The Thief Queen Loves the Circus! What does Yuha Yamato feel she has in common with the queen? Photo & Special Interview with Yuha Yamato [Autographed cheki present!

Theatrical original video animation "The Phantom Thief Queen Loves the Circus," adapted from Kaoru Hayamine's novel of the same title, was released on June 17, 2022.

The film is directed by Saori Den, who directed the "Pokemon" TV animation series, and written by Mariko Kunisawa, who wrote the script for the series composition of the TV animation "Honkaku no Gekkoujo: I Can't Choose the Means to Become a Librarian".

The Phantom Thief Queen travels around the world on an airship with her partner Joker and the artificial intelligence RD. Queen always gets what she aims for, but her new target, the cursed jewel "Linden Rose," is intercepted by a mysterious circus troupe, and she is challenged to a game by a hypnotist, a light magician, a magician, and other skilled members of the troupe.

The role of the queen who boldly and brilliantly confronts them is played by former top star of the Takarazuka Revue, Ms. Yuhiro Yamato. In this issue, we asked her to talk about the highlights of the production, her approach to the role, the circus, and aesthetics.

How did you feel about the character "The Phantom Thief Queen"?

Yamato: Her gender, age, and nationality are unknown. I thought it was very cool and my fantasy expanded just by hearing that she always gets what she sets her sights on. I was excited to be able to use my experience as a male actor in Takarazuka to play the role. When I read the original story, I felt that the gap between my work and my private life is very nice - it's very similar to me. When I saw the pictures and the setting, I had an image of a perfect thief, but as I read on, I thought she was a wonderful person with a very human and loving nature.

How did you decide to play this charming queen?

Yamato: Usually, I read the original story first, including analysis for the role. I read it while thinking about how I should play the role and what is the core of this person, but this time, I was immersed in the world of the story within a few minutes and completely enjoyed the work (laughs). I have always loved works featuring a thief, the "Detective Poirot" series in the works of Agatha Christie, and Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" series. When I was a child, I would go home right after school to watch foreign dramas that were broadcast in the evenings, and I would sit and watch them on TV. I also love mysteries, so when I started reading "The Phantom Thief Queen Loves the Circus" to prepare for my role, I found myself being swept away by the Queen's charm. It may be presumptuous of me, but her character is very similar to mine. I enjoyed the story while comparing myself with her.

I enjoyed the story, and I could see how you were able to use the skills you had acquired in Takarazuka as well as your own inner elements to create the role.

Yamato: A queen has the aesthetics of a thief and will not move unless her prey shocks her. When I played a male role, I also had to perform in a way that ordinary men could not. I was trying to make women go "ooh" and "aah" when I played the role of a man, so there were many things I could relate to in terms of aesthetics and making my own heart tremble.

I think the casting of Ms. Yamato was based on her image as a queen. Did the director have any requests for you to play the role of the Queen?

Yamato: As it turns out, there were none (laughs). When I read the original story, I thought that the image of the Queen was expanding rapidly because of the wonderful illustrations in the book. I thought that each reader has his or her own image of the queen, so I wondered if there was any gap between my image and that of others. In the postrecording, I tried to do the queen I imagined, using all the resources I had at my disposal. The voice I recorded for the first test was OK, and the recording went very smoothly. I was relieved to know that I had become the queen that everyone had imagined. I adjusted the rest of the performance in my mind, adjusting the tone of the scene to be mischievous, cute, and determined. I'm glad it went well!

I was glad that it went well!

Yamato: That's right. I am the type of person whose personality changes depending on what I wear, so for this postrecording, I tried to play a male role, dressed in a miniskirt and high heels. I felt that if I wore a suit or pants, I would be biased toward a male role, and it would be difficult to show the cute and innocent side of the queen. I wish I could control myself without relying on clothes, but I am not the type of person who can do that (laughs).

Laughs] On the contrary, you can be anything you want to be with your costumes, can't you?

Yamato: Yes, that's right. In order to express the mysterious queen, whose gender, age and nationality are unknown, I wore a menswear-like feeling, a mini-skirt and high heels, and I felt that I could create a sense of gender uncertainty in a good way.

How did you feel when you saw the finished film?

Yamato: Before watching the movie, I was very worried about what my voice would sound like, but when the airship Troubadour appeared at the beginning of the movie, I was surprised, and when I saw the Queen of Thieves appear with a "killer♪", I thought "cool ......". Once the movie started, I immediately felt like a fan. Once the movie started, I found myself enjoying the movie as a fan. I was impressed by the fact that the Queen and the Joker were moving, and I enjoyed it without being aware of my own voice.

