The final selection for the 4th Star☆Audition, an audition sponsored by the talent agency Stardust Promotion, was held in Tokyo on October 26th, and two people were selected as grand prize winners from among 12,458 applicants: Yamanakajima Sena (14), a second-year junior high school student from Tokyo, and Iwase Yuyu (14), a second-year junior high school student from Okinawa Prefecture.
The audition began in 2019, the 40th anniversary of the company's founding, as "a contest for new stars in the making who are serious about entering the entertainment world." This marks the fourth time the audition has been held, following events in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Actress Keiko Kitagawa made a surprise appearance as a special presenter.
Yamanakajima was born on August 4, 2011. She is 155cm tall. When asked why she applied for the audition, she said, "I wanted to try something new, and when I found out about this audition, I applied." She expressed her joy at winning the grand prize, saying, "I'm happy because I was able to show the results of all the practice I've done." When asked which celebrity she admires, she said, "Takumi Kitamura. I fell in love with his powerful acting." She also shared her dream of becoming an actor, saying, "I'd like to try acting, but I'm also interested in modeling. (The role I'd like to play) is a villain."
Iwase was born on August 12, 2011, and is 159.3 cm tall. "I applied because I wanted to try new things, discover what I can do, and gain confidence," she said. When asked by the press if she had gained confidence, she replied with a smile, "Yes, I have. I'm surprised and very happy to have won the Grand Prize." Iwase also named Hamabe Minami as her idol, saying, "I saw her performance in 'I Want to Eat Your Pancreas,' and thought she was wonderful, so I set myself as an example."
Kitagawa praised the two grand prize winners, saying, "The level of the auditions has been rising with each passing round. There are many contestants who are good at singing and dancing and can do anything. The two who showed their true abilities are truly amazing."
When asked what advice she would give to the two, Kitagawa said, "Stepping into this industry means you'll see both heaven and hell. There's an equal amount of good and bad." As a senior in the entertainment industry, she encouraged her juniors, saying, "I hope you don't let that faze you and live your lives as strong and resilient people."
Four students were selected for the special award: Rio Yakushiji (16), a first-year high school student from Fukuoka Prefecture; Tomoki Tominaga (12), a first-year junior high school student from Tokyo; Juna Kameya (12), a sixth-year elementary school student from Okinawa Prefecture; and Mei Oita (11), a fifth-year elementary school student from Hyogo Prefecture.
On this day, the main vocal and dance group "Lienel" and the nine-member mixed-gender group "ONE LOVE ONE HEART" performed as opening acts, and idol group "Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku" and dance and vocal group "BUDDiiS" also performed live acts. The MCs were former Nippon TV freelance announcer Risa Ozaki and BUDDiiS's Fumiki Ogawa.
