KABA.chan will make her drama debut under the name Ryu Ichika in the second episode of "School of love."

Actor Ryu Ichika, also known as KABA.chan, will be making a guest appearance in the second episode of the drama series " School of love. " (Fuji TV, Thursdays 10pm) starring Fumino Kimura , which will air on July 17th at 10:20pm. KABA.chan, who works as a choreographer and TV personality, uses the name "Ryu Ichika" in his acting career. This will be his drama debut under this name.

She made her entertainment debut in 1996 under the name KABA as a member of the dance unit "dos" produced by Tetsuya Komuro, and has won numerous new talent awards, including the 38th The Japan Record Awards and the 29th Japan Cable Broadcasting Award. After that, while working as a talent under the name KABA.chan, she has also worked as a choreographer, creating choreography for songs by artists such as SMAP, Namie Amuro, and Tomomi Kahara. In her private life, she announced that she had gender identity disorder in 2002, and in 2016 she underwent gender reassignment surgery and changed her legal status to female. She is also using her own experience to address LGBTQ issues.

The drama tells the love story of Ogawa Manami, a diligent high school teacher played by Kimura, and Kaworu, a host who is bad at reading and writing, played by Raul of the popular group "Snow Man." In the second episode, Kaworu's mother, Kosaka Nao (Ryo), shows up at the host club "THE JOKER" where Kaworu works and asks for money for the medical expenses of Kaworu's half-brother. After handing over several tens of thousands of yen, Kaworu returns to the club, where he is approached by Utsunomiya Akina (Kichise Michiko), a big customer of rival host Tsubasa (Arai Keishi). Ryu plays a sales clerk at a men's clothing store where the two visit together to give Kaworu a custom-made suit.

◇Ryu Ichika's full comment

--This will be Ryu Ichika's first time appearing in a drama. How did you feel when you heard the offer?

Actually, I started attending acting school in 2023 and have been learning the basics thoroughly. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to test how much I've improved in acting, and I was really happy to be asked to play Ryu Ichika for the first time and to be involved in this production!

--What were your impressions when you read the script?

Among the many different forms of love, this one seems possible yet unlikely, and yet impossible and yet possible, and somehow I thought it was very modern.

--This work depicts various forms of "love." What does "love" mean to you, Ichika?

There are many different forms of love, and I think it may be difficult, but I have learned that it is not just about money. I am still searching for the true form of love, so I hope to find the answer someday.