Aspiring cosplayer, Himezawa, came from Germany to the UK at first as a guest at London Anime and Gaming Convention. Since that appearance she decided to study in the UK. Since we last saw Himezawa in the UK she had just signed a contract with Asobi a Japanese modelling company who arranged the Hyper Japan fashion show in 2013.
Since you went to Japan, what have you got up to?
- I had a lot of photoshootings for Japanese street snap sites, designers and make-up lines. I went to various fashion shows and events like Harajuku Kawaii Week, Osaka Kawaii and MoshiMoshiNippon Festival. I also appeared on national television a few times, was in catalogues and released a single. It's been really busy!
What has been your favourite moment in Japan?
- Though I absolutely love my work and I have a lot of great memories on each of them, to me traditional Japan is more enjoyable than pop culture sometimes. I went on a short trip to Kyoto and Nara a few months back and I really enjoyed the quiet side to it. I live in Tokyo, so it's always noisy and always busy, so I love to take job offers from outside the city. A week ago I had the chance to model for a Kimono company in Osaka, and the places we shot in were absolutely breathtaking!
Favourite project you worked on?
- That's without a doubt my debut single!
I never thought I would end up doing music one day, and I mainly wanted to try it, because I love j-pop music a lot. I love singing and I really enjoy dancing, but covering other peoples songs never gave me the chance to express myself fully. I got to write a lot of the lyrics myself, and most of the project was based on my ideas and my script, so it's "the most me" I got to create since I moved to Japan.
You also are a self published author, can you tell us about your book?
- I am not self-published, I have contract with a publisher in Germany.
My first novel "Staubmädchen" (English: "Dust Maiden") released February 2015. It's a mix of SciFi and Fantasy, and the story follows Mister Penber, an agent for the Ministry of Occult Criminal Cases, who meets a young Exorcist while investigating a murder case. Exorcists have been known as nothing but a myth and though he doesn't quite believe her story, Penber follows her to London, that earned its new name "Cursed City" after a terrorist attack a few weeks prior. In the catacombs of Londons former underground he is introduced to other exorcists of the Grey Order, a group of exorcists remaining after the "London Doomsday", the day of the apparent attack. Much later on Penber finds out that it was in fact fate that lead him to the Order and that he plays in fact a bigger role in this scenario than he anticipated.
"Dust Maiden" will have an English release in 2016 (via Best Off Verlag),
Recently you released a single, what inspired your song?
- It's a song about growing. It's about growing up, finding yourself and overcoming hardships that life throws at you. In Japan especially suicide rates are high and the number of shut-ins (Hikkikomori) is extremely high. Many young people have the feeling that they can't live up to to the expectations society has for them, so they chose "a way out". My song "Wagamama Love" (English:Selfish love) is the story of telling your last goodbye, telling your friends and family to forget about you, and letting go.
Now, I want my song to support people who feel alone with my song. To distract them and show them a way out of the negative thinking they are caught in. My song ends with the words "You are not alone.".
You are currently raising money for charity, why have you chosen this charity and what are you hoping to achieve.(write link as well)
Last year I lost someone very close to me to cancer and it was hard for me to accept that I couldn't help that person, no matter how much I wanted to. We grew up together and it made me realize that cancer can hit anyone, no matter how healthy and no matter where from.
I started fundraising because I can't open my PO box to public this year, as I usually do for my birthday / around Christmas anyway. So instead of sending me cards or small gifts, I want to encourage people to donate to the charity.
Last year my followers gave me the chance to go to Japan and follow my dreams, by donating more than 1,000 pounds to my kickstarter campaign, but this year I want to raise money for charity instead. I felt like it was time for me to give something back.
http://www.justgiving.com/himezawa
It's great to see that ones dreams can become a reality with hard work, determination and a little lucky. I can't wait to here how Himezawa is doing next year.
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