Nene Shida: “Creating New Poses with My Mom!”
My family is my biggest fan! This is the third interview with our cover girl. Nemaru, who is taking the gravure world by storm, tells us about her secret photo shoot on the Goto Islands and her "secret training" with her family!
“My whole family supports my oshi activities!” She cheerfully enjoyed the rich nature of the Goto Islands. Looking back, she said, “The cityscape and the food were both amazing—it was such a fun place!”“A family evaluation session was held (lol).”
— This is your third time as a cover girl in about four months, following last December and this January!
“I’m just so happy, but I’m starting to worry that I might run out of things to talk about in these interviews (laughs).”
— The cover photo for this issue was taken in the Goto Islands (Nagasaki Prefecture). How was the shoot?
“I flew there on a small plane, and it felt like an amusement park ride—it was fun! It was my first time visiting the Goto Islands, and it had rows of old traditional houses and beautiful ocean views, just like I had imagined. While shooting at a place called Oni-dake, a group of young boys who were there as tourists recognized me and said, ‘Isn’t that Nene-maru?’ It made me really happy to be recognized by younger boys too.”
— Where were the indoor shots taken?
“They were taken in the lovely room where I actually stayed. Each person had their own room, and mine was a two-story cottage. But it was too big, and I was scared to sleep alone. So, I ended up staying in the makeup artist’s room. The shoot took place in that makeup artist’s room—the very room I actually slept in!”
— In a previous interview, you mentioned that you are very close to your family. How did they react to the photos taken in the Goto Islands and your photobook Neiro—cantabile—?
“My whole family supports me like devoted fans. Even my grandparents buy all my photo books and merchandise every time. This time, we already have about five copies of the photobook at home. My entire family even came to the release event, and they were all so happy! They lined up this photobook with Neiro—vivace—, which was shot in Taiwan, and started holding a little family review session, saying things like, ‘I like this photo better!’ (laughs). Each family member buys their own copies, even though I tell them I can give them one. But they insist, ‘No! Buying it is part of being a true fan!'”
— Has your younger sister, actress Kohaku Shida (20), seen your new photobook yet?
“Not yet. She always gives me a bit of a cold reaction. When I show her my photo books, she just says things like, ‘That outfit looks cold.’ But she’s a tsundere, so I know that once she actually looks at it, she’ll end up praising me.”
