#sienne: kisaki airi

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Relaxing Breeze - Kisaki Airi

Relaxing Breeze (Fuwari) was a musumeyaku feature published in GRAPH, where an interview would take place at a cafe. It was focused on offstage topics such as how they destress or what they do on days off.

Kisaki’s was published in the November 2016 issue.

Relaxing Breeze - Kisaki Airi

First, why don’t you order!

Let me see...I love chocolate so much I could die, and I can’t go a day without it so people will keep saying that my blood must be made of chocolate (laughs), but I like shortcake just as much...yes, I’ll have the seasonal shortcake!

And what will you have to drink?

Today is hot, so I’ll have something iced. Oh! It says they have ‘Choco Milk’! Is this heavier on the milk?

(Cafe manager) We’ll make it however you like!

Is that alright? Then, please make it with lots of chocolate… (laughs). Everything that I didn’t have from the chocolate cake (laughs).

What are the main points of your fashion for today?

Autumny! Also, since we’re at a cafe, I thought it would be nice to have something that felt like what I’d wear on a day off, so I picked out something with a relaxed feeling. I went with my hair down. Usually on a day off I’ll have it down. Although if I’m going to be doing something active, I’ll put it all in a ponytail.

That skirt has a really eye-catching design. Do you like those sorts of pieces?

I haven’t really noticed myself, but I suppose I might like them (laughs). I don’t think pastels suit me that well, so I end up selecting flashier colors, I guess. But since I’m a musumeyaku, after all, I think I’d like to find a pastel color that works for me (laughs).

Today we are doing a location shoot at a cafe…

The truth is, I’ve always wanted to visit this place. It’s near my parents’ house, so I’ve often talked to my mother about it. Therefore, I’m really happy about this today. The food looks good too, so I think I’ll come again sometime!

(The cake and Choco Milk arrive)

Ya~y! I’ll start with the drink! ...Ah~ it’s so rich! He really put in a lot of chocolate for me. Hahaha (laughs). It’s so tasty. And then the cake, oh, it has figs in it! You know, I’m from Kawanishi, in Hyogo, and figs are kind of a local specialty, so we’ve had a fig tree in our garden for a long time. I really like them. Alright, I’ll try it~! Hm~! It’s so good! It’s sweet, but maybe because of the peaches, it seems really light. It’s delicious~!

What do you usually get at a cafe?

I try to hold myself back from cake. But if there is chocolate cake...ah, maybe I’m not really holding myself back (laughs). I don’t like coffee, but I love black tea, and I always drink it straight. Ordinarily! Today would be cake and black tea too! (laughs) But I have a real sweet tooth, so I’ll end up going for that (laughs).

You really love sweets (laughs). Do you ever go to cafes alone like this?

In Tokyo, I’ll do that sometimes. But when I’m in Takarazuka, I will relax at home...chilling out is my hobby and also my weakness (laughs).

Do you spend your days off at home too?

I’m the type to stay at home all day (laughs). Ah, but when I’m active it’s really active! I think the difference is really big.

On a day when you are relaxing, what is your usual pattern?

I’ll just watch dramas or movies I’ve recorded—the current show, Samurai THE FINAL, is a Japanese-setting play, so I’m watching a Taiga Drama*—and that’s how I’ll spend the whole time. Or, if it is before a show opens, I’ll gather together all the accessories I have in the house (laughs).

Do you mostly watch things that will help with  your performances?

No, I love dramas, so I’ll tape so many different programs every week (laughs). Therefore, yeah, I’ll watch tons of things that have nothing to do with that (laughs). I tell myself it’s a good way to wind down from working (laughs).

What kinds of dramas do you like?

I like romances, but for some reason I’ve always really liked things about detectives, or about medical work (laughs). I like things that are exciting and suspenseful, maybe. I’ll still tape Detective Conan and things like that (laughs)

Do you get up early on your days off?

Hm~, it depends on the day. I love sleeping in until noon (laughs), but if I do get up early,  it feels really nice. I’ll have a relaxed breakfast and then space out in front of the TV. I’ll watch ‘Yo~i DON!’. Ahaha (laughs). It’s a Kansai region local show, so when I’m performing in Tokyo I miss it so, so much! (laughs) It’s a news variety show, but I like the kind of gentle feeling it has (laughs).

And then, if it’s an active day?

I go shopping the most, I suppose. I’ll go to Osaka. Also, I’ll wander down to Awaji, or to Kobe; they’re close by, but it still feels like I’m travelling. I love Universal Studios Japan too, and watching baseball! I love Koushien**. Recently, [the game I was planning to go to] was cancelled because of rain. Even though I’d been really looking forward to it…

That’s too bad. Although it’s a bit surprising that that is one of your interests.

