While A Distant Shore is a prized item for collectors of Japanese idol media, Mao Ichimichi’s career has since expanded far beyond its original scope.
At the time, Mao was a young gravure idol and actress (born 1992). This DVD captures her just as she was transitioning from general gravure into mainstream tokusatsu fame. -ENFD-5310- Mao Ichimichi - A Distant Shore-
There is a specific melancholy to Mao's performance here. As Luka Millfy, she was loud, confident, and greedy. In ENFD-5310, she is quiet, hesitant, and generous with her silences. Viewers familiar with her later roles—like the chaotic Kagari in Witchcraft Works or the deadpan Chilshie in I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years —will recognize the emotional range on display. She is not "posing"; she is "being." While A Distant Shore is a prized item