B's-LOG/BACK STAGE FOR YOU!!!!

BACK STAGE FOR YOU!!!! was an interview series that ran in the Feb-May issues of B's-LOG magazine.

Spring TroupeSummer TroupeAutumn TroupeWinter Troupe

⸺ Q1. First, please tell us how you felt once shooting for the key visual was over.
Sakuya	I was just nervous......! The costumes that Yuki-kun made for us, along with the props, felt so genuine, I had to start learning from how to hold a sword......
Masumi	Even though I did everything perfectly as the Director said to, she still hasn't praised me.
Tsuzuru	You really think of nothing but the Director.
Itaru	It was amazing seeing the finished product. They put cool effects around the two of then, so the design of the flyer matched the atmosphere of the work.
Tsuzuru	The person who designed it is technically studying at an arts school at the moment.
Sakuya	Kazunari-san was your senior in high school, right? He's a cheerful person.
Masumi	He's loud.
Citron	At first contact, I thought "Ohh! A Japanese party person!"
Tsuzuru	I don't get what you mean by attaching 'Japanese' to 'party person'.
Sakuya	Yuki-kun, Kazunari-san, thank you very much!
⸺ Q2. Can you tell us about each of your characters?
Sakuya	I play the protagonist, Romeo. He's the firstborn son of the Montague family, and he becomes friends with the firstborn son of the Capulet family, who his family is antagonistic towards......That's the sort of character I'm playing.
Masumi	I play the supporting character, Julius. He's Romeo's close friend. That's all.
Tsuzuru	There's a bit more to it than that, Masumi. I play Mercutio, Romeo's childhood friend, who's sort of like an older brother figure. He despises the Capulet household.
Itaru	And I play Tybalt. He's Julius' foster brother and a part of the Capulet faction. Due to the hostilities, I have a lot of scenes with Tsuzuru's character, Mercutio.
Citron	I'm the actor for Father Lawrence, Citron ♪ My character entertains the friendship between these two troubled people.
Tsuzuru	It's 'facilitates'.
Citron	I will put all my energy into building them up from tasty fusilli.
Itaru	All you'll make is pasta.
Sakuya	It'd be terrible if we were stuck together by pasta!
Masumi	......I feel sticky imagining it.
Citron	The entertaining strategy is a big success.
⸺ Q3. Please tell us a moment from practice that left an impression on you.
Sakuya	We received some forceful guidance from one of the original Spring Troupe's members, Yuzo-san, who came to see our practice. I felt strongly that I had to work much, much harder!
Tsuzuru	They were incredibly harsh words. The first day he came, everyone was acting like they were at a funeral that night at dinner.
Citron	But after that we made a sweet memory with everyone sleeping next to each other.
Sakuya	Yes, at that time I felt I'd come to understand everyone a bit more!
Itaru	Well, there were many other tough times aside from that. We were often in a pinch.
Masumi	Like the uproar over you leaving the troupe.
Tsuzuru	Yeah, that was seriously like, 'for real...'. ......Though in the end, you're here with us now.
Citron	The plan of having everyone stop you had instant noodle results.
Itaru	Just 'instant results', okay. ......Well, I'll talk about this in more detail if we get another opportunity.
Sakuya	We didn't know what we were doing at the time, but looking back on it now it's become a good memory after all!
⸺ Q4. In relation to the theme of this work, please tell us which members you get along with, or would like to get along with.
Sakuya	Definitely everyone in the Spring Troupe! Especially Citron, who's my roommate. He teaches me lots of things I don't know, so I have fun every night.
Tsuzuru	No, over half of those are probably lies. It might be Fushimi-san for me, after all. We go to the same university, and we're often on cooking duty together.
Sakuya	Your cooking is always delicious!
Itaru	I often make Banri accompany me with games. Even though he's a student, he always seems free.
Tsuzuru	That's because he skips school activities and slacks off on classwork......Honestly.
Citron	I can connect with anyone without making fruit. But I especially want to get closer to Masumi. He's so prickly every day......I want to see his soft side.
Itaru	You might mean to say, 'without taking favourites'.
Masumi	......Annoying.
Sakuya	Speaking of which, what about you, Masumi-kun?
Masumi	I don't see anyone but the Director, so I don't need to get along with anyone.
Tsuzuru	That'll cause problems when you're acting! Look at us!
Citron	I can feel his policy of non-interaction.
