《Rental Girlfriend》 Live-Action Version: Who Plays Chizuru Mizuhara? An In-Depth Analysis of Her Physical Charms
“Rental Girlfriend” Live-Action Trend: Cross-Media Presentation from Manga to Screen
The popular manga “Rental Girlfriend” (Kanojo, Okarishimasu), created by Reiji Miyajima, has accumulated a large number of fans worldwide with its unique “rental relationship” setting and complex character relationships. This work has not only been adapted into an anime version but has also extended into the live-action field in recent years, including a live-action Japanese TV drama series and special promotional videos, allowing characters like “Mizuhara Chizuru” to step out of the two-dimensional world and appear before the audience in a more concrete form. One of the most concerning questions for everyone is: Who plays the live-action version of Mizuhara Chizuru?
Japanese Drama Version of “Rental Girlfriend”: Hiyori Sakurada Plays Mizuhara Chizuru
In July 2022, the live-action Japanese drama version of “Rental Girlfriend” officially aired in Japan, bringing the story from the manga to the television screen. The role of the female lead, Mizuhara Chizuru (also known as Ichinose Chizuru), is played by the young Japanese actress — Hiyori Sakurada (Sakurada Hiyori).
The casting of Hiyori Sakurada sparked considerable discussion at the time. As a young and promising actress, she co-starred with Ryusei Onishi (Onishi Ryusei), a member of the Johnny’s idol group “Naniwa Danshi,” who plays the male lead Kinoshita Kazuya, together portraying this complex romance that begins with a rental relationship47. Many fans had mixed reactions to the casting; some felt that their images differed somewhat from the original characters, while others looked forward to the actors bringing new vitality to the roles7.
Special Project: Popular Coser and TikToker Akase Akari’s Version of Mizuhara Chizuru
In addition to the official drama version, to promote the manga and the upcoming new anime season, Kodansha also launched a special live-action short video project, inviting the well-known Coser and TikToker Akase Akari (あかせあかり) to play the role of Mizuhara Chizuru. This special “live-action” version presents a dating scene with Chizuru from a first-person perspective (boyfriend’s perspective), aiming to provide fans with an immersive experience. Akase Akari received high praise from fans for her accurate Cosplay reproduction, especially in terms of hairstyle and detail presentation, making this promotional video also spark heated discussions.
Conclusion: Diverse Live-Action Images of Mizuhara Chizuru
Whether it is Hiyori Sakurada’s portrayal in the TV drama or Akase Akari’s Cosplay reproduction in the promotional video, both reflect the diverse presentation of the character Mizuhara Chizuru in different media forms for the work “Rental Girlfriend.” Through these live-action versions, viewers and fans can appreciate the charm of Mizuhara Chizuru from new perspectives, further promoting the wider dissemination of this work. These attempts make the image of this seemingly aloof but inwardly gentle “rental girlfriend” more three-dimensional, satisfying fans’ desire to break the dimensional wall.
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