There’s a section in Kageki called ‘Words and Pictures’ where one sienne from each troupe is chosen quarterly to write about behind-the-scenes episodes from their troupe. (It’s slightly similar to Troupe Report, but longer and with a fixed turnover.)
Shirayuki Sachika was the writer for Moon Troupe in the second quarter of 2015. In this issue she writes about the rehearsals for 1789 (with a surprise cameo from Hokushou Kairi).
Continue readingTalk DX is a GRAPH talk feature with the otokoyaku leads of a recent Grand Theatre show. This one was recorded during the run of Guys and Dolls, and published in the November 2015 issue.
Continue readingFor her final issue of GRAPH, in November 2016, Hinami Fuu had an invitation talk feature. She chose to do it with Hokushou Kairi and reminisce about their time as Top Stars together.
Warning: Extreme cuteness ahead.
Continue readingPart 2 of the GRAPH survey feature about Hokushou Kairi. Part 1 is located here.
Continue readingThe ‘Top Star #1′ series was published in GRAPH in 2016, and surveys all the troupe members about their favorite roles, personality attributes, and mannerisms of the respective Top Stars. Hokushou’s ran in the October issue. It’s being posted in 2 parts due to length—Part 2 can be found here.
Continue readingThis director talk for Hokushou Kairi’s first Cosmos Troupe lead was published in the November 2007 Kageki.
Please note it was translated from her memorial book, so, while as far as I can tell it seems complete, it may have been slightly abridged.
Continue readingIn That’s RanKING!, a multi-year Kageki Top Star Q&A feature, the Top Stars rank each other based on various questions. The 2016 version of the column has questions sent in by readers.
This month’s question: Who would be the first to make it out of a giant maze?
Continue readingIn That’s RanKING!, a multi-year Kageki Top Star Q&A feature, the Top Stars rank each other based on various questions. The 2016 version of the column has questions sent in by readers.
This month’s question: Who knows the most about bugs?
That’s RanKING! – Who’s in first place?
For 2016’s monthly corner, we use questions sent in from readers and ask each Top Star to rank who most matches each month’s theme by sharing their impressions and anecdotes. The votes are calculated with First Place as 10 points, Second Place as 5 points, and Third Place as 3 points. Please enjoy the 5 Top Stars’ variety of answers and stories!
This month: Who knows the most about bugs? (Question from ‘Elmer’)
Snow Troupe – Sagiri Seina
First place is Maa-kun [Asaka]. That’s because she’s from Saga! [Laughs] There are bugs in Saga, right? They’re in Nagasaki too! …I guess I wouldn’t want to have someone say that to me [laughs]. Michiko-san [Hokushou] seems to have a lot of knowledge about stuff, so even though she says she doesn’t like bugs I feel like she knows about them, so she’s in second. I’m fine with bugs but I don’t know that much about them, so guess I might be third. Fourth place is Masao [Ryuu], and fifth place is Mirio-chan [Asumi]. Masao doesn’t mind bugs but I don’t think she’s interested in them either, and I feel like Mirio-chan hates bugs.
Star Troupe – Hokushou Kairi
First place is Ryuu-san, because she seems she’d know a lot about colorful insects. Second place is Chigi [Sagiri], since I think she would have caught bugs when she was little. I see Asaka-san as being in third place. To tell the truth, I actually detest bugs, and I don’t know much about them so I’m last place. I didn’t hate them so much when I was little, but when I was in the Takarazuka Music School I was cleaning a balcony once, and from a cherry tree, a fuzzy caterpillar—… Of course I couldn’t scream, and I twisted to try and shake it off, but I had to keep going… I kept cleaning while I was practically fainting, so after that I was really traumatized [laughs].
Cosmos Troupe – Asaka Manato
Hokushou-san! If you flipped through the pages of her memory, I feel like she would have a whole page full of memories about bugs, all ‘Oh, so bugs…’ kind of things. Chigi-san is from Kyuushu, which has a lot of nature, and I think she definitely caught bugs when she was little! I’m also from Kyuushu so I’ll be third for the same reasons. A long time ago I used to catch cicadas, but now I can’t stand them. I feel like Mirio would be like ‘Mr. Bug, stay away~’ [laughs]. And I see Masao as having very little interest in bugs. ‘Oh, there’s a bug, huh,’ that kind of image.
Flower Troupe – Asumi Rio
First place is Chigi-san, since I think a bug catching net would suit her. I think second place might be Masaki-san [Ryuu]. She has a favorite bug: she said ‘rhinoceros beetles are really spirited’ so I think she’d be like that [laughs]. Third place is Hokushou-san. She seems to know a lot about bugs, and would be able to tell you ‘in this area these bugs are likely to appear’. Since I grew up in the countryside, if I see a bug I generally know what it is, and I’m not scared of them…but I’m not an expert.
Moon Troupe – Ryuu Masaki
Somebody who knows a lot about bugs…? Maybe Maa-kun. Well, I say she knows a lot, but I feel like if you asked her about bugs she would get really into it and research all kinds of things. Second place is Chigi-chan, since she definitely seems like she fits the ‘outdoorsy’ image. Micchan is in third place. Even if she personally doesn’t like bugs, she knows about a lot of different things so I think she’d definitely be able to tell you about bugs. I can’t stand bugs at all. I think Mirio doesn’t like them at all either. But if there was a bug on my clothes or something, I think she’d have the courage to get it off for me…
One of the behind-the-scenes comics from the December 2015 issue of Graph. (The feature it accompanied is not yet translated.)
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