Ichioka Reina

Ichioka Reina (一岡伶奈) is a Japanese pop singer under Hello! Project as a member and leader of a new group. She was introduced in December 2012 at the Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2012 ~12gatsu no Nama Tamago Show!~.

Early Life
Ichioka Reina was born on February 25, 1999 in Tokyo, Japan to a couple whose names are undisclosed.

During her middle school years, Ichioka participated in her school's acting club. She also began to take singing and dancing lessons during that time. In 2011, she participated in the EXILE audition.

Prior to auditioning for the Morning Musume 11ki Member "Suppin Utahime" Audition, she was a model under JS Girl.

2012
She auditioned for Morning Musume's 11th generation and made it to the finals as contestant #61, but was not chosen to enter the group.

On November 20, it was announced that Ichioka would be joining Hello Pro Kenshuusei alongside five other girls. She was officially introduced at the Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2012 ~12gatsu no Nama Tamago Show!~ alongside Kanazawa Tomoko, Kaga Kaede, Wada Sakurako, Kishimoto Yumeno and Makino Maria.

2013
In January, Ichioka Reina began her activities as an Hello Pro Kenshuusei by participating in the Hello! Project Tanjou 15 Shuunen Kinen Live 2013 Fuyu concerts.

She appeared in ℃-ute's stage play Sakura no Hanataba alongside Nomura Minami which ran from March 14 to March 24.

On March 6, there was a fanclub event held for Ichioka and Makino Maria.

From April 4 to April 9, Ichioka participated in the stage play Ikinuku Kiseki ~Juu Nenme no Negai~.

On May 5, she participated in Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2013 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ and sang "Samui ne.". On May 19, she participated in the Hello! Project Yaon Premium Live ~Soto Fest~ event.

Ichioka participated as a backup dancer in the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2013 Aki ~CHANCE!~.

2014
Ichioka participated as a backup dancer in the Berryz Koubou Debut 10th Anniversary Concert Tour 2014 ~Real Berryz Koubou~.

2015
In 2015, Ichioka was featured in the music video for ℃-ute's 27th single "Tsugi no Kado wo Magare," released on April 1, alongside Kaga Kaede, Yamagishi Riko and Horie Kizuki as backdancers.

2016
Ichioka participated as opening act in the ℃-ute Concert Tour 2016 Haru ~℃ONCERTO~, ℃-ute 12 Nenme Totsunyuu Kinen ~℃-Fes! Part 1 9gatsu 5ka mo ℃-ute no Hi at Nippon Budokan~, and ℃-ute Concert Tour 2016 Aki ~℃OMPASS~.

2017
From January 5 to January 9, Ichioka participated as opening act in the ℃-ute Shinshun Concert 2017 ~℃OMPASS~.

Ichioka was featured in ℃-ute's "To Tomorrow" and Juice=Juice's "Jidanda Dance" music videos as a back dancer.

On May 5, at the Hello! Project Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2017 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~, there was a surprise announcement that she would debut alongside Dambara Ruru and Kawamura Ayano in the near future.

From June 2 to June 11, Ichioka participated in Pharaoh no Haka, an Engeki Joshibu musical starring selected Morning Musume '17 members.

On June 26, it was announced in a special episode of Hello! Project Station that she would be debuting as the leader of a new group, although details and other members have yet to be decided.

On August 11, Ichioka and the four other members promoted from Hello Pro Kenshuusei released a digital song titled "Gobaku ~We Can't Go Back~".

2018
On March 30, an update on Ichioka's new group was posted on the official Hello! Project website, nine months after the initial announcement. It was stated that she would form a "performance group" that uses physical expression to elevate their singing and dancing. The group will begin activities between the summer and fall, together with a second new group formed by Takase Kurumi and Kiyono Momohime.

An audition for new members to join either of the two groups was planned to begin in late April, but the date on which further audition details would be announced and applications would start being accepted was changed to May 11. On May 11, the Hello! Project "ONLY YOU" Audition" began.

Personal Life
Family= Her older sister is Ichioka Anna, a member of ONE CHANCE.

When Ichioka joined Hello Pro Kenshuusei, she was a second year middle school student. She started high school in April 2014 and graduated in March 2017.
 * -|Education=

The following list are notable friendships Ichioka Reina has acquired:
 * -|Friendships=
 * Yamagishi Riko: She is good friends with Tsubaki Factory member Yamagishi Riko.
 * Nomura Minami: She is good friends with Kobushi Factory member Nomura Minami.
 * Sasaki Rikako: She is good friends with ANGERME member Sasaki Rikako.
 * Horie Kizuki: She gets along well with Hello Pro Kenshuusei member Horie Kizuki.
 * Maeda Kokoro: She gets along well with New "Small Theater Troupe" Unit member Maeda Kokoro.