⸺ Q5. Finally, let's have a message for those who will be coming to watch your debut play.
Citron	Look forwards to the Spring Troupe's play~ There are shocking developments, but it does have a happy ending ♪ Rest assured.
Itaru	Some slightly embarrassing things were exposed, but right now I'm practising seriously. I'll be glad if you enjoy our debut play.
Tsuzuru	Erm, this play will be my first work as a playwright. I wrote it in a fit of energy, so I think are a lot of weak points, but everyone in the Spring Troupe is acting it with all their strength. Thank you.
Masumi	I want you to watch over me from the wings of the stage. I'll exceed your expectations over and over again. ......So look at me, and only me, until the end.
Sakuya	All of us in the Spring Troupe are inexperienced actors, so we've created this play from nothing. As we head to the final performance, we'll do our best as a troupe to show more and more of our best acting! We'll be waiting for you at the MANKAI Theatre!

⸺ Q1. First, please tell us how you felt once shooting for the key visual was over.
Tenma	Yuki and Kazunari made us strike lots of different poses, saying 'not like that; not like this', and when I finally thought they were satisfied, they'd try another pattern, so it was tough. Spare a thought for the people who went along with you for ages.
Yuki	Huuh? You were the one most into it; what are you saying? On top of that, there was no end to your selfish requests. 'I look better from this angle'. Just which 'I, Lord Tenma' was it who said that?
Tenma	I didn't make any selfish requests at all!
Kazunari	Come now, both of you~ It is true that we were particular about angles! Yukki's costumes are super high quality, so we tried to pin down the angle that'd make them shine the best.
Muku	Kazu-kun's design was really wonderful as well! It was like I'd been sucked into the world of Arabian Nights!
Misumi	I have to give Yuki and Kazu a Super Mr. Triangle for working hard!
Tenma	Oi, I worked hard too! Wait, I don't need a triangle......!
Yuki	Yes yes, well done, you worked hard. As expected of the great Lord Tenma.
Tenma	Stop it with the monotone! You're making fun of me, aren't you!?
⸺ Q2. Can you tell us about each of your characters?
Tenma	I play Ali Baba, who's always chasing dreams, forever unable to become a proper adult. He's really a guy who can't be helped, but......he has an honest personality that's fitting for a protagonist, and —
Yuki	In terms of him being written for you, the childish part is exactly the same.
Tenma	What did you say!?
Yuki	I play Ali Baba's childhood friend, Scheherazade. She's a mature sort of girl who tells Ali Baba stories every night.
Tenma	Oi, don't ignore me! I still have more to —
Muku	Yuki-kun's the only one who could play a girl! Um, I play Sinbad. Not the famous Sinbad, but a normal boy who transports goods.
Misumi	Okay! I'm~ the genie of the lamp! I appear from a mysterious lamp and grant wishes~ Awesome, right?
Kazunari	The mysterious look completely suits you, Sumi~! I play Aladdin! He's a lady-killer who loves girls ♪
Yuki	A lady-killer? Was that in his character setting?
Misumi	What's a lady-killer~? A triangle?
Muku	Ah, sorry, Tenma-kun! Please continue......
Tenma	Ahh, whatever! And at the very least, it's not a triangle!
⸺ Q3. Please tell us a moment from practice that left an impression on you.
Muku	The Summer Troupe is the only one that had a training camp, huh. The curry we all made together was delicious.
Misumi	The triangular potatoes were delicious~!
Kazunari	We did make curry, but......the best memory from training camp has gotta be the fireworks! Right, Tenten~?
Tenma	A-Ahh......That's right! They were my first fireworks, but they weren't bad.
Yuki	Tenma's frightened face was the best.
Tenma	Wha!? I wasn't scared or anything at all!
Yuki	I'll leave it at that for you.
Kazunari	Ah, I made sure to take photos! Hold on.
Tenma	Huh!? When did you take those! Delete them now!
Muku	Some difficult things happened, but it was a fun training camp.
Misumi	I want to go agai~n!
⸺ Q4. In relation to the theme of this work, please tell us one thing you want or are looking for at the moment.
Misumi	Triangles~!
Kazunari	Sumi never changes! As for me~ I want a karaoke set! I want to do a King of Singing contest! Ah, Mukkun, let's do a duet ☆
Muku	Sure! I want to grow a bit taller, haha......
Yuki	I want a new machine. Also, my roommate is loud so a single room where I can spend my time in peace, maybe.
