Japanese female actors to remember
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- Director
- Soundtrack
Tanaka Kinuyo was a highly regarded and prolific actress best known for her films with director Mizoguchi Kenji. She was immersed in the world of film having received her start in the world of entertainment at age fourteen, being a filmmaker herself, being the cousin of director Kobayashi Masaki and, very much like Hara Setsuko and Ozu Yasujiro, being anecdotally romantically linked with the aforementioned Mizoguchi. The director would later recommend against her being hired as a director, which caused a rift between the two. She received her first known credit in Shochiku's Genroku Onna in 1924. She stayed to become the studio's biggest actress, and a paradigm of beauty, until approximately 1949 when she travelled to the United States Of America as an ambassador of Japanese culture. Upon her return from the US the Japanese detected a change of attitude in her, as well as noting a new short hairdo, which momentarily lead to some criticism. She had married director Shimizu Hiroshi, with whom she had worked, in 1929. Sources claim this was a mere cohabitation however. The marriage lasted a matter of months, but the two worked together beyond their romantic union. She married another one of her directors Gosho Heinosuke, but not before also starring in several Ozu films. It looked like films like Aizen Katsu and Naniwa Onna would be the height of her fame with all their popularity, but post-war films like Life Of Oharu, Sansho The Bailiff and Ugetsu were even bigger classics and immortalized the actress. Another of her many other noteworthy performances was in The Ballad Of Narayama based on a tradition and folklore of Japan. As if to complete her tour de force of Japanese cinema she directed several films and even worked with Kurosawa Akira in Red Beard. She died of a brain tumor in 1977.(November 29, 1909 - March 21, 1977) The dancing girl of Izu, Woman of Tokyo, Drugnet girl, Red Beard- Miyake kuniko was born in the Iwatsuki ward of Saitama City, Saitama just north of Tokyo on 17.09.1916 as Miura Yasu and died on 04.11.1992 in Tokyo. In between she was in dozens of films most notably multiple collaborations with director Ozu Yasujiro in classics of cinema like Tokyo Story and Early Summer. She joined Shochiku studio and appeared in Yume No Sasayaki ('Sasayaki's Dream) in 1934. She retired from the business upon marriage in 1942, but returned in 1948 after World War II and played her most notable roles. Beginning the 1960s she was mostly active in television serials. She died of heart failure at age 76.(September 17, 1916 - November 4, 1992) Tokyo Family, Late Autumn
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Setsuko Hara became one of Japan's best-loved stars over her 30-year film career. Her signature character type, variations on a daughter devoted to her parents and home, inspired the nickname that stayed with her until retirement: the Eternal Virgin. To some extent, reality mirrored her roles in these films. In a society that considers marriage and parenting almost obligatory, she remained single and childless, something of a controversy in Japan in the 1950s. Fortunately she was popular enough to avoid criticism, but the 1950s were still a hard decade. She was plagued by ill health, missing out on several top roles as a result, and she witnessed the death of her camera-man brother in a freak train accident on set.
In 1963, shortly after the death of her mentor, director Yasujirô Ozu, she suddenly walked away from the film industry. At age 43, and at the height of her popularity, she bluntly refused to perform again, angering her fans, the industry, and the press. She implied acting had never been a pleasure and that she had only pursued a career in order to provide for her large family; this explanation is seen as the cause of her popularity backlash. She moved to a small house in picturesque Kamakura where she remained, living alone (though apparently sociable with friends), and refusing all roles offered.
She is undoubtedly known mostly for her work with Yasujiro Ozu, making six films with the great director, including the so-called Noriko trilogy, of which Tokyo Story (1953) is probably the best-known. She also worked with Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Hiroshi Inagaki, and many others.(June 17, 1920 - September 5, 2015) Tokyo Family, Late Spring, Late Autumn, The Idiot, Early Summer- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Along with Hara Setsuko and Tanaka Kinuyo, Takamine Hideko remains one of Japan's most admired and prolific film actresses. Born as Hirayama Hideko in Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in 1924, she became a child actress for Shochiku Studio at age five appearing in the film Haha. She would go on to work with directors like Kinoshita, Ozu, and arguably most notably Naruse Mikio. Mid-career she had switched to P.C.L. Film Studio (later Toho Studios) and then become independent yet she would work for notable directors nonetheless. By the time she married director Matsuyama Zenzo in 1955 she had acquired a reputation as depicting feminist roles where women seek their independence or are oppressed. She died in 2010 of lung cancer, but had recorded songs and written biographies before her death.(March 27, 1924 - December 28, 2010) When a woman ascends the stairs, Rickshaw man- Actress
- Soundtrack
Nobuko Otowa was born on 1 October 1924 in Tottori, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Strange Tale of Oyuki (1992), Onibaba (1964) and Epitome (1953). She was married to Kaneto Shindô. She died on 22 December 1994.(October 1, 1924 - December 22, 1994) Onibaba, The Naked Island, Black cat- Actress
- Writer
Kyôko Kishida was born on 29 April 1930 in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress and writer, known for Woman in the Dunes (1964), An Autumn Afternoon (1962) and Ninja, a Band of Assassins (1962). She was married to Noboru Nakaya. She died on 17 December 2006 in Tokyo, Japan.(April 29, 1930 - December 17, 2006) Woman in the dunes, The face of another, An autumn afternoon- Ineko Arima was born on 3 April 1932 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tokyo Twilight (1957), Dai Chûshingura (1957) and Black River (1957). She was previously married to Kinnosuke Nakamura.(April 3, 1932) Equinox Flower, Tokyo Twilight
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Keiko Kishi was born on 11 August 1932 in Yokohama, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Twilight Samurai (2002), Kah-chan (2001) and Brother (1960). She was previously married to Yves Ciampi.(August 11, 1932) Kaidan, For those we love, The twilight samurai, Early spring- Actress
- Producer
- Costume Designer
Mariko Okada was born on 11 January 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956), Akitsu Springs (1962) and This Year's Love (1962). She was previously married to Yoshishige Yoshida.(January 11, 1933) Late Autumn, A Taxing Woman, Heroic Purgatory,- Yôko Nogiwa was born on 24 January 1936 in Tsubata, Japan. She was an actress, known for Trick (2000), Trick: The Movie 2 (2006) and Trick: The Movie (2002). She was married to Shin'ichi Chiba. She died on 13 June 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.(January 24, 1936 - June 13, 2017) Chîmu bachisuta no eikô, Big Wing
- Shima Iwashita was born on 3 January 1941 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Harakiri (1962), Ballad of Orin (1977) and Clouds at Sunset (1967). She has been married to Masahiro Shinoda since 1967.(January 3, 1941) Harakiri, Double Suicide, Late Autumn, An Autumn Afternoon,
- Yoshiko Mita was born on 8 October 1941 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Appassionata (1984), W no higeki (1984) and Toki rakujitsu (1992). She is married to Yasuo Takahashi. They have two children.(October 8, 1941) Drugstore girl, Battle royale 2
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
She began acting after high school as part of a theatre troupe. Her stage name was Yuuki Chiho. Years later she would relay that she only started acting for the money. Her father had wanted her to become a pharmacologist, but she missed her examination due to a fractured foot. She changed her alias to Kirin Kiki after being asked to auction something on a television show claiming she possessed nothing else she could offer. Her marriage to fellow trouper Kishida Shin came to an end after four years in 1968. She married pop musician Uchida Yuya in 1973. The couple quickly raised eyebrows by opting to live under separate roofs. They had a daughter. They are separated today. Her daughter, Uchida Yayako, portrayed the younger character of Kiki's in Tokyo Tower: Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad. Uchida Yayako is married to the actor Motoki Masahiro of Departures fame. Kirin's granddaughter acted alongside her in Red Bean. Uchida Yayako lives in Great Britain. Kirin appeared in many television serials, feature films and inevitably commercials like the Tora-San series, the offbeat Pistol Opera, Tokyo Tower: Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad and the dismal Red Beans by which time she was very well-known. She has focused on the big screen, instead of television, in recent years. Heartache struck successively in 2003 and 2004 when she had to contend with a detached retina in her left eye, which made her believe she would go blind, and breast cancer which later - as of 2017 - would be announced incurable and terminal. She wanted people to know she undergone a mastec-tomy following her breast cancer diagnosis. Kirin won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Yokohama Film Festival for her work in the comedy Kamikaze Girls and Half A Confession in 2004 and the Japan Academy Prize for Mom And Me, And Sometimes Dad for Best Actress in 2008. She reports that she is a preferred recluse who does not like children and preferably does not interact with her own child or grandchild. She has managed herself through a fax machine since the death of her manager circa 2008.(January 15, 1943 - September 15, 2018) Shoplifters, After the storms, Like father like son, Kakekomi, Sweet bean, Akunin, I wish, Our little sister, Still Walking, Izo, Kamilkaze girls, Returner, Tokyo Marigold, Rampo- Jitsuko Yoshimura was born on 18 April 1943 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Onibaba (1964), Pigs and Battleships (1961) and The Insect Woman (1963). She was previously married to Tetsuo Ishidate.(April 18, 1943) Onibaba
