Yumi Wakatsuki’s “heart screw” delivery in her final performance with Nogizaka 46 is a glimpse into her future

若月佑美　乃木坂46として最後の舞台で贈る“心のネジ”未来がみえた

| REPORT | Posted by TokyoGirls'Update on Nov.28.2018

Yumi Wakatsuki’s “heart screw” delivery in her final performance with Nogizaka 46 is a glimpse into her future

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Taiyō Matsumoto’s popular manga “Tekkonkinkreet” has been adapted to the stage for the first time, with leading roles played by Yumi Wakatsuki as Shiro and Natsume Mito as Kuro. It was performed at The Galaxy Theatre until the 25th of this month. For Yumi Wakatsuki, who will be graduating from Nogizaka 46 at the end of this month, this was her last stage appearance as a member of the group.

松本大洋原作の人気マンガ「鉄コン筋クリート」が、主人公のクロ役に若月佑美、シロ役に三戸なつめを起用し、初めての舞台化。今月25日まで天王洲銀河劇場で上演された。
この作品は、今月末に卒業する若月佑美にとっては、乃木坂46メンバーとしては最後の
舞台出演となった。

“Tekkonkinkreet” is a popular manga considered by some to be the magnum opus of manga artist Taiyō Matsumoto. Originally serialized within the weekly Big Comic Spirits in 1993, it was later adapted as an animation. It tells the story of Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White), two boys together known as the Cats, who live on the streets of the fictional town of Takaramachi (Treasure Town). While finding themselves in trouble with the police and the Yakuza, they attempt to protect each other as they survive their violent everyday lives. The boys’ unique personalities and the complicated, yet somehow nostalgic, human relationships depicted within the story proved to be popular even abroad.

「鉄コン筋クリート」は、1993年週刊ビッグコミックスピリッツで連載され、その後アニメ化もされた、漫画家松本大洋の代表作ともされる人気作品。架空の都市・宝町の路上で暮らす「ネコ」と呼ばれる少年クロとシロが、警察やヤクザのトラブルに巻き込まれつつ暴力で日々の生活を過ごしながら、互いの存在を守り守られ生きていく物語。個性的なキャラクターや、複雑ながらも懐かしい人間模様が海外でも人気の作品だ。

In an on-the-spot interview given at the play’s premiere, Wakatsuki enthusiastically said, “I’ve re-read the manga countless times; that’s how much I love the original. As the last stage performance I’ll be giving while part of Nogizaka 46, I thought I’d bet on this one.” Mito also spoke confidently about the play, “I’m looking forward to it so much I can’t stop grinning. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve created.”

公演初日の囲み取材で若月は、「原作をなんども読み返すほど大好きな作品でしたし、
自分が乃木坂46として出演する最後の舞台ということで、ここに１つ賭けようと思ってやってきました」と意気込みを語り、三戸は「すごく楽しみでニヤニヤしちゃいます。早くみんなで作り上げたものを観てほしいです」と作品への自信を語った。

About the highlights of the play, Wakatsuki said, “I tried performing action scenes for the first time. Kuro fights desperately to defend Shiro, so I hope you’ll appreciate how he does it.” Mito said, “Shiro’s facial expressions change a lot. He spends a lot of time making silly faces, and his personality shines the most when he’s singing.” In fact, their comments do not do enough justice to the overwhelming impact of the action and sense of speed throughout the play.

また、この作品のみどころについて若月は「初めてちゃんとアクションに挑戦しました。クロはシロを守るために戦っているので、その姿を観てほしい」、三戸は「シロは表情がすごく変わる。変顔をしている時間が多かったり、歌を歌ったりしているところにシロらしさが表れている」と語ったが、実際の舞台はそのコメント以上の迫力あるアクション、そしてスピード感で圧倒する。

One of the highlights of the play is the set production of Takaramachi, which is the backdrop of Taiyō Matsumoto’s internationally highly acclaimed work. It’s not only the design of the uniquely deformed Kodomo no Shiro (Kiddy Kastle), which plays a thematic role in the story, but the kanji characters and slang words strewn across the stage makes the set truly feel like a world created by Taiyō Matsumoto himself. Most likely, fans of the original manga will be satisfied by the quality of featured characters such as Yakuzas like Snake and Tiger, or the loveable duo Choco and Vanilla. Additionally, the costumes also capture the atmosphere of the original manga. Wakatsuki herself said approvingly, “Wearing my costume, I realized for the first time what kind of life Kuro must have been living. Both Shiro and Kuro are the types who would put on anything they took a liking to. So you really get a feel for their personalities from various aspects of their outfits.”

