill rides was a challenge since someone would always end up by herself, so all day we were in an uproar over to how to split ourselves up (laughs).