Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

It’s rare to go a week without seeing Yu Yamada’s face on a billboard, in a commercial, on a fashion magazine cover, or in a television show. Her latest venture is the TV Asahi series Gakkepuchi no Eri (“Eri on the Edge”), in which she stars as a penniless, down-on-her-luck woman named Eriko. The drama is based on an irreverent children’s book by manga-ka Rieko Saibara, which describes how the main character overcomes hardship to find success.

The impoverished Eriko is a departure from Yamada’s normally stylish image. “I had detailed talks with the producer about how I should portray this desperate kind of character,” says Yamada, 26. “I drew on my face with pen and ripped my T-shirts, trying to get the perfect image. It was fun coming up with my own ideas for the character’s look. This is my first time in an ongoing drama series, so I really want to do my best.”

Yamada said she has always liked to challenge herself. When she was 11, she entered the same Okinawa acting and singing school as J-pop star Namie Amuro and the members of popular girl band Speed. In 1999, she made her singing debut with the group Y’z Factory, and in 2001 she made the move to television in the drama Kabachitare! One year later, she was offered modeling work by top fashion magazine CanCam and was soon walking the red carpet at gala events—she’s now a regular at the popular Tokyo Girls Collection.

Standing 170cm tall, Yamada seems to have inherited much of her good looks from her mother, Mikako, a former JAL flight attendant, beauty contest winner and fashion model. In a rare project, the two appeared in a photo spread in Voce magazine a few years ago.

Yamada is now one of the most in-demand celebrities for product endorsements, having represented Tokyo Metro, Kanebo, Canon, Fujitsu and Shu Uemura—her “ball exercise” in a TV commercial for Glico became a national phenomenon. Most recently, she took over from Chiaki Kuriyama as the campaign girl for Uniqlo’s popular bra-tops.

“I was a little bit embarrassed doing those commercials because I had to appear naked on camera from the back up,” she admits. “But the styles are great.

“I feel like they could empower a woman to be perfect.”

Most recently, Yamada was given an award by the Japan Swimming Club Association alongside other celebrities who have contributed to the development of swimming in Japan—and who look good in swimsuits. “You should see me in my leopard print bikini,” she jokes.

Yamada also confesses to being a shopaholic. “It’s good for stress, or for when I want to reward myself. I love clothes more than anything else.”

Speaking of love, one magazine recently ran a story speculating about who would be the next CanCam alumni to get married—former model Yuri Ebihara recently tied the knot with Rip Slyme member Ilmari. Yamada, who earlier this year took a trip to Hawaii with actor Shun Oguri, 27, says the couple like to play golf and relax together, but denied any marriage plans yet.

“I want to get married some time, but right now, I’d like to focus on my work.” When asked if Oguri is the one she’d like to tie the knot with, Yamada smiles and says, “Maybe. I’ll leave it up to your imagination.”

Chris Betros is the editor of Japan Today (www.japantoday.com).