Tenma	That's my line!
Kazunari	So, Tenten, what do you want~? ......Ah, I know! Got it; a girlfriend, right!
Tenma	Wrong! I don't have time at the moment to become hooked on love. What I want is —
Yuki	A new bonsai tree, correct.
Tenma	......! How did you know!?
Kazunari	Tenten, despite your appearance you can be a bit of a grandpa at heart.
Misumi	I like my grandpa~
Tenma	Who are you calling a grandpa!
⸺ Q5. Finally, let's have a message for those who will be coming to watch your debut play.
Kazunari	We'll show you the best entertainment ♪ We're working reaaaally hard so we can see all of your smiles, so come hang out with us at the play! Cheers ☆
Misumi	I'll give you my spare Super Mr Triangle as a souvenir! It's a special version in Arabian costume! Come get it~!
Muku	Umm......I'm a big fat loser of an actor who reads their lines in a monotone, and an inexperienced, good-for-nothing person who often forgets where to stand, but I'm trying my best! Please come and watch!
Yuki	It's okay, the good-for-nothing one's here.
Tenma	Wha - Don't point! I'm not good-for-nothing!
Yuki	Yes, yes. Then, I'm next. This time, I used light cloth that would be easy to move in, and made heavily decorated costumes that would shine on stage. The acting is a given, but I'll be glad if you look at the costumes too. Thank you.
Tenma	The selling point of the Summer Troupe is comedy you can laugh easily at. In addition to that, we are, as you can see, a free and uninhibited group. I think we'll naturally add ad-libs. From the lines to the choreography, no two plays will be the same. I'd like you to come not just one, but twice, three times. We in the Summer Troupe will show you the greatest comedy.

⸺ Q1. First, please tell us how you felt once shooting for the key visual was over.
Juza	......I was tired.
Banri	That's the first thing you say!? You're too gloomy to start this off!
Omi	Come now, Juza really was tired. The Director and Kazunari ordered a lot of retakes. I was worrying about him from the other side of the camera.
Taichi	Juza-san had a tough time because he had trouble smiling well......His efforts were moving......
Banri	Sakyo-san was amazing too, saying he'd demonstrate how to do it and sitting in the chair instead.
Sakyo	Huuh? What was.
Taichi	Well, it was clearly the awesomeness of the real deal......
Omi	Sakyo-san is actually the real thing. I have photos I took of the Banri & Sakyo-san version saved in memory of it.
Sakyo	......Honestly, you guys, finding fault with a person's guidance...
Juza	I've saved the image of Sakyo-san's villainous smirk for future reference. ......I also like the costumes.
Taichi	They really suited you and Ban-chan......! Even though everyone had cool costumes, I was the only one who looked like a sickly boy......
Omi	I think there will definitely be a point in our future plays where you'll get to wear a cool costume too.
Taichi	Yeah......! I'll put in a request to Yuki-chan right now!
Banri	I can easily see a future where you're exploited by Yuki to make your own costume.
⸺ Q2. Can you tell us about each of your characters?
Banri	Then, I'll start. I play the protagonist, Luciano. He's an underling in a mafia group and a reckless guy who loves women.
Juza	I play Lansky, who's in the same mafia group. He's strict with money. Reluctantly, he's forced to buddy up with Settsu's Luciano.
Banri	Oi, you jerk, I'm a hundred times more reluctant, don't joke.
Omi	Coooome on now, you two, don't fight in the middle of an interview~ And Juza, you were talking about the setting of the play when you said you were reluctantly forced to buddy up, weren't you.
Juza	......Yes.
Sakyo	......Honestly, you guys can't even introduce your roles properly. I play Capone, the boss of the group Lansky and Luciano belong to.
Omi	I play Dewey. Unlike the mafia who have been introduced so far, he's a prosecutor. He acts like a bad guy in the story, so I felt a lot of pressure when I received the script.
Taichi	I'm hooked on Omi-kun's villainous act, but there's such a huge gap from how he usually is......I'm Benjamin! He's Lansky's little brother. He was written as sickly, so I'll fight with the charm of an ephemeral beauty!
Banri	You talk about being sickly with that red hair...
Juza	......True.
Taichi	Because of me, in a rare turn, the two of you have the same opinion...! I'm happy, but I have mixed feelings!
⸺ Q3. Please tell us a moment from practice that left an impression on you.
