An interview with Yuna Aoki, in which she shares some behind-the-scenes insights into Kassouya and what makes the show so special and important for young, active skaters in terms of motivation:
フィギュアスケート女子の青木祐奈（24）＝MFアカデミー＝がDeep Edge Plusのインタビューに応じ、現役続行に至るまでの心の動きを包み隠さず語ってくれた。初出場だった1月の四大陸選手権（北京）で日本女子最年長 […]
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Partial machine translation:
What did you focus on as the leader of the Azure Dragon clan…
—The March production of ‘Kassouya: Volume 2’ was a complete departure from the previous instalment, with producer Daisuke Takahashi crafting a narrative based on the ‘Four Divine Beasts’ of Chinese mythology. Looking back on the performance, what were your thoughts?
“It was completely different from anything I’d done before. Because it had a narrative structure, I found it very easy to get into the role, but that also made it challenging. As the story we were conveying was so clear, I had to really focus on my facial expressions and performance—that was quite demanding—but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
“We were divided into four teams (the Four Symbols: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird and Black Turtle-Snake), and as the leader of the Azure Dragon team, I performed alongside Koshiro (Shimada). I really felt that I still lack the ability to bring a team together. Having Koshiro there was a huge help this time, and I think it was a good experience for me personally.”
—There was also a routine for the Azure Dragon, featuring Yuna Aoki and Koshiro Shimada skating together, which resembled ice dancing.
“It was great fun. I’m very interested in ice dance myself, so whilst Koshiro (Shimada) was teaching me, I was even allowed to do lifts—even though it was only for a split second. It wasn’t a view I’d never seen before, but as I was skating on the ice from such a great height, it was a fresh experience.”
―According to Daisuke Takahashi, the casting for the four teams representing the Four Symbols was based on the skaters’ characteristics and atmosphere. I heard that Seiryū was cast with Yuna Aoki and Koshiro Shimada in mind, with the image of ‘graceful, beautiful, and orthodox’.
“That’s right. The members of Seiryū were all very gentle and composed in their personalities, so in that sense, compared to teams like Byakko, we felt a bit overshadowed. ‘But that’s where we were able to come together as one. At first, with the strength of the White Tiger group standing out so much, we faded into the background and were told, “You can’t see the Azure Dragon”… So, we received advice from the choreographer, Yuma Suzuki, and Dai-chan (Daisuke Takahashi), and—though it wasn’t a formal meeting—the Azure Dragon members would discuss things like, “Shall we try doing it a bit more like this?” or, regarding our expression, “Would it be better to try expressing it a bit more like this?” I think we gradually built it up through that process.’
—Was there anything in particular you were mindful of in your role as the Chief of the Blue Dragon Clan?
‘I hadn’t really done much of this before—keeping an eye on everyone whilst performing—so it was quite a challenge to pay attention to everyone’s movements and how they expressed themselves, whilst still immersing myself in my own performance. However, as the leader (of the Blue Dragon tribe), I felt I had to be the most commanding figure of all. So, whilst watching over everyone, I made a conscious effort to maintain my own core strength and ensure that aspect of my character remained unwavering.’
―Although the story was clearly mapped out in your mind, Mr Takahashi didn't want the audience to have any preconceptions, so the details of the narrative were deliberately kept under wraps as the performances went on. As a result, those who saw the show shared their own interpretations on social media, and I think it turned into a very interesting development. How did you find that, Ms Aoki?
“After the performance ended, we searched for ‘Kassouya’ on social media and, whilst reading everyone’s analyses, found ourselves thinking, ‘Ah, they’ve got that bit right!’ or ‘Wow, I never thought of it that way!’ (laughs). Honestly, people were picking up on details we hadn’t even noticed, and we were surprised to think, ‘Could the story actually unfold like that?’ I really felt that was one of the things that made it so enjoyable this time.”
“At first, I personally thought it might be better to present the story to everyone beforehand so they could understand it more easily. But looking back now, I feel it was the right decision not to reveal it. By hinting at the central plot point—that the four gods would appear—but deliberately keeping the rest under wraps, everyone was able to come up with all sorts of theories, and we really enjoyed seeing those reactions. Having a story allowed me to have a clear vision of what I wanted to convey in my performance, and I think it was great fun; I feel we were able to present a ‘Kassouya’ that was quite different from the first and second performances.”
‘Respect’ for Daisuke Takahashi
— It seems that all the skaters who have experienced ‘Kassouya’ have grown and made great strides, giving the impression that they have broken out of their shells. I think you, Ms Aoki, are a prime example of this. How do you feel about it yourself?
“I’m truly grateful that I was approached at such a perfect time and have been able to take part since the very first show. I believe it’s an ice show unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and I think it’s positioned as a new kind of ice show within the skating world. After all, it’s quite a rare initiative to have a show that features so many active skaters. I think there are quite a few skaters who love skating but feel it’s a shame they can’t appear in ice shows because they aren’t achieving results in competitions. In that respect, ‘Kassouya’ is a huge motivator for everyone, and I see skaters training hard with the desire to appear in it. It reminded me of when I used to think, ‘I want to appear in an ice show’. I believe the possibility of being able to appear in an ice show is a huge motivator for active skaters, and I feel it’s giving future skaters a great dream too.”
―In that sense, is Daisuke Takahashi’s presence something special?
“He makes it look effortless, but his ideas and ingenuity are truly amazing. It’s not just his skating; his way of thinking is impressive too. This time as well, seeing him out there on the ice the whole time, I have nothing but respect for him.”
—Are more skaters around you expressing an interest in appearing in ‘Kassouya’?
‘Yes, that’s true. We had skaters from the MF Academy who auditioned, and whilst I was able to watch some of them from the audition stage this time, there were a few where I thought, “Ah, so this skater was interested in ice shows too!” Up until now, there have been very few opportunities for active skaters and student skaters to appear in ice shows, so I thought the idea of holding auditions was really interesting. Also, as ‘Kassouya’ has only been held in western Japan so far—in Fukuoka and Hiroshima—there are skaters in the Kanto region saying, ‘We want to see/do it too,’ so I think everyone is quite interested.”
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This is the most charming and hilarious fan illustration I've seen for Kassouya - Volume 2
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Mr Qilin’s/Kirin's Daycare Adventures
It’s really cool that Sota and Wakaba tried out some lifts—I would have loved to see that. And I thought Yuna did pretty well when she was lifted by Koshiro in the show. The Kassouya rehearsal camp has been a bit of an ice dance "introductory course" since the last production. Daisuke also said in a recent interview that he would recommend every figure skater try ice dancing at least once for fun, so he was probably encouring everyone in the cast. 
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