Gravure Idol Hotaru Kusakabe, a MENSA Member with an IQ in the Top 2%, Explains Why She Became a Qualification Maniac

On June 5th, gravure idol Hotaru Kusakabe released her first photo book, ‘Iinari.’ She is also known as a qualification maniac with 42 qualifications, earning her the nickname ‘the mysterious creature who can do anything. Her 43rd qualification was passing the MENSA membership test, which is only open to those with an IQ in the top 2% of the entire human race.

How did someone with such a high IQ become a gravure idol? Delving into her background reveals the reason why she continues to obtain qualifications.

Kusakabe says she had always wanted to take the MENSA test. She often solved IQ quizzes on TV shows and thought, ‘Maybe I can do it.’ She says she has loved studying since she was a child.

“My parents were very keen on education, so I attended many lessons from a young age. For example, piano, swimming, gymnastics, art, and several others. I also played with friends, but I basically went to lessons every day.

However, I didn’t take entrance exams for private schools; I went to public elementary and middle schools. For some reason, my parents weren’t very strict about entrance exams. I didn’t even go to cram school. When I was in the third year of middle school, everyone around me was going to cram school, and I was the only one who wasn’t, so I asked to go and attended for a short time. But my grades in middle school were all 5s, probably the best.”

Her father ran his own business, and her mother was a nurse, so she grew up in an ordinary family environment. She attended a top public high school. However, despite balancing daily lessons and studies and always excelling academically, her routine took a sudden turn for the worse in her first year of high school.