As it gets colder in the mornings and evenings these days, I find myself longing for a kotatsu, even though at home we were not the kind of household that brought out a kotatsu (laughs). Mandarins and hot tea go together well with a kotatsu. I always admired that Sazae-san kind of happy family circle in the wintertime…
Well then, by reading this hot column you will banish the cold of winter! This month’s guest possesses a very hot passion. It’s our Moon Troupe’s leading otokoyaku, Ayaki Nao. Squeee, squeee! Saeko-san, please treat me well~!

*Be a people person*

Yes…when I think of Saeko-san, the word that humbly makes its way into my mind is “tough.” Yes, you are insanely tough. I may be exhausted from rehearsal, but even though you have it much harder than I do, you’re the one you kindly asks people, “Want to go out to eat?” While eating and having fun conversations, we underclassmen regain our energy and end up chatting quite naturally… Still, you listen to us with all your heart and fervently give us encouragement… You never show us a single sign that you’re tired. It’s those of us who you invited that end up receiving energy from you…

“I’m not tough, though people often tell me I am (laughs). I simply like to go eat and talk with everyone. It gives me energy.”

Sometimes after going out to eat like that, I come home and think, “I really gave my best again today!” before I collapse into bed and fall sleep. But the next day, you arrive with your lines properly memorized. When I see that, I’m moved by the fact that even after you go home, you do things like practice your lines.

“That’s because I can’t stand being alone. My horoscope animal is a sheep, you see. I like it when there’s a common topic we can all talk about. I like to let off steam together with friends who share the same joy and pain, regardless of their class year. Somehow that makes things more positive. Thanks to that, we can create a good performance as a group and grow closer by trusting each other, you see… I love that! It’s like the springtime of our youth (laughs).”

That kind of setting helps us underclassmen so much. I often stubbornly tell myself things like “In the end, you’re alone”, but really my friends help me so much… Still, on the other hand, there are times when we each want to be alone, aren’t there.

“At the moment…not really (laughs).”

Oh! That’s an unexpected response! But if you can say something like that, it must mean you’re in a good psychological state, maybe. I think that no matter how many hardships there are, it’s important to be physically and emotionally healthy in order to move the hearts of others. That health must be the source of your serene smile!

*Have an unbalanced sense of balance*

Saeko-san, there is something about you that I have been thinking about for a while… In one edition of Otome you wrote that a role you would like to try playing is Peter Pan. I suspect that there were many fans who were also surprised by that response…

“I like that role! The eternal boy. I initially became drawn to Takarazuka and the world of theatre because I liked the Peter Pan musical. Peter Pan’s heart is pure, isn’t it? That’s why I admired him when I was young…but now…I’m embarrassed (laughs).”

Ah…but I think I understand. There are times when I’ve felt a pure innocence from you that’s contrary to your bewitching aura. Whenever I try to ask you about that fascinating quality of yours, you respond with things like “I have no idea! I’m not conscious of it, not at all” or “If anything, it’s because I’m rather simple and candid.” But after spending a few years observing at your side, I’ve somehow come to understand what you mean (am I being too bold?). I think your charm lies in the unbalanced combination of your beautiful, feminine looks and your frank, slightly masculine personality. It also comes from the exquisite balance between your adult expressions and your boyish heart. Someone said “Sexiness is an impulse you can only reveal at the spur of the moment.” Without a doubt, that is the kind of sexiness I feel you have, Saeko-san.

(A digression: Come to think of it, the purity of the character Ponopo in Takarazuka Kenran II is sort of like Peter Pan, isn’t it!)

*Be someone everyone can empathize with*

Um, um…this is something I’ve been really wanting to ask about (this is a subject of rather great interest). How did you feel on the first day of your first performance as top of Moon Troupe?

“I think I was very excited but incredibly calm. Usually I get nervous and my heart pounds… Maybe I was overwhelmed with emotion? No, that wasn’t it, either. Maybe I was just focused on the performance.”

I see. That’s the best condition to be in.

“When I carried the feathers on my back, I thought, ‘With the weight of these feathers…’. I thought of things like my seniors and tradition. I felt the weight of the feathers in many different ways.”

Actually, the hanamichi and the wings of the stage were packed with performers trying to see that great moment when the curtains opened on that first day at the Grand Theater. I also watched from the hanamichi. I became teary eyed at that moment when the curtain opened and the spotlight shone on you. Around me people were reacting the same way, saying “That was moving, wasn’t it.”

“An evening a few days after that, I felt very excited about it. Weren’t the people in the audience incredibly warm and welcoming? They really were. The atmosphere of the troupe was like that, too. I felt how everyone focused, which gave me power. Yeah, you’re all warmhearted.”

It truly was a warm first day. That warmth has continued every day. I think that’s due to your personality. The troupe members and the audience empathize with you. They enjoy themselves when you have fun, they get excited when you do, they’re happy when you’re happy… I think that’s how you capture people’s hearts. Saeko-san, I will follow you in the future as well!

*Always be mischievous*

You are someone I admire as a wonderful otokoyaku and as a woman, Saeko-san. I like the aura you emit.

“Oh~ thank you very much (laughs). But an aura’s not something you give off consciously. I don’t know about me, but don’t you think that people shine when their hearts are pure and they’re completely absorbed in something? That’s what I want to be like. It’s not about simply smiling. What’s more important is the strength of your heart and the way you live your life. I want to experience many different things, make a lot of friends, and always be cheerful and positive. I still want to be mischievous (laughs). I can’t even decide how I want to develop. I just want to live my life the way I want.”

Ah…that free and uninhibited way of living makes you sparkle. It’s really cool. I like that part of you.

Saeko-san, thank you for the wonderful conversation!