Rise Kujikawa

[miniworth]

 

Where is the real "me" hidden among these many flowers? To become a celebrity is like being enchanted. Beautiful makeup I'll never be able to apply by myself, and really cute clothing. For there to be such a spotlight on you it's blinding, for the stadium to be so hot you feel a bit lightheaded… but I can do variety shows and dramas just fine, too! Because the me that I "play" is - whether I wanted to be that me or couldn't be that me - all parts of one single ME. I don't have to be told each time what to do, to be adored: how to talk, how to act, how to walk, how do I hold my hands? Keep my eyes open wide and bright, look them straight in their eyes and - averting that gaze just a little - give a short pause and say, "Hey… how do you really feel, about me?" "Risette" was continuously exposed to everyone's view, even if she wasn't standing in any actual limelight, as if she was always basking in the spotlight. Regardless of the fact that, hidden by that proudly blossoming flower, the leaves and stem are doomed to wither away unnoticed.

Character Profile She was a newbie that blasted like a comet into the idol-filled world: with her natural gift and blessed beauty, she secured her popularity. In the showbiz world she jumped into with the desperate desire to change from her reclusive self, when dreams of this is who I want to be came true, Rise succeeded in creating a brand new self, named "Risette." However as she basks in the limelight, the feeling that this new façade is taking over intensifies - eventually she loses her hold on the real "Rise Kujikawa" that she's supposed to be. Withdrawing herself from the stage, she begins her temporary life with her grandmother in Inaba. In the world inside the TV she is faced by her other self - her Shadow, the part of her that wants people to look past that Risette façade and see her, Rise - facing that Shadow expose all over her raw feelings, Rise began to question what it really means to be an idol.. and who she really is. Despite living in a society filled with youths that have thrown out traditional values to match the pace of the modern world, especially since her grandmother makes traditional Japanese tofu for a living, there's something old-fashioned about Rise's tastes. When it comes to sweets, traditional snacks such as manjuu and youkan are the apples of her eyes. But if you switch her over to the cooking side of the food equation, never mind all her knowledge regarding food - everything she makes ends up being really, really spicy.

Profile Nickname: I guess it's pretty obvious, but "Risette" Gender: I'm a girl ♀ Birthday: 1995/6/1 Star Sign: Gemini, but I'm an only child Celebrity you look like: Rie Kugimiya Type of people you like: ♥ Senpai ♥, Grandma Your favorite food: the Hagakure-don at Iwatodai's Hagakure restaurant It's on the hidden menu~ (T/N: I'm assuming this is the Hagakure Beef Bowl) Type of people you don't like: Indecisive people You can't rely on them at all… … Foods you don't like: Grandma always tells me to eat them, but I don't like myouga or zenmai.. A message: Please come buy our tofu ♥

Profile Sidebar: Communities List: ▶ Cafe & Sweets in Okinawa -- 14 members ▶ Tofu Lovers Unite -- 3 members ▶ What Do You Think of Kanami Mashita? -- 4 members ▶ I Love the Eyes of Small Animals -- 16 members You have Mail! From: Teddie "Found unbearably delicious sweets… [ read more] "

Q: When does Rise help out her grandmother's tofu shop? A: It's common that she's spotted in the store being bored after school, but the busiest part of the business is getting the tofu ready for sale in the morning. Of course, Rise helps out with that. As for watching the store in the afternoons, that happens only when she takes her grandma's place when Grandma needs to do something else. Q: Are there lots of Risette CDs and/or photo albums? A: Rise's only been an idol for a little under two years, and it's only very recently that she became really popular. Unfortunately there aren't that many merchandise out yet. Specifically, there are two photo albums, and as for songs, only one CM tie-up. Q: With cooking skills that can KO Yukiko, are there ever any disasters involving food with the tofu store or her grandma? A: Not only does Rise like spicy foods, she doesn't taste test and instead judges by the color of her food. This is how she can make food that is as destructive as witnessed. Sometimes she seems to be making something red using tofu, but her grandma avoids consuming it by giving reasons such as, "Grandma's not good with spicy food…" When it comes to the tofu sold in the store, in order to preserve the traditional taste, Grandma doesn't allow Rise to add her own arrangements. Maruku Tofu should be fine for a long time.

Whether it be for meetings or interviews, entertaining guests or celebrating, Rise's been to many five-star restaurants and eaten fancy bento for work-related reasons. Because of this, her judgment of good food is one of her better skills. Even when she suggested foie gras as an ingredient in the omelette-making contest, it wasn't because she thought foie gras sounded fancy, but from the personal experience of eating it before and knowing that it tasted exquisite.  But despite her trained taste buds and the expectations of male friends, Rise's cooking skills is even worse than Chie and Yukiko, producing an omelette that was as spicy and hot has magma.

Yukiko: My family's inn uses Maruku Tofu's products, but what do you think of Junes' tofu, Rise-chan? Naoto: I suppose there's a difference between your family's traditional style and the mall's tofu? Rise: Hmm, yeah. I can't recite it all off the top of my head, but a lot of the more recent tofu has calcium sulfate and gluconolactone products in them. Yosuke: Gluco…? Mn, I'm not gonna try this cookie business. Rise: If you use coagulants like those the tofu takes shape more easily and feels smoother when you eat them. Because of this, using these do all kinds of good, but… Naoto: But even so, those can't beat the traditional taste achieved from using bittern-- is that right? Yosuke: Huh? Oh, Junes has those too! Tofu made "with bittern!" Rise: I think that's actually magnesium chloride. Our tofu is made with natural bittern. It becomes really tough because of it, but Grandma says that's "real" tofu. Yukiko: That's right! They're really tough even when you pick them up with chopsticks. Rise: Lately, the softer and easier to swallow tofu are more popular, but when you put them in nabe or if you want to enjoy the natural taste of soy beans, I think using old-fashioned tofu like ours is good. Hanamura-senpai, you should try it too! Yosuke: Uugh…! A-ah, no, um… im sure it tastes really good Chie: Ahaha, it's all over his face. "I don't want it." Yosuke: Besides that, Risette, you're that nit-picky about tradition this natural taste that - then why is that when you cook everything just gets so spicy? Usually if you grow up surrounded by tofu and rice cakes as much as you have, you'd think you'd grow up to be all about Japanese styled, mellow-tasting foods… Rise: Huh? Whaaat? I can't hear you! I'm making mabo-dofu for everyone right now--! Souji: !! Kanji: Aww, crap. Now I'm sure that flames are gonna burst outta my ass tomorrow morning…