Taichi	The snacks Omi-kun made for practice were always delicious~! Ah, I'm drooling just remembering them......
Juza	......They were good.
Sakyo	I feel myself getting heartburn just remembering the mountain of cream heaped upon Hyodo's scones.
Omi	It's not good to discriminate against fresh cream, Sakyo-san.
Banri	Sakyo-san's lectures are all boring shmoring.
Taichi	Once they start, they go on forever~......Wait, I just followed along with what Ban-chan was saying, but I can feel my life's in danger!!
Sakyo	You guys have some guts. Prepare yourself for practice tomorrow.
Taichi	O-Omi-kun~~!!
Omi	Now now, Sakyo-san, both Taichi and Banri simply had slips of the tongue. I don't think they meant anything bad by it. They always listen gratefully to your lectures, don't they.
Sakyo	As far as Settsu's concerned, no matter how you look at it that was 100% pure ill-intent.
Taichi	The kind mother and the strict father......this is what the Autumn Troupe's practices always look like.
Juza	......I'm hungry.
⸺ Q4. On the topic of buddies, who would each of you choose if you had to pick a buddy from MANKAI Company?
Banri	It's hard to pick a buddy, per se. In the first place, buddies are partners who help each other out equally, right?
Taichi	T-there it iiiis! Ban-chan's naturally maximal self-confidence! Ah, but Itaru-san's your partner as a full-on gamer, isn't he?
Banri	Nah, even when we're playing co-op that guy's suddenly dashed off ahead and betrayed me out of self-interest.
Taichi	The world of games is a heartless one......!
Banri	I get him back, though.
Taichi	Isn't it Sakoda-san for you, Sakyo-nii?
Sakyo	Sakodaaa? Oi, Nanao, does that guy look like my buddy to you......?
Taichi	Eep, a genuine death stare......!
Omi	Well, it's not wrong to say that Sakoda-san is basically always close to you.
Juza	Rather than his buddy, it's more that he's Sakyo-san's underling.
Sakoda	Ey! I'm currently both Aniki's underling and his number one fan, but in the future I am of course aiming to be something like a buddy to him!
Sakyo	Outsiders shouldn't speak in an interview.
Banri	Where's this guy been hiding out all this time.
Omi	He's the model disciple, being able to come out whenever.
⸺ Q5. Finally, let's have a message for those who will be coming to watch your debut play.
Banri	"How Wonderfully Picaresque" is the Autumn Troupe's debut play. As you can see, we're a bunch of rough guys, but I reckon that's the reason we got into the theme this time. The damn awful acting of the guy who plays my buddy's gotten much better, too? It's loaded with spectacular action sequences, so we won't let you be bored. Get your hopes up.
Juza	I'm not made for acting. I'm painfully aware of how unskilled I am. But for that very reason, I won't lose to anyone in terms of the strength of my desire to stand on stage and act. Please come to confirm with your own eyes my very own "resolve".
Taichi	A whole lot of stuff has happened since the auditions, but Ban-chan and Juza-san's combination has gotten heaps better, and we're looking to the real thing too! Besides, there's something I personally have to accomplish in this play......Umm, anyway, we'll all be waiting for you at the theatre!
Omi	You might be worried after reading this far, but I think our members are compatible with one another in our own way. Haha, Juza and Banri might deny it, though. It'll please me if you'd look forwards to the distinctive flavours our seniors in the Spring and Summer Troupe's definitely can't express.
Sakyo	As Omi said, the Autumn Troupe has its own flavour. Our action scenes, which make the most of the small theatre, are part of that. Our Director has worked herself to the bone too, so......we can't fail. We will definitely satisfy the customers who come. Please come to see our debut play.

⸺ Q1. First, please tell us how you felt once shooting for the key visual was over.
Tsumugi	......In any case, the costumes were an ordeal.
Tasuku	Those wings were huge, so they were pretty heavy.
Homare	Mhmph. It was quite arduous wearing them for long periods of time.
Hisoka	I couldn't sleep well. They were a bother.
Tasuku	Don't sleep.
Azuma	Thinking about it, I was let off easy.
Homare	The costumes are a given, but there was a sense of pathos in their expressions, too......poetic inspiration is welling up in me.
Tsumugi	I was careful with my expression. I was conscious of Michael's sorrow over only being able to watch the woman he loved.
Tasuku	I was taken in by Tsumugi's expression.
Hisoka	Sympathy?