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Veteran Japanese actress Yoshinaga Sayuri was born in Shibuya, Tokyo as World War II drew to a close. She graduated from Tokyo's Waseda University and later married director Okada Taro. She signed with the famous Nikkatsu Studio and has starred in films like Foundry Town ('Kyupora No Aru Machi'), Makioka Sisters ('Sasame-Yuki'), Kabe and About Her Brother ('Ototo') among others for the aforementioned company and others. In the process Yoshinaga has won many awards including Japan Academy Prizes and starred in films that have won international accolade including Special Grand Prix at the Montreal World Film Festival for Cape Nostalgia ('Fushigi Na Misaki No Monogatari') and Cannes Film Festival's Blue Ribbon Awards for the aforementioned Foundry Town. Among her other valuable contributions Yoshinaga has been a supporter of the anti-nuclear movement and has played a hibakusha ('atomic bomb survivor') on TV and has contributed to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Her pacifism has lead her to numerous appearances and public interactions in her fight against war and militarism. She has been reciting poetry by residents and survivor from Nagasaki and Hiroshima and lent her support to the people of Okinawa who fight and oppose the Tokyo Central government and the US military station and expansion in Okinawa. Yoshinaga Sayuri is often considered the most notable Japanese actress.(March 13, 1945) Otouto, Kabei- Nobuko Miyamoto was born on 27 March 1945 in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for A Taxing Woman (1987), Tampopo (1985) and A Taxing Woman's Return (1988). She was previously married to Jûzô Itami.(March 27, 1945) Supermarket woman, A taxing woman, A quiet life, Tampopo
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mitsuko Baisho was born in 1946 and after studying at the Shochiku School of Dance and Music, she started a remarkable film career. She has made over sixty films, has been in at least ten masterpieces, has worked for the greatest Japanese filmmakers (Kurosawa: 'Kagemusha', 'Dreams'; Imamura: 'Vengeance is Mine',Why Not?', 'Ballad of Narayama', 'Zegen', The Eel', 'Warm Water Under a Red Bridge'; Kaneto Shindô: 'The Life of Chikuzan', 'A Last Note', 'By Player'). It comes as no surprise that Mitsuko Baisho has received a score of awards, as of her first role in Hideo Gosha's 'Hitokiri' in 1969. She was hailed as most promising young actress first then best actress or best supporting actress. Difficult to do better.(November 22, 1946) Dreams, Pecoross' mother and her days, The house on the slope, Hanzawa Naoki, Ryomaden, All around us, Turn, The eel, The ballad of Narayama, Kagemusha- Actress
- Composer
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Meiko Kaji was born on March 24, 1947 in the Kanda area of Tokyo, Japan. Following graduation from the Yakumo Academy High School in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan in 1965, Kaji first began acting in films in the mid-1960's under her real name of Masako Ôta. She was given the stage name Meiko Kaji by director Masahiro Makino. Meiko achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity with her fierce portrayals of various tough outlaw characters which include young rebellious delinquents in the Stray Cat Rock series, the lethal Sasori from the Female Prisoner Scorpion pictures, and, most famously, the ruthless and driven titular assassin in the Lady Snowblood films. Kaji won a plethora of awards for her stand-out performance in Double Suicide of Sonezaki (1978). In the 1980's Meiko started acting more on television. Moreover, Kaji has also eked out a career as a singer: She not only sang the haunting theme song "Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" for Lady Snowblood (1973) and the theme song "Urami-Bushi" for Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), but also has recorded and released several albums and singles. ("Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" and "Urami-Bushi" were both featured on the soundtracks to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), respectively.) In addition, Meiko has turned down offers to act in Hollywood movies because she believes she can't give a good performance in a language other than Japanese.(March 24, 1947) Lady Snowblood, Scorpion, Yu yu hakusho- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ayumi Ishida was born on 26 March 1948 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tokei - Adieu l'hiver (1986), Kataku no hito (1986) and Yaju-deka (1982).(March 26, 1948) Smile, Nihon Chinbotsu- Actress
- Writer
- Director
This unique actress was born in 1952 in Tokyo. She is the daughter of a professor of international politics and a jewel designer. She began studying ballet at young age and attended the British Royal Academy of Dance for 3 years from the age of 12. Since her movie debut in 1971, she has won many awards, becoming one of the leading actresses in Japan. She is also a singer and has released 15 albums. In the past she hosted jazz dinner shows with famous Japanese jazz musicians such as Hino Terumasa. She continues to be active on TV and stage. At the time of this writing, she is producing a brand of jewelery called "Momoi in Maki".(April 8, 1952) Love and honor, The ramen girl, Memoirs of a geisha, Sukiyaki western django, Izo, Bounce ko-gals, Swallow tail, Kagemusha- Jun Fubuki was born on 12 May 1952 in Toyama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Nowhere Man (1991), Tales from Earthsea (2006) and Pulse (2001).(May 12, 1952) Soshite chichi ni naru to, Midsummer's Equation, Tokyo Family, Usagi doroppu, Sunao ni narenakute, Ikigami, Orenji deizu, Kairo, Hitotsu yane no shita,
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Keiko Matsuzaka was born on 20 July 1952 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Sting of Death (1990), Fall Guy (1982) and Lovers Lost (1982).(July 20, 1952) Here comes the morning, Cast me if you can, Instant Swamp, Kantoku Banzai!, Proof of the man, The Happiness of the Katakuris, The Makanai- Born in Shibuya, Tokyo. A Japanese actress joined in Shasha Co.. Started acting in around 1972, created an acting band called Gekidan Sanjyumaru with Eri Watanabe in 1979. At the time she was directing, yet she began to act later on. In 1984, she played a role of a teacher in a TV drama called "Takeshi's Gakumon no Susume". In 1985, she started appearing in many TV dramas and shows such as "OH! Takeshi" and "Haru no Hato" etc.(October 17, 1952) Quartet, Beck, Megane, Haken no hinkaku, My boss, my hero, Always: Sunset on Third Street 2
- Actress
- Make-Up Department
- Soundtrack
Yûko Tanaka was born on 29 April 1955 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Monster (2023), Amagi Pass (1983) and Hibi (2005). She has been married to Kenji Sawada since 1989.(April 29, 1955) Kono machi no inochi ni, Midnight diner, Oshin, Monster- Mayumi Asaka was born on 6 September 1955 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultraman Taro (1973), Kizudarake no kunshô (1986) and S the Last Policeman Recovery of Our Future (2015).(September 6, 1955) S: Saigo no keikan, Sunao ni narenakute, Buzâ bîto: Gakeppuchi no hîrô, Chîmu bachisuta no eikô
- Yo Kimiko was born in Yokohama, a city just south of Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Taiwanese father on the 12th of May 1956. Her cousin was actress Bunjaku Han. She became active in front of the camera in 1987 and has been a feature of Japanese television and cinema ever since. She had begun acting on the theatre stage in 1976. Audiences may mostly know her for her supporting role in Shin Gojira, as a sympathetic colleague in the 2008 films Departures, which won an Oscar, and kind wife and waitress in Ramen Girl, but she has almost 200 credits to her name. These include an abnormal neighbour in The Drugstore girl and serene presence in Café Lumière where she was directed by a Taiwanese director in Japan. Dear Doctor (2009) propelled her name forward in Japan and was an award winner. She has several Japan Academy prizes to her name. Like most celebrities she pushes products and has done commercials for telephone companies, shampoos and cosmetics manufacturers. Yo is married to a man who at the time was a NHK employee in 2006 and is managed by the Alpha Agency.(May 12, 1956) Departures, Dear doctor, Midnight diner, Wakamonotachi, Oyaji no senaka, Yokomichi Yonosuke, Ace Attorney, Ryomaden, Air doll, Osen, Ramen girl
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- Writer
- Art Department
Mieko Harada was born on 26 December 1958 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and writer, known for Ran (1985), Dreams (1990) and Begging for Love (1998). She is married to Ryo Ishibashi. They have two children.(December 26, 1958) Dreams, Ran, If Cats Disappeared from the World, After the rain- Hairi Katagiri was born on 18 January 1963. She is an actress, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Silence (2016) and Perfect Days (2023).(January 18, 1963) Kamome diner, Oh brother! Oh sister!, Nodame Cantabile, Cutie Honey, Hachiko, What girl wants
- The Japanese actress Yumi Aso is a well known and popular performer who has worked on numerous movies and television programs in Japan, and around the world.
Perfect Days (2023) Don't Cry Mr.Ogre(2019)movie Tetto Musashino Sen(1997)movie JIN(2009)TV Series Watashi o Hanasanaide "Never Let Me Go "(2016) TV Series Tonbi(2013)TV Series Carnation (2011-2012)TV Series Towering Waves (2006)TV Movie(August 15, 1963) Survive Style 5+, Carnation, Team Batista no eiko, JIN, Team Batista 2: General Rouge, Ryusei no kizuna - Actress
- Producer
Kaho Minami was born in Hyogo, Japan and is of third-generation Korean descent. She graduated from Toho Gakuen College of Drama & Music in Tokyo, Japan.
While attending college, Minami auditioned for the first time and got the main role in her debut film, Kohei Oguri's "For Kanako" (1984). Soon after, Minami played the main role on TBS television's drama series in 1985. Her stage play debut was as Juliet in "Romeo & Juliet" directed by Tamasaburo Bando, the legendary Kabuki actor. In the many decades following, she has appeared in numerous projects that span across the theater, movies, television dramas, in both main and supporting roles. She starred in many films by various filmmakers including Gakuryu Ishii's "Angel Dust" (1994), Masayuki Ochiai's Horror film "Infection" (2004), Tian Zhuangzhuang's "The Go Master" (2006), and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's "Sketches of Kaitan City" (2010) .
