This place is packed. It really feels like a big anniversary show.

Yeah, it does.
But this also feels so strange...

Who would've thought that the first show I'd see in Japan after all this time would be “The Happy Phoenix.”

Haha. Small world, huh?

At the same time, the cast must be feeling the pressure. I mean, Amami, I have to think they know you're here.

Speak for yourself.
Also...

Anyone who buckles under this sort of pressure really doesn't belong on stage in the first place.

All audience members are on equal footing. It doesn't matter if you're a king or a starving student.

We're no exception...

As such, I believe actors who lose sight of that fact don't belong on stage.

Hehe. You and your stubborn stage philosophy. Still...

I hope you're right.

Break a leg, Nene.

“Hey, do any of you know about the really beautiful bird living deep within this forest?!”

“There's no one like her in the western forest. I wish there were a way for me to talk to her.”

“Do you speak of the phoenix?
You poor fool. She may look ravishing, but her heart is made of ice...”

“Oh, Swallow, that's right. It's only been two days since you came to this forest... Or was it a week? I forget...”

“Regardless, allow me to tell you all about her. She's...”

“♪————”

(Their singing and acting is stupendous. I suppose they're nationally-renowned cast for a reason...)

(But the meat of this show involves...)

“That creature over there looks unfamiliar. So small and helpless... How repulsive.”

“It must be a human. A child at that.”

“My hate for it knows no bounds.”

“♪————”

(She was so little when I performed alongside her, but she definitely had this spark... Still, I never thought that she'd blossom like this so soon...!)

(There's no question that she's the future of show business. I can see why Nene was so anxious...)

(But you also have some tricks up your sleeve now...)

(So, show me what you've got!)

“Wait, please... Phoenix!”

The phoenix leaves Rio far behind and them becoming separated marks the end of the first act...

Yeah, which means...

The next scene's where Nene and Tsukasa meet for the very first time! I can't wait to hear her sing!

Yes, me neither.

...

(She's more focused that usual.
We probably shouldn't do anything to break her concentration.)

(In any case, we shall see what she's gained over this short period and how she performs...)

We'll be on the edge of our seats...

“No, I lost her again...”

“At this rate, I'm never going to catch up to her, let alone capture her...”

“*Sigh*
If only I had wings like her...”

Oh, that's Nene's cue...

(The Cowardly Canary's personality involves “speaking through song”. Thus, her first line on stage it not spoken but sung.)

(Starting by humming.
Then, she slowly transitions to singing...)

(Which reaches Rio's ears...)

“♪————”

She sounds totally different compared to before...!

Yes, her tone's much lower.

(It's normal for anyone to believe that a canary would sing in a high pitch based on its natural size.)

(Nene initially went with that image during our practices it seems.)

(But she's lowered her tone...
Is it to conserve stamina? She likely won't have any trouble getting through this song now...)

“Who's singing? Is it that bird...?”

“What a beautiful voice...
I'd like to hear it more up close...”

“♪————...”

“H-Huh?!
Who's there...?!”

That felt...

How did she do that?
Her line matched her singing so perfectly just now!

Yes, it did...

So, when the director said her singing “sticks out”, he meant that her acting and singing felt completely disconnected from one another.

She's thrown aside singing in a high pitch like a real bird and went with something closer to her regular voice.

A brave decision on her part...
As a result, her singing and acting are meshing together much nicer compared to when she was trying to “become a canary”.

Now, she sounds like a real canary that “speaks through song”.

Yeah...

I really like this version of her...
And she looks like she's having so much fun...

This is Nene's Cowardly Canary...

“U-Umm...
Thank you for praising my singing.”

“I really love to sing...
I mean, it's how I communicate.”

“No, it might be more than that...
Unfortunately, I'm not very good at talking to other people...”

“But since you said that you enjoyed my song so much, I wouldn't mind singing another one for you...”

“It's been so long since someone last heard me sing...”

(Good. Her training seems to be paying off...)

(If she can keep this up, that other scene should be...)

“Phoenix...?”

“Wh-Why did you come back...?”

(Here comes the climax...
Rio thought he'd never see the phoenix again after she dropped a feather for him to use to recover.)

(But his mother only has until sunset, which is just moments away. The phoenix appearing before Rio once more out of her own volition means...)

“It is true that I wished to continue living.
However, I also enjoyed these past few days we spent together...”

“You enjoyed spending time with me...?”

“No, that is not quite correct...
To be more precise, I enjoyed laughing and frolicking with you.”

“However, if you lose your mother, that smile of yours will surely vanish along with her. If that were to happen...”

“I would deeply regret not giving you my heart.”

“Phoenix...”

“Which is why...
I have decided that it is not worth living if it means you will no longer smile.”

“So, take this knife...
Plunge it into me and take my heart.”

“B-But... I... Um...”

“Hehe...
You truly are a weak, little coward.”

“However, I shall leave you with some parting words.”

“Becoming friends with you filled me with so much joy...”

“...!”

“Wh-Why...?
Really? Now...?”

“What am I supposed to do...?!
How do you expect me to...?!”

I can feel Rio's pain wrapping itself around my heart...

Me too...
Seiryuin's also putting on a tremendous performance. Her voice and facial expressions are so captivating...

(These two really are something else.
They're the protagonists in every sense of the word.)

(However, one person must bring them together.)

(This is a key moment in the story...
A perfect performance will be required to compel these two to come to an agreement.)

(So, we shall see how this plays out...)

“I'm sorry...
I'm so sorry, Phoenix...”

“For my mom's sake... I... I...!”

“W-Wait...!”

“Please, wait...!
Stop, you two...!”

“Fear not, Rio...”

“I do not fear death for I am a majestic phoenix...”

“...”

“I... I have to tell them...
They don't need a phoenix's heart to cure Rio's mother of her curse...”

“But...”

“My voice... I'm so scared...”

“So, you have figured out my secret...
But if you tell those two, your life is forfeit!”

“I-If I tell them... She'll take my life...
But... But...”

“Rio said that he likes my singing...
He became friends with me even though I'm afraid of just about everything...”

“So, I... I don't want him to feel sad...
I don't want him to stab Phoenix...
I don't want him to stab his friend...!”

“I have to stop them...
I'll never forgive myself if I don't.”

“But just telling them isn't going to work...
No, I can sing to them...”

“With this song!”

“♪————~~!!!”

Nene...!

(Her voice... It's going straight for my heart as it leaves her mouth, and I can feel her desperation so clearly...)

I had no idea she could sing like this...

(She's overcome all of the walls she ran into during our training...)

(Youth really is a scary thing...)

“This song...!”

“This must be that canary...
I believe she is trying to tell us something...”

“What...? The heart of a phoenix is not required to dispel the curse that has been placed on Rio's mother...?”

“Instead, we must defeat the witch...?!”

“R-Really...?”

“The witch had me fooled this whole time...?”

“Rio...”

“But...”

“Phoenix, this means I don't have to use this knife anymore.”

“Thank goodness...
I'm so relieved...”

“...”

“Oh, for the love of... Why are you crying? Quickly now. Stand up.”

“Wait, what...?”

“Time is of the essence for the sun will be setting soon. We must hurry and defeat the witch before then.”

“I shall follow you...
She will not be easy to fall, we should be able to win if we fight together.”

“Because we are friends...”

(The entire audience has their attention focused on the stage...)

(They even seem overcome with relief that Rio and the phoenix were able to find a solution...)

(Those two obviously did a magnificent job of immersing us into the story, but...)

“Thank goodness...”

“I'm so glad they heard my song...”

What an incredible performance.