I hear that a lot (laughs). I was following the Rio Olympics, too (laughs).

Do you like going out with someone else?

Yes, I do. It’s nice to go out by myself once in a while, but when we’re all together it’s more upbeat and fun. I haven’t been doing that much at all lately, but since Hinami-san is going to be retiring with this show, my class and Hinami and the others from the class above us are talking about how we’d like to do a house party. A takoyaki party (laughs). It would be really nice if that could happen.

You had a bit of a vacation after the recent Bow Singing Workshop: Star Troupe, didn’t you.

I did. It was a little over 2 weeks, so everybody went off to different countries (laughs). It seemed like every single day people were posting pictures of various places to the Bow Workshop cast LINE group (laughs). Amazing photos of New York city streets, Las Vegas, Taiwan, Guam… it felt like I was on a world tour (laughs).

Did you go somewhere as well, Kisaki-san?

I went to the Southern hemisphere. Saipan. I sunburn really easily, so I was putting sunscreen on all over every 30 minutes (laughs). Since coming back I’ve been taking lots of Vitamin C and trying to get whiter somehow (laughs). I love southern countries. It was a really fun trip.

If you had another vacation, what would you do?

I think I’d go overseas. That trip was my first in a long time, so it piqued my appetite (laughs). I really enjoyed it. It was a good way to change my mood, and, in a good way, I was able to forget about everything...although I’m not sure that’s actually a good thing (laughs), I’d like to have fun and forget everything else. I would kind of like to go to India next time.

Your next show, Om Shanti Om, is set in India, isn’t it.

It is! That’s why I’m interested. Also, everyone keeps saying I ought to go to New York, so if I had time I’d like to go. I want to see all the musicals I please! Apparently you can also go in and get dance lessons and things, so I’ve been sort of longing to do that.

* Taiga dramas are a long-running series of year-long serialized historical dramas broadcast by NHK.

** Koushien is the yearly highschool baseball tournament that is one of the biggest sporting events in Japan.

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Kisaki Airi decided her retirement would be “together with Kurenai-san” from the start.

This article covering Star Troupe Top Musumeyaku Kisaki Airi’s retirement press conference was published by Nikkan Sports on February 6, 2019. The original article with photos can be found here.

Kisaki Airi decided her retirement would be “together with Kurenai-san” from the start.

Kisaki Airi, Top Musumeyaku of the Takarazuka Revue’s Star Troupe, who announced that she would be retiring together with Star Troupe Top Star Kurenai Yuzuru on October 13th, held a press conference on the afternoon of the 6th at the Takarazuka Theatre in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture.

Her press conference occurred 2 and a half hours after Kurenai’s, which took place on the morning of the same day in Osaka. The location was also different, in a conference hall arranged in Takarazuka. In an odd coincidence, her outfit, consisting of a white dress with silver lame ornaments, happened to match with Kurenai’s perfectly. “Oh, does it really?” Kisaki said, laughing happily. “Do we have telepathy? Yes!”

Kisaki will retire together with Kurenai on the last day of the Tokyo performance of GOD OF STARS – Saints of Cuisine/Éclair Brillant, which opens in Hyogo’s Takarazuka Theatre on July 12th.

“I decided from the start that (my retirement) would be together with Kurenai-san.”

Kisaki debuted in 2010, and, like Kurenai-san, has spent her entire career in Star Troupe. In November of 2016, when Kurenai was appointed as Top Star, Kisaki joined her as Top Musumeyaku. Their home theatre debut performance, The Scarlet Pimpernel, which was also her first performance in Takarazuka, is a show full of memories for her. “(My heroine role of) Marguerite is always living inside of me,” she said.

Kisaki is from Hyogo, and she was drawn to the Osaka-born Kurenai and came to respect her. “Star Troupe has a bright and cheerful image, and when Kurenai’s personality was combined with that, the troupe became even brighter. I respect her as a performer and also as a person.”

She declared that her feelings for Kurenai were “everything about Takarazuka to me. She interacts with people so whole-heartedly. That character of hers saved me as well,” she added thankfully.

Kisaki was also attracted to her concentration in rehearsals, her attention to detail, and her sense of humour as a performer, as well as her good natured personality which will always relax a space. “Last night, she was on the phone with me saying ‘let’s be bright and cheerful going into (the press conference) but right after (Kurenai’s) press conference earlier, I got a call from her and the very first thing she said was ‘I ended up crying a ton!’”

Kurenai apparently tried to joke about breaking her promise with Kisaki by crying in order to hide her embarrassment. “Therefore, I was resolved that, no, I definitely won’t cry,” she said, forming a firm fist as she spoke.