In private, Minami had married actor Ken Watanabe from 2005 until 2018. She focuses on various volunteer projects including the enlightenment activities of sharing her own experience as a breast cancer survivor. She is regarded as one of the most powerful players who influence many Japanese females.
Other notable appearances internationally are "Oh, Lucy!" (2018) with actor Josh Hartnett, "Gensan Punch" (2022) by Philippines' master, Brillante Mendoza and "Pachinko" (2022, Apple TV+drama) based on Min Jin Lee's original book.(January 20, 1964) Angel dust, Kabukicho Love Hotel, Sketches of Kaitan city- Actress
- Make-Up Department
You was born on 29 August 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Nobody Knows (2004), Still Walking (2008) and Reverse (2017). She was previously married to Shunsuke Matsuoka and Minoru Tezuka.(August 29, 1964) Nobody knows, Still Walking, Midnight Diner, Kisarazu Cat's Eyes- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Tomoko Yamaguchi was born on 20 October 1964 in Tochigi, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Ponyo (2008), Izakaya yurei (1994) and Shichi-nin no otaku: Cult seven (1992). She has been married to Toshiaki Karasawa since 1995.(October 20, 1964) Swallow tail, Long Vacation- Satomi Kobayashi was born on 24 May 1965 in Kyoto, Japan. She is an actress, known for I Are You, You Am Me (1982), Pale Moon (2014) and Riyû (2004). She was previously married to Kôki Mitani.(May 24, 1965) After the storm, Kamome diner, Megane
- Actress
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- Producer
One goes to Atsugi to see the American war machine at work or see where one of Japan's leading pop singers was born. Born in Kanagawa just south of Tokyo in 1966, Koizumi Kyoko participated in and won the Staa Tanjo! ('A Star Is Born') television talent program in 1981 and subsequently released her first single in March of 1982. She shaved her hair at age 17 in 1984 in order to portray a different image than the other pop idols and defy her agent at Burning Production. She landed a number 1 hit in the Japanese charts in 1984 and quickly became a Japanese idol at age eighteen. She appeared on the annual New Year's Eve variety show Kohaku Uta Gassen in 1984. She ruled the Japanese charts for the next ten years. She introduced the JD Salinger novel Catcher In The Rye on the radio, which made the novel better-known in Japan. Ironically, she later admitted to having not read the book at the time. She also had her own radio show. She married character actor Nagase Masatoshi in 1995 and divorced in 2004. They had met at the magazine AnAn where she was a staff photographer. Kyoko shifted her focus to acting and was in films like Onmyoji in 2001, Tokyo Tower and the superlative Tenten both in 2007 and Tokyo Sonata in 2008 among others. She returned to the small screen to work with Kurosawa Kiyoshi of Tokyo Sonata on the Penance serial in 2012. She participated in the Yell From Nippon charity group to buy soccer balls for Eritrean children in 2006. She was romantically connected to Kazuya Kamenashi of the group KAT-TUN, who was half her age, in 2006. Koizumi and her two-decade long friends of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra performed a cover version of Makana Tayou ('Red Sun') by Misora Hibari in 2011. She won the award for Best Actress at the 66th Mainichi Film Awards for Mainichi Kaasan. She was back in the top ten of the Japanese charts when Shiosai No Memori ('Memories By The Waterside') from the NHK serial Amachan, in which she also acted, in 2013. She was dating actor Toyohara Kosuke, who was still married but separated, as of 2015. Like all celebrities she has pushed products like Shiseido, Lotte, JR, Suzuki and Kirin beer. She is self-managed.(February 4, 1966) Tokyo Sonata, Mainichi kaasan, Unobore deka, Adrift in Tokyo, Tôkyô tawâ: Okan to boku to, Survive Style 5- Maki Sakai was born on 17 May 1970 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Gozonji! Fundoshi zukin (1997), Biru to doubutsuen (2008) and United Red Army (2007).(May 17, 1970) Big Wing, Style!, Lost care
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Misa Shimizu was born on 25 September 1970 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Okoge (1992), Mirai no omoide: Last Christmas (1992) and Sumo Do, Sumo Don't (1992). She has been married to Charles Bulkley since 26 November 1998. They have two children.(September 25, 1970) The eel, The sea is watching, Shall we dance?- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Kudoh Yuki is an accomplished Japanese singer, former teen idol and actress whose resume includes more than half a dozen records, starring roles in Japanese, Japan-Iran and Japan-Canada films, stage and anime productions. She was only seventeen when she was working overseas, in the USA, filming a movie called Mystery Train, a film she has cited as her favourite role. Born on January 17th, 1971, Kudoh won acclaim as early as 1984 as the Best Newcomer at the sixth Yokohama Film Festival for her first feature length appearance, which was for the film The Crazy Family. Kudoh has spoken both about feminism and breaking free from Japan's male-dominated culture and simultaneously pleaded in favour of distinct Japanese values and aesthetics in film and culture.(January 17, 1971) Memoirs of a geisha, Typhoon club, L: Change the world- Keiko Horiuchi was born on 27 May 1971 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Zettai reido: Tokushu hanzai sennyû sôsa (2011), MOZU (2014) and Shippû rondo (2016).(May 27, 1971) Mei-chan no shi tsuji
- Tomoko Nakajima was born on 5 June 1971 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Asatte dansu (1991), Tugumi (1990) and Kita no kuni kara (1981). She has been married to Toshinori Nishimura since 1998. They have one child.(June 5, 1971) Tsugumi, What a wonderful family!
- Actress
In 1989, Riho Makise appeared in several TV commercials and was widely noticed. She made her debut on the screen in the movie, _Tôkyô jôkû irasshaimase (1991)_ and her vivid performance gave a deep impression to many people. In the movie, Tugumi (1990), she did well again and got most of the awards for Japanese new face actresses in 1990. Also, she debuted as singer in 1991. Thereafter, she appeared in a lot of TV programs and commercial message films. Now, she is active in movies and stage dramas.(December 17, 1971) Turn, Tsugumi, Tokyo Heaven- Actress
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Takako Tokiwa was born on 30 April 1972 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Akai tsuki (2004), A Fighter's Blues (2000) and 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End (2008). She has been married to Keishi Nagatsuka since 20 October 2009.(April 30, 1972) Wonderful Life, The Makanai- Shinobu Terajima was born on 28 December 1972 in Kyoto, Japan. She is an actress, known for Vibrator (2003), Akame shijuya taki shinju misui (2003) and Tokyo Tower (2005). She has been married to Laurent Ghnassia since 26 February 2007. They have one child.(December 28, 1972) Vibrator, Caterpillar, Asa ga kita, Ryomaden, Happy Flight, It's only talk, Riding alone for thousand miles
- Fukatsu Eri was born in the southern prefecture of Oita. She participated in the Miss Harajuku Grand Prix held in Tokyo's Harajuku neighbourhood at age thirteen and, upon winning it, quickly moved into the world of entertainment releasing singles and albums, appearing on the small and big screen and doing commercials for the likes of train companies. She released a photo book in 1989. As early as 1990 Fukatsu was the winner of the Newcomer Of The Year at the 13th Japan Academy Prize for the horror film A Kiss To Moonlight in that year. Eri performed using the Mizuhara Rie and Takahara Rie pseudonyms before reverting back to her own name. She would win many more awards including Best Actress at the Japan Academy Awards for her work in Villain and A Ghost Of A Chance. She was also successful overseas with her being named Best Actress at the 34th Montreal World Film Festival in 2010. Her 2015 film Journey to The Shore would premiere at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). She was part of the travelling troupe from Tokyo's Setogaya Theatre performing the play Shunkin. She has been seeing fashion designer Shirayama Haruhisa for years and dated Ozawa Kenji and Tsubaki Satoshi prior. Fukatsu is managed by the Amuse agency.(January 11, 1973) Akunin, Odoru Daisousasen, Slow Dance
- Actress
- Director
- Additional Crew
Ryô was born on 17 January 1973 in Saitama, Japan. She is an actress and director, known for Alive (2002), Enter the Void (2009) and Azumi (2003).(January 17, 1973) Harmful insect, Boku to kanojo to kanojo no ikiru michi, Ryusei no Kizuna, Welcome to the quiet room, Goemon, Distance, Azumi, Long Vacation- Actress
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Ryôko Shinohara was born on 13 August 1973 in Gunma, Japan. She is an actress, known for The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps (2018), Sakura Guardian in the North (2018) and High-Speed Task Force Turboranger (1989). She has been married to Masachika Ichimura since 8 December 2005. They have two children.(August 13, 1973) Haken no hinkaku, Red shadow, At home dad, Kamikaze girls, Odoru daisosasen- Actress
- Additional Crew
Fukuoka born Yoshida Yo entered the acting profession in her mid-20s, but has since managed to garner both silver screen and television roles, appear on stage (where she got her start), in radio drama as well as win several awards, among others an award at the International Drama Festival in Tokyo for best supporting actress in 2015 for her role as Baba Reiko in Hero. She also provided the voice for Naruse Izumi in The Anthem Of The Heart cartoon. Yoshida can play the piano and lists vintage kimono and scuba diving as special interests. She has been available to endorse products and do commercial work for, among others, oil companies, financial services' companies, pharmaceutical firms, soba noodles and janitorial services.(February 3, 1974) Ouroboros, Oyaji no senaka, Smile, Mr. Brain- She started her career playing innocent girl-next door types in movies and TV dramas, but shocked the Japanese public in the early 90s by starring in the movie Erotic Liaisons, and then by appearing nude in a photo book titled, "Santa Fe". As a result, the conservative NHK network dropped her from one of its programs. Though NHK and some of the public expressed outrage at the time, it wasn't enough to prevent nearly two million copies of the book from being sold.