Do you usually enjoy your own works objectively?

Yamato: I can't watch them at all. I am the type of person who thinks, "I could have done it better. Of course, there are some things that I could have done differently this time. However, I think that the interesting and wonderful story written by Hayamine-sensei, the beauty of the pictures, and the voices of the voice actors were all perfectly matched and combined to create a very good work. I was able to record with Kazuki Kato (Joker) and Yuma Uchida (RD), so I had an idea of what to expect, but I saw the voices of the circus troupe for the first time in the finished movie.

TM: Was there any character that caught your attention?

Yamato: I was attracted to White Face (CV. Tomoyuki Morikawa) because of his depth and nostalgia. The exchange between Queen and Whiteface was like an adult business meeting (laughs), and I really liked the scene. What Whiteface is trying to do is also very relevant in this day and age, and I was very moved by it.

I would like to ask you about your memories and episodes related to the "circus"!

Yamato: I used to see it when I was at Takarazuka Music School. There was an amusement park called "Family Land" behind the school, and a circus troupe used to come there every year, so I often went to see them as an extracurricular class. The circus people's tricks were superhuman and deadly. I was curious about the tricks and wondered what was going on, but at the same time, I was also interested in their lives. I had feelings of admiration for them, wondering what kind of life they lead, how they hone their skills, and wanting to emulate their mentality. Even after I left Takarazuka, when I went abroad, I would watch "Cirque du Soleil" and other shows. No matter how many times I watched these shows, I was always fascinated by the performances of performers from all over the world who possessed unparalleled skills, and the strength of their spirit and amazingness that they trained to make sure their skills were successful.

To do the same thing on stage every day for a month or two, and then to provide a stage that keeps getting better and better during the performance period, requires a considerable level of mental and technical strength. I have nothing but admiration and admiration for circus people because I know how hard it is because I perform on stage myself.

I am impressed by the way they provide a "one-night-only dream world," and I can't help but wonder, as a performer in the world of entertainment, "How can they reach that level of excellence?

Do you have your own aesthetics, like Queen's "The Beauty of Thieves"?

Yamato: When I was at Takarazuka, I was devoted to pursuing the "aesthetics of male roles. I lived my entire life as a male Takarazuka actor. It is natural that male Takarazuka actors aim to be cool in a way that ordinary men cannot, and to make women swoon. I wanted to show something original that only Yuha Yamato could do, and I was particular about my costumes, down to the millimeter or two. Even if other people might say, "You don't need to be so particular," I thought it was so important that it would be meaningless for me to do without it.

Since quitting Takarazuka, I have been constantly looking at myself in order to perform with originality as a human being, valuing the seasoning that is unique to Yuhiko Yamato. I feel that the process of looking at myself and thinking, "Who am I?

T : Could you tell us what you are good at and how you do it?

Yamato: In Takarazuka, there is a stage called "Ginbashi" (silver bridge), which is slightly protruding in front of the audience. It is said that if you wink at a customer at an angle of 45 degrees, he or she will surely fall off the stage. This is the so-called "Takarazuka Ippon Zuri. In my case, I would wink at the audience watching with opera glasses at the back of the second floor. I did this to make sure that they would drop it (laughs). If there was a light on, I would sometimes use the reflection to wink at them. I would hear them yell out, "Kyaaa! It was a great feeling for me, too (laughs).

(Laughs.) "Yuha Yamato likes ____." Please tell us what the "____" in the title means.

Yamato: In spite of my appearance (......), I love stuffed rabbits. I have a large number of stuffed rabbits at home. I like the cute, not too tidy, slightly fancy type. I have a favorite brand, and I am always checking out new releases. Looking back, I have loved stuffed animals since I was a kid, and I used to put collars on my stuffed rabbits and pull them around. I wonder if I still have the same feelings I had then ...... (laughs), but I seem to have grown up without losing my infantile nature.

TM: Lastly, I'd like to ask you. Please drop your fans a line with a cool message!

Yamato - "Forgive me, it has been a long time since I have been here in Japan. I am the Phantom Thief Queen. I'm the Phantom Thief Queen, and I'm here to win your hearts tonight!　How about "I'll be waiting for you at the theater tonight!

How about "I'm waiting for you at the theater tonight! I am sure fans will fall in love with her voice!

(Interview and text by Shinobu Tanaka)

Outline of Present Campaign

<Prize
■Celebrating the release of "The Phantom Thief Queen Loves the Circus! Present: A checkerboard autographed by Yuhiro Yamato!

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Entry period: June 19, 2022 (Sun.) - June 26, 2022 (Sun.) 23:59
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