25 years in the making, Kanako Nishi steps into the global spotlight

On a late winter morning, after two wet days in Tokyo, the sun is out; it’s as if Kanako Nishi’s energy has lifted the gray right out of the concrete. Even when perfectly still, her face seems to be laughing, and when she does smile, her crimson lipstick stretches ear to ear. It’s not a grin; it’s wattage.