Masaki Ryu was a member of the all-female Takarazuka Revue until September 2016. She had climbed to the top male role in the Moon troupe, one of five groups within the company. Fans remember how well she has played many important roles, particularly when the company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014.
While many former Takarazuka stars embark on careers as actresses, Ryu has focused on singing and fashion since leaving the company.
Now, she is taking up the challenge of playing a female role in a musical that kicks off in April.
For Ryu, leaving Takarazuka meant leaving behind the persona she had assumed for 16 years while playing male roles. When a photo of her was released one month after her departure, it showed she had gone through a brilliant metamorphosis.
In the image, taken by popular photographer Leslie Kee, Ryu poses as a dignified, glamorous woman in a long billowing skirt.
"I wasn't making a special effort to appear more like a woman," Ryu said. "It was the first photo session I had attended hoping to express the best of what I really am. It was also a good opportunity for me to think about who I am, because I'd been immersed in playing male roles for so many years."
A native of Osaka Prefecture, Ryu joined the Takarazuka Revue in 2001 and gained great popularity for her stunning facial features and singing talent. She ascended to the top position in the Moon troupe in April 2012 -- becoming the first leading star among the generation that joined the company in the 21st century.
During her days at Takarazuka, Ryu starred in some of the company's signature productions, such as "Gone with the Wind" and "The Rose of Versailles." She also took up roles that many other top stars had not, such as the title role of "Puck," which had not been staged for more than 20 years since Mayo Suzukaze played the mischievous fairy.
Ryu described herself as "not very masculine and looking too fragile" to play male roles as a Takarazuka star. "However, I made clear what I was good at," she said. "I believe I started to grow when I realized I should try to shed light on my shortcomings rather than hiding them, and then improve them."
Since leaving Takarazuka, Ryu has used her singing talent to her advantage, establishing herself as a vocalist who can perform in various genres.
In August last year, Ryu made her debut as a pop music singer and released her first solo album titled "L.O.T.C 2017," on the Victor label. The songs on the record, such as the jazzy track "Silly game," have a sophisticated sound thanks to the involvement of agehasprings, a renowned music production company. Ryu sings in a charming, cute voice that is surprising for someone who used to perform male roles. Later that month, she performed concerts over two days at the Orchard Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo.
"I'm so glad to have my own songs," Ryu said. "I'm proud I've taken a step forward toward my new dream."
In the field of fashion, Ryu made her debut as a model in March last year at a show by the Aula brand in Tokyo. She was also chosen as a model for the Yohji Yamamoto + Noir brand's Spring Summer 2018 Collection, which went on sale in January. In photos for the brand, which represents the designer's everyday-wear concept, Ryu looks very different from her regular glamorous self.
"Actually, I was wearing almost no makeup [for the photo session]," she said. "I was a little upset as I wasn't sure whether this would be OK. But I found [the clothing] very attractive, like a condensed form of some of the concepts of today, such as unisex and gender neutrality."
In these photos, she has hidden her presence and charisma. "I tried not to express myself because I had to make what I was wearing stand out," she said. "I found these two things quite different: presenting my physical movements and my facial expressions, and showing how the items I'm wearing can move and how lovely they are."
Now, Ryu is returning to plays: She will portray French queen Marie Antoinette in a production of "1789: Les Amants de la Bastille." The musical will be staged at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo from April to May, and in Osaka and Fukuoka through July.
The play, directed by Shuichiro Koike, has a modern touch, depicting the French Revolution from the viewpoint of commoners and featuring rock-style music. Ryu will share the role of Marie Antoinette with Kaname Ouki, another former top Takarazuka star, in the Cosmos troupe. The lead role, Ronan, will be shared by Teppei Koike and Kazuki Kato.
This is not the first time for Ryu to perform in this musical. She took part in its Japan premiere in 2015, portraying Ronan when she was the top star of the Moon troupe.
"I thought I would never meet Ronan again, so I'm happy I've been given a new chance to perform in this musical," Ryu said. "However, I never expected to play Marie Antoinette, who is positioned against Ronan.
"I'm very excited, but at the same time, I've been thinking hard about how I should shift my focus."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
