Tag Archives: Article Translation

GRAPHOO! – ‘Gorgeous’ (December 2015)

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GRAPHOO!, an image feature published in Graph in 2015, had siennes present photos based on a keyword, in a spoof of the Yahoo search engine. The December issue featured Serika Toa, Rinjou Kira, Hoshino Anri, and Asami Jun.

Graphoo! This month’s keyword: “Gorgeous”

Serika Toa: All the musumeyaku livening up the rehearsal room

This is a picture from the independent rehearsals for Melodia. I think the musumeyaku of Flower Troupe are all so lovely and gorgeous. Their rehearsal clothes are always so cute, so I thought it would be a shame not to share! That’s why I wanted to present this [laughs]. Also, Marin-san [Yuuma Rin] said “There’s an up-and-coming musumeyaku fifth from the left” [laughs]. That’s right, if you look closely, Marin’s together with them in this picture since she happened to be passing by. This turned out to be such a gorgeous photo!

Rinjou Kira: Amneris’ costumes are so gorgeous!

I thought Amneris’ [Reimi Urara’s] costumes in A Song For Kingdoms were so beautiful and gorgeous that I had to get a picture together with her. All her costumes are splendid, but I thought this gold costume was especially nice. I have a headdress to wear as well, but it’s really heavy. Amneris really appears as if she possesses all the wealth of Egypt [laughs]. I had the role of a priest, and it was hard to convey my high rank as well as the strength and pride of Egypt since I didn’t move around very much. However, it was fun to have a different viewpoint in the show rather than just being a soldier.

Hoshino Anri: The costumes and the sets and the stars…everything was gorgeous!

This is an old photo I found when I was going through pictures at the time my classmate Ei-chan [Hanae Chiho] was about to retire. In the prologue of Dawn of Solferino 9 members of our class made up the chorus surrounding Chika-san [Mizu Natsuki] and Yumiko-san [Ayabuki Mao], but we were only ken-1 so it was a huge responsibility! Even so, we couldn’t do very well [laughs], so we even asked the two of them to watch us rehearse. In the performance, even the otokoyaku were wearing showy dresses [laughs] and being showered in the light made it a proud moment.

Asami Jun: Having everyone together for the A-EN senshuuraku

For the last performance of A-EN ARI VERSION everyone from ARTHUR VERSION joined us on stage. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a picture of everyone, but it made me really happy. Even though this was a Bow Hall performance, it was a double feature with a gorgeous revue show. In the play, Director Noguchi gave names to everyone’s character, and wrote out detailed characterizations for all of them. When I was standing on center stage during the revue, I felt the energy from everyone around me, and I felt like I had to respond to them. I will work hard to use this experience to help me in the next Grand Theatre performance!

TAKUMI – Artists’ First Steps (Nov. 2015)

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In this feature from Kageki, several of the younger senior actresses talk about things that affected them early in their career. The November 2015 issue features Mana Haruto, Yumeki Anru, Junya Chitose, and Tenma Michiru.

TAKUMI – Artists’ First Steps

Mana Haruto (Snow Troupe): The phrase that prepared me to work hard in Takarazuka

In the Bow Workshop Frozen Tomorrow I was given the role of the lead’s henchman, which seemed like a big part to me since I was only just ken-3, so I was really excited. However, Director Shibata and Mirai Yuuki told me “getting a bit part in a little theatre doesn’t mean the same thing will happen right away in the Grand Theatre,” and that’s really stayed with me. Everyone wants a good role so they’re doing their best, but in each work there are those who get those roles and those who don’t…their words made me realize that each production is put together with everyone’s varied feelings. That became the basis of my thinking from then on, so that no matter what occasion or part I have the same motivation to put forth my best effort: this is what prepared me to do my best as a member of Takarazuka. Another thing from that time was overcoming my nervousness about performing in front of the director and the senior actresses during rehearsals. I learned that the most important thing in rehearsals is to give it your energy, even if you don’t do so well.
What I’d like to say to the current junior actresses is that no matter what role you get, it’s vital to see what you can learn from it, give it your best, and work hard.

