Garasu no Kamen Synopses

Tankoubon 31

Masumi's fear.

Mizuki makes a report to Masumi about Osawa Production's plan. They will present "Isadora" at the art festival, and Kuronuma's play has to be allowed by the Arts Festival Committee to parecipate in the competition. "The forgotten wilderness" will be performed in Ugetsu Theatre. Masumi is upset: Ugetsu Theatre is a old ruined building...

Maya and her co-workers enter the Ugetsu Theatre. Even if the building is in ruins, they are all enthusiastic about acting and about Kuronuma's direction that they are ready to tidy up the whole theatre! They will never abandon him!
In the meantime, Madoka is training hard; she wants to do her best! She doesn't know why, but those amateur rehearsals she saw deeply upset her... And that girl... Even Ayumi Himekawa and Masumi Hayami recognize her talent!
The rehearsals go on. Everyone is improving. It's astonishing how Kuronuma can create unique and originals characters out of amateur actors!

Masumi Hayami enters Ugetsu Theatre with Osawa Production manager, Madoka Enjoji and other people working for Osawa. More bad news for Kuronuma! The Arts Festival is not interested in "The forgotten wildness": Osawa will not finance the play! Kuronuma is determined to put that play on stage. He asked the owner of Ugetsu Theatre for permission and his play will be performed at any cost.
Masumi Hayami suggests Kuronuma that even if they are out of league for the Arts Festival Awards, they can still win an award: it's the National Drama Association Award, which can be won by any play staged during the festival, not only the ones which take part in the competition... It's a very prestigious award, all the actors long for it. It will be very hard to get it, but there is a little chance. Masumi asks Maya and Kuronuma if they believe in that chance, and obviously both do. Also, Masumi requests that they invite them to their first show: they will invite them to "Isadora".
Maya accepts. She will send him two tickets: one for him and one for... Shiori! At those words, Masumi gets very serious. Maya is a little upset: she has never seen such an expression on his face...

Three days later, someone had Ugetsu Theatre reorganized and renewed. When Maya, Kuronuma and the other actors enter the now marvellous theatre Maya finds a bunch of purple roses...
I'm always following you. Your fan
Maya is moved to tears!
She records a long message of gratitude for her fan.
She talks about all the times he encouraged her, even when she was abandoned by everyone... She reminds him about the time he embraced her in his villa... She never forgot it! He let her study, he let her rehearse in his villa... But how can she thank him if they never meet?
...Who are you, purple rose fan? I don't know your name, nor your appearance. Mr. Hijiri is the only connection between us. How old are you? What do you do for a living? Mr. Hijiri told me not to investigate on you, but nothing can prevent me from thinking of it, right? You're so generous with me. Maybe I remind you of someone you care for?...
Are you an aged president of a Company? A manager? A boss of a gang? Whoever you are, it doesn't matter... Because I'm sure you're a good person!...
...I've been depressed many times, but your purple roses have always cheered me up. I'm lucky to have you by my side... My only admirer, it's also for you that I act! Purple rose fan... One day I would love to meet you!
Masumi asks Hijiri to stop the cassette player. Hijiri suggests him that it's rather cruel to Maya to go on like that. But Masumi has not intention of revealing the purple rose fan's identity to her. She hates him for all the things he did to her...
Hijiri doesn't believe him:
Is it not that you are afraid of revealing your identity? Afraid of being rejected? In that case, you could not send her purple roses any longer, you would not be connected to her by the purple roses...Isn't this what you fear?
Masumi confirms...
I've never loved anyone so far... I've grown up only interested in business... I've never been taught to be loved... Then, it happened. For the first time, I've been interested in someone. I've been afraid of my feelings... I am feared for my cunning in business, and with her I don't know what to do... I find myself confused... I am afraid of being rejected and I cannot move... 11 years! She is 11 years younger than me! I should be ashamed of myself!
Hijiri tells him that everyobdy is awkward in love. He has been awkward too...
As far as Maya's career, Masumi has a plan to help her to attract the attention of the Arts Festival Committee. There's a only way to get this, but Maya will hate him even more...
Low tide... I'm a boat in shoal water, which can neither return to the shore nor get to the open sea...

A wild wolf.

Maya's Jane is very good, but it's not perfect. Kuronuma warns her that her wolf-girl is a urban wolf, not a wild one. At the beginning of the play, Jane the wolf cries for her sister's death: this is a wild cry. At the end of the play, Jane the girl cries for Stewart's critical health conditions: this is a human cry. Maya has to understand the difference.

