I'm going to do everything I want to do now. And I'm going to put all my effort into what's in front of me.

Meru Ikumi (Warmth)
Born in Aichi Prefecture. 20 years old. CanCam exclusive model.
She has appeared on many variety shows as a model and is affectionately known to viewers as Meruru.
She also made her debut as an actress last year and is attracting attention as an actress as well.

◆Please tell us how you spent your time as a student.
I was approached by my current agency while I was attending a dance school in Nagoya, and so I started modeling in the fourth grade of elementary school. At first I was anxious and scared, but I was able to take on the challenge thanks to my mother's encouragement. When I was in elementary school, I thought of modeling as a way to go to Tokyo as a reward, but when I was in junior high school, there were more and more situations where I had to prioritize my entertainment activities over school, and I started to think of it as a job. Modeling is also very educational, as it increases your knowledge of things like clothes and makeup. Learning more about these things has helped me to enjoy fashion and makeup even more.

◆Please tell us about the rewards and challenges of your work.
My motivation increases when I feel I've grown or when I receive kind messages from my fans. My facial expressions in magazines have changed since my debut, so I'm happy when people notice.
As my opportunities to appear on television have increased over the past few years, I have received a variety of reactions, both good and bad. It was my first experience receiving negative feedback from people I didn't know, so I was surprised, but I try to accept it as a matter of fact, knowing that "everyone has their own way of feeling things." I don't get too depressed, but if I think there is something wrong with me, I try to improve. I think it's important to be true to myself and not lie.
Recently I was given the opportunity to work as an actress, but when I actually acted, it was completely different from what I imagined. After saying lines that I don't use in my daily life, I was able to experience emotions that I would never normally feel, so I felt like I gained something from experiencing two people's worth of roles in one day. I would like to continue challenging myself with various roles in the future.

◆Please give us a message for university students
I want you to do what you want to do and enjoy life to the fullest. If you feel like something is fun or interesting, first tell yourself that out loud. Take action right away and find something that you can be passionate about.

Koji Ishida, third year student at Nihon University

■After the interview
From the moment we met, I was impressed by how he greeted me with a beaming smile from start to finish. I felt that Ikumi-san's positive aura, which could be felt even through the TV, came from his earnestness in facing every moment head-on. It was an inspiring time for me to be inspired by the wonderful personality of someone of the same generation.
(Rien Kanda, 4th year student at Japan Women's University)

" Moekare is orange "
Nationwide release on Friday, May 7th

Starring: Hikaru Iwamoto (Snow Man) and Airi Ikumi
Jin Suzuki, Shuhei Uesugi, Hidaka Ukisawa (Bishonen/Johnny's Jr.), Yudai Furukawa
Distributor: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
©2022 "Moekare wa Orangeiro" Production Committee © Tamashima Non/Kodansha