First Name: Rika
Last Name: Izumi
Birth date: October 11, 1988
Birthplace: Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
Height: 5'3" [161cm]
Blood type: A
Astrological Sign: Scorpio
Hobbies: Collecting pins, watching movies, manicures/nail art, cooking, playing saxophone and euphonium
PGSM Roles: Mizuno Ami, Sailor Mercury, Dark Mercury, Ayumi
Official Website: Izumi Rika Sun Music Brain Agency Profile; Rika's Pinky Profile
Before PGSM:
Born Izumi Rika, but using the stage name Hama Chisaki (due to another idol in Japan having her birth name), Rika was scouted in 2002 and debuted as an idol in BOMB magazine in 2003. She then signed an exclusive modeling contract with melon magazine.
On Pretty Guardian Sailormoon:
During her PGSM years, Rika continued her work with melon as well as being featured in an issue of BOMB! magazine with Sawai Miyuu and Kitagawa Keiko in character to promote Sailormoon. During this time she also released a CD single (November 2003) for the song "Koisuru Soldier" with a b-side of the song "Konojo wa Ijiwaru", both released on her agency's label). During this time Rika also was deciding on her stage name, and in the credits of the Special Act she is listed as Izumi Rika rather than Hama Chisaki.
Projects following PGSM:
In 2005, melon magazine stopped printing and Rika disappeared (career-wise). The reason given to her fans for the hiatus was so that Rika could focus on her schooling. After she was accepted to Meiji University (following the process of highly stressful entrance examinations in Japan) she continued her career.
Rika first emerged in the top twelve competition for the title of 'Pinky Princess' (although she did not win) in June 2008. She signed on with a new agency (Sun Music Brain) and has been featured in last August's issue of Ray magazine.
In December she appeared in a commercial for Nissin Food Products:
Resources:
A Fruitful Spring - Izumi Rika Fan site
sweet Angel - Hama Chisaki/Rika fanlisting
Brilliant Dreamer
Wapedia - Wiki:Rika Izumi
Rika Izumi (Chisaki Hama) Myspace (ed: I am not sure if this one is authentic or not. Aside from the word "official" in the URL, there are several blog posts written in completely broken English. The pictures were not working when I visited, either)
.