The new-found fame was responsible for her relationship with the sumo star, but it also caused the break-up as being a "sumo wife" would have likely turned her into nothing more than a famous housewife.
After the break-up things got very grim. Rie allegedly attempted suicide by cutting her wrists, and then struggled with alcoholism and anorexia. In 1996 she checked into a clinic in LA to combat her eating disorder.
Since then she has eased back into dramas and motion pictures, and is one now looked up to by many young Japanese women for her ability to overcome her struggles in life.(April 6, 1973) The twilight samurai, Toni Takitani - Uchida Yuki was born in Tokyo. She attended Fujimura Women's High School and fenced as an activity. Like most Japanese female celebrities she has modelled, acted, sang and represented companies in commercials and advertisements. She began working at age sixteen in 1991 and subsequently skipped finishing school. She began acting in serials and did modelling emphasizing a masculine look with short hair. She would later grow her hair slightly. She had a radio show as well, which lasted until shortly after the turn of the century. Her first single, Tenca Wo Torou!, which also acted as a theme for a serial called Hanjyoku Tamago in which she participated landed at position one in the Japanese charts. There were several concert videos and photo books of her in this period. She began her own acting workshops. She retired upon marriage to fellow actor Hidetaka Yoshioka in 2002. However she returned in 2006 following her 2005 divorce and became active on television again. Mizuno Miki was the mainstay actress in the Odoru Daisosasen TV serials and movies, but was not cast again in 2010. Reports emerged that she was blacklisted after departing Burning Productions in 2005, which is yakuza owned, and as such was replaced by that agency's actress Uchida Yuki.(November 16, 1975) Big Wing, welcome to the quiet room, Glory to the filmmaker!, Hitotsu yane no shita
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Miki Nakatani was born on 12 January 1976 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kiraware Matsuko no isshô (2006), Ring 2 (1999) and Ringu (1998).(January 12, 1976) Ringu 1 and 2, Memories of Matsuko, JIN 1 and 2, Hitotsu yane no shita- Actress
- Executive
She rose to fame in the drama Kimi wa petto (2003) with Jun Matsumoto and gained huge popularity.
Her first international film was The Last Samurai (2003) where she played Taka, wife of a Samurai slain by the character Nathan Algren, portrayed by Tom Cruise, Koyuki was well-known in Japan for years before that. She first caught the attention of the public in 1997 by winning an exclusive modelling contract with the magazine Non-no, but quickly grew beyond modelling and has earned acclaim as an actress through her many roles on Japanese television and in several Japanese films.
She has been appeared in many commercials, including Coca-Cola Japan's Sokenbicha, P&G Max Factor SK-II, and Suntory Kakubin.(December 18, 1976) Kimi wa petto, Always san chôme no yûhi, Boku to kanojo to kanojo no ikiru michi, Unubore deka, Mr. Brain, Laundry, Pulse (Kairo), Ikebukuro West Gate park, Beautiful Life- Actress
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Hinako Saeki was born on 16 February 1977 in Nara, Japan. She is an actress, known for Mainichi ga natsuyasumi (1994), Spiral (1998) and Nerawareta gakuen (1997).(February 16, 1977) Gips, A quiet life, Rasen, Uzumaki- Actress
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Born Fujima Takako in Tokyo in 1977, she found herself in a family of actors and actresses including her kabuki artist father, uncle and brother, a sister who would act in movies and would eventually marry a man from the entertainment industry. Her mother Norika is a businesswoman. Her niece is a kabuki actress. Her sister's husband is also an actor. She appeared on the theatre stage at age sixteen and an NHK serial called Kura at seventeen. She hosted the annual New Year's Eve NHK show Koohaku Uta Gassen at nineteen. She debuted her single Ashita, Haru Ga Kitara on the same program the year after. She became a full-fledged singer from thereon releasing regular albums and going on tour for her soft pop music. She has worked with Universal Music. She attended Asia University, but dropped out. She further branched out with a photo essay book in 2003. She was the winner of the Best Actress Of The Year award at the 29th Hochi Film Award and the 28th Japan Academy Prize both for the samurai film, The Hidden Blade. She married guitarist Sahashi Yoshiyuki in 2007 and gave birth to a daughter in 2015. She had met her husband working on the 2001 song Hana No Youni ('Like A Flower') and they had toured together. They had apparently become a couple in 2004. He is sixteen years older. That was his second marriage as he had divorced in 1998. These two facts angered her father, but she forged ahead and simply skipped having a wedding party. Being married her name became Sahashi Takako. She had earlier been connected to actor Oizumi Yo. For her traditional Japanese dance she uses the name Matsumoto Kouka. 2009's Villon's Wife garnered her several awards as did that same year's Confessions. She left the Papado management agency in 2011 and opened her own agency. She did voice acting for the dub of Frozen and sang for the Japanese version in 2014. She was again on Koohaku Uta Gassen in 2017. She has continuously appeared on stage and, like most Japanese celebrities, endorsed corporate products like beverages, financial services and cosmetics. She is reportedly quarter Korean. She plays the piano and cites tofu as her favourite food. She used to have feminine long her, but beginning her tenth year singing she cut her hair and adopted a boyish look.(June 10, 1977) Oyaji no senaka, The little house, Unmei no hito, Confessions, K-20: Kaijin niju menso den, Hero; Tôkyô tawâ: Okan to boku to, tokidoki, oton; Long vacation- Actress
Saitama Prefecture is next door to Tokyo and also is where Kanno Miho was born. The actress attended Shukutoku Daigaku and studied Communications, but did not graduate. When at junior High school in 1992 she auditioned for an idol group on TV, which was her foray to becoming famous. She began acting in 1993 and became a supporting actress by 1995. The year after gave her first main actress role. Kanno won praise for her portrayal of a deaf and mute person in Kimi No Te Ga Sasayaite Iru and solidified her reputation. More popularity came her way when, again in 1997, she posed for a naked pictorial book of herself. Soon she was also trying her hand at singing and had a hit with the song Zoo. She cites travelling and shopping as favourite pastimes.(August 22, 1977) Dolls, Guilty: Akuma to *beep* onna- Fusako Urabe was born on 9 January 1978 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021), Kamen Rider Black Sun (2022) and Kinpatsu no sougen (1999).(January 9, 1978) Passion, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Café Lumiére
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Born Hiramaru Kumiko in Chiba Prefecture's Sanbu-gun (now separated into Sanmushi and rural Sanbu-gun), which is next door to Narita, Japan on the 17th of June 1978, Kumiko Aso began her film career with 1995's Bad Guy Beach despite a lack of interest in acting at the time. It was 1998's Dr. Akagi, which introduced her to a wide audience in Japan. She garnered Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress for this film. Ironically, her manager had sent her to this movie's auditions and Kumiko would claim later she was not even sure what she was auditioning for. Either way, this film would not be the last, which would accord her an award. She had initially aimed to become a pop star and had sent an application for an audition. She participated in a Japanese schoolgirl audition for the Young Jump weekly magazine, which she won in 1995. She has become a well-known actress, model and product representative in her native country. Aso has also starred in a couple of Kiyoshi Kurosawa films, had a cameo in the cult film Tenten and became a stalker in Moteki, by which time she had cut her hair for an older look. Earlier she had expanded her horizons and played a leading role as an Iranian-Japanese in the 2007 Iranian film Hafez. She had contemplated quitting acting in 2006, but persisted in the profession because she enjoyed her time in Jiko Keisatsu TV serial. She married stylist Daisuke Iga in late 2007 after dating for four years and gave birth to their daughter in 2012. She gave birth to a boy in 2016. She cites reading manga as a hobby. She is signed to the Breath talent agency.(June 17, 1978) Kairo, Nishino Yukihiko no koi to bôken, Shîsaido môteru, Aquilles and the tortoise, Dororo, Kaidan, Adrift in Tokyo, Akakage, Kaza-hana, Ringu 0- Kyoko Hasegawa was born on 22 July 1978 in Chiba, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kômyô ga tsuji (2006), Rain Fall (2009) and Jiyû ren'ai (2005). She has been married to Haruichi Shindô since 23 October 2008.(July 22, 1978) Peter no soretsu, Wonderful life, Three Extremes "Box", Nanayomachi
- Miho Shiraishi was born on 8 August 1978 in Hitachiomiya, Japan. She is an actress, known for Beruna no shippo (2005), L.DK (2014) and Anata no tonari ni dare ka iru (2003). She has been married to Hiroshi Nagano since 29 November 2016.(August 8, 1978) Orange Days, Swing Girls, Team Batista no eiko, Team Batista 2, Instant Numa, Densha Otoko
- Manami Konishi was born on 27 October 1978 in Satsumasendai, Japan. She is an actress, known for Amida-do dayori (2002), Utsutsu (2002) and Nonchan noriben (2009).(October 27, 1978) Orange Days, Udon, Boss, N no tame ni
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Yukie Nakama was born on October 30, 1979 in Urasoe. She's 1 of the few Japanese celebrities that have been able to break free from their teeny-bopper image & emerge as 1 of the country's most popular as well as respected actresses.
She appeared in small roles until"Love & Pop (1998)." She was a gravure idol for a few years until she got the lead role as Sadako for Ring 0: Birthday, which became her big break.