Yumeki Anru (Star Troupe): The song that made me like singing

When I was ken-3, I had my first Grand Theatre solo song in BOLERO, and because of that I started to like singing. After that I had more chances to sing in the smaller theatres. There was an audition for that part and I was really nervous, thinking “can I really sing such a grown-up song while I’m only ken-3?” But the composer, Takahashi Kuni, told me “you should go for it”. It was an adult love song during Chie-san [Yuzuki Reon] and Nene-san’s [Yumesaki Nene] pair dance, and it was very difficult, but I was determined to make it passionate so I practiced while listening to the original song over and over. Some of the senior actresses, such as Otohana Yuri and Kawai Mizuho, taught me a lot, and gave me advice like using an otokoyaku singing style in the song as well. I’m so grateful to all the senior actresses.
The recent production of Catch Me If You Can was difficult, but from now on I want to work on ‘singing as my part’.

Junya Chitose (Cosmos Troupe): The first time I experienced an mysterious sensation

Among the roles I’ve had up to now, there are some that have affected me really deeply. Recently, in Top Hat, my part of Madge Hardwick was so enjoyable that it made me think “I wish I could play this role again.” However, even more than just performing, the role that allowed me to experience a mysterious sensation was my part in Sanctuary of Catherine de Medici. Since she was a real person, I read a lot of historical information, and while my approach to taking on a role wasn’t any different than usual, but when it became time to go on stage I realized that I’d never entered so deeply into a character ever before. I was nervous, of course, since it was the real performance, but on the other hand I didn’t feel like I was actually performing: it was mysterious even to me. Since it was a difficult play set in 16th-century Europe, I was naturally wiped out at the end of each performance, but I think it was really special to have such an experience as an actor.
I hope to learn from all the experiences I have from now on and improve on stage as well as becoming stronger in women’s roles1.

Tenma Michiru (Flower Troupe): When my attitude towards roles changed

When I was a junior actresses, there was a time when it seemed that all my classmates were appearing in Bow Hall shows one after the other and I was the only one left out. It was a really depressing, dark time, and I felt like retiring even before I got a chance to show what I was capable of. When I was thinking ‘if things are no good this way I need to take on some new challenge,’ an substitute was needed for a full-show part in Rose of Versailles Side Story: Andre. It was only a small part, but I was totally energized. “I’m going to get a part,” I was determined, and the next day, when Director Ueda Shinji saw the character creation I had done, he said “You’re pretty interesting.” I learned that if you perform with all your energy and try to get a part instead of waiting for one to be given to you, there are those who will take notice. The feeling of strength I gained then have helped me ever since and stopped me from being overcome by anything.
Right now I’ve been recognized for my individualities a lot more, although there are still areas where I need to work on adhering more to ‘the legacy of Takarazuka.’ Also, I want to become a senior actress who can speak out to junior actresses who may be going through the same struggles that I did back then.

1 – While Junya debuted as an otokoyaku, she switched specialties to musumeyaku after a few years.

Looking Back on 2015: Hinami Fuu

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One of the yearly retrospective features from the December 2015 issue of Kageki, featuring Star Troupe Top Musumeyaku Hinami Fuu.

Looking Back on 2015: Hinami Fuu

While Like a Black Panther/Dear Diamond!! was the retirement performance for the Top Combi, I tried not to be too conscious of that and I remember it as an enjoyable show. Nene-san [Yumesaki Nene] is so lovely and cute…of course, I learned a lot of things about being a musumeyaku during rehearsals for this show.

Next was the national tour performance. I was really worried about taking the position of Top Musumeyaku, but Michiko-san [Hokushou] looked after me all the time and lent me her strength. I feel like without that I would have lost the determination to battle on as a performer.

The role of Elaine in Great Pirates I felt was a great one to advance as a musumeyaku, so I put together a really detailed image of how I wanted to perform as Elaine. Amour, That is… was the show I debuted in, so when I think about that time I’m really deeply moved. Having the chance to encounter it again made me really happy.

I had a lot of difficulties with Guys and Dolls in rehearsals, but when the curtain opened I felt the warmth of the audience and the rest of Star Troupe around me, and it made me really happy… It was so fun that I would feel lonely every day after the performance was over, so it was a very happy performance for me.