Azuma	Yes, as expected.
Homare	By the way, where did you shoot this? It seems like quite a dangerous place.
Tasuku	Ahh, Miyoshi —
Tsumugi	T-Tasuku! Umm, this is a secret......
Hisoka	You have no sense of romanticism.
Azuma	Hehe, that's so like you, Tasuku.
Tasuku	???
⸺ Q2. Can you tell us about each of your characters?
Tsumugi	Then I'll start. I play Michael, an angel who falls in love with a human. He has a very pure and gentle heart, wishing for her happiness without concern for himself.
Tasuku	I play Raphael, Michael's close friend. He's curt, but I like that he feels deeply, and watches over Michael until the end.
Homare	Being that it was written for you, it's just like the two of you in your private lives.
Hisoka	Tsuzuru's amazing.
Azuma	I play Philippe, the physician in charge of the girl Michael has feelings for. It's nice playing the only human role.
Tsumugi	Azuma-san looks strangely suited to a white coat......
Azuma	Hehe, thanks.
Homare	The character I play is the stern, elegant and noble —
Tasuku	Too long. Next, Mikage.
Homare	Hey now, you are really so impatient......It can't be helped; I shall be brief for you. I play the exalted, learned angel, Metatron.
Tasuku	Say that from the start.
Tsumugi	Haha, it's nice that everyone has something they like about their characters. Last is Hisoka-kun, right.
Hisoka	I'm Uriel. They're serious and a little col......zZz......
Tasuku	This one was too brief......
Azuma	Homare, do you have marshmallows?
Homare	Of course. Leave Hisoka-kun to me.
⸺ Q3. Please tell us a moment from practice that left an impression on you.
Tsumugi	Erm......There were a lot of mysteries......
Tasuku	......
Azuma	Ehh, so they happened to you too.
Tsumugi	Did something happen to you, Azuma-san?
Azuma	Yeah, just a bit.
Homare	There are things in this world that are beyond our imagination and human intellect......It was a good experience.
Azuma	Speaking of which, there was a time when you were in an incredibly good mood.
Hisoka	Arisu is always in a good mood. Like an idiot.
Homare	Hisoka-kun, you don't need to call me an idiot. It's not a word becoming of my genius.
Tasuku	The seven mysteries of the theatre......I've had enough of them already.
Tsumugi	There were of course difficult times and troubles, but we grew, and were able to move forward a step. It wasn't all bad.
Tasuku	Well, that's true. Thanks to that, we......
Azuma	I am intrigued. Hehe, I'd like to hear all about it later.
Homare	Umph, I have a deep interest.
Hisoka	Please.
Tsumugi	Yes, we'll talk about it again someday. Right, Tasuku?
Tasuku	That's right.
⸺ Q4. If you experienced a difficult love, what would you do?
Azuma	That's a difficult question. It would depend on the situation at the time and the person in question.
Homare	I would of course attempt to overcome any difficulty — if it was indeed a love that valuable.
Tsumugi	I wonder what I would do......My feelings are the same as Homare-san's, but......I don't want to see someone precious to me look sad, so I might give up.
Homare	Tasuku-kun would go through hell and high water......He'd try to make it come to fruition even if he had to cut down a boar or a polar bear.
Tasuku	What's with that image of me. It makes no sense to fight a boar or polar bear.
Azuma	Hehe, if it's you, you'd really defeat them.
Tsumugi	Ahaha. But Tasuku is kind, so I think he'd follow his partner's desires over his own. Whether that meant giving up or making it happen.
Homare	I see. Then, Hisoka-kun......
Hisoka	Zz......zZz......
Azuma	Hehe, he's asleep. We'll have to re-open the marshmallow supply.
⸺ Q5. Finally, let's have a message for those who will be coming to watch your debut play.
Azuma	Tsumugi, can we ask you to represent the Winter Troupe?
Tsumugi	Eh, me?
Homare	In terms of position, there's nobody but you. Well, if you desire one of my poems —
Hisoka	Quickly, Tsumugi.
Tasuku	Come on. You're the leader of the Winter Troupe, and the person in charge for the play this time. Wrap it up cleanly.
Tsumugi	......That's right. This play marks the start of the Winter Troupe, and also a restart for each member. Even after reaching adulthood, people can meet others and grow due to those interactions......I learnt this in the process of creating this play. Everyone, please come and see "Sympathy for the Angel", the play grown adults gave their all to.