Kitazato Ruu attracted attention for her role as a student in the drama series "We Still Don't Know the School Rules of That Planet" (Kantele/Fuji TV), which aired in July last year. At the same time, she was selected as an exclusive model for the women's fashion magazine "Ray" (DONUTS) at the age of 15 (at the time), making her the youngest model ever to do so. She is a beautiful girl with an attractive, mature aura that is hard to believe she is a first-year high school student. We asked Kitazato, who said that "it was a year of experience," to look back on 2025 and talk about the future he envisions for himself as an actor and model. <New Year's Interview>
◇ "Bokuhoshi" was the starting point for her as the youngest Ray model...
Kitasato is 16 years old and was born on July 30th, 2009 in Kumamoto Prefecture. He moved to Tokyo last spring to start high school, and as mentioned above, he experienced appearing on "Bokuhoshi" and becoming a Ray model, and he said that "it was the fastest year of my life so far."
The biggest one was "Bokuhoshi," her first regular role in a TV drama series, in which she played Shimada Seina, a second-year high school student who has special feelings for her teacher.
Kitazato says, "It was the starting point for me."
"When I previously appeared in the TV drama "Keiji to Kenji, Sometimes Hange" (TV Asahi, 2023), I was only a guest in one episode, so I wasn't able to be deeply involved in the production. But with "BokuHoshi," I was able to face the role continuously for about three months after it was decided, and the director taught me, 'Don't just settle on one emotion, have a variety of thoughts, and what comes out when you listen to what the other person says is also the correct answer,' so I feel like I was able to learn a new way of working on and thinking about acting. I was able to gain so many experiences and take on so many challenges, which I'm sure will be useful in the future, and I think it will be a work that I will never forget, so I think it was a good starting point for me."
Another big topic for Kitazato in 2025 is his appointment as a Ray model. He said he took on the challenge with a sense of determination.
"Honestly, I was very worried about whether I was the right person for the job. My senior at the agency, Okazaki Sae, and Suzuki Airi, who had been the driving force behind Ray for a long time, had both graduated, so I thought that by joining, I might be able to make a positive impact. But I was really happy to be chosen, so while I was worried, I also felt a sense of resolve, a sense of 'I have to do it.'"
◇Since she was little, she has always wanted to be "adult-like" and admired her "seniors"...
Considering that Ray's readership is 18 years of age or older and its main target is female college students, Kitasato's selection is in a sense a sign of the high expectations placed on her. As she revealed on set, "People tell me I don't look 16," her mature look is one of her strengths.
"I've always wanted to act mature since I was little, and I've been careful about acting mature since I was little, so I'm happy that so many people have told me I look mature and appreciated me. I think that's my strength, and for the sake of my past self, I don't want to lose to anyone in that regard."
Kitazato also said, "From a young age, I always cared about my appearance and had a strong desire to look cute and beautiful," so perhaps being an actor and a fashion magazine model is indeed his "calling."
We asked Kitazato, "What kind of year do you want 2026 to be?"
"I had the opportunity to experience so many different things in 2025 and it was so much fun, so in 2026 I would like to try and experience even more things, and I would like to be exposed to and absorb even more different clothes and trends from magazines. In my school life as well, I would like to interact with many different people, actively participate in events, and try as many things as I can that I have never experienced before."
Her idol is Sae Okazaki, a senior at the agency and a Ray model.
"I worked with her on 'Kagei to Kenji,' and she was very kind and spoke to me with a smile, but once filming began the atmosphere changed completely. Seeing her like that up close, my vague desire to try acting changed to something I really wanted to do. She is a great senior not only as an actor but also as a model. There is a lot I can learn from her, I respect her, and I think I want to be like Sae Okazaki."
