Miku Tanaka: “Among actors of my generation, I admire Mana Ashida” [This Week’s Cover Girl’s Chest].

I love the fact that I can capture the ‘now’ of the moment.”

–You are called the “gravure queen of the idol world.” What do you find attractive about gravure work?

What do you find attractive about gravure? When I look back at old photos, I feel that my expression has changed. For example, in my 1st photo collection “1/2 Girl” published in 2009, I was 20 years old at the time and still in HKT48, so I had a fresh, idol-like expression. However, my 2nd photo collection, “At Will,” which came out in September of this year, was a fresh, idol-like look. was released in September of this year, I was “now” moving on to the next step after graduating from HKT48 and the environment around me changing. I guess you could say I have a fresh look. Rather than being fresh, I have the impression of being a little more refined.

–I heard that your 2nd photo collection was shot in Byron Bay and Gold Coast, Australia.

It was my first time in Australia, including in my private life. First of all, I was very excited to be shooting overseas. I was very excited when I started doing more photogravure work, because the COVID-19 crisis was right around the time I started my photogravure activities, and it was very difficult for me to go overseas. I was also active as an idol, so the shoots were basically in Japan. I often had to make day trips from Hakata to Tokyo for shoots. That is why it was such a big deal for me to be able to go abroad for gravure shoots. It was a great opportunity for me to discover things like, “Other countries have this kind of charm, and I can take pictures like this! I was very happy to make such discoveries. In Australia, I was surrounded by magnificent nature and exotic cityscapes, which gave me a great sense of freedom. I love animals, so I was happy to be able to touch koalas and feed kangaroos.

The “extraordinary feeling” is fresh!

–Please tell us about the highlights of this photogravure.

I like the one in which she is wearing a wintery white top. There were a lot of fashionable photos this time that looked like they would appear in a fashion magazine, so I was really excited to be able to shoot something like this. I hope I was able to show a different side of myself from usual.　I can’t wait for my fans to see it.

–You have also been active as an actor, appearing in the movie “Saint Oniisan” and the NHK TV series “Omusubi”. What do you find attractive about acting?

I find it refreshing to play someone who has a different personality from my own. I enjoy being exposed to a variety of emotions, not only in my own roles but also in the roles of my co-stars. When I hear the various reactions I get from the many people who see the work I worked so hard to create, I am glad that I did it. Because you only live once, I think acting is a fascinating job that allows you to experience different ways of life.

–In the drama “3-nen C-gumi wa adulterous” (Nippon Television Network Corporation), in which she played the role of a student, she played the role of Hosoda. (NTV), in which you played a student, your intense affair scene with a high school teacher played by Yoshihiko Hosoda (36) became a big topic of conversation on the Internet.

I worked hard with Mr. Hosoda, the director, and the staff. I worked hard with Mr. Hosoda, the director, and the staff. If I was going to go to the trouble of acting, I wanted to bring the charm of the character of Masuzu Sasaki to as many people as possible, so when that scene made the news, I was like, ‘That was the plan, man! ‘ (laughs).

–Is there an actor you admired on the set?

There are many, but one in my age group is Mana Ashida (20). I was overwhelmed by her acting ability when we co-starred in last year’s drama “The Best Teacher: 1 Year Later, I Was ■sed by My Student” (NTV).
I have been a big fan of Ms. Ashida’s since the drama “Marumo no Okite” (Fuji TV) aired in 2011, and the theme song “Marumo mori mori! I was singing and dancing in front of the TV at the time. I was very happy to be able to work with Ms. Ashida and experience firsthand how hardworking and special she is.

–How do you spend your off-days and spare time?

I play games at home and take care of my houseplants, but in the fall and winter, I go for walks. Unlike summer, I don’t have to worry about getting a sunburn, so I find time to walk along unfamiliar streets and stop by cafes while smelling the fragrance of the fragrant fragrant osmanthus. I also take a walk on location whenever I have a spare moment. The other day, I went to a port town in Shimane Prefecture for a gravure shoot for Weekly Shonen Magazine, and the nostalgic scenery with a slight scent of the sea was a wonderful atmosphere.

–What kind of work would you like to do in the future?

I would like to work for an adult brand, such as in cosmetics or jewelry commercials. In the future, I would like to become a classy woman who is suited to such work.

Miku Tanaka, age 23
A former member of HKT48, she is a TV personality from Kumamoto Prefecture.
She was selected for the first time in March ’14 for “Sakura, Minna de Minna de Ate” (“Cherry Blossoms, We Ate It All Together”). Since graduating in 2011, she has been active as a gravure idol and actor, and has also appeared in the NHK morning drama “Omusubi”.

My Best Recent “GAME
Puyopuyo.

I sometimes spend 3 to 4 hours playing Puyopuyo on my days off. The first time I came into contact with Puyopuyo was when I was in nursery school, and my father was playing it on his Galapagos. After I bought a Nintendo Switch this fall, my Puyopuyo fever was rekindled!　I guess I’ve gotten too good at it, but when I play against my friends from HKT48, I win so many games that everyone says “Miku is too strong and it’s boring. …… (wry smile) I am looking for an opponent!

From the December 27, 2024 issue of FRIDAY