Since I was conscious of the fact that I am poor at Japanese dance, I practiced up to my limits for the Takarazuka Traditional Dance performance. By the time it came to perform I was looking forward to it, and on the day of the show I was able to enjoy myself through the dancing.

This year I had a lot of valuable experiences and met a lot of different people through each performance, but among all those people the meeting that most affected me was with Michiko-san. Next year I will keep working hard to increase the feeling of improvement I have now.

Looking Back on 2015: Kano Maria

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One of the yearly retrospective features from the December 2015 issue of Kageki, featuring Flower Troupe Top Musumeyaku Kano Maria.

Looking Back on 2015: Kano Maria

Ernest in Love was full of firsts for me, but Asumi-san and all the other senior actresses guided me kindly, and the whole performance had a warm atmosphere.

I felt like the character of Alicia in Embraced by the Seas of Calista was very charming, but as it was the first time I played the same role for a long time I was able to see my own bad habits and weak points. It was a performance where I really struggled and worried about things but in the end I learned a lot.

Takarazuka Fantasia was a very hard show, but because of that our sense of unity was strengthened and I feel like I was swept up in a great wave.

Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie-Antoinette is a show that I love and have a lot of strong feelings about, so I was able to pursue my own ideals as I played Marie Antoinette. I dug down to find the deepest facets of the character, and realised even more how wonderful the show is. During the Taiwan tour, I was worried about how the audience would see ‘the Japanese Takarazuka Revue,’ but the cheering and applause overwhelmed me. That feeling will become a wonderful memory I can never forget.

The Takarazuka Japanese Dance Recital was a learning experience for me, and the more experienced Top Musumeyaku taught me a lot.

In the show we’re performing in right now, New Tale of Genji, my role of Fujitsubo is quite difficult, but I feel it has a lot of worth for me as a performer. Melodia has a lot of grown-up and passionate scenes, so I want to display a new side of myself to the audience.

Next year I will continue performing in happy musicals with Ernest in Love and Me and My Girl. I hope it will be a fun year for the audience as well.

Looking Back on 2015: Manaki Reika

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One of the yearly retrospective features from the December 2015 issue of Kageki, featuring Moon Troupe Top Musumeyaku Manaki Reika.

Looking Back on 2015: Manaki Reika

I’ve improved so much all through this year that looking back on my first role of Melanie, it feels like it was from quite a long time ago. Sometimes I think ‘have I really come so far just since then?’ Gone with the Wind, in February, was a restaging after a year, and while it was a difficult challenge performing the same role again after so much time had passed, as a musumeyaku I really love the part of Melanie so I enjoyed being able to take it on again.

In 1789: Lovers of the Bastille the part of Marie Antoinette was a big challenge for me. The show was a completely different style of musical than I’d done in Takarazuka until then, and I had to sing rock songs as Marie Antoinette… It’s definitely not a typical Takarazuka heroine role, and while I had a lot of different concerns while getting into character, now I’m grateful to Director Koike for the chance to challenge myself this way. I learned a lot about how to consider things as my own performer.

After that came Wonder of Love which was the first performance where I was the focus, so I was worried about it. But Director Koyanagi arranged everything I wanted to try performing so beautifully, and all the other members of the show helped me out a lot, so when the day came to perform I really did enjoy myself.

The Grand Theatre performance starting in November, Manon, is a very subtle and simplistic show, so I want to honestly portray all the emotions deep inside my heart. In the revue show, Golden Jazz, I want to get caught up in the themes and enjoy myself together with the audience.

Ryuu-san always says “I want to keep dreaming,” which is a phrase I love. I’ll hold on to my dreams and fearlessly challenge myself next year too.

New Star Troupe Top Star: Hokushou Kairi Special Report (part 1)

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Part of Hokushou Kairi’s special feature as new Top Star in the November 2015 issue of Graph, featuring a personal statement and messages between her and Hinami Fuu.

