TOKYO (TR) – Former Nogizaka46 idol Erika Ikuta is aggressively shedding her immaculate image, trading her squeaky-clean pop-star days for steamy outdoor sex scenes and provocative acting roles as she attempts to conquer Japan’s television industry, reports the site for weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun (Oct. 15).
The 27-year-old actress has just been tapped for a prime role in the upcoming Fuji TV drama “Nami Uraraka ni, Meoto Biyori,” which premieres October 15. Ikuta snagged the highly anticipated role of Fumiko — a character matching the protagonist in popularity — after actress Maika Yamamoto bowed out due to pregnancy.
The major network gig follows a steady streak of NHK appearances for Ikuta this year, but her journey to mainstream acting has been paved with increasingly sensational performances.
Ojousama
It is a stark transition for Ikuta, who was long celebrated as the ultimate ojousama (high-class young lady) of the orthodox idol group Nogizaka46. Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, and raised on a strict regimen of classical piano and ballet, Ikuta debuted in 2011 and quickly became a centerpiece of the group’s pure aesthetic.
However, the good-girl facade shattered spectacularly — and profitably — with the release of her 2019 photobook, “Intermission.” Shot in New York, the book shocked fans by featuring Ikuta in raw, white lingerie and a provocative tebura pose, using only her bare hands to cover her breasts. Fans rushed to see the buxom idol bare her assets, driving unprecedented sales that ultimately reached 340,000 copies across seven reprints.
Since graduating from the idol group in December 2021 and joining the major talent agency Ohta Production, Ikuta has steadily ramped up the shock value on screen.
In 2023, she stunned viewers with a bed scene alongside actor Eiji Akaso in the Nippon TV drama “Kocchi Muite yo Mukai-kun.” Earlier this year, she took on the heavy role of a rookie teacher grappling with an out-of-wedlock pregnancy in “Subarashiki Kana, Sensei!”
“Genuine actress trained on stage”
Yet, her most scandalous performance to date came in the NHK BS drama “Amagigoe,” broadcast in July. Playing destitute prostitute Hana Otsuka, Ikuta delivered a steamy outdoor sex scene in an empty field, complete with alluring moans as her character was taken from the front by a passing stranger.
“Ikuta is a genuine actress trained on the stage, so her agency is giving the green light to steamy scenes when necessary,” a television industry insider explained. “While overly extreme scenes might still be off-limits due to her idol past, she will be expected to show even more maturity as she enters her 30s. We might see her tackle even harder intimate scenes in the future.”
Despite a booming solo music career — including an upcoming full-length album, a recently concluded nationwide tour, and a regular MC gig on NHK’s Venue101 — Ikuta still lacks a definitive blockbuster hit as a leading actress.
While she has made waves with her willingness to bare her skin and tackle gritty roles, industry watchers say her last-minute entry into the upcoming Fuji TV pure-love comedy could be the mainstream launchpad she needs to permanently cement her status as a top-tier Japanese actress.