Afterwards, she starred in several TV dramas, most notably Trick , which demonstrated her talent in comedic roles. It was such a hit, it was picked up for 2 more seasons. However, the TV series Gokusen, cemented her as 1 of Japan's most bankable & popular actresses.
Notable movies include Ring 0: Birthday , Trick Movie, G@me, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade & Oh Oku.
She has also proven her bankability through commercial endorsements such as Nissin, Glico, Lotte, Asahi, Shiseido & au by KDDI. She's 1 of the most watched celebrity endorsers, becoming a regular face at billboards & subway stations. She has even served as spokesperson for the Japanese Tax Agency & Japan Railways.
She's managed by Production Ogi.(October 30, 1979) Shinobi, Ring 0, Flowers, Untouchable, Gokusen, Mr. Brain, Kamisama mou sukoshi dake- Born in Saitama just north of Tokyo in 1980, Takeuchi Yuko began acting with a role in Fuji TV's Cyborg in 1996. She has been in TV serials and movies without pause ever since and came to most people's attention through NHK's series Asuka serial of 1999. She was recognized by the Japanese Academy Awards for 2003's Yomigaeri, which explored resurrection. Takeuchi married Shido Nakamura in 2005 and obtained a divorce three years later. The two had co-starred in 2004's Ima, Ai Ni Yukimasu. She also won the Nikkan Sports Film Award for Best Actress for Saido Ka Ni Inu of 2007. She joined other celebrities when in 2011 she released a cook book called Takeuchi Marchais, Presenting 102 Delicious Warm-Hearted Recipes. She was found dead at her Tokyo home on 26.09.2020. This was a mere nine months after giving birth to her second child. Cause of death was suspected as suicide. She is represented by Stardust promotion.(April 1, 1980 - September 27, 2020) Ima ai ni yukimasu, Style!, Ring, Closed note, Hoshi ni negaio, Team Batista (movie), Pride
- Born in Tokyo, Ayumi Ito has always had a love for movies and art. She made her big-screen debut in Nobuhiko Obayashi's The Water Travelers: Samurai Kids. Her distinctive style led to her critically acclaimed performance in Swallowtail Butterfly, directed by the renowned Director Shunji Iwai. At 16-years-old, Ayumi was awarded both the Best New Actress Award as well as the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 20th Annual Japanese Academy Awards.
Ayumi's career has blossomed into starring roles in several successful films and television shows. She trained in LA and New York and has worked globally with world-renown Chinese director and artist Zhuangzhuang Tian, Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), among other great filmmakers. Ayumi's performance in the the Fuji TV drama Belle de Jour was so strong that she reprised the role when it became a feature film and box-office hit, earning over 2.3 billion JPY. She is also the voice of Tifa Lockhart in the animated film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Off-screen, Ayumi is a talented vocalist and recording artist. Her passion for art continues to thrive and she brings characters to life in her performances.(April 14, 1980) Hirugao, Judge!, Yokomichi Yonosuke, Swallowtail, Midnight Diner, Tokyo!, Tôkyô tawâ: Okan to boku to - Kochi on the island of Shikoku was bombed from the air and razed to the ground by the USA during 1945, but Kochi castle still stands as a historical point of interest. More recently the city has acted as the birth place of short-haired tomboyish singer and actress Hirosue Ryoko. She signed up for the corporate Clearasil/P&G cosmetics' model contest in 1994 when she was 14 and subsequently made her television debut the following year singing on the TK Music Camp program. She began acting for television. She had moved to Kanagawa as a teenager where she had an aunt. By 1997 she was nominated for and won the Best Supporting Actress prize at the 14th Television Drama Academy Awards. She would go on to garner multiple awards for her work on both the small and big screen in the next decade. She released multiple singles and full-length albums of pop music during this time. She enrolled in Waseda University in 1999, but did not graduate. She appeared in the Tokyo-shot French film Wasabi in 2001 where she recited her French lines without understanding them. Hirosue married model Okazawa Takahiro on January 17th, 2004 and gave birth to their son three months later. The marriage actually lasted four years. The relationship though had lasted two since the wedding. She became a single mother at the age of 27. She worked less during her marriage and pregnancy, but had the occasion to appear on screen with Yu Aoi in Hana & Alice in 2004. She had the occasion to work with Yu again in Flowers in 2010. She played alternately an understanding/betraying/compromising wife in Departures in 2008, which won the 81st Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film. She married Izutsu Jun, a candle artist and candle shop owner, in late 2010. She had previously dated Nagai Masaru rumours be believed. They had met in Haiti in March of 2010 participating in earthquake relief there. They have two children. Nonetheless she was caught visiting actor Takeru Sato overnight at his place. Reportedly, she was living alone as she had requested to do during her first marriage, which had lead to that divorce. She cites karaoke and watching movies as favourite pastimes. Like the usual array of celebrities Hirosue fronts for corporate and material goods like NTT, Shiseido and Coca Cola.(July 18, 1980) Okuribito, Ouroboros, Wakamonotachi, Ryomaden, Goemon, Slow Dance, Hana to Arisu, Himitsu
- Originally from Kurume in Fukuoka, Japan, Rena began her career as a model and actor, appearing in local television commercials before getting her big break at the age of 17 when she was cast as the lead role in the movie "Ganbatte Ikimashou" in 1997. The following year, Rena won several awards for her debut performance, including "Best New Actress" from Kinema Jumpo Top 10 (a prestigious award in Japan). Rena has since gone on to star in various films and television programs, winning multiple awards for her work. While her native tongue is Japanese, Rena is also fluent in Chinese and has enjoyed an active TV, film, and stage career, acting in both languages. Rena is now based in Tokyo.(May 22, 1980) Waiting in the dark, Drugstore girl, Tokyo Marigold, 10 promises to my dog
- Reika Hashimoto was born on 25 December 1980 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Survive Style 5+ (2004), Shinkuronishiti (2004) and Hero? Tenshi ni aeba... (2004).(December 25, 1980) Survive Style 5+, xxxHolic, Akihabara@deep
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Rinko was born Kikuchi Yuriko in Hadano just south of Tokyo. The town is known mainly for its green tea and public baths. She is the youngest of three siblings. After being scouted on the street, she began modeling in her hometown and subsequently began acting under her birth name before switching to Rinko. She appeared in the cult film The Taste Of Tea, but came to mainstream audiences' attention for her role in Babel, for which she had learned sign language. She played a deaf-mute. She was the first Japanese actress to be nominated for the Oscars in 50 years, since Miyoshi Umeki. Other than that she had appeared in commercials, including ads for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as Japanese soap operas. As a result, her popularity rose outside her native country. She moved to New York City and lived for a time with director Spike Jonze, whom she had met in Tokyo at a film festival in 2009. That's when she began taking English lessons. While she had appeared in the acclaimed film version of Norwegian Wood, her later American were mostly popcorn flicks like 47 Ronin and Pacific Rim. Her success and foray into American entertainment continued with her castings in Kumiko, and Westworld. Rinko married Japanese actor Sometani Shota in 2014 and gave birth to a son in October 2016. She is a capable rider of horses and motorcycles and grew up watching samurai films.(January 6, 1981) Norwegian Wood, Liar Game, Naisu no mori: The first contact, 69, Cha no aji, Map of the sounds of Tokyo- Actress
- Music Department
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Ko Shibasaki was born on August 5, 1981 in Tokyo. Her real name is Yukie Yamamura (Ko Shibasaki is a main character of her favorite manga). She started her career at 14 when her talent was discovered by a star agent. She has worked in many TV shows and commercials, starting to become more famous thanks to her excellent performance in the movie Battle Royale (2000) as Mitsuko Soma. She has reached a star status not only in Japan, but all over East Asia. She has also been singing since 2002, releasing her first single, "Trust My Feelings". However, her singing skills were only recognized with her second single, "Tsuki no Shizuku", a song used for the movie Yomigaeri (2002) that was one of the best J-Pop hits of 2003. She is considered one of the glamorous queen of drama, earning millions of yens and going out with bad boys.(August 5, 1981) Orange Days, Go!, Nobunaga Concerto, Galileo, Dr. Koto Shinryojo, 47 Ronin, Maiko haaan, Dororo, Nihon Chinbotsu, One missed call, Sekai no chuushin de ai wo sakebu, Battle Royale- The Nara-born actress got an early start in the much praised and oft discussed The Taste Of Tea before staying with the profession and graduating to adult roles. Before that, however, the youngest of four sisters had debuted in Suzaku after, legend has it, director Naomi Kawase spotted her cleaning shoe boxes at her junior high school. She has won several awards since.(November 4, 1981) Carnation, Like father like son, Saiko no rikon, Oyaji no senaka, Eureka, Nishino Yukihiko no koi to bôken, Gips
- Aoba Kawai was born on 16 November 1981 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021), Meatball Machine (2005) and Horimiya (2021).(November 16, 1981) Passion, My Man, Sayounara Kabukichou, Unlock your heart, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
- Actress
