Natsuki Deguchi has been announced as the image character for Meiji's winter-only chocolate confectionery "Meltykiss." A new graphic and a new commercial titled "Winter Rendezvous" have also been released, creating a buzz. Deguchi is currently an exclusive model for the women's fashion magazine "non-no" (Shueisha), and is also an actor, with the film "All Greens," starring alongside Sara Minami, due for release in 2026. We would like to introduce her journey and her appeal.
◇From "Seventeen" to "non-no" - A lovable gap
Deguchi is 24 years old and was born on October 4, 2001, in China. In 2018, she was selected as Miss Seventeen 2018, an exclusive model audition for the teen media magazine Seventeen (Shueisha), and worked as a Seventeen model for about four years until August 2022.
Shortly after graduating from Seventeen, she joined "non-no" in October of the same year and made her debut as a non-no model.
At the time, editor-in-chief Tawara Rikako introduced Deguchi, saying, "Another wonderful addition to our star-studded Non-no models." She added, "I'm excited about her beautiful features and translucent skin that look great with any makeup. She may seem like a cool beauty, but her lovable personality also makes her burst out laughing at the slightest thing. Her beauty and bright personality will surely brighten up the pages of Non-no even more. She's also a beauty fanatic, so I'm looking forward to hearing what Deguchi has to say."
Her progress as a Non-no model is going smoothly. She will appear on the cover of the magazine solo for the first time in the September 2024 issue, and will also appear on the covers of the May and November 2025 issues, giving the impression that she is steadily building a presence in the popular women's fashion magazine.
◇Meeting director Hirokazu Koreeda through "Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san"
She suddenly began to attract attention as an actress in 2021, appearing in TV dramas such as "Girl Gun Lady" (MBS/TBS) and "Kotaro Lives Alone" (TV Asahi), and the following year, 2022, she was cast as the heroine in three dramas: "Inversion," a project to celebrate the 70th anniversary of MBS's founding, "Bakayarou no Kiss" (Nippon TV), and "Crescendo de Susume" (Nippon TV), which was broadcast on the morning information program "ZIP!", leading to a busy schedule.
In the same year, she also appeared in the new film "Silent Parade," a new part of the "Galileo" series starring Masaharu Fukuyama. She played the role of Natsumi, the second daughter of the restaurant "Namikiya," which is an essential character in the story, and made her presence known to a wider audience than ever before.
In 2023, Deguchi co-starred with Mori Nana in "Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san" (Netflix), playing the role of Sumire, a maiko who is described as a "once-in-a-century talent" and has a promising future. The film's general director is Koreeda Hirokazu, known for films such as "Like Father, Like Son" (2013) and "Shoplifters" (2018). Koreeda spent a lot of time on set carefully giving her detailed acting instructions, and this, along with "Silent Parade," was a major catalyst for Deguchi's growing desire to become an actress.
In an interview at the time, Deguchi revealed, "I auditioned for both 'Galileo (Silent Parade)' and 'Maiko-san' and was cast in both productions, and the fact that I enjoyed the set of both was a big factor." She added, "I still don't really know if I enjoy the acting itself, the set, or the preparation period," but added, "I do feel that 'the job of an actress is fun.'"
◇Behind her overflowing transparency and carefree smile is a “secret competitive spirit”
Last year, Deguchi also Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards." At the end of the same year, she was also selected as one of the main cast members for JR East's "JRSKISKI" 2024-25 campaign, along with Yuzu Aoki. Following in the footsteps of Tsubasa Honda, Kawaguchi Suzu Hirose Suzu, Hamabe Minami, and Sakurada Hiyori, she has taken on the role of "winter heroine."
She also co-starred alongside Daiken Okudaira, author of "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas," and is a youthful love story depicting the precious days of five men and women who "can see people's feelings just a little." In this film, she passionately plays Miki Naoko (aka Mickey), a boundlessly cheerful girl who wants to be the hero rather than the heroine. It is still fresh in our memory that she has shown her growth as an actor.
Deguchi-san is full of cuteness with her clear appearance and carefree smile, but she also has a secret competitive side. We'll be keeping an eye on her continued success.
