Kaho Brings Both Elegance and Mischief to New Film Preview Stage

A “Beauty and the Beast” pairing

The moment she appeared on stage, all eyes in the audience were drawn to her. Her ethereal, almost fairy-like presence in pure white seemed to captivate everyone instantly—actor Kaho (34).

On June 8, a completion stage greeting for the film “April’s Blank Space”, which opens nationwide on June 26, was held at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku, Tokyo). Kaho appeared alongside lead actor Watara Ichinose (40), who plays the protagonist.

According to a film magazine journalist:

“The film is a human drama directed by Keisuke Yoshida (51), who previously worked on ‘Blank’ (2021) and ‘Missing’ (2024). It is based on his encounters during his formative years with delinquent youths and their communities, portraying the pain and struggles of teenage boys. Ichinose plays Kenji Nishi, the dorm supervisor of a rehabilitation facility called ‘Mirai no Sato’, which takes in troubled boys. Kaho plays their school homeroom teacher, Toko Kusano, for the student Sawa Kaito (Hayato Uesaka, 19), who is placed in the facility.”

As mentioned at the beginning, Kaho appeared wearing an oversized white dress. When stepping onto the stage slightly bent forward, she seemed to notice her slightly open neckline and held it down with her hand, smiling shyly. The gesture drew voices of “So cute!” from the audience, and standing beside Ichinose, the pair looked like a real-life beauty and the beast.

When asked about working with Ichinose, Kaho said:

“His smile is really wonderful. He has this friendly, charming warmth, but also a kind of sadness or melancholy underneath it, which I found very beautiful. During the wrap party as well, he was constantly moving around and making sure to speak to every staff member, which really left an impression on me.”

Ichinose repeatedly bowed his head in embarrassment, saying, “Wow, thank you so much,” clearly humbled.

Kaho’s character, Toko Kusano, is a schoolteacher who believes in resolving issues through dialogue but begins to feel the limits of her educational philosophy, gradually worn down by a harsh and stressful work environment. Kaho portrays this delicate emotional state with nuance.

“Kusano is a role that feels close to the audience, and in a sense she represents modern teachers and educational issues. I felt I had to perform in a way that truly made her feel believable.”

When asked recently about something she struggles with in daily life, Kaho replied playfully:

“Late-night ramen. I think I should probably stop eating it soon. The next-day damage is pretty rough.”

Her comment drew laughter from the audience, wrapping up the event on a warm note. Afterward, the film was screened, and viewers were able to fully enjoy Kaho’s performance on screen as well.