Despair of a Beautiful Track Athlete Ai Kinukawa Who Wishes to Become a Completely Different Person

Ai Kinugawa, 34, a former member of the World Athletics Team, is a “beautiful athlete” who was plagued by repeated injuries and intractable diseases while achieving high school and junior high school results that caught everyone’s attention. Following the article ” Part 1: The Hellish Days of Ai Kinugawa’s Career as a Top Cosplayer, ” which introduced her struggles and suffering as an athlete, we would like to reveal the reason for her dramatic transformation into a top cosplayer and her third life, in her own words.

“I was aiming for the London Olympics in August ’12, but I was once again plagued by injuries, such as my Achilles tendon. I underwent surgery, but I couldn’t quite return to my original form. When I failed to qualify for the national team, I lost my goal and felt quite depressed.

I am fiercely competitive and somewhat moody. My desire to win is stronger than most people’s. However, if I can’t be the best in the world anymore due to injuries, there’s nothing I can do about it. I felt like I was done with track and field. I left Mizuno, where I was affiliated, on March ’15.”

Having withdrawn from track and field, feeling liberated from the pressure, Kinukawa. gradually began to lose sight of herself. She didn’t know how to navigate her second life.

“Since middle school, I had only done track and field. I didn’t even know how to buy a train ticket. Even when I considered part-time work, I didn’t know how to write a resume. I spent about six months to a year wondering what I should do from now on.”

Always talking about athletes.

Even after stepping away from track and field, the people she met continued to bring up topics related to her athletic career. Even though she was no longer a professional athlete. It bothered her that she was only seen as an athlete, and gradually, Kinukawa distanced herself from public appearances.

“Occasionally, when I’m mentioned in the media, they introduce me as a vanished genius. At that time, I was in despair over my situation of being nobody. I wanted to turn away from the painful reality. Every day, I earnestly thought about becoming someone completely different from who I had been.”

In Kinukawa’s mind, there was a world of anime and manga. As a child, she was obsessed with Disney, and during track and field tournaments, half of her suitcase would be filled with manga.

“I read manga of all genres, like ‘Attack on Titan’ and ‘Yowamushi Pedal.’ Besides track and field, manga was my only hobby. Actually, around 2014, while I was still with Mizuno, I admired characters from anime and manga and began cosplaying. Manga saved me. After leaving track and field, I vowed to become a different person, started cross-dressing, and officially began activities as a cosplayer.”

Her cosplay name is Renya. From 2021, she consecutively won the Best Costume award in the renowned magazine “Cosplay Mode” for two years. Posting various cosplay photos on her X (former Twitter) account quickly garnered over 20,000 followers.

“I had kept the identity of Renya = Kinukawa Ai hidden for about ten years. Initially, when I started cosplaying, I had concerns about prejudice and malicious comments… However, times have changed. Diversity is recognized, and society’s perception of anime enthusiasts has drastically shifted. Whether as Renya or Kiwakawa Ai, it’s all me. There’s no longer a need to hide. With that determination, I decided to reveal Renya’s true identity.”

On May 7th, Kinukawa announced in the “Sports Hochi” that Renya is indeed herself.

“The response was tremendous. It was considered taboo in the cosplay community to reveal one’s real name and face. I was happy that fans, while surprised, warmly supported me. This is now my third phase of life.

Utilizing my profile as an athlete while engaging as a cosplayer is something only I can do. I want to become a unique cosplayer known to everyone. Whether in cosplay or track and field, I want to aim for the world. I’ve kept track and field sealed away for ten years, so first, I’ll ease back into it with events like community marathons to regain the sense of Kinukawa Ai.”

Thus far, Kinukawa has personally crafted around 100 cosplay costumes and currently runs about 10 kilometers two to three times a week. The dual-life of the “beautiful track athlete” has now fully commenced.

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Kinukawa Ai (Megumi Kinukawa) Born on August 7, 1989, in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. She gained attention as a track athlete from her days at Sendai Ikuei High School, participating twice in the World Athletics Championships. Charismatic and bright, she captivates many fans. She also excels as a cosplayer under the name Renya.