Mima Kirigoe

Living... by herself, in an apartment with her fish. Yet despite her independence, Mima doesn't seem particularly adult, filling her room with stuffed animals and pink pillows. But then again, it's hard to grow up when your public image is that of a naive, innocent girl.

Profession... actress and former idol singer. As the lead singer of CHAM!, Mima projected the image of a wholesome, bubbly girl, leading her to be adored by hundreds of adolescent boys across Japan. As she tells her mother, however, "the pop idol image is suffocating me." Now that she's pursuing acting, Mima hopes to shed her childish persona for a more mature identity.

Interests... being taken seriously and maintaining her sanity. After years as a singer for CHAM!, Mima plans to create a new identity by starring in more mature films. However, Mima's switch to adult roles results in backlash from fans who are stubbornly attached to the "old" Mima. And the more Mima delves into acting, the more she becomes disorientated about which of her personas is truly her...

Relationship Status... single. Not that it means she's lacking in admirers. As a former singer, Mima's plenty popular, though she doesn't always enjoy the limelight. It’s hard to, after all, when her fans include fanatic diehards – and a disturbingly resourceful stalker named Me-Mania.

Challenge... staying sane as she switches jobs. Like American child stars transitioning to adulthood, twenty-something Mima faces a lot of backlash when she decides to suddenly start acting like an adult. From threatening calls to angry messages on the Internet, the pressure's a lot to handle. That’s specially true after Mima begins to suspect she's developing an alter-ego.

Personality... demure, uncertain, and sensitive. A sweet, polite girl, Mima might be trying to grow out of her pop idol identity, but she still finds it hard to shed her performer's need to please others. When a group of troublemakers interrupt her last concert, all Mima does is helplessly plead, "Today, please, I just wanted us to have a good time." She is going to have to learn to be more assertive if she wants to be taken more seriously.