New Star Troupe Top Star: Hokushou Kairi Special Report

While I was worried about whether I would really be able to succeed at the beginning of the Great Pirates/Amour, that is… national tour, everyone received me so warmly that I forgot all my concerns in a moment and was filled with energy, diving into Star Troupe with all my heart. In rehearsals I didn’t really feel like a Top Star, but during the finale on opening night the applause was so intense that I couldn’t even hear the music, and I was so happy to be able to repay all my fans this way… It’s a scene I’ll never forget.

Right now, rehearsals for Guys and Dolls have started, and seeing Star Troupe’s powerful energy and their amazing unity, I feel like it’s something that would only be true of the Troupe that won the Sports Festival [laughs]. It’s a work with a comedy touch, and we have the perfect performers for all the characters, so it was all really carefree and I was able to enjoy the rehearsals.

While my status might change, my determination to keep taking on new challenges as a professional performer remains the same. I want to try to convey that with my entire attitude, not just words, and I hope to create an environment where I can keep advancing and developing various new talents. By adding my own touches to the powerful and energetic troupe that Yuzuki-san created, I think we can all advance even further together. I hope that the new Star Troupe can also enjoy themselves.

Dearest Fuu-chan <3

Now that a few months have passed since we started our married life as newlyweds after an arranged marriage, have you become a bit more used to me? [laughs] You’re always bright and cheerful like the sun, Fuu-chan. Thank you for all your energy and kindness <3
We can’t forget this fresh atmosphere or the style that only we have, so let’s take on new territory with our comrades in Star Troupe! Let’s keep working hard!

Micchan

Dear Michiko-san,

Michiko-san!! At this moment, I’m so HAPPY to be in Michiko-san’s shadow!!
Being in my beloved Star Troupe, and meeting someone I came to like so much: it makes me so happy to be beside you. I have to thank God for you, Michiko-san.
I might not understand much but I do know love! From now on I’m going to give it my all to follow you, so please take care of me.

Hinami Fuu

Cosmos Troupe Top Star Asaka Manato deeply moved by Elisabeth lead role: ‘This is the first show I had lines in’

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This coverage of the press conference for the 2016 production of Elisabeth was published by Crank In on April 15, 2016.

Cosmos Troupe Top Star Asaka Manato deeply moved by “Elisabeth” lead role: ‘This is the first show I had lines in’

The press conference for the Takarazuka Revue Cosmos Troupe production of Elisabeth: Rondo of Love and Death took place on the 15th, with Cosmos Troupe Top Star Asaka Manato and Top Musumeyaku Misaki Rion in attendance. Asaka is enthusiastic about the role, saying “this show is definitely going to challenge me. I want to completely change my image to perform as Der Tod.”

The original musical uses beautiful musical themes to follow the unfortunate fate of the astoundingly beautiful Elisabeth, who, despite only wanting to live a free, uninhibited life, becomes Empress of Austria. In the Takarazuka version, the lord of the underworld, Der Tod (‘death’), who loves Elisabeth, is made the main character. Since the first performance in 1996, 899 shows have been performed, with a record-setting audience of 2,160,000 people.

Asaka is the 9th actress to play Der Tod. Her black hair gives a sharp impression, and her makeup is reminiscent of a Visual Kei bandmember. Director Koike Shuuichiro said “her Der Tod feels more aggressive than any until now. She will express the violence that ‘death’ is really capable of.”

In her first year as a member of Takarazuka, Asaka took part in the Hanagumi production of Elisabeth, and it was the first time in her career that she was given lines. “I just had one line, ‘People are sick!’1 but I couldn’t even say just that one line well…” When talking about her memories of the show she shows her eagerness to play as Der Tod.

In addition, Misaki Rion, who plays Elisabeth, said “while there is a high barrier in front of me, I want to do my best to perform a new Elisabeth.”

“I’m usually playing cheerful roles,” Asaka said regarding her part of Der Tod, “so generally I would say brightly ‘I want to show a sunny personality’, but this is the exact opposite type of role. I’m going to access my negative side even in everyday life, so I hope I don’t bother anyone…” Asaka’s description of the secret side of role-building gained a lot of laughs.

1 – In the leadup to the song ‘Milch’.

