Kikyō Hanaka (桔梗花香) is a Japanese idol and a founding member of the idol group AVAM, representing the color orange. Her nickname is Hanakun (はなくん), which can be heard in their song “あたしはキミに愛されたい！ (I Want to Be Loved by You!)”.
Hanaka has a boyish appearance and is sometimes referred to as a “prince” (ōjisama). She also uses boku (僕) as her first-person pronoun, which is typically associated with boys.
When asked why she wanted to become an idol, Hanaka shared that she was never good at singing and even found it frightening at times. However, after watching the music video for “Boku no Uta” by Shibutani Subaru, she was deeply moved by his passion for music, especially the lyric, “May I be allowed to sing?” This experience inspired her to explore more of his work, including songs from his time as an idol. Seeing those performances made her realize how cool idols are. From that moment on, she wanted to become someone who could inspire others to take a step forward, just as she had been inspired.
As a performer, Hanaka pays close attention to detail. She strives to dance beautifully down to her fingertips and never lets her guard down, even in positions where she might not be easily visible. She is also very conscious of the camera and always tries to follow it with her gaze. She believes that even through a screen, eye contact can strongly capture someone’s heart, which is a feeling she herself experiences when watching other idols perform.
Hanaka has also spoken about her personal growth. She used to overthink, lacked confidence, and often felt negative. However, through the support of her fellow members and fans, she gradually built confidence in herself.
She is a fan of Harry Potter and shared that when she first visited Universal Studios Japan with her group members, she was so overwhelmed that she cried. She even went on the attractions while crying, especially when encountering a giant spider, which made things worse since she has a fear of spiders.
Looking toward the future, Hanaka dreams of performing at Tokyo Dome. She emphasizes that AVAM is a group of girls who are dedicating their lives to being idols, and she does not want them to remain a group that is “only known by those who know.” Instead, she hopes they will become widely recognized and leave a lasting impact.