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Chizuru Ikewaki was born on 21 November 1981 in Kagoshima, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shoplifters (2018), The Cat Returns (2002) and Ôsaka monogatari (1999).(November 21, 1981) Josee to tora to sakana tachi, Strawberry shortcakes- Kazue Fukiishi was born on 28 September 1982 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Noriko's Dinner Table (2005), 13 Assassins (2010) and Samurai Resurrection (2003). She has been married to Masaharu Fukuyama since 28 September 2015.(September 28, 1982) Petal Dance, One missed call, Noriko no shokutaku, Naisu no mori: The first contact, S-Saigo no keikan, 13 assassins, Lucky seven
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Ai Katô was born on 12 December 1982 in Nagoya, Japan. She is an actress, known for Umizaru (2004), Brave Hearts: Umizaru (2012) and Za rasuto messêji: Umizaru (2010).(December 12, 1982) Team Batista 2, Unubore deka, Ikebukuro West Gate Park- Music Artist
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- Music Department
Mika Nakashima's a well-known Japanese singer & actress, whose albums have reached number 1 several times on the Oricon charts. She has also starred in movies, most notably portraying 1 of the two characters named Nana in the Nana movies that are based on the manga of the same name. She played the role of a singer. She was born the 3rd of 3 girls in Hioki, Kagoshima & dreamed of working in the fashion industry, but not as a model. Earlier, she had imagined herself a nurse. She passed an audition at 17, leading to an acting-cum-vocalist role for Tainted Love Song. By this time, she had quit school. By 2002, she was awarded the New Artist Of the Year award at the Japan Gold Disc Awards. She was given roles in American films, namely 2 Resident Evils. The 1st was in 2010 , where she acted & sang the theme song. That year, she had a health scare involving her larynx, but was soon back & even went blonde by 2012. She married volleyball player Kunihiro Shimizu on December 25, 2014. She loves white rice & mayonnaise, but not necessarily together or at the same time.(February 19, 1983) Nana, Unobore Deka, Ryuusei no kizuna- Asami was born in Kyoto and raised in Ibaraki, Osaka. She debuted at 13 in an ad for home builder's Asahi Kasei's Hebel Haus in 1997. She won the Grand Prix at the 3rd Miss Tokyo Walker and soon obtained a supporting role in the 2002 horror film, Dark Water. She has gone on to do multiple commercials and appear in even more films like the rejected woman in Close Range Love or the novelist mentee in The Woman Who Buys The Local Newspaper. She is signed with the Atlantis Cast talent agency.(July 24, 1983) Nodame Cantabile, Last Friends, 69, Dark Water
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Born Nose, Karina in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture the model and actress has been active since 2000 in magazines and on the small and silver screens. In the process she has won a Best Actress Award for her role in Daisuki!! and a Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Priceless. She has been endorsed and done commercial work for the likes of Shiseido and Lotte.(February 21, 1984) Rinne, Love Shuffle, Priceless, Parade- Actress
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Anna Tsuchiya was born on 11 March 1984 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and composer, known for Kamikaze Girls (2004), The Taste of Tea (2004) and Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008). She was previously married to Joshua.(March 11, 1984) Memories of Matsuko, Kamikaze girls, The taste of tea- Yû Yamada was born on 5 July 1984 in Okinawa, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shiawase no shippo (2002), Akihabara@Deep (2006) and Lupin the 3rd (2014). She has been married to Shun Oguri since 14 March 2012.(July 5, 1984) Nodame Cantabile: saishuu-gakushou zenpen and kouhen, Mei-chan no *beep* Binbo danshi, Nodame Cantabile in Europe, Orange Days
- Usuda Asami was born next door to Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. She was spotted and scouted outside the famous Shibuya 109 fashion compartment store in Tokyo at age 15 and began appearing in magazines as a model. She began acting at the age of 19 in 2003 with her first appearance being on a TV drama called To Dad For A Summer. She played the role of Keiko in the serial. She was the moderator for the music program SUPERCHA! as she continued transitioning from modelling to acting including stage work. Her roles included being the junior to Ayase Haruka in Hotaru No Hikari's second season where she was the leggy and fashionable contrast to the former's plain jane character, a wife in a film playing out in post-tsunami Japan, a role in a countryside with zombies and a girlfriend to a character in a seedy nightclub. She was dating Radwimps' singer Noda Yojiro in 2011, but after two years of dating announced her marriage to rock band Okamoto's drummer Okamoto Reiji in January of 2017. He was 26 and she was 32. Like all successful actresses and models she does commercial work and has represented chemical companies, parfaits, Kewpie mayonnaise and more. She is represented by A-Team agency.(October 17, 1984) Tôkyô pureibôi kurabu, Tôkyô Dogs, Mei chan no *beep* Koizora
- Haruka Ayase was born Aya Tademaru in Hiroshima on March 24, 1985. She's a former gravure idol who has gone on to become a mainstream model, singer & actress. She was athletic during her school days & participated in several sports. She began acting with an appearance in NTV TV's "The Files of the Young Kindaichi 3 (2001)" starring Jun Matsumoto in 2001, the short film Justice in 2002, the feature-length Jam Films of 2002 and finally Amemasu No Kawa in 2004. Her debut single, called Piriodo, was released in 2006, making the Japanese charts' top 10. She has subsequently appeared in diverse roles such as a teacher in Oppai Volleyball, as a cyborg in My Girlfriend Is A Cyborg, a blind masseuse in the historical action film Ichi and as a nurse in the Edo period drama, Jin.
Due to the roles as well as her physical appearance, she has become a popular figure in Japan, the subject of photo books, a corporate spokesperson & hostess of many TV shows. She has won several awards & has been nominated for more.
She's signed to the Horipro Talent Agency, where she got her start after competing in the 25th Horipro Talent Scout Caravan upon moving to Tokyo. She cites karaoke as one of her favorite pastimes.(March 24, 1985) JIN 1 and 2, Mr. Brain, Ichi, The magic hour, Byakuyakkou; Sekai no chûshin de, ai wo sakebu; Hero - Saki Aibu was born on 20 June 1985 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld (2007), Golden Slumber (2010) and Ricchiman Puauman (2012).(June 20, 1985) Rich man, poor woman; Buzzer beat, Mr. Brain, Zettai kareshi, Regatta, Cha no aji
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Yu Aoi was born as Yu Natsui on August 17, 1985 in Kasuga. She's a Japanese actress, voice actress, model & TV personality who has become a beloved tour de force in Japan. In 1999, she made her stage debut as Polly in the musical production of Annie, where she was picked from among hundreds of candidates at an audition. She began her silver screen career w/ the controversial All About Lily Chou-Chou before going on to lead roles in films like Letters From Kanai Nirai & One Million Yen Girl. She has participated in the live action series Mushishi & the short film collection Tokyo!. She was the voice of the imaginary companion Ikechan in Ikechan and Me. She has been awarded numerous prizes, including Best Supporting Actress for Hula Girls at the Japanese Academy Award, where she was competing against herself in 2007. She reprised the role of Noriko in Tokyo Family, a remake of the classic of cinema Tokyo Story, had another memorable role in the TV series Penance, released photo books, did modeling & commercial work. She also returned to the stage for the play Gakuya. She married Ryota Yamasato in 2019. Trademarks include her kind & innocent eyes, light make-up as well as slim build. She plays piano, listens to Chatmonchy & loves ballet, the latter of which comprised a pivotal scene in her memorable performance in Hana and Alice.(August 17, 1985) Hula girls, Osen, Hana & Alice, Rurouni Kenshin I, II y II; Tokyo Family, Tokyo!, Harmful Insect, Wakamonotachi 2014, Unubore Deka, Tiger & Dragon, Ototo, One million girl, Quiet room ni yokoso, Niji no megami, Riri shushu no subete- Actress
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Aoi Miyazaki's a former child actor whose professional career started at 4 in ads, commercials & as an extra. She was born in Tokyo in 1985. Her TV show & film debut came in 1999. She starred in the film debut Ano Natsu No Hi & the show Genroku Ryoran. She began winning prizes 2 years later w/ a Best Actress award for Harmful Insect, a film which also featured a young Yu Aoi. Her biggest role came in the manga adaptation Nana in 2005, which she hadn't read prior to obtaining the role. Nonetheless, she refrained from participating in the sequel, reportedly because of a mild sex scene. Yui Ichikawa replaced her. Her older brother Masaru's also an actor & appeared w/ her in the 2006 film Hatsukoi, which depicted a 1960s heist. She married long-time boyfriend Sosuke Takaoka the following year. This marriage lasted until 2011 , which was adversely affected by Takaoka's statement that he was weary of all the Korean content on Japan's Fuji TV & claiming she supported his views. Both statements would be walked back following a public backlash. He also claimed she was unfaithful & had been w/ boy band member Junichi Okada as well as others. She & her brother traveled to India to highlight poverty& Scandinavia to educate themselves on climate chaos. They also did charity work in Japan. She waited until December of 2017 to remarry. Her new husband was Junichi Okada, another actor and boy band dancer. They first co-starred in the 2008 movie Kagehinataa Ni Saku, subsequently playing husband & wife in Tenchi Meisatsu in 2012. Reports of them dating had surfaced in 2015, by which time she had grown her hair. However, the 2 were reported to have had an affair as early as 2011. Like many, Japanese celebrities, she has done vocals for songs. She has also represented corporate products like shampoos & phone companies.