Moon Troupe’s Tamaki Ryou: This year’s theme is ‘wings’

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This is a lengthy interview with Tamaki Ryou, mostly about her future ascension to Top Star and the opening of the national tour (which happened just after the article was published).

The original article was written by Murakami Kumiko and has been published on a few different sites. I accessed it from Asahi Star File. (Archive link here.)

Moon Troupe’s Tamaki Ryou: This year’s theme is ‘wings’

Tamaki Ryou, who has been appointed as the next Top Star of Moon Troupe, is now performing in her first National Tour lead role with current Top Musumeyaku Manaki Reika as her heroine. The tour comprises the musical Passion—Jose and Carmen, based on the novel by Merimee, and the revue show Apassionado!! 3. Her rapid ascent to succeed current Top Star Ryuu Masaki, who retires in September, only took her eight and a half years, so she stated that her theme for this year will be the character for ‘wings’. On April 9th and 10th she will be performing at the Ichikawa City Cultural Hall in Chiba Prefecture.

‘Wings.’ That is how future Top Star Tamaki Ryou represented her feelings for this year, just before the opening of her first National Tour lead.

“I want to walk and fly by myself. I don’t have any time to spare to look back. I’ll keep going forward, even if I only make it one centimeter. Since I’m getting so many new challenges this year, this year I have ‘wings’.”

Tamaki will be travelling around the country with Top Musumeyaku Manaki joining her as her partner.

“In the tour, I’m holding up the reputation of all of Takarazuka, not just Moon Troupe. But I have to do it anyway. I need to make it worthwhile for the audience members who come to watch us.”

Top Star Ryuu will be retiring after the last performance of her next show. Tamaki’s succession as Top was announced just before the opening of the tour. Since the creation of the Star system, this speed is only second to Amami Yuuki, who became Top after six and a half years. Even though Tamaki only wore feathers1 for the first time last year, she doesn’t have any spare time to be bewildered.

“Ryuu-san has amazing energy, and she learns lines and choreography really fast. She keeps an eye on both how the audience feels as well as things in the troupe. I want to learn from and be inspired by her until the very last moment before she graduates.”

In the play being performed with the tour, Passion, Jose, an earnest young man, meets his destined woman, played by Manaki, only to have her toy with him.

“Before starting rehearsals, my head was crammed [with ideas], but that just seems like mere role-building now. I want to perform in an honest, natural way.”

Tamaki was raised in Moon Troupe2. She has been paired with Manaki before, in a junior performance.

“She is a sensitive performer with a lot of heart. She has a large presence. I want to be able to take what she offers. Responding to what she does is a large part of it. She has a really fresh approach to things.”

On the other hand, the revue show, in accordance with its Spanish title, is full of ‘zealous’ enthusiasm.

“I want to present energetic ‘zeal’. The years an otokoyaku has put in really show. But even if your skill increases, what you have inside doesn’t change. To make the meaning of that clear, whatever you have now, you should give all of it. I want to see how much I can release myself onstage.”

She’s prepared to take center stage before the standard time of maturation, the ‘10 years to otokoyaku’3. “If I think about how I was a year ago, I’ve become a lot stronger. I was too conscious then of ‘how an otokoyaku should be’.” Because of overthinking it, there were times when she couldn’t simply enjoy herself on stage.

“By now there’ve been a lot of moments where I just thought I was having fun,” Tamaki said with a laugh. She’s broadened into an ideal otokoyaku.

“I started to think I couldn’t present attributes like ‘passion’ and ‘broad-mindedness’, words like that. There’s definitely some aspect that only I can bring out. I want to be an ‘otokoyaku-like otokoyaku.’ That’s my unchanging base.”

The masculine physique she was blessed with is her strongest point. She has an air of unpolished sensuality.

“Personally I love that sharp, ultra-otokoyaku feeling from the Latin atmosphere. I’d like to go down that route and wear sharp suits and a tough atmosphere until the very end.”

Tamaki refers to the performances of actors and theatre performers such as Kamikawa Takaya, Tsutsumi Shinichi, Namase Katsuhisa, and Abe Sadao. Raised as the heir of Moon Troupe, she will now fly even higher.

