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    Sayaka Akimoto

    From Wikipedia - Reading time: 13 min

    Sayaka Akimoto
    秋元 才加
    Akimoto in July 2021
    Born (1988-07-26) 26 July 1988 (age 36)[1]
    Makati, Philippines[2][3]
    NationalityJapanese
    Occupations
    • Actress
    • singer
    Years active2006–present
    AgentFlave Entertainment (formerly)
    Spouse
    PUNPEE
    ​
    (m. 2020)​
    Children1
    Musical career
    GenresJ-pop
    Years active2006–2014
    Labels
    • King (AKB48)
    • Avex Trax (Diva)
    • UMG Japan (with Chocolove from AKB48)
    Formerly of
    • AKB48
    • Diva
    • Chocolove from AKB48
    Websitesayaka-akimoto.com

    Sayaka Akimoto (秋元 才加, Akimoto Sayaka; born July 26, 1988) is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a member of Japanese idol girl group AKB48 and its spin-off unit Diva.

    As an actress, Akimoto has appeared in both Japanese and American productions, and made her Hollywood debut in Sniper: Assassin's End (2020). She also provides the Japanese dub for Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Career

    [edit]

    Family and early career

    [edit]

    Akimoto was born to a Japanese father and a Filipino mother. In 2012, she ran the Tokyo Marathon for the second year in a row and donated the money to the Philippines.[4] Her solo book of photographs is entitled Ari no Mama.[5] On June 26, 2014, Akimoto was appointed as the Goodwill Philippine Tourism Ambassador to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination in Japan.[6] She was also assigned as a narrator in the collaboration drama of PTV-4 and Nippon TV entitled "Halo Halo House-Jose's Nippon Diary"[7]

    2006–2013: AKB48 member

    [edit]
    Sayaka Akimoto at the Japan Expo 2009 in Paris, France

    Akimoto began her career in AKB48 as one of the members of the second generation, the Original Team K. On the last day of the Budokan concert on August 23, 2009, during the first team shuffle, Akimoto was officially made captain of Team K. She resigned after a scandal in 2010[8] but after completing the Tokyo Marathon in 2011, she was reappointed the position.[citation needed] On August 24, 2012, in the Tokyo Dome~1830m no Yume~ concert, Yuko Oshima replaced her as the captain of Team K via team shuffle.[citation needed]

    She has since been involved with sub-unit group Diva under Avex. She became a regular on the popular noon TV show Waratte Iitomo from 2010 to 2012. She was also featured as one of the members in AKB48's own anime television show alongside other members Minami Takahashi, Yuko Oshima, Tomomi Itano, Atsuko Maeda and others.

    On April 7, 2013, Akimoto announced on her official blog that she would not be participating in AKB48's 2013 general election, and would be graduating from AKB48 to focus on her acting. Her graduation ceremony was held on August 22 at the Tokyo Dome,[9][10] and her final stage performance was held on August 28 at the AKB48 Theater,[11][12] and has been streamed live by Nico Nico Namahousou.[13]

    2014–present: Solo career

    [edit]

    In 2014, she reunited with her sub-unit group DIVA to release their final single "Discovery", an album, and a tour before disbandment.

    She composed and sang "Little Witch" which was the NHK 2014 Spring Campaign Theme Song.[14]

    Since leaving AKB48 she has starred in four films. She has a recurring role as Bikuu in Garo which led to a solo film spin off in 2015. She sang the theme song of the film entitled "Sengetsu ~Hikari to Yami no Soba de~".[15]

    Akimoto at the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival

    Akimoto was a co-host for Team Japan in the reality competition show Ultimate Beastmaster which was released on Netflix on February 24, 2017.[16][17]

    Personal life

    [edit]

    On July 27, 2020, Akimoto married music producer and singer PUNPEE [ja].[18] She gave birth to their first child on October 4, 2023.[19]

    Discography

    [edit]

    With AKB48

    [edit]

