Rie Kitahara

Rie Kitahara stands out for her longevity and successful evolution from a teenage idol to a respected filmmaker. She was one of the few members to achieve the rare feat of transitioning from idol to director, a path that few peers have followed with such success. Her leadership as the founding captain of NGT48 demonstrated her ability to build a new group identity from the ground up. The critical reception of her film Sunny/32 further cements her reputation as a versatile artist capable of handling complex narratives beyond the stage.