Mao Ioki of the idol group " Nogizaka46 " appeared at a press conference to commemorate the release of her first photo book "Mirai no Tsukurikata" (Shogakukan) held in Tokyo on January 21. When asked how she would rate her first solo photo book as one of the 11 fifth-generation members of the group who joined in February 2022, Ioki answered from her own perspective, saying, "I've thought a lot about this question and have come up with a lot of ideas, but I think I'll make it a 'turning point'."
When asked why, Ioki said, "Releasing this photobook was a big challenge for me. I think that this book will be a major turning point for me since I entered this world." She continued, "I want to continue working hard as an idol in this place, so that this photobook will become a book that makes people who read it look forward to my future."
When asked if she had shown the photo book to her fellow members, Ioki smiled and said, "My seniors and classmates had taken video comments about it (about the photo book). There were some in them that made me really happy." She continued, "I watched Kaki (Haruka)'s comment video, and after she said things like 'You're cute' and 'You're pretty,' her comments about the parts I had written in my own words, like the diary and afterword, made me so happy. She said words that really touched my heart, and I cried a little."
When she heard about the offer to do a photo book, she decided, "It was a big thing, but I thought I'd give it a try," but she also recalled being surprised, saying, "I was shocked because I never thought I would be the first."
At that time, former member Mizuki Yamashita, who saw the photobook while it was still in the digital stage, said, "I received a lot of compliments like 'you're cute'," and "I was really anxious about releasing the photobook, so (Yamashita's high praise) gave me peace of mind and made me feel like everything was okay," she said, exuding gratitude for the confidence and courage she had received.
The photobook was shot in Portugal, and is her first attempt at swimsuit and lingerie shots. It's a book that captures the process of Ioki, now 19, growing into a beautiful woman, like a "final record of her teenage years." A4 variant, 184 pages. Price: 2,600 yen.
