[J:COM] Exclusive Interview with Actor Futo Nozomi: 'In my starring role in Takarazuka Revue's "Mibu Gishiden", I acted with the intention of properly conveying the way of life of Kanichiro Yoshimura.'
J:COM has released an exclusive interview with former Takarazuka top star Futo Nozomi on its web magazine, alongside the announcement of the exclusive unlimited streaming of her starring work 'Mibu Gishiden' on J:COM STREAM.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 17:02 (123h 30m after Collected)
On 'J:magazine!', a web magazine for enjoying entertainment more deeply, an exclusive interview with Futo Nozomi is now available. She gained immense popularity as the top star of the Takarazuka Revue's Snow Troupe and continues to be active primarily in musicals after leaving the troupe. Additionally, J:COM's video streaming service 'J:COM STREAM' will exclusively offer unlimited streaming of the Takarazuka Revue's 'Mibu Gishiden' (2019 Snow Troupe, Tokyo final performance), starring Futo Nozomi, starting Sunday, May 10, 2026. Many other popular Takarazuka Revue performances are also currently available. Please enjoy them along with the interview.
▶ Click here for the full interview with Futo Nozomi
https://jmagazine.myjcom.jp/category/entertainment/post001292/
Futo Nozomi has captured fans' hearts with her overwhelming acting and singing abilities, considered top-class even within Takarazuka. Currently, she appears in many stage productions, focusing on musicals. At the 33rd Yomiuri Theater Awards in 2026, her performances in the musicals 'Master Class' and 'Elisabeth' were highly praised, earning her the Best Actress Award and the Grand Prize. She is also expanding her activities, such as taking on trailer narration for overseas dramas. In the interview, she shared episodes and her approach to character building for 'Mibu Gishiden' (2019 Snow Troupe, Tokyo final performance), where she played the protagonist Kanichiro Yoshimura, and 'Lupin III: Chase the Queen's Necklace!' (2015 Snow Troupe, Tokyo final performance), where she played Count Cagliostro. She also spoke about childhood memories, including her admiration for Yuki Amami.
-- Could you tell us about your memories and character building for 'Mibu Gishiden'?
Nozomi: 'Mibu Gishiden' is a novel by Jiro Asada, and it has been adapted into both movies and dramas. Many Takarazuka Revue works put a heavy spotlight on the main character, but this work shines a light on Kanichiro Yoshimura (the role I played), a person who historically didn't receive much attention. So, even though I was the lead, it felt a bit odd to be in the center during the Shinsengumi banquet scenes, so I would stay towards the edge, which was unusual and interesting. Also, since we had to condense a long novel into about an hour and a half, I thought a lot about 'how to build the character while respecting the novel'. I acted with the hope of properly conveying Kanichiro's way of life—parts of which are relatable and parts of which are not—every single time, making it an unforgettable and important piece of work for me.
-- Was there anything particularly difficult about playing Kanichiro Yoshimura?
Nozomi: The difficult part was that Kanichiro looks like a very good-natured person, but he is incredibly strong with a sword. I had to show a kind of strength where, deep in his eyes, he has absolutely no hesitation about cutting down people, and he would do it without a second thought for money, so I rehearsed the sword fighting scenes many times with the instructor. Also, the prologue before heading into battle in the final scene where he faces the government army alone was challenging. As he heads towards an ending where he must commit seppuku, dealing with his thoughts towards his family made my heart ache every time I performed it.
-- Could you share your memories of 'Lupin III: Chase the Queen's Necklace!'?
Nozomi: It was my first production right after transferring from the Flower Troupe to the Snow Troupe, and I remember well being saved by the cheerfulness of the work. Because I played an original character, while the other cast members were building their roles to match the existing characters and being told 'That's so accurate!' by 'Lupin III' fans, I felt a bit lonely that I didn't experience that kind of excitement (laughs). However, Mr. Monkey Punch drew character illustrations for the cast, and I was truly happy that he drew Count Cagliostro for me as well. I still treasure it to this day.
-- Could you tell us how you came to love Takarazuka?