She cites photography as a favorite pastime. Like her brother, she's represented by Hirata Office.(November 30, 1985) Harmful insect, Tada kimi wo aishi teru , Nana, Petal Dance- Megumi Seki was born on 8 September 1985 in Kanagawa, Japan. She is an actress, known for Dragonball Evolution (2009), Christmas in August (2005) and Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge (2007).(September 8, 1985) Sunao ni narenakute
- The short-haired Mitsushima Hikari was born in Okinawa, which is Japan's southernmost prefecture and mostly occupied by the American military since World War II. Mitsushima's grandmother was French-American. Her siblings are a model, a basketball player and an actor. Hikari began her entertainment career in the band Folder and all-girl Folder 5 between 1997 and 2003. before beginning acting intermittently. She did some gravure modelling. She began taking on consistent acting roles in 2009 with Pride and Sion Sono's exotic Love Exposure. Her performance in Love Exposure won her accolades. Hikari starred in the comedy Sawako Decides (2010), which was written and directed by Yuya Ishii, whom she subsequently married in late 2010. They divorced less than six years later. Hikari won the award for Best Actress at the Fantasia Film Festival. The film itself won the award for Best Feature.(November 30, 1985) Ai no mukidashi, Wakamonotachi 2014
- It was not long after Tokyo-born Kanjiya Shihori's start in the acting profession that she found herself in popular films like Survive Style 5+ and Swing Girls. After several lead roles in TV serials she won both the Rookie Of The Year Elan D'or Award in 2008 and the Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 13th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix for her role in Fuji TV's Buzzer Beat the year after. The 156 cm high actress won the 56th Blue Ribbon Award Best Actress Award in 2014. She cites fantasy as her favourite hobby, volleyball as her favourite sport and wearing a kimono in five minutes flat as a skill.(December 12, 1985) Swing girls, Survive Style 5+, Funky Forest, Love Shuffle, Ryomaden
- With parents in the show business perhaps it is not surprising that Ando Sakura would become an actress and, moreover, also end up marrying an actor. She was born to actor/director Okuda Eiji and celebrity Kazu Ando on 18.02.1986. Her great grandfather was prime minister Tsuyoshi. Her older sister is director Ando Momoko. She saw her father on stage at age five and decided to become an actress while in second grade. She was often ill as a child. Her disease made her dizzy, lose her balance and more throughout her childhood. Her brain would shut down. She would opt for her mother's maiden surname for her professional career. Sono Sion picked her for his film Love Exposure and gave her a major start on the big screen. She won an award as the Best Supporting Actress for her work in it at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival. Earlier her father cast her in his film Kaze No Sotogawa ('Outside The Wind') alongside her mother and sister. She has since appeared in multiple movies and serials and won several more awards. She married actor Emoto Tasuku in 2012. She had met him on a train in 2008 and had obtained her father's permission to date and marry. She was a boxer in 100 Yen Love, which was fortunate since she had practiced boxing when she was fourteen-years-old. She gave birth to her first child, a girl, in 2017. She won the award for Best Actress at the 42nd Japan Academy Prize for her work on 2018's Shoplifters. By then she was considered one of several top young actresses in Japan next to Yu Aoi, Miyazaki Aoi and perhaps Aso Kumiko. Interestingly, she had earlier decided to retire and focus on raising her child. She is a graduate of Gakushuin Women's College.(February 18, 1986) Ai no mukidashi, Petal Dance, Karamazov no kyodai
- Born to a Japanese father and an Algerian mother in Tokyo Erika had a well-off upbringing and engaged in dancing, playing piano and horseback riding. Her father owned several race tracks, which ensured her access to horses. However, her father died due to cancer while she was in junior high school, which only preceded the death of her older brother due to a car accident. Her father had abandoned the family for several years and had returned the year prior to his death. Nonetheless Erika debuted as a model while in grade six for the girls' manga magazine Ribbon She joined the ranks of Japanese 'idols' Angel Eyes in 2002 and appeared in her first TV serial, namely Hotman, in 2003. Apparently she had gotten into show business and auditioned in order to meet her idol, singer and actress Amuro Namie. By now she was also a racy gravure idol. Erika was cast in her first movie Mondai No Nai Watshitachi ('We Don't Have A Problem') in 2004 in which she was a supporting actress. A film called Pacchigi (Korean for 'Breakthrough') made her famous in 2004 and she was accorded Best Newcomer and Most Popular Actor awards at the Japan Academy ceremony. She was also the main character in the serial Ichi Litre No Namida ('One Litre Of Tears') in 2005. At this point she appeared in Taiyou No Uta ('Song Of Sun') where her character's name was Kaoru Amane, a name she made her own and used for the release of her 2006 album. She was the vocalist. In that year she was in no less than five movies. However, success proved fleeting. When on stage in theatre to promote Closed Note in 2007 she exercised her right to act according to her mood and gave curt answers to multiple questions thus earning the condemnation of the press and fans. The adoration of the masses turned into hatred. Stardust Promotion and her parted ways in 2009. She apologized one week later, but when interviewed for a TV program in 2010 claimed that it was imposed upon her by management and was insincere. She recanted. In the meantime, she had lost her planned role in the film, Space Battleship Yamato. More importantly she married producer Tsuyoshi Takashiro, 22 years her senior, in 2009, which lasted four years. Thus she ended up essentially blackballed and not having worked for 3 years. Despite that a Japanese beauty salon, called Taka No Yuri, used her in a commercial in 2010 and the seeds of a commercially beneficial redemption comeback was planted. Simultaneously Erika founded her own talent agency in Spain in 2010. She was back acting by 2012, which predictably was a success. The film was called Helter Skelter. Audiences claimed Erika was as beautiful as ever. Further on she was in a historical serial - a first for her - in 2016. In a 2017 interview she claimed she has not watched TV since 2006. Erika's oldest brother was also an actor. Sawajiri was taken into custody by Tokyo Police on 16.11.2019 for possession of the drug MMDA. She admitted to possession and chronic usage. NHK, which had contracted her for her next role, announced it would reassess her participation in the project.(April 8, 1986) 1 litter of tears, Closed note, Taiyou no uta, Shinobi
- Anne Watanabe was born on 14 April 1986 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Platinum Data (2013), Midsummer's Equation (2013) and xxxHOLiC (2013). She was previously married to Masahiro Higashide.(April 14, 1986) Midsummer's equation, xxxHOLiC
- Actress
- Soundtrack
The boyish Ueno Juri was born in Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. Her mother died while Juri was at junior high school. She was athletic at elementary school and also had piano lessons. She began wearing contact lenses at junior high school. She applied to become a model for a fashion magazine, but failed in the year 2000. The agent, however, kept her on. This agency was called Will and later would become part of Amuse. She did commercial work for P&G in 2001. She began acting in the year 2000, but came to the public's attention five years later when she appeared in the popular Swing Girls movie. She had thought about becoming a singer, but had taken her mother's advice to try acting earlier. Her role garnered her the Newcomer Of The Year prize at the Japanese Academy Awards. She actually can play the saxophone and had had lessons since childhood. She was further popular a year later when she was cast and appeared in the TV serial version of the Nodame Cantabile manga series, which was based on the relationship of novice Classical musicians. Her role won the Best Lead Actress price at the 51st Television Drama Academy. The serial was a major commercial success, which naturally meant the role would be reprised several times. These were not her last awards. The press chimed in with Vogue Japan naming her one of its females of the year for 2008. Another monetary success was 2013's Girl In A Sunny Place, which was also based on a novel. She acted in a South Korean film in 2015. Ueno married Triceratops musicians Wada Sho on 26.05.2016. They had been dating for nine months. Her older sister is singer and adult model Ueno Mana. Her oldest sister is a DJ called Saori. She is managed by the Amuse Agency and does corporate advertising for things like construction companies. She likes music, cooking (prefers fish) and playing the saxophone.(May 25, 1986) Last friends, Nodame Cantabile, Ueno Juri to itsutsu no kaban, Orange Days, Jodan ja nai!; Joze, the tiger and the fish; Ouroboros, Rainbow song, Swing girls, Sunao ni narenakute- Keiko Kitagawa, very commonly known as Sailor Mars in the live action series of Sailor Moon, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (PGSM), is a seventeen magazine model turned actress and singer. Born on August 22nd 1986 in Hyogo Perfecture, Japan, Keiko has a lived an unexpected life. From growing up in Kobe and losing many friends in the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake to being uncertain about her childhood dream of being a doctor. Fortunately, fate had other plans for Keiko when she was scouted by a talent agency who recognized her as a born star. Approval from her parents was not an easy task because their main concern was her studies and having her graduate from a university. In the end, Keiko proved to be victorious winning Miss Seventeen 2003 and landing a modeling contract until 2006. During that time, Keiko won the role of Rei Hino aka Sailor Mars in the live action series of Sailor Moon, her first acting role. After that famous role, she starred in a numerous of movies. One in particular was Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, in which she had a small role but had a chance to come to the United States for filming and premiers. This journey to the US prompted her to study the English language and now she is fluent in English. Keiko continues her studies and is majoring in Commercial Science at Meiji University in Tokyo. In 2007 she is working on 5 new projects and one of them is a new drama series, Mop Girl now playing on Asahi TV.(August 22, 1986) Hero, Sailor Moon Live Action, Judge!, Akumu-chan, Hana no ato, Hitsudan hostess, Buzzer beat
- Born in 1986, Satomi began acting professionally in 2003 at age 17 and has not looked back since. Satomi began her acting career in 2003 when she starred in the drama Kimi wa petto (2003), starring Jun Matsumoto and Koyuki. She has devoted equal time to television serials and the world of movies and in the process won several awards such as Best Actress at both the 27th Japan Academy Prize and 46th Blue Ribbon Awards for My Grandpa.
