Prologue

Before walking on a red carpet, Fukohoshi Akane was just another high school student without many worries in life beyond the usual ones. Among them, of course, was having to deal with the fact that people now saw her differently, since she wasn’t a child anymore. An example of this was how behaviors that her parents once found adorable and funny now made them angry and scold her — such as sitting without having her legs perfectly together, play-fighting with her friends, or the fact that most of her friends were boys, which annoyed her parents so much that they forced her to hang out with the daughters of a neighbor, who, although not unpleasant, she found quite boring.

That little group spent their time talking about things Akane wasn’t interested in, like makeup, clothes, and of course, boys — especially famous ones, among whom the handsome Akira Sora stood out. He had starred in the most popular dramas of the moment, such as Heart of a Silent Lady and Pure Love in a Dark World. Recently, his career was about to take off as a film actor thanks to his role as the antagonist in an upcoming action movie. One day, the girls found out that near their school, around dismissal time, scenes of that very movie would be filmed, and they planned to go see if they could finally get their idol’s autograph. Attracted by the idea of seeing in person how an action movie was made, Akane decided to join her friends, and that afternoon she found herself among a crowd of euphoric girls holding signs with encouraging phrases and love declarations for their heartthrob, while security guards asked them to keep their distance so as not to interrupt the work in progress.

Despite the loud, shrill screams around her, she was able to hear the director shout, “Action!” Then, a fight scene began, in which who was supposed to be Akira Sora, wearing a red mask and an elegant suit, faced a group of thugs armed with knives. Akane was impressed by the masked man’s flawless choreography. He demonstrated phenomenal mastery of martial arts and precise coordination with the other actors, something that must have required days of rehearsal.

The villains were defeated, and the hero struck a victorious pose for the camera just before “cut” was announced. Right after that, a cheer erupted from the crowd — one that Akane joined in.

The masked man approached the director and exchanged a few words before beginning to walk toward the crowd of frenzied teenage girls who were begging for an autograph — at least until he removed his mask, revealing a face that was not Akira Sora’s.

Confused and disappointed, the girls began to boo the man they had just been cheering for. The poor man looked sad, turned around, and started walking away when Akane suddenly ran to the front of the crowd and extended a sheet of paper for him to sign — managing to draw a smile from him. Among all the fans who attended the filming that day, Akane was the only one who went home with an autograph. And not only that — later that night, while browsing the internet, she discovered the man’s identity. That was how she learned about the world of stunt performers and realized she had found her calling in life.

For five years, she dedicated herself to strengthening her body, learning parkour, and becoming a karate ace, quickly earning her black belt — in addition to taking acting classes, of course. Her mother, who carried the regret of never having achieved her own dream of becoming an actress, supported her daughter’s decision and even managed to convince Akane’s father, who was initially against it, to support her as well — all to fill that void through his daughter.

At eighteen, Akane attended her first audition to participate in the pilot of a tokusatsu genre series titled Ultra Squad, earning the role as the stunt double for the Yellow Ultra Astro Walker.

The project was given the green light, and thus Akane’s career finally took off. During the two years the series aired, Akane was able to polish her skills in simulated combat, taking falls without getting hurt, and performing maneuvers with various motor vehicles — as well as with bicycles and skateboards.

In addition to the series, she worked in several commercials. One of them, in particular, would later serve as the bridge that led her to become part of director Hara Ken’s filmography. In that commercial, Akane, dressed in a mascot costume of the brand’s mouse character “Cocola,” fought against aliens on the wing of an airplane.

After Ultra Squad ended, Akane had trouble finding decent work outside of advertising. When it came to female stunt performers, demand was very low. Moreover, her strong, robust body didn’t help — most of the actresses who required doubles were skinny, and Akane couldn’t convincingly pass for them; the trick would be obvious. It wasn’t until a young up-and-coming director, about to begin his most ambitious project yet, requested her specifically after witnessing her fight scene in the bread commercial.

It was then that Akane would face the most demanding role of her career — and meet another young talent who, like her, was about to play his first major part. Someone who would change her life forever and make her experience love for the first time — in a rather peculiar way. Arise Hayato, the man who had her face.