In the meantime, Eisuke Hayami observes Maya at the rehearsals, being careful not to be noticed. He knows that Masumi Hayami is very interested in that girl, as a candidate for "Kurenai Tennyo"... One day, he even stops her at the railway station pretending he is just a weak old man who needs some help: he lets his walking stick fall down when Maya passes by, so the girl picks it up. Then they fall into conversation. When Maya says she is an actress, and that Chigusa Tsukikage has been her teacher, the old man tells her about "Kurenai Tennyo": he was a big fan of that play (and of Tsukikage)...
Later, at Hayami house, Eisuke tells Masumi that he met Maya Kitajima and talked to her. Masumi is upset, even though he pretends he is indifferent...
Since you told me so much about her, you made me very curious, Masumi. I wanted to know the only object of your admiration, beisides Shiori... One of the candidates for "Kurenai Tennyo"...
Masumi asks him what he thinks about her.
She is an interesting girl. She's pathologically obsessd by acting, but her eyes have the extraordinary light of a dreamer... She looks like Chigusa a long time ago... She said she wants to become "Kurenai Tennyo" on stage... She said: 'become', not 'interpret'...
Eisuke asks Masumi if the girl aims to the National Drama Association Award, Masumi confirms that. It's an interesting bet... Eisuke exclaims that he wants to bet on her too...
Masumi looks rather disappointed.

Maya can't understand Jane completely as long as she lives in the busy and overcrowded Tokyo. She decides to go to the mountains. She takes some trains and then, before taking the bus she calls Kuronuma and she explains him why she is not at the rehearsals. She will be away until she gets Jane's feelings and look. Kuronuma is a genius like Maya, so he understands her. He just advices her not to hurt herself, and the rehearsals will go on without her for a while.
Maya asks for information and finally she gets to Tengudake, in Kumokiriyama, where it is said that there used to be wolves. She starts walking and walking, she finds shelters from the storms, she finishes all her food... One night she looks at the starry sky and she thinks of Masumi Hayami... She can't believe it... Why did that man come to her mind?
In the few days which Maya spends alone in the wood, she feels hunger, fear, thirst... Finally one day she looks at herself on the surface of a stream. That is Jane's look!
She is ready to get back to Tokyo.
In the meantime, Sakurakoji and the other actors are worried for Maya. Kuronuma has faith in the girl: he knows she will come back when she finds what she was looking for. 3 days after Maya's departure, Sakurakoji tells Kuronuma that if Maya is not back in a day he will go look for her, even without his permission.
The day after, at Ugetsu Theatre, Sakurakoji and other actors decide to go and find Maya. But in the same moment Maya enters the room! She's still dirty and with her clothes torn, but she looks very satisfied.
Kuronuma is pleased: the rehearsals can start!

Masumi's publicity for "The forgotten wilderness".

Daito Theatre. First show for "Isadora" the musical, starring Madoka Enjoji. The theatre is overcrowded with the most important members of the National Drama Association, the committee of the Arts Festival, many critics, reporters and so on. Masumi and Shiori are there too. Maya, Sakurakoji and Onodera have been invited.
The show has been a big success.
At the end of the show, Masumi puts his plan into practice. He asks Onodera, Maya and Sakurakoji what they think of Madoka's performance. Onodera says it was pleasant: ballet and songs were faultless... If only "Isadora" had been more deeply interpreted! Madoka Enjoji is shocked: is that man saying her performance was superficial? Masumi asks Maya and Sakurakoji what they think. They loved the show... Especially Maya. Masumi asks her to make some examples of the scenes she loved most. Maya starts acting: people around can't believe she learnt the whole scenes by heart!
Also, she gives a different interpretation. The chairman of the National Drama Association is very interested: he asks Maya to explain why she performed differntly the last words of Isadora...
Maya doesn't know exactly... She just felt she would have done like that on stage!
The chairman appreciates her interpetation: Madoka Enjoji's Isadora was passively waiting for her death, Maya's Isadora would dance till the end... And she has just improvised!
Maya is the center of attention, and this is just the beginning of Masumi's publicity.
He announces that Maya is a candidate for "Kurenai Tennyo" and that she won a prize at the Academy Festival. Then he lets anyone know that she aims to the Award from the National Drama Association with "The forgotten wilderness". He provokes her until she shows everyone in the room a sample of her wolf-girl. Sakurakoji tries to stop her, but Masumi incites her to anger. Masumi tells Sakurakoji to mind his business, and Kuronuma stops Sakurakoji as well. Masumi throws a chicken leg onto the floor, telling Maya to go take it. The girl is on hands and knees: she looks like a very angry wild wolf.
At the party for the first show of "Isadora", the young president of Daito Art Producion and the young actress Maya Kitajima are the center of attention. The reporters take a lot of photos and everyone in the theatre is talking about "The forgotten wilderness".

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Attention!

Original story by Suzue Miuchi. Synopses by Francesca.
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