    Singles

    [edit]
    Year No. Title Role[20] Notes
    2006 1 "Aitakatta" A-side Debut with Team K. Also sang on "Dakedo..."
    2007 2 "Seifuku ga Jama o Suru" A-side Also sang on "Virgin Love"
    3 "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō" A-side
    4 "Bingo!" A-side Also sang on "Only Today"
    5 "Boku no Taiyō" A-side Also sang on "Mirai no Kajitsu".
    2008 7 "Romance, Irane" A-side Also sang on "Ai no moufu".
    8 "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" A-side
    9 "Baby! Baby! Baby!" A-side
    10 "Ōgoe Diamond" A-side Also sang on "109".
    2009 11 "10nen Sakura" A-side
    13 "Iiwake Maybe" A-side Ranked 12th in 2009 General Election.
    14 "River" A-side
    2010 15 "Sakura no Shiori" A-side[citation needed] Also sang on "Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll".
    16 "Ponytail to Shushu" Under Girls Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nusumareta Kuchibiru" as Under Girls; and "Majijo Teppen Blues"
    17 "Heavy Rotation" A-side, Yasai Sisters Ranked 17th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters".
    18 "Beginner" Diva Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nakeru Basho" as Diva.
    19 "Chance no Junban" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament.[21] Sang on "Alive" with Team K.
    2011 20 "Sakura no Ki ni Narō" Diva Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Area K" as Diva.
    -- "Dareka no Tame ni - What can I do for someone?" -- Charity single
    21 "Everyday, Katyusha" B-side Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Yankee Soul".
    22 "Flying Get" A-side Ranked 17th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Seishun to Kizukanai mama"; and "Yasai Uranai" as Yasai Sisters 2011.
    23 "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" Under Girls Yurigumi Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Gondola Lift" as Under Girls Yurigumi.
    24 "Ue kara Mariko" A-side Lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament;[22][23] She sang on "Zero-sum Taiyō" as Team K.[citation needed]
    2012 25 "Give Me Five!" Special Girls B Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Hitsujikai no Tabi" as Special Girls B.
    26 "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" Special Girls Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Mitsu no Namida" as Special Girls.
    27 "Gingham Check" Under Girls Did not sing on title track. Ranked 20th in 2012 General Election.[24][25] She sang on "Nante Bohemian" as Under Girls.[citation needed]
    28 "Uza" New Team K Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Scrap & Build" as New Team K.
    29 "Eien Pressure" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Watashitachi no Reason".
    2013 30 "So Long!" B-side Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Yuuhi Marie" as Team K.
    31 "Sayonara Crawl" B-side Did not sing on title track. Sang on "How Come?" as Team K.[citation needed]
    2014 36 "Labrador Retriever" B-side Did not participate in title song. Participated in "Kyō made no Melody" as graduated member.

    Singles with SKE48

    [edit]
    Year No. Title Role Notes
    2016 19 "Chicken Line" B-side Sang on "Tabi no Tochū". Participated as graduated member.

    Stage units

    [edit]
    Team K 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaru yo" (PARTYが始まるよ)
    • Skirt, Hirari (スカート、ひらり)
    • Hoshi no Ondo (星の温度)
    Team K 2nd Stage "Seishun Girls" (青春ガールズ)
    • Blue Rose
    • Fushidara na Natsu (ふしだらな夏)
    Team K 3rd Stage "Nōnai Paradise" (脳内パラダイス)
    • Kimi wa Pegasus (君はペガサス)
    Himawari Gumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyō" (僕の太陽)
    • Himawari (向日葵)
    Himawari Gumi 2nd Stage "Yume o Shinaseru Wakeni Ikanai" (夢を死なせるわけにいかない)
    • Confession
    Team K 4th Stage "Saishū Bell ga Naru" (最終ベルが鳴る)
    • Return Match (リターンマッチ)
    Team K 5th Stage "Sakaagari" (逆上がり)
    • Mushi no Ballad (虫のバラード) (Solo Unit)
    Team K 6th Stage "Reset"
    • Ashita no Tame ni Kiss o (明日のためにキスを)
    Team K Waiting Stage
    • Anata to Christmas Eve (あなたとクリスマスイブ)
    • Yuuwaku no Garter (誘惑のガーター)

    With Diva

    [edit]
    Main article: Diva (Japanese band) § Discography
    • "Tsuki no Ura gawa"
      • "Fade out"
      • "Information"
      • "Blue rose -Diva ver.-"
    • "Cry"
      • "No way out"
      • "Chika Suidō"
      • "Maria -Diva ver.-"
    • "Lost the Way"
      • "Kanashimi no Mirage"
      • "Kimi wa Pegasus -Diva ver.-"

    Filmography

    [edit]

    Films

    [edit]
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    2007 Densen Uta Shuri Matsuda [26]
    2009 Super Gore Girl Yukie Takashi Lead role [27]
    High Kick Girl! Rika [28]
    2012 Ultraman Saga Anna Ozaki [29]
    2014 Tokyo Slaves Eia Arakawa Lead role [30]
    2015 Bikuu the Movie Bikuu Lead role [30]
    Mango and the Red Wheelchair Ayaka Miyasono Lead role [30]
    Galaxy Turnpike Manmo [30]
    2020 Sniper: Assassin's End Yuki "Lady Death" Mifune American film [30]
    Beautiful Dreamer Sayaka [31]
    2023 Sniper: Rogue Mission Yuki "Lady Death" Mifune American film [32]
    2025 #Iwilltellyouthetruth [33]