1 – The large parade feathers are reserved for the highest ranking members of the troupe.

2 – Meaning she was first assigned to the troupe and stayed there without transfers.

3 – An industry saying regarding how long it takes to master the art of otokoyaku performance.

Stage Turning Points: Nanami Hiroki (Star Troupe)

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In this feature from Kageki, Nanami talks about some of the roles she finds most memorable and how they’ve affected her.

Stage Turning Points: Nanami Hiroki (Star Troupe)

Nanami’s Turning Points

April-May 2003: Takarazuka Floral Diary – Debut

June 2005: Le Petit Jardin (Bow) – Paul
This was the first time I had the same part through the whole show1, so during this performance I learned a lot about how important it is to inspire the audience while still enjoying myself.

November 2007: THE SECOND LIFE (Bow) – Mark White
I’d never had a part that was so important to the overall story before, so I was really happy that I was allowed to have a chance at performing this role. In any case, I decided I’d really give it my all, but by the time rehearsals were over I still hadn’t managed to grasp his character… At that point, Michiko-san [Hokushou] said “If you don’t just go for it you’ll never get it, so why don’t you try it once the way you want to do it?” Those words gave me a lot of courage, and when I tried performing without overthinking it it became much more fun, and as a result that was a very memorable performance for me.

May 2009: Raindrops Fall on Roses (junior performance) – Justin Belzac
My first junior lead
This was my first junior lead, so even while I was struggling with the large amount of lines, of course this role also required me to do more dancing and singing: it was a performance I almost felt I wasn’t going to survive. To make it through performing for 90 minutes I knew it would require tons of concentration, so I respect the Top Stars from the bottom of my heart for managing to do that and then perform in the revue show afterwards. On the day of my performance, I was somehow defiant and thought “This is everything I’m capable of at this point,” so I wasn’t really nervous and just had fun with it.

March 2011: Valentino (Drama City) – Natacha Rambova
Aiming to communicate my performance
I learned a ton of things from Director Koike. In particular, I learned that just thinking on the inside won’t come across to the audience, so I felt like I had to work hard on studying ways of showing and communicating my performance. I wasn’t really prepared for a female role, and I’d never had a very feminine life, so understanding a woman’s heart was difficult (laugh). But Yuuhi-san [Oozora Yuuhi] gave me a lot of advice about how important it was at this stage to experience both male and female roles and such, so it was a performance where I really expanded my horizons!

August-October 2012; January 2013: Legend of Galactic Heroes – Wolfgang Mittermeyer; Paul von Oberstein
A performance without which I feel I wouldn’t have made it here now
I feel like without this performance, I wouldn’t be at this point now, because of all the experiences I gained from it. I really liked the original work, so I wanted to perform in a way that would satisfy both Takarazuka fans and fans of the original work. While performing I also worked on how to show how cool the main character Reinhardt was. And then when I received the role of Oberstein in the Hakataza production, I thought, “I’m definitely going to do it like this!!” and had a furious discussion with Director Koike about the image I had for it (laugh)—I was aiming for an interpretation of the character that was faithful to the original work. During that performance, I realized that if I were to do things the way I wanted them I had to take responsibility for that, so I decided to keep myself together and take the stage with confidence.

July-August 2013: the WILD Meets the WILD (Bow Hall) – Benjamin Northbrook
First Bow Hall lead
Putting together the double-lead production with Hasumi [Yuuya]-san was really fun, and our parts allowed us to let our real selves go so we were able to perform cheerfully on stage without many concerns. While it was my first Bow Hall lead role, I really felt like I was living as my character onstage, and to tell the truth I didn’t really feel much pressure. Even as I enjoyed having the chance to perform on center stage, I also had to consider during each performance how, as the lead performer, I would please the audience.

October 2013: Gone with the Wind – Scarlett (switch role)
Performing the part of Scarlett in “Butler Version”2 is always difficult, and in this production I had so many things to do that I was constantly wondering “should I do it this way? Should I do it that way?” That was all I could think of when it came time to go onstage. The first day as Scarlett, I was the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. If I ever became any more nervous than that I think I’d die. I also had to do a pair dance on the Grand Stairs so I was feeling more pressure than ever before, but I decided “in any case I’ll follow along with Rika-san [Ouki Kaname]”. As that thinking came through on stage, I think my performance made Butler seem even more appealing.