この舞台のみどころのひとつとなるのが、世界的にも評価が高い松本大洋の描く作品の舞台となる宝町の舞台演出。独特にディフォルメされた作品のテーマとなる「子供の城」のデザインはもちろん、漢字やスラング文字がちりばめられたステージは、まさに松本大洋ワールドそのもの。その場を闊歩するキャラクター「蛇」や「虎」などのヤクザや、「チョコラ」と「バニラ」の愛嬌たっぷりのコンビなど、原作ファンも満足できるクオリティといえる。さらに衣装についても原作そのものの雰囲気で、若月自身も「クロってこういう生活をしていたのかなっていうのが、衣装を着て初めてわかりました。いいなと思ったものをたぶんすぐ身に着けちゃうのがシロとクロで、いろいろなところに“2人らしさ”を感じます」と太鼓判を押す。

As for the play itself, not only is Mito’s dizzying range of expressions, voices, and moods versatile to say the least, but Wakatsuki, already well-reputed for her acting abilities, rampages around the towering stage with a sense of speed that is deployed to evoke the perfect amount of impact. Her jeering and snarling are enough to make you forget the polite and pristine image she cultivated within Nogizaka 46, and her overwhelmingly nonchalant appearance displays a new dimension to her. Ultimately, this play can be called a masterpiece that gives us a raw portrayal of Kuro and Shiro’s life as they look after each other.

作品自体は、くるくると表情・声・雰囲気を変える三戸の表現力の多彩さはもちろん、そもそも演技力に定評ある若月が高さのあるステージをスピード感いっぱいに暴れまわるという表現がぴったりの迫力ある展開。清楚・上品がイメージの乃木坂46のイメージをくつがえすほどの罵声・唸り声、そしてあまりにクールな姿が若月の新たな一面を感じさせた。
支えあうクロとシロの生きざまをそのままに表現した傑作といえる。

Once again, “Tekkonkinkreet” is a story about Kuro and Shiro’s life as they take care of one another. Their individual missing “heart screws” is the theme that underlines this work. In the play as well, Shiro screams the pivotal words “heart screws” at the climax.

この「鉄コン筋クリート」は、あらためてクロとシロが支えあって生きていく物語。それぞれに欠けていた“心のネジ”が作品のキーワードとなる。今回の舞台でも、シロがクライマックスで大事なセリフとして叫ぶのが“心のネジ”だ。

Wakatsuki has announced her decision to graduate from Nogizaka 46 on November 30. This will be her final performance as a member of Nogizaka 46.

若月は11月30日で乃木坂46を卒業することが決定しており、この作品が乃木坂46のメンバーとしては最後となる。

A seven-time consecutive entrant in the Nikaten contest and having designed the official T-shirt for the first time at this year’s Daidogei (Street Performance) World Cup in her hometown of Shizuoka, Wakatsuki has displayed a diversity of talent. However, after graduating, she says she will continue to focus on theatre acting. She has received much support from her juniors. Not only her fellow first-generation member Mai Shiraishi came to see first-day rehearsals, but also present was Mizuki Yamashita, Wakatsuki’s junior third-generation member. Yamashita has currently been selected as the front for the Nogizaka 48 unit Wakasama Corps, which was formed by Wakatsuki. Yamashita was there despite the fact that she is currently busy with her own stage performance.

二科展に7年連続で入賞し、出身地静岡での一大イベント「大道芸ワールドカップ」では、今年初めてオフィシャルTシャツのデザインも手掛けるなど、多彩な才能を発揮する若月だが、卒業後は「芝居」を軸に活動を続けるとのこと。舞台の初日ゲネプロには、乃木坂46の同期1期生・白石麻衣はもちろん、若月が企画したグループ内ユニット「若様軍団」のメンバーで、いまや選抜フロントをつとめる後輩の3期生・山下美月も、同タイミングで自身の出演舞台がある中、鑑賞におとずれるなど後輩からの信頼も厚い。

Nogizaka 46 has become a national idol group. However, it is on the verge of entering an entirely new era. This year brought about the graduation of Rina Ikoma, who was the symbol of Nogizaka 46. Nanase Nishino, who is said to be the undisputed center star, is nearing her graduation as well. Amongst all of this, Wakatsuki may be attempting to give out as many “heart screws” as she can in her final stage performance as part of Nogizaka 46.

いまや国民的アイドルグループとなった乃木坂46。しかし、完全に新時代を迎えようとしている。今年、乃木坂46の象徴だった生駒里奈が卒業、そして絶対的センターといわれる西野七瀬も卒業が近い。そうした中若月は、この乃木坂46として最後の舞台で、たくさんの”心のネジ“をプレゼントしようとしているのかもしれない。

Wakatsuki ended the interview, saying, “There are only five days from the closing of the show to my graduation, so it still really hasn’t sunk in. But, since I want to continue as a stage actor after my graduation, being able to perform on stage until the very end of my time as a member of Nogizaka 46 gives me a small glimpse into the future of which I am happy about.”

若月は取材の最後に、「千秋楽から卒業まで5日間しかないので、実感がわかないけれど、自分が卒業してからやりたいことがお芝居なので、最後ギリギリまで乃木坂46のメンバーとして舞台ができたことに、未来が少し見えたなと感じてうれしく思います」と語った。

“Tekkonkinkreet”
http://www.st-tekkon.net/

Written by Yama Junta

Author

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