Rika Nakagawa (中川 梨花, Nakagawa Rika, born April 21, 1998)[1] is a Japanese actress and singer who is affiliated with Sun Music Production.[2] Starting her career as a member of a Hokkaido-based idol group, she also appeared in various television shows and events in Hokkaido before moving to Tokyo to continue her career while studying at Keio University. She portrayed Momiji Itō in the mixed-media project Shine Post, as well as Kanata Misora, the protagonist of the anime series Narenare: Cheer for You!

Rika Nakagawa
中川 梨花
Born (1998-04-21) April 21, 1998 (age 26)
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Alma materKeio University
OccupationActress
Years active2011–present
AgentSun Music Production

Career

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Nakagawa started her career as a member of the Hokkaido-based idol group Peaceful.[3] While in her second year of junior high school, she decided to apply for talent auditions through the magazine Monthly De View, ultimately deciding to affiliate with Sun Music Production.[4]

Nakagawa participated in Kodansha's annual Miss iD talent audition in 2014, where she was one of the semi-finalists.[5] She also began modeling for magazines such as Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from 2014. She appeared in HTB's Hiragashi Garakuta-Dan variety program in 2015 and 2016, as well as hosting the TV Hokkaido program Switchin! from April 2016 to September 2017.[2] As an active high school student, in August 2016 she participated in a national speech competition organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Hiroshima, where she won the top prize in the debate category.[6] She appeared in the 2017 film Shashin Kōshien 0.5-Byō no Natsu; her work in the film led her to delaying taking university entrance exams.[7]

After graduating from high school, Nakagawa moved to Tokyo to further her entertainment career and pursue higher education, enrolling at Keio University's Faculty of Policy Management in 2017.[4][7] She was also appointed as ambassador for Higashikawa, Hokkaido, in 2019.[1] She was cast as Momiji Itō in the mixed-media project Shine Post.[8] In 2024, she voiced Kanata Misora, the protagonist of the anime television series Narenare: Cheer for You!;[9] she and her co-stars also performed the series' opening theme "Cheer for You!" and ending theme "With" under the name PoMPoMs.[10]

Filmography

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Anime

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References

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  1. ^ a b "【北海道 東川町】北海道出身、今年9月に慶應大卒のタレント 中川梨花さんが「東川町オフィシャルレポーター」に就任" [[Higashikawa Town, Hokkaido] Rika Nakagawa, a talent from Hokkaido who graduated from Keio University in September this year, has been appointed as the "Higashikawa Town Official Reporter"] (in Japanese). October 4, 2021. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "中川 梨花" [Rika Nakagawa] (in Japanese). Sun Music Production. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "群馬推しが激しい女子校生チアアニメ「菜なれ花なれ」、中川梨花らキャスト6人発表 キャラビジュ&PVも公開" [6 cast members, including Rika Nakagawa, announced for Gunma schoolgirl cheer anime “Nanare Hana Nare” with strong support for Gunma. Character visuals and PV also released]. nlab.itmedia.co.jp (in Japanese). ITmedia. January 25, 2024. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "待ってました! 女優・中川梨花が今年は上京して活動開始へ" [I've been waiting! Actress Rika Nakagawa will move to Tokyo and start her activities this year]. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. January 13, 2017. Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Nakagawa, Rika (August 1, 2014). "ミスid♥︎" [Miss id♥︎]. ameblo.jp/nakagawa-rika (in Japanese). Ameba. Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  6. ^ "全国高校総合文化祭 弁論部門 道勢27年ぶり最優秀賞 北海高・中川さん" [Hokkai High School's Miss Nakagawa won the highest award in the speech division of the National High School Cultural Festival for the first time in 27 years] (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. September 13, 2016. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "ビットコインCMでローラと共演し、注目される現役慶応生の美女とは?" [Who is the beautiful Keio student who co-stars with Laura in the Bitcoin commercial and is attracting attention?]. dot.asahi.com (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. February 19, 2018. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Mateo, Alex (October 26, 2021). "Oresuki Creators' Idol Light Novel Shine Post Gets Anime Next Summer". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 25, 2024). "P.A. Works, DMM.com's Nanare Hananare Original TV Anime Reveals Main Cast in Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  10. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (March 23, 2024). "Nanare Hananare Original TV Anime Reveals Opening, Ending Theme Songs Writer & Producer Yūjin Kitagawa of Music Duo Yuzu". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.