June 2015: Catch Me If You Can (Akasaka ACT Theatre) – Carl Hanratty
First performance after moving troupes
Although this was my first performance since moving troupes, Sayumi-san [Kurenai] and I have similar personalities and ways of dealing with things, so from the very start I felt like I could perform naturally. This impression might be unrequited, though (laugh). When I’m with Sayumi, it’s really easy to communicate “this is how I want to perform” so during this performance I really enjoyed my self as an actor while seeing those cues and responding to them. My feelings about changing troupes was that, no matter what troupe I’m in, I want to perform in a way that entertains the audience, so I’ll take on any challenge in order to accomplish that. Thanks to that I was able to dive into this role just after joining Star Troupe and be really happy every day of this production.

1 – Junior performers start out playing multiple background roles.

2 – There is a variant script to Gone With The Wind where Scarlett is the lead role, though it is no longer performed..

Introduction of New Moon Troupe Members: 101st Class

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These are some brief statements from the 101sts who were assigned to Moon Troupe. They’re perhaps a little formulaic but very sweet. I included links to all their TakaWiki pages so you can see who they are.

Introduction of New Moon Troupe Members: 101st Class

  • Self-introduction
  • One phrase that sums up their current self

Amashi Juri
“I’ll push forward!”
I’m Moon Troupe’s Amashi Juri! Since I had the privilege of debuting at a Moon Troupe show, I’m really happy to become part of Moon Troupe.
I’m aiming to be a splendid otokoyaku and carry on the traditions of Takarazuka I’ve inherited from the upperclassmen. I will keep the sun in my heart and a sparkle in my eyes as I push forward, only looking ahead!! Please be good to me~

Yui Karen
“Like a piece of pure white drawing paper…”
I’m full of happiness every day. The wonderful upperclassmen have taught me so many things, and I’m busy studying what I’ve learned every day. I hope to continually advance and I’m working hard to be a lovely1 musumeyaku: I wonder what color I’ll end up being. I hope to be in a lot of shows that will convey ‘happiness’ to everyone!

Ayaoto Sena
“The only way is forward!”
My name is Ayaoto Sena and I’ve been assigned to Moon Troupe. I love Moon Troupe, so being able to rehearse with them every day and go onstage with them makes me so happy. I want to make the audience happy with my dancing, since that’s my favorite. While of course I have a long way to go, I hope you all will be kind to me in the future.

Reika Haru
“I’ll treasure each moment”
I’m Reika Haru of Moon Troupe!
Since I was able to watch a lot of Moon Troupe shows before joining Takarazuka, and then Moon Troupe took such good care of me when I debuted at one of their shows, being able to rehearse every day with all the upperclassmen I respect is like a dream come true. I’m going to dedicate myself to improving with each show I’m in, so I hope you will all come to know me as ‘Moon Troupe Otokoyaku, Reika Haru’.

Hanatoki Maika
“I’ll give it all without forgetting my gratitude!”
I’m Hanatoki Maika and I’ve been assigned to Moon Troupe. I want to be a musumeyaku who can take on any sort of role and sparkle on my beloved Takarazuka’s stage!
I’m going to work with all my heart to convey dreams and emotion to everyone in the audience.
Please be good to me!

Koumi Natsuho
“Advancing every day”
My name is Koumi Natsuho and I’m going to be a member of Moon Troupe. I want to learn lots of things from all the wonderful upperclassmen and keep advancing every day. As I perform on my beloved Takarazuka’s stage I will be cheerfully giving it my all in order to become my own kind of otokoyaku, so please support me in the future.

Yoshino Yurika
“Love is the most important thing”
I’ve loved being able to express myself since I was little. When I discovered Takarazuka, I thought it would be the best way to become able to express myself skillfully. I want to be a musumeyaku who can express even the things that are deep inside. And I won’t forget that love is the most important thing…

1 – The word for “lovely” she uses here is written the same way as her stage name, “Karen”.