It was revealed on October 22nd that actor Ikehata Anji has been appointed the 21st cheer manager for the 104th All Japan High School Soccer Championship, which will begin on December 28th. At a recent press conference held in Tokyo, he enthusiastically stated, "I want to be a cheer manager who can fully understand the passion of the players and give them strength and courage."
Ikebata was born on September 8, 2007, and is an 18-year-old high school senior from Tokyo. In 2021, she won the grand prize at the 25th Nicola Model Audition. She will make her television drama debut in the 2022 drama series "Old Rookie" (TBS). In 2023, she will be the heroine in a commercial for the sports drink "Pocari Sweat," which is considered a stepping stone for new actresses. In 2025, she will be selected as the 15th commercial girl for the marriage information magazine "Zexy" (Recruit). In the movie "Strawberry Moon: A Love with Six Months to Live," which was released on October 17, she gave a brilliant performance as a strong-willed girl.
When she received the news that she had been selected as the cheer manager, she said with a smile, "I was surprised and filled with joy. One of my goals since I became a high school student was to become a cheer manager, so my parents were really happy when they heard the news."
He said his mother was next to him when he received the news, and revealed, "I immediately told her, 'It's been decided!' and she was very excited. I thought I'd surprise my father by telling him later, so I brought some crackers over dinner and said, 'I've been decided to play in high school soccer!' and my father froze up and couldn't move (laughs). I was really happy."
She revealed that she admires Mori Nana and Kiyohara Kaya among the previous cheering managers, saying, "I was impressed by Kiyohara Kaya dancing before the game, and when I saw the video I thought it was really cool. I would also like to become a cheering manager that everyone loves."
She said that she managed to complete the "Jumping Challenge," a regular event for cheering managers, five times. "It's a little embarrassing to say this after only this many attempts, but... I practiced really hard (laughs). Last night I practiced with my dad for about an hour and a half, and this morning I got up a little early and practiced with my dad teaching me some tricks, and I managed to get up to five attempts. My dad played soccer all through high school, so he was very happy when I was chosen as cheering manager. He gave me some advice, saying, 'The first time you do a juggling move is crucial, so do your best!'"
Regarding her goals as a cheer manager, she said, "I think high school soccer heats up the winter, and I watched the last tournament on TV. I was moved by seeing people my age get so passionate about a sport. I'm really excited to think that I'll be able to experience that passion firsthand this time. I've never actually watched a game before, so my heart is beating fast just thinking about going to the venue. I want to be a cheer manager who can fully absorb the players' passion and give them strength and courage."
The 104th All Japan High School Soccer Championship will begin on December 28th, with the final scheduled to be held at the National Stadium (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo) on January 12th, 2026. The regional tournaments and finals to determine the schools that will advance to the national tournament will be held in each region from October 25th.
◇ Past high school soccer cheering managers (titles omitted)
1st: Maki Horikita (84th National High School Soccer Championship) 2nd: Yui Aragaki (85th Championship) 3rd: Kii Kitano (86th Championship) 4th: Rina Aizawa (87th Championship) 5th: Umika Kawashima (88th Championship) 6th: Alice Hirose(89th Championship) 7th: Haruna Kawaguchi (90th Championship) 8th: Ito Ohno (91st Championship) 9th: Airi Matsui (92nd Championship) 10th: Suzu Hirose (93rd Championship) 11th: Mei Nagano (94th Championship) 12th: Karen Otomo (95th Championship) 13th: Hikaru Takahashi (96th Championship) 14th: Kaya Kiyohara (97th Championship) 15th: Mori Nana (98th Tournament) 16th Miyu Honda (99th Tournament) 17th Mizuki Kayashima (100th Tournament) 18th Rinmi (101st Tournament) 19th Fujisaki Yumia (102nd Tournament) 20th Rui Tsukishima (103rd Tournament)