Ichioka's given name, Reina, means "wise" (伶; rei) combined with a phonetic character (奈; na).
 * -|Name Meaning=

Here is a list of nicknames that was used to refer to Ichioka Reina:
 * -|Nicknames=
 * Icchan (いっちゃん): Official nickname, given her since Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

Profile
Stats=
 * Name: Ichioka Reina (一岡伶奈)
 * Nicknames: Icchan (いっちゃん)
 * Birthdate:
 * Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
 * Blood type: A
 * Height: 162cm
 * Western Zodiac: Pisces
 * Hello! Project Status:
 * 2012-11-20: Hello Pro Kenshuusei Member
 * Hello! Project groups:
 * Hello Pro Kenshuusei (2012–Present)
 * -|Q&A=
 * Hobbies: Listen to western music, Read Kanji, Dancing, Singing
 * Special Skill: Telling trains apart by color
 * Favorite Music Genre: K-Pop
 * Favorite Food: Red Caviar, Mozuku, Strawberries, Natto
 * Favorite Color: Light Blue, White, Pink
 * Weak Point: Math
 * Favorite School lunch item: Cheese gratin
 * Favorite Animal: Polar Bears
 * Favorite Sports: Basketball, Volleyball
 * Charm Point: Her love for trains
 * Motto: "Tsuneni egao! Nani o suru toki demo jibun no mae ni kagami o oite kao o mi teru" (常に笑顔!何をするときでも自分の前に鏡を置いて顔をみてる; Always smile! No matter what I do I will always have a mirror in front of me and look at my face)
 * Favorite Hello! Project song: "Ame no Furanai Hoshi dewa Aisenai Darou?", "Kimi ga Ireba", "Hitorijime Shitakatta Dake na no ni", "Chou HAPPY SONG", Loving you too much", "Brainstorming"
 * Looks Up To: Kumai Yurina, Suzuki Airi

Theater

 * [2013] Sakura no Hanataba as Shiina Yuuko (椎名裕子)
 * [2013] Ikinuku Kiseki ~Juu Nenme no Negai~ (イキヌクキセキ〜十年目の願い〜)
 * [2016] Nega Poji Poji
 * [2017] Pharaoh no Haka

Movies

 * [2017] JK Ninja Girls (cameo)

TV Programs

 * [2013-2014] ~Onedari Entame!~ Hapi★Pure

Internet

 * [2013-] Hello! Project Station
 * [2013] Hello Pro Kenshuusei no Tadaima Kenshuuchuu!

Radio

 * [2017–] HELLO! DRIVE! (HELLO! DRIVE! -ハロドラ-) (Thursdays)

Music Videos

 * [2017] ℃-ute - To Tomorrow (as a back dancer)
 * [2017] Juice=Juice - Jidanda Dance (as a back dancer)

Trivia

 * She was in acting club at her school, however she had little confidence in acting, so she wanted to become an idol instead.
 * She wanted to join Hello Pro Kenshuusei because she had been going to Morning Musume lives and wanted to join Hello! Project too.
 * She thinks she won't lose to any other member in her smile and power.
 * She wants to be an idol that makes people who come to see her say, "She has such a nice smile."
 * She likes trains (particularly JR Chuo line, E5 Hayabusa Shinkansen and  E6 Komachi) and cars (particularly  Mazda Roadster convertible).
 * In the March 2014 issue of Gekkan Entame, she was ranked as the member who "eats the most" in Hello Pro Kenshuusei.
 * For her, the hardest thing about being a Hello Pro Kenshuusei was when she wasn't chosen to perform at certain Hello! Project concerts.
 * She wants to try singing "Kimi Sae Ireba Nani mo Iranai" by Morning Musume.
 * Her rivals in Hello Pro Kenshuusei were her generation-mates, but also Sasaki Rikako and Murota Mizuki. Once they left or made their debut, her rival became her last remaining generation mate Kaga Kaede.
 * She wants to become an "adult" in her ways of thinking.
 * She's often told that she's very "my-pace", always doing things slowly and as she wants to, which isn't wrong, but she does hate to lose.
 * Being able to do live performances in Nama Tamago every few months has made her realize how much stronger and able she's gotten, and that makes her really glad she joined.
 * Tsunku's comments: "Let's go further with your dancing. But you do have some sensuality in your expressions. Don't give up halfway through, let's follow through decisively until the end. You're developing rapidly in that regard, so work on your dancing first, and then your singing."
 * She has said that the person she looks up to in Hello! Project is 9th generation Morning Musume member Suzuki Kanon. She gave Kanon special handmade chocolates on Valentine's Day.
 * She got praised by adviser Shimizu Saki for her harmonization skills.
 * Her future goal is modeling and acting in a drama.
 * It was her mother that cheered her on since she was a Kenshuusei, so she was told the debut news first.
 * It took over 14 months for her group to make its stage debut at the Hello! Project 20th Anniversary!! Hello! Project 2018 SUMMER concert tour.