WOWOW's "Invitation to Takarazuka" broadcasts selected performances from each Takarazuka Revue troupe. On October 5th, WOWOW and Takarazuka Sky Stage, a channel dedicated to Takarazuka Revue, will team up for the first time to air a program titled "Invitation to Takarazuka 'Gato Bonito!!' - Nozomi Fuuto x Asami Jun," which will feature the Snow Troupe's performance "Gato Bonito!!" with commentary from former Snow Troupe top star Nozomi Fuuto and future Snow Troupe top star Asami Jun. The two will also perform a singing performance. A report from the studio recording was made public on September 27th.
This program is being broadcast to commemorate the Takarazuka Revue's 110th anniversary this year. Asami, who is scheduled to make her debut as the new top star of the Snow Troupe in November, and Nozomi, a former top star of the Snow Troupe who is currently active in musicals, will talk while comparing digest footage of the 2018 premiere version (Snow Troupe Grand Theater performance) and the 2024 revival version (Snow Troupe national tour performance) of "Gato Bonito!!," in which they each starred.
When Nozomi's entrance scene was first shown on screen, Asami couldn't help but applaud and the viewing began with a shout of "Whew!!". Nozomi said, "I'm sure this was summer, right?" Asami replied, "It was hot," looking back on 2018, and the two of them talked about their memories. When the 2024 version was played, Asami, who was watching her own video for the first time, instinctively turned away from the screen in embarrassment and asked Nozomi for help, saying, "I'm embarrassed, so just the 2018 version of Nozomi (Nozomi's nickname) will be fine..."
Although this "Gato Bonito!!" is a national tour, it is a commemorative production in which Asami will be starring in a show for the first time. Although she has experience starring in plays, when asked what the difference is, Asami replied, "In a play, you create a stage name called a 'role' and live that for two hours, but in a show, you keep your stage name, so I thought it required a different kind of energy than in a play. That was a new challenge, but it was simply a lot of fun. I'm glad that 'Gato Bonito!!' was my first time doing it."
Nozomi commented, "As Asa (Asami's nickname) said, a show is something you create yourself using your stage name, so it requires a lot of energy from all of us, and that energy has to be directed at the audience. And it's really hard to lead that as the lead. I felt a lot of pressure when I first did it. Plus, the costumes are more flashy than ever before, and the lighting is better. I'm happy, but I remember thinking it was hard."
It seems that the two have continued to interact even after Nozomi left the company. Asami revealed that the first time was when the two of them went out to eat together during the performance of "Gato Bonito!!". Recalling that time, Nozomi commented, "During the debut performance, I was concentrating on my own things and was busy with that, but I thought, 'Oh, Asa has just been transferred,' so I invited her out to dinner because I wanted to get to know her better." Asami then said, "Actually, we've been together recently...", revealing a yet-to-be-revealed "friendship story" between the two.
In the conversation, Nozomi cheered on Asami, who is about to be unveiled as the next top star, saying, "I know Asa's many sides, so I thought she would definitely become the top. That's why I was so happy."
In response, Asami concluded, "My days since coming to the Snow Troupe have been intense, and I have learned and been inspired a lot. I am who I am today because of what I have cultivated in the Moon Troupe and the encounters I have had in the Snow Troupe, so I am very happy and grateful to be able to take over the Snow Troupe's baton."
At the end, the two performed a duet of the theme song of "Gato Bonito!!".
"Invitation to Takarazuka 'Gato Bonito!!' - Nozomi Futo x Asami Jun" will be broadcast on WOWOW Live from 7pm on October 5th. After the program ends, "Gato Bonito!!", in which Nozomi starred in 2018, will also be broadcast from 8pm.
