Morning Musume’s Tanaka Reina recently attended a press conference for the 10th production from theatre troupe Gekiharo, “Taisho Roman Haikara Tanteiou Aoi Ruby Satsujin Jiken”.

Tanaka, who will be taking the lead role for the first time, will wear a huge ribbon and a mini-hakama for her costume in the production. She said enthusiastically, “I can’t help being excited. From now on, there might be difficult times, and we might hit a wall sometimes, but I want to do my best with everyone to make it a great show.”


The show is set in the imperial capital of Tokyo in the year Taishou 28, in a fictional setting where the Taishou era did not end after 15 years. The historical detective play will feature Japan’s first national girl detective, Reina, who solves difficult cases with her extraordinary deductive skills.

Proclaiming her love for the aforementioned ribbon, Tanaka, who is said to keep them around for both concerts and her private life, said grinning, “Even though it’s a play, I feel like the character is alive. It has a really fresh feel, so I definitely want everyone to see it.” She was in wonder at the setting of the play in the Taishou era, stating, “I thought, ‘It’s really that long ago, huh?’ I know that it was before the Shouwa era, but I can’t imagine it at all.”

She also reported on the condition of Morning Musume’s Mitsui Aika, who fractured her left ankle the other day, commenting, “I sent her a text saying, ‘Are you okay?’ She said she’s doing fine.” Tanaka sympathized with her, noting, “She endured it without saying anything to the members or the staff during the performance, even though it would have been better to let us know if it hurt.” and “I’m sure there will be a lot of inconveniences due to her leg, but I want everyone to do their best to support her.”

Also present at the conference were Sano Kazuma, Sato Haruhiko, and Berryz Koubou’s Shimizu Saki and Sudou Maasa. The show will run from June 29th to July 3rd at Tokyo’s Haiyuza Gekijou.





source: tokyohive