GRAPH-Style Otokoyaku Cram School ~Moon Chapter~

Teacher … Sena Jun - Moon Troupe lead otokoyaku
Student … Ryuu Masaki - Moon Troupe member, debuted in 2001

History of Important Shinjinkōen Roles
＊May 2006 “Rome at Dawn”
Brutus (Sena Jun)
＊January 2007 “Higher Than the Sky of Paris”
Armand (Sena Jun)
＊August 2007 “A Magician’s Misfortunes”
Sandor (Sena Jun)


Sena: So far Masao (Ryū) has performed my roles three times in the shinjinkōen. Brutus, Armand, and even Sandor – I think Masao and I are the only ones who could have done them, don’t you? There’s a part of Masao which feels as if we’re fated to work together, because she has performed the same roles and has joint-ownership in understanding their toughness and enjoyment.

Ryū: Those are awe-inspiring words… Thank you.

Sena: You know, I’ve come to think that I want to share things with the youngster who performs my roles. Things from the scenes of the role and the technicalities (for example, the things that I feel as I create the role) – things that only I seem to be able to understand, because I perform the same role.

Ryū: Asako-san (Sena) was always advising me: “Masao, you should create the role in the way you would do it.”

Sena: Yes. Because it’s only natural that when the actor changes, the way the role is created and the way it is acted changes as well. I think it’s good that the way a person feels the character’s emotions is different for different people. Because there are no right or wrong emotions. Of course, I feel I have to teach that: “You might think you’re portraying a certain feeling, but the audience might not be seeing it that way.”

Ryū: The first time I performed one of your roles was in "Rome at Dawn", and when I received the advice from you that I should create the role in my own way, a blind fell from my eyes¹…

Sena: A blind… (grins)

Ryū: Yes. (grins) Since then I’ve rehearsed with a strong awareness about creating a role in my own way, and before I knew it I realized the importance of finding the answers out for yourself. I’m very grateful to Asako-san for allowing me that awareness in my life. As I work to find the answers myself, through trial and error, I have a feeling that I’ve come to get more enjoyment out of creating the roles.


Sena: When I speak like this it’s probably not entirely true, but up till now it seems as if you haven’t stumbled much at all, Masao. I mean, I think you must have faced problems, but they were never publicly visible… I think it might be better if you let yourself be seen stumbling, worrying, and upset. It is important to always have a cheerful face to raise your own motivation, but I have a feeling it would be good to show your own worries sometimes.

Ryū: To be honest, I’m not good at expressing my own feelings, and I definitely feel that I don’t want to show people the negative sides of myself.

Sena: Yes. But even if you let it show when you’re worried or when things are difficult, the people around you, Masao, will accept you. When you have faced trouble before, aren’t there times when you’ve simply ignored the problem?

Ryū: I think there have been.

Sena: The important thing, when you’ve come face-to-face with a problem, is to not ignore it, and to worry about it through to the end. Worry about it through to the end, be thorough – even if, for example, a diversion appears, don’t run away. When you crawl forward by your own power, continuing by great effort, don’t you grow as an actor?

Ryū: Yes. After facing problems directly, and crawling forward under my own power, I want to become a stronger person mentally.



Ryū: Asako-san, what kind of underclassman were you?

Sena: When I was about where you are now, Masao, I was very carefree. When I think back on it now, I was pretty unsatisfactory!

Ryū: Really?

Sena: Yes. Because I was like that, and because I was too carefree, when I was given the lead role in the shinjinkōen of “Speakeasy”², I was in such rough shape because there was so much I couldn’t do that I fell into a complete slump. It was there in one stroke that I felt the fires light. Although it was a bit late then. (grin)

Ryū: Is that so?

Sena: Yes. When I had about as many years in the company as you, Masao, I often spoke with the otokoyaku-san who were close in school years to me about the shows and about being otokoyaku. How about you?

Ryū: That’s true. When I speak with the upperclassmen just above me, they have a lot of experience in the situations confronting me now, and I learn a lot.

Sena: Yep, yep.

Ryū: From now on I’d like to increase my opportunities such as that.