    Television dramas

    [edit]
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    2016 Good Morning Call Yukari [34]
    Sumika Sumire Chiaki Yoshinogo [35]
    2021 Aikatsu Planet! Izumi Watanuki [36]
    2022 The 13 Lords of the Shogun Tomoe Gozen Taiga drama [37]

    Stage plays

    [edit]
    Year English title Japanese title Role Ref.
    2008 Oishii Timing おいしいタイミング Un­known [citation needed]
    2010 Space Wars スペース・ウォーズ Un­known [citation needed]
    2010 Act Izumi Kyoka 音楽劇 「ACT泉鏡花」 Tomohime (富姫) [citation needed]
    2012 Roman Holiday ローマの休日 Ann Princess (アン王女) [citation needed]
    2014 Kokumin no Eiga 国民の映画 Elsa Veesenmayer (エルザ・フェーゼンマイヤー) [citation needed]
    2018 Japan's History 日本の歴史 Un­known [citation needed]

    Musicals

    [edit]
    Year English title Japanese title Role
    2009 AKB Kagekidan Infinity AKB歌劇団 「∞・Infinity」 Muraama Ruka (村雨ルカ)
    2010 Minky Momo: Kagami no Kuni no Princess ミンキーモモ〜鏡の国のプリンセス〜 Nightmare (ナイトメアー)
    2011 Super Live Show "Double Heroine" スーパーLIVEショー「ダブルヒロイン」 Kinoshita Rachel (木下レイチェル)
    2013 Mozart l'Opéra Rock ロックオペラ モーツァルト Constanze (コンスタンツェ)
    2015 Shelock Holmes 2: Bloody Game シャーロック ホームズ2 ～ブラッディ・ゲーム～ Maria Clara (マリア・クララ)
    2018 Ghost the Musical ゴースト Molly Jensen (モリー・イェンセン)

    Other television

    [edit]
    Year Title Role
    2008 Mujack Self
    2008 AKB 0ji 59fun Self
    2008–2013 AKBingo! Self
    2008–2010 AKB48 Nemosu TV (AKB48ネ申テレビ) Self
    2009–2010 Shukan AKB48 (週刊AKB) Self
    2009 Music Fighter Self
    2010 G.I. Goro Self
    2010–2012 Waratte Iitomo! Self
    2014 Couple Kitchen Self
    2017 Ultimate Beastmaster Host for Team Japan[16][17]

    Japanese dub

    [edit]
    Year Title Role Voice dub for Ref.
    2013 Spring Breakers Faith Selena Gomez
    2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Mantis Pom Klementieff [38]
    2018 Avengers: Infinity War [39]
    2019 Avengers: Endgame [40]
    2022 Thor: Love and Thunder [41]
    2023 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 [42]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ "秋元才加". ORICON NEWS. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
    2. ^ "秋元才加 / SAYAKA AKIMOTO" [Akimoto Sayaka / SAYAKA AKIMOTO] (in Japanese). GQ Japan.
    3. ^ "秋元才加が語る、フィリピンの魅力。「豊かさとは何か」と向き合える場所" [Sayaka Akimoto talks about the charm of the Philippines. A place where you can face the question “What is abundance?”] (in Japanese). J-Wave. June 22, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
    4. ^ "AKB48's Akimoto Sayaka to take on the 'Tokyo Marathon once again". TokyoHive.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
    5. ^ 秋元才加、「アメリカのハーフとは違う」 コンプレックスを告白 - ライブドアニュース (in Japanese). LiveDoor.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
    6. ^ Lorenz, Jan (June 26, 2014). "Fil-Japanese AKB48 Alumna Sayaka Akimoto Appointed as Philippine Tourism Ambassador". AnimePilipinas.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
    7. ^ "Nippon TV's drama "Halo Halo House-Jose's Nippon Diary" aims to revitalize Ichinomiya and is set to broadcast in the Philippines beginning January 2016". Nippon TV. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
    8. ^ "AKB48's Akimoto Sayaka to resign as captain of team K". TokyoHive.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
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    33. ^ "#真相をお話しします". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved January 8, 2025.
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    42. ^ "『ガーディアンズ・オブ・ギャラクシー：VOLUME 3』吹替キャスト続投決定！山寺宏一「自分の代表作にしたい」". Cinema Today. March 16, 2023. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
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