Nozomi: Originally, my aunt was a huge fan of the Takarazuka Revue, and it started when she took me to see a show at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater when I was nine years old. Until then, I had been learning classical ballet and piano, and I liked singing. My mother often took me to see musicals, so my aunt thought, 'She'll probably like this too. She's tall, so if she gets interested, maybe she can join.' At that time, Yuki Amami happened to be performing, and I fell in love. I thought, 'I want to be a cool person like Yuki Amami!' From then on, I tagged along with my aunt and frequently went to see works performed at the Tokyo theater. ...
▶ Click here for the full interview with Futo Nozomi
https://jmagazine.myjcom.jp/category/entertainment/post001292/
Futo Nozomi has captured fans' hearts with her overwhelming acting and singing abilities, considered top-class even within Takarazuka. Currently, she appears in many stage productions, focusing on musicals. At the 33rd Yomiuri Theater Awards in 2026, her performances in the musicals 'Master Class' and 'Elisabeth' were highly praised, earning her the Best Actress Award and the Grand Prize. She is also expanding her activities, such as taking on trailer narration for overseas dramas. In the interview, she shared episodes and her approach to character building for 'Mibu Gishiden' (2019 Snow Troupe, Tokyo final performance), where she played the protagonist Kanichiro Yoshimura, and 'Lupin III: Chase the Queen's Necklace!' (2015 Snow Troupe, Tokyo final performance), where she played Count Cagliostro. She also spoke about childhood memories, including her admiration for Yuki Amami.
-- Could you tell us about your memories and character building for 'Mibu Gishiden'?
Nozomi: 'Mibu Gishiden' is a novel by Jiro Asada, and it has been adapted into both movies and dramas. Many Takarazuka Revue works put a heavy spotlight on the main character, but this work shines a light on Kanichiro Yoshimura (the role I played), a person who historically didn't receive much attention. So, even though I was the lead, it felt a bit odd to be in the center during the Shinsengumi banquet scenes, so I would stay towards the edge, which was unusual and interesting. Also, since we had to condense a long novel into about an hour and a half, I thought a lot about 'how to build the character while respecting the novel'. I acted with the hope of properly conveying Kanichiro's way of life—parts of which are relatable and parts of which are not—every single time, making it an unforgettable and important piece of work for me.
-- Was there anything particularly difficult about playing Kanichiro Yoshimura?
Nozomi: The difficult part was that Kanichiro looks like a very good-natured person, but he is incredibly strong with a sword. I had to show a kind of strength where, deep in his eyes, he has absolutely no hesitation about cutting down people, and he would do it without a second thought for money, so I rehearsed the sword fighting scenes many times with the instructor. Also, the prologue before heading into battle in the final scene where he faces the government army alone was challenging. As he heads towards an ending where he must commit seppuku, dealing with his thoughts towards his family made my heart ache every time I performed it.
-- Could you share your memories of 'Lupin III: Chase the Queen's Necklace!'?
Nozomi: It was my first production right after transferring from the Flower Troupe to the Snow Troupe, and I remember well being saved by the cheerfulness of the work. Because I played an original character, while the other cast members were building their roles to match the existing characters and being told 'That's so accurate!' by 'Lupin III' fans, I felt a bit lonely that I didn't experience that kind of excitement (laughs). However, Mr. Monkey Punch drew character illustrations for the cast, and I was truly happy that he drew Count Cagliostro for me as well. I still treasure it to this day.
-- Could you tell us how you came to love Takarazuka?
Nozomi: Originally, my aunt was a huge fan of the Takarazuka Revue, and it started when she took me to see a show at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater when I was nine years old. Until then, I had been learning classical ballet and piano, and I liked singing. My mother often took me to see musicals, so my aunt thought, 'She'll probably like this too. She's tall, so if she gets interested, maybe she can join.' At that time, Yuki Amami happened to be performing, and I fell in love. I thought, 'I want to be a cool person like Yuki Amami!' From then on, I tagged along with my aunt and frequently went to see works performed at the Tokyo theater. ...