Sena: I said that as a performer I hope you have more worries, but I also will say that I hope you keep the frankness which puts people at ease and the individuality you have now. I thing you’re really honest. In the Graph “87th Class: A Miniature Encyclopedia” there was written an episode from your childhood that I understood very well, and I was moved.

Ryū: The takoyaki story? (laughs)

Sena: That’s right. (laughs) It was so like the honesty and frankness of Masao to speak of the feelings of guilt which tormented you over dropping those takoyaki you had pestered your parents into buying for you before you could eat them.

Ryū: Thank you. (laughs)

Sena: It’s your virtue that no matter what you have no timidity. (grins) Please take good care of that honesty, that individuality, and that sense of fun from now on.

Ryū: I will.

Sena: And, as I said earlier, I want you to have lots of worries, and lots of problems, so that you can go up one or two sizes and become a large-scale otokoyaku. Because I think being able to do that will be the only tools that will prepare you. Right now you’re full of the power of Moon Troupe, but now it would make me happy if you used your power to boost up Moon Troupe from below.

Ryū: Yes. I’ll do my best!

Sena: I know you’re working hard. (grins)

Ryū: (grins) I want to fix the advice I got from you today in my heart, Asako-san, and devote myself to it every day.

Five Questions from Ryū to Sena!

~The First~

Ryū: “Asako-san, please tell me the so-called “aesthetics of otokoyaku”³, which is particular to Takarazuka otokoyaku.”

Sena: “Dressing well, the make-up, the bearing – upon performing as an otokoyaku, you put all of your energy into the small details, endlessly. But for me, I think the most important thing for a Takarazuka otokoyaku is “love”4. Though I suppose that’s a clumsy way of putting it. (laughs) I don’t think truly representing a man is the aesthetics of an otokoyaku. If there isn’t “love” there, then there won’t be an “otokoyaku”. Having that “love” and holding that “love” precious as you perform your male role, that is what I would say is the aesthetics. (laughs)”

~The Second~

Ryū: “You have played countless roles, but among them which role has led you to think: “I’d like to try and continue living the life of this character more!”

Sena: “Hm…. Well, I’ve played roles on stage where I died too, you know~ (grins) Ah! Ōama no Ōji might be good. I’d like to try and perform what came after the last scene in “Akanesasu Murasaki no Hana”, as he passes through the Jinshin War, until he loses his life. Now that I think of it, I looked up Ōama no Ōji with the “Inside of the Brain Maker” (the internet site where you input a person’s name and it gives you an image of inside their brain), and it was completely full of “love”. The “Inside of the Brain Maker” itself is no more than a game without scientific basis, but knowing that; that person’s life which is full of nothing but “love”, only love – My interest boiled up more and more. (laughs)”

~The Third~

Ryū: “For you, as Sena Jun, being able to stand on that stage, is there anything that you bear in mind all the time?”

Sena: “When I was in Flower Troupe, the otokoyaku around me often had “play, rest, tolerance” as their watchwords. I think those really are essential, so even now when I’m on stage I have those three things tucked away in my heart. I also take care to keep in mind the service spirit of making sure the audience is enjoying themselves. Always be prepared to do whatever needs to be done to make the audience happy, and stand on the stage.”

~The Fourth~

Ryū: “What kind of moment makes you feel that you’re happy?”

Sena: “I think this is probably trite, but when I’m on the stage receiving applause from the audience, I feel happy. From the bottom of my heart, I think: “I’m so happy to be alive~, I’m so happy I worked so hard to get here~.”

~The Fifth~

Ryū: “Your sense of fashion is always wonderful, and I secretly pattern myself after you. When you’re choosing your clothes, do you reference anything? Also, if there’s a point that hasn’t been passed on, please tell us that too.”

Sena: When I’m shopping for clothes, I look at and reference magazines, but often in the end I chose things based on my own sense. A point, if I had to say one, would be the line. It could be a jacket, or it could be pants, but generally speaking I tend to choose things that are otokoyaku-like. I definitely don’t choose clothes that have feminine lines.”

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(1) a blind - lit. "a fish scale"
(2) "Speakeasy" - Sena Jun's only shinko lead role, when she was ken-7 (1998).
(3) aesthetics of an otokoyaku - The oft-repeated "男役の美学"
(4) love - "愛"