On October 30th, child actress Ashida Mana held a small event for her debut single "Suteki na Nichiyoubi ~Gyu Gyu Good day!~" in Sakai, Osaka.

For Ashida (who was born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo herself), this was her first live event in the Kansai area. The event was originally limited to 300 fans, who were only allowed in if they bought her CD and were the first 300 people to arrive at the store. In the end, Ashida's widespread popularity drew over 7,000 people, who all wanted to see her cute dance and adorable smile in person. Some fans even lined up in front of the store since 10:00 PM the day before, despite the rainy weather.

Mobilizing 7,000 people for such an event also is a new record for the shopping mall in Sakai. The previous record holder was Koike Teppei, who attracted around 6,500 people for an event in 2008. An official of the mall commented, "We've never experienced such a craze. Mana-chan's popularity is incredible!" The press reported that Ashida also drew a lot of children her age as well, proving that she's much loved by her peers as well as by adults.



When Ashida saw the sea of people who came to cheer her on, her eyes grew big with surprise. Thanking them all, she said, "I'm very happy that so many people gathered here, even though the weather is really bad. Thank you very much!!" She also revealed that she was quite nervous, since this is her home area.

After she held a talk session and performed two songs, she was able to relax and deliver more her natural charm. She confessed that "Octopus dumplings are my favorite food, and I've just had some!!", before she went on to teach the audience her cute choreography.

After the event, the buyers of her CD got the chance to give her a high five, ad she was eager to give each and every fan a proper one.

Source: Daily