Rina Ikoma is a Japanese idol actress and singer She is a former member of the girl group Nogizaka46, and AKB48's Team B. She was a first generation member of Nogizaka46, and was one of the first appointed to be the center position in the group. She took the center position 6 times in total, for Nogizaka46's first five singles and their twelfth single "Taiyō Nokku". She played the leading role of Naomi Nakashima in the film Corpse Party.
Biography
1995-2018: Early life and Nogizaka46
Rina Ikoma was born in Yurihonjō, Akita Prefecture on December 29, 1995. She had been learning to dance since childhood and became involved in the show business with the encouragement of her father, who encouraged Ikoma to audition for Nogizaka46. In 2011, she applied for the Nogizaka46 auditions along with 38,934 other girls. She became one of the 56 girls who advanced to the final round and in August, she was chosen to become one of the 36 first generation members. For Nogizaka46's debut single, "Guruguru Curtain", Ikoma was appointed as one of the three centers in the song's choreography. She became the only member who kept her center position in their second single, titled "Oide Shampoo". She also recorded a solo song, which was included as a B-side on the single. On 24 February 2014, it was announced at the AKB48 Group Team Shuffle that she would join AKB48's Team B. On 26 February 2015, it was revealed that Ikoma was chosen to star in a live-action film based on the Corpse Party series of video games. Exactly a month later, on 26 March, it was announced that she would leave AKB48. On Nogizaka46's twelfth single "Taiyō Nokku", released on 22 July 2015, Ikoma was appointed as the center position for the first time in two years, last holding the position on their fifth single "Kimi no Na wa Kibō". On 21 February 2016, it was announced that she became a model for Anna Sui in Asian regions. She published her first solo photo book, Kimi no Ashiato, on 24 February 2016. It sold 16,000 copies in its first week, and ranked 1st on the Oricon weekly photo book sales chart. On 29 March 2016, Rina Ikoma participated in the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball match between The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Saitama Seibu Lions. She also appeared in SoftBank's advertising as the voice of "Giga-chan". In the same year, she reprised her lead role in the sequel to the Corpse Party film, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows. The film was released in Japan in July 2016. Ikoma also appeared in a musical adaptation of Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo in September 2016. On 31 January 2018, Ikoma announced her graduation from Nogizaka46 on the group's official blog. On 22 April, her graduation concert was held at the Nippon Budokan. Nogizaka46's 20th single, "Synchronicity" was released on 25 April. It was the group's last single to feature Ikoma, and B-side "Against" was their last song where she took the center position in that group. Ikoma came up with the idea for "Against"'s music video. On 6 May, she officially graduated from the group after an event in Makuhari Messe.
2018-present: Post-Nogizaka46
Ikoma appeared in a musical adaptation of Mahō Sensei Negima! as Negi Springfield in July 2018.