She is known to Japanese television drama audiences for her portrayal as Saeko Takahashi in the Shitsuren Chocolatier (2014). she gained popularity by appearing in a Shitsuren Chocolatier (2014) with Jun Matsumoto in 2014. She was the most searched for actress on Yahoo Japan in 2014 following roles like Shitsuren Chocolatier.(December 24, 1986) Rich man, poor woman; Kimi wa petto - Mao Inoue began her career as a child actress at 5 when encouraged by her mom and receiving a fan letter after her first year in show business. She hasn't stopped since. She was born in Yokohama, just west of Tokyo, in 1987. She gained national attention on Kids War from 1999 to 2003. She was the lead in Hana Yori Dango with J-pop band Arashi's members, 2 years following the end of Kids War. She was awarded Best Actress by the TV Drama Academy. Rumors of romance and even marriage with Arashi member Jun Matsumoto soon spread, keeping fans tingled for years. It was reported that they were dating, but their talent agencies were hindering an official union. Others speculated that these are mere publicity stunts. She starred in the series' second season & also made the jump into feature films with Check It Out, Yo! She branched out into singing and was soon called 'The Ten Billion Yen Actress' for her films' earning prowess. Instead of taking on acting further full-time, she took time off in 2005 to attend Meiji University & graduated in 2009, majoring in theater & literature. Her role in 2011's Youkame No Semi (Rebirth) was another milestone for her, garnering her Best Starring Actress Award at the 35th Japan Film Academy Awards. She was asked to lead the Red team in the annual New Year's Eve Singing Contest Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2011. She played a dramatic underdog in 2014's The Snow White Murder Case alongside actress and model Nanao.(January 9, 1987) Hana Yori Dango 1 and 2, The Apology King, Anmitsu Hime, First Kiss, Kaidan, I give my first love to you, Kaidan
- Mayuko Iwasa was born on 24 February 1987 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for 009-1: The End of the Beginning (2013), Detective Conan: Shinichi Kudo's Written Challenge (2006) and Space Police (2004).(February 24, 1987) Giruti: Akuma to keiyaku shita onna, Mei-chan no shi tsuji
- Tokyo-born Suzuki An is a Japanese actress who was a former child-actress that nonetheless was in the successful Hana And Alice playing the role of a schoolgirl next to Aoi Yu. She would return to this role in 2015. She attended the expensive 'celebrity mill' Horikoshi High School, which Aoi Yu also attended. She subsequently attended Wako University. She had a role in the American film Snow Falling On Cedars in 1999. She was declared Best Newcomer at the 26th Japanese Academy Awards for her role in Returner (2002). There were reports that Suzuki has become less popular and in-demand following her weight gains later in her career. She cites badminton, music and piano as favourite pastimes. Ann has a younger sister. She was under contract to Foster Management.(April 27, 1987) Hana and Alice, Himizu, Moon Child, Glory to the filmmaker!, Returner
- Eikura has appeared in advertisements for non-fashion/non-cosmetic items, including Coca-Cola, the Japanese Red Cross, Japan Post Service, Johnson & Johnson's Japanese branch, KDDI, Lion, and Nintendo's Rhythm Heaven. She has also appeared in non-fashion magazines as a model, including the NASCAR-orientated magazine Racing On.
Starring in 2016, "99.9: Criminal Lawyer (2016)" topped the ratings of Japanese television drama, The final episode reached 21.0 percent, the only drama this year to exceed 20 percent. 99.9 Criminal Lawyer: The Movie (2021) will be made into a movie in 2021.(February 12, 1988) N no tame ni, Proposal Daisakusen, Mei-chan no shi tsuji - The Japanese actress, model and singer Kuroki Meisa was born in Okinawa, Japan, which is the southernmost Japanese prefecture, on May28, 1988. She was scouted when she was in junior high school and began her career as a model for the traditional women's magazine, JJ Magazine. Like Shimabukuro Hiroko she attended Okinawa Actors School from which she graduated in 2007. She began her career in 2004 on stage and subsequently had a role in Fuji TV's Medaka. She would go on to win the Television Drama Academy Award and TV Life Drama Grand Prix for Best Supporting Actress in for her role in the Fuji TV's drama, Ninkyo Helper, in 2009. Like most Japanese celebrities she also began singing and contributed to the soundtrack to the movie Crows Zero as well as act in it. Two full-length albums followed. Likewise, she does advertisements and commercials for corporate products including Epson, Armani and Uniqlo. She is managed by Sweet Power.(May 28, 1988) Tada kimi wo aishi teru, Lupin III, Crows Zero I and II, One missed call FINAL
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Aragaki, Yui is an Okinawa-born Japanese actress, model, singer, product spokeswoman, presenter and radio show host. She was born in Naha, one of US military towns of Okinawa the youngest of three sisters on June 11th 1988. She auditioned for a fashion model spot for Nikora Magazine and won the Grand Prix award at the audition. She began modelling for the magazine at age 13 and became a regular. One of her co-models, actress Enomoto Ayako, gave her the nickname 'Gakky' as a take on her surname. She moved to Tokyo at 15 and enrolled at Horikoshi High School famous for being the academic home of many budding celebrities including Seiko Matsuda. She expanded into gravure adult modelling and acting beginning the next year and at age 16. She made her acting debut in Sh15uya (a take on Tokyo Downtown district of Shibuya) in 2005. She also became quite popular as the face of Pocky in commercials. She went on to endorse Asahi, NTT and a dozen other corporate products. She has put several Newcomer and acting awards to her name since. She also expanded into voice acting in 2006 as well as movies as of 2007. Preparing additionally for her debut single and album for Warner Music Japan lead to a breakdown due to exhaustion in 2007. Other sources report that the abysmal reactions to her vocals lead to the stress. She has continued acting for the small and big screen since, however, and released more music. She also became a host for the radio program Girls Locks which lasted between 2010 and 2012. She visited The Philippines for a 24 -hour charity program in 2012. She was the female lead in the TV serial Legal High by which time she had adopted a boyish look. 2016's Nigeru Wa Haji Daga, Yaku Ni Tatsu was quite popular in Japan. She won the Tokyo Drama Awards 2017 for her role in the serial. Yui cites reading manga and karaoke as favourite pastimes. She is signed by Lespros agency.(June 11, 1988) Smile; My boss, my hero- Yoshitaka Yuriko was born in Tokyo on 22.07.1988. She entered the entertainment profession when she was scouted in Harajuku in Tokyo when she was sixteen. Since then she has played a string of roles in both the small and the big screen in roles as diverse and ranging from being the kindest girl ever in The Story Of Yonosuke to being a loose wench in Snakes And Earrings. She won several newcomer awards for both roles. Her delicate features and long hair have afforded her both serious roles and love interest fantasy roles. While filming Snakes.. she was involved in a traffic accident and broke her jaw landing her in the hospital. She had to interrupt filming for weeks. Before those she had a fun role in the film Tenten that should sit well with mayonnaise lovers the world over. By 2010 she had already climbed to the top of Oricon's Most Promising Actress annual poll. She co-hosted the 65th annual Enueichikei Koohaku Uta Gassen New year's show on NHK in 2014. She spent nine months travelling next and managed to visit South Korea, the USA and the Philippines where she also studied English. Yuriko is managed by the Amuse agency and has pushed Suntory Whiskey and Panapp ice cream among other products.(July 22, 1988) Tokyo Dogs, Noriko no shokutaku, Adrift in Tokyo, Love Shuffle, Himizu
- Toda Erika was born in Kobe in central Japan on August 17th 1988. While her official first acting credit dates back to Audrey (Ôdorî ) in 2000 she truly began her career four years later. She used the intermediate period with gravure adult and other fashion modelling from age thirteen. She has been in many serials and films since perhaps most notably in the Death Note and SPEC series. She announced that actor actor Ryo Kase and her are dating in 2016. They had been dating and co-starring earlier, such as in Keizoku 2: SPEC of 2010. She cites calligraphy and the piano as favourite pastimes. She is managed by FLaMme.(August 17, 1988) Boss, Ryuusei no kizuna, Unubore Deka, Liar Game, Goemon, Hana yori dango 2, Nobuta wo produce
- Horikita Maki (born Marina Hara) was born in Tokyo the eldest of three sisters in 1988. She was a tomboy growing up and by the time of her retirement also had short hair as she was older. In-between she was an attractive actress, model and corporate product endorser with longer hair between 2003 and 2017. She was awarded the Newcomer Award at the Japan Academy Awards for her role as a student boarder in Always: Sunset On Third Street. She also won a Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Kurosagi. Hanazakari No Kimitachi E in contrast garnered her the Best Actress award. Horikita's management announced her marriage to actor Koji Yamamoto on the 22nd August, 2015. The actor and actress had become a couple while playing lovers in the stage production of Arashi Ga Oka (Wuthering Heights) in May of that year and officially begun dating in June. They were also in Atashinchi No Danshi. She announced her pregnancy in the middle of 2016 and gave birth to their child in December, 2016. She announced her retirement from the entertainment industry on February, 28 2017. She stated her desire to take care of her family and thanked her fans for a "wonderful fourteen years." She has photobooks, magazine covers and multiple corporate endorsements to her name.(October 6, 1988) Hana Kimi, Hospitality Department, Kurosagi
- Chiaki Horan was born on 28 September 1988 in Tama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Equals (2015), Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005) and Mahou Sentai Magiranger vs. Dekaranger (2006).(September 28, 1988) My Boss, My Hero; Mei-chan no shi tsuji, Puropôzu dai sakusen