There's a new buzz in Japan's theaters these days — and she's called Yukiko Motoya. Hailing from Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan, the 27-year-old founder of an eponymous Tokyo-based theater company has quickly become a new source of freshness both in the drama world and other cultural fields.
Tokyo-based Motoya, who wrote her first play in her teens, has become a darling of the Japanese media — and not just for her cute appearance; her outspoken and often satirical observations garner her just as much attention. Unconcerned with this growing interest, though, Motoya has also established herself as a radio DJ, magazine columnist and a novelist — her latest book, "Ikiteirudakede Ai (Just Living is Love)" was nominated for last year's prestigious Akutagawa Award.
In 2006, Motoya's last play, "Sonan (Disaster)," won the best play category at the Tsuruya Nanboku Memorial Awards, making her the youngest winner ever. Motoya recently spoke to The Japan Times during a break in rehearsals for her latest work, "Final Fantastic Super No-Flat."