Kurenai had said during her own press conference “Please don’t use pictures of me crying,” and apparently gave Kisaki a message to pass on to reporters. “‘For real, don’t use them,’ she said.” Kurenai helped Kisaki relax from the nervousness she had been feeling before the press conference.

Kisaki is classmates with the previously retired former Top Musumeyaku of Flower Troupe, Kano Maria, and former Top Musumeyaku of Snow Troupe, Sakihi Miyu. “They told me to take a deep breath before going in (to the press conference), and it made things a lot easier,” she revealed.

As for her retirement, she said “I can’t think about any of that yet. For the next six months and a bit, I want to live my life as a member of Takarazuka to the fullest.”

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Star Troupe Troupe Report - June 2017

Troupe Report is a Kageki feature where an appointed reporter will write about current events in the troupe or ask troupe members for questions to answers sent in by readers. Reporters are generally only replaced on retirement, unlike other backstage features that rotate monthly or quarterly.

Star Troupe’s Troupe Report has been written by Kisaragi Ren since 2015. The June 2017 edition features questions for the leading members of the troupe and backstage anecdotes.

Star Troupe Troupe Report - June 2017

⭐️ Spending their day off in Dreamland 💖

Kurenai: It’s Grandpa Pinocchio! Grandpa~!

Kurenai and Kisaki: Grandpa! GRANDPA~!

They were such a beautiful couple you would never think they were having that conversation ✨

Against Expectations level: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Question for Rei Makoto-san

Q: Which one of Kurenai-san’s adlibs made you struggle the hardest not to laugh? (question from Fumika)

Kurenai: ‘Let’s go to Demon Island with Momotarou!’

Rei: ‘Let’s not.’

Kurenai: ‘I’ll be the monkey, and Marguerite will be the dog…’

Aa-chan (Kisaki) was startled to suddenly have her name called, and Makottsan (Rei) ended up focusing on her face. But the finishing blow was…

Kurenai: ‘And  you can be the pheasant!!’

...THERE WASN’T ANY MOMOTAROU.

Chauvelin will never forget his frustration at letting his laughter slip out then.

Perseverance level: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Question for Kisaki Airi-san

Q: What is your favorite fruit? (question from Yukari)

A: It’s strawberries 🍓

Girl Power level: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Questions for Kurenai Yuzuru-san

Q: Are there any fortunes or o-mikuji* that had a deep impact on you? (question from ChaCha)

“When I was ken-1 I bought a 100yen o-mikuji that said ‘you’ll become rich one day’ and I still totally believe that ✨”

And right now Sayumi-san is the mascot figure for the Dream Jumbo Lottery ✨Now all she has to do is win!! (laughs)

This question is for her too 💖

Q. If you won the 7-million-yen lottery, what dream would  you like to make come true? (question from Pit)

“I’d like to charter Star Troupe shows for students giving it their all at their jobs, or housewives working part-time, or anybody working hard trying to see Takarazuka even one more time!!”

Kisaragi: “...With all 7 million yen?”

“Darn right!! I’ll be Mother Teresa!!”

I had never expected that kind of amazing response ✨

It made me feel like a loser for wishing I could have even 1/1000 of that to use on just myself.

Hopes and dreams level: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

⭐️ Question for all the ken-3 members

Q. Where would you like to go with another Takarasienne you admire? (question from Kirara)

Aomi Sario: “I’d like to go to an aquarium with Otosaki [Itsuki]-san 💖”

Sayaka Rin: “I’d like to go to America with Hokushou [Kairi]-san ✨”

Yuuhi Maki: “I’d like to tour Japan with Sou [Kazuho]-san and go to Disneyland with Seo [Yuria]-san 🏰”

Amakake Sakura: “I’d like to go to karaoke with Sazanami [Reira]-san 🎵”

Ayazono Hina: “I’d like to go with Ichijou [Azusa]-san on a road trip to Awaji Island.”

Asakura Shizuku: “I’d like to go to the beach with Rei [Makoto]-san 🐠”

Kusanagi Kizuki: “I’d like to have a barbecue with Nagina [Ruumi]-san 🌞”

Seira Hitomi: I’d like to go to Minion Park with Kisaragi-san 🍌 (After she’s through playing Simon**. LOL)”

* O-mikuji are fortune papers that can be bought at Japanese temples and shrines. They have various fortunes written on them (ranging from ‘Great Blessing’ to ‘Great Curse’) and are selected at random from a box.

** In The Scarlet Pimpernel, Hitomi played the Dauphin Louis-Charles and Kisaragi played his abusive jailer Simon.