Aki Asakura

Aki Asakura
朝倉 あき
Born (1991-09-23) September 23, 1991 (age 33)
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
OccupationActress
Years active
  • 2006 - 2014
  • 2015 - present
Agents
  • Toho Entertainment (2007 - 2014)
  • Konyi (2015 - 2022)
  • Japan Music Entertainment (since 2022)
Height165 cm (65 in)
WebsiteAki Asakura on Instagram
Japan Music Entertainment

Aki Asakura (Japanese: 朝倉 あき, Hepburn: Asakura Aki) is a Japanese actress. She was born in Kanagawa Prefecture.[1] Currently belongs to Japan Music Entertainment. She has appeared in many of Japan's national television series NHK taiga drama and asadora, and is also known for voicing the main character Princess Kaguya in the Studio Ghibli film The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

History

In 2006, Asakura applied for the 6th Toho Cinderella Audition,[2] an audition sponsored by Toho and Toho Entertainment, and was selected as a finalist.[3] She did not win the prize at that time, but she attracted attention and became a Toho Entertainment celebrity and entered the show business.[4] According to her, the audition was recommended to her by others.[5] In 2007, she made her acting debut in the television series When I was a child: Actress Yuki Saito, and in the following year, 2008, she made her first film appearance in Double Trouble.[3] In 2010, She first starred in a television series, Tomehane! Suzuri Kōkō Shodōbu.[2] Following this, she played the role of the protagonist's friend in the NHK broadcast asadora TV series Teppan, which started to air in September 2010.[6]

In 2013, Asakura voiceed of Princess Kaguya, the heroine of the Studio Ghibli film The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. She has loved Ghibli films since childhood, but had no previous experience of voice acting.[7] Hundreds of people applied for the audition for this role, which was held around spring 2011.[8] She said that she did not respond well to the audition and went home crying, thinking she had failed.[9] Director Isao Takahata said he chose Asakura because many actresses today have passive voices, but her voice was selfish.[8]

At the end of March 2014, Asakura terminated her contract with Toho Entertainment and temporarily suspended her acting career.[10] She later said that she needed a break at the time and also said she spent her time working part-time in an office during her hiatus of about a year.[11]

In 2015 she returned to show business when she became affiliated with the entertainment agency Konyi and had her first starring role in a film in Halloween Nightmare.[12] In 2017, the film Summer Blooms, in which he starred, won the FIPRESCI Jury Prize and Russian Critics Jury Special Mention at the 39th Moscow International Film Festival.[13][14]

She was scheduled to appear in the stage production of Frozen Beach starting in July 2019, but had to withdraw due to health problem.[15] At the end of February 2022, she terminated her contract with the entertainment agency Konyi. In December of the same year, she announced that she would be joining Japan Music Entertainment.[16]

Filmography (selected)

TV Series (selected)

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2007 When I was a child: Actress Yuki Saito Rie Saito [2]
2008 Gakkō ja Oshierarenai! Hitomi Kenjou [17]
Bōshi Setsu Takemoto (14/19-years-old) [18]
2010 Tomehane! Suzuri Kōkō Shodōbu Yuki Mochizuki Leading role [19]
Teppan Kana Shinomiya [20]
2011 Gō Natsu [21]
2013 Jun to Ai Hasumi Miyasato Ep.79 to the last episode [22]
2015, 2018 Downtown Rocket Aki Kanoh 2 seasons [23][24]
2017 Naotora: The Lady Warlord Takase [25]
2018, 2019 Inspector Totsugawa Series Sakai Series5, 6, 7, 8 [26][27][28][29]
2019 La Grande Maison Tokyo Miyu Ebina [30]
Rinka, Kabukicho Defence lawyer Rinka Misuzu Leading role [31]
2021 Reach Beyond the Blue Sky Ayako Okuma (Wife of Ōkuma Shigenobu) [32]
2023 The Crimes of Those Women Yuko Kameyama [33]
Shall We Have a Toast Anyway? Akebi Machi [34]
2024 Dear Radiance Fujiwara no Seishi [35]
La Grande Maison Tokyo Special Miyu Ebina [36]

Films (selected)

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2008 Double Trouble Ayaka Ohta [37]
2013 The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Princess Kaguya (voice) Leading role [8]
2015 Halloween Nightmare Saki Morinaka Leading role [38]
2018 Summer Blooms Hatsumi Takimoto Leading role [39]
2019 Whistleblower Yui Hamamoto [40]
2020 Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes Megumi [41]
2022 The Fish Tale Program assistant [42]
A Mother's Touch [43]

Books

Photo books

  • Morning Glories (10 Feb 2010, Wani Books, photo by Yuki Nishida) ISBN 978-4-8470-4237-9[44]

References

  1. ^ "プロフィール詳細". talent-databank (in Japanese). Talent-Databank Co., Ltd. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "朝倉あき". oricon (in Japanese). October 20, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "朝倉あき". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  4. ^ "朝倉あき". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  5. ^ "朝倉あき：インタビュー・下　活動休止期間に考えたこと…高畑監督との思い出も語る". mantan (in Japanese). May 4, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  6. ^ "朝倉あき：6000人と"てっぱんダンス"で感動「流行語大賞に」　NHK朝ドラオープニング". mantan (in Japanese). December 10, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  7. ^ "『かぐや姫の物語』朝倉あき、高畑監督の台本に感激 込められた思いに「身震いした」". oricon (in Japanese). November 21, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "「かぐや姫の物語」に抜てきの朝倉あき、起用理由は「ワガママな声」". eiga.com (in Japanese). November 23, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  9. ^ "かぐや姫役の朝倉あき「オーディションでダメだと思い、泣いて帰った」と激白". moviewalker (in Japanese). November 18, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "朝倉あき　契約満了のお知らせ". Toho Entertainment (in Japanese). April 5, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  11. ^ "インタビュー　活動休止期間に考えたこと…高畑監督との思い出も語る". mainichi (in Japanese). May 4, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  12. ^ "女優復帰の朝倉あき、実写映画初主演で「少しテンション上がっています」". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  13. ^ "39th Moscow International Film Festival". unijapan. July 3, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "モスクワ国際映画祭W受賞、朝倉あき主演『四月の永い夢』5月12日(土)より全国順次公開！新ポスター＆予告編映像解禁". anemo (in Japanese). Assort Co, Ltd. February 8, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  15. ^ "朝倉あきが体調不良で舞台降板　代わって花乃まりあが出演「フローズン・ビーチ」で". daily (in Japanese). June 20, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "朝倉あき". crank-in (in Japanese). Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  17. ^ "朝倉あき「女の子が考え直す作品です」". oricon (in Japanese). August 12, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "NHK大阪放送局開局80年ドラマ 帽子（2008）". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  19. ^ "朝倉あき「書道に夢中になってしまいました」 - ドラマ『とめはねっ!～』". mynavi (in Japanese). July 23, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  20. ^ "NHK次期朝ドラ『てっぱん』追加キャスト17名発表 安田成美が『春よ、来い』以来2度目の朝ドラ出演". oricon (in Japanese). May 12, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  21. ^ "大河ドラマ 江〜姫たちの戦国（2011）". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  22. ^ "朝ドラ『純と愛』後半戦も問題山積み 余貴美子、石倉三郎らが参戦". oricon (in Japanese). November 7, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  23. ^ "朝倉あき、『下町ロケット』で女性エンジニア役 主要登場人物をおさらい". oricon (in Japanese). November 22, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  24. ^ "朝倉あき「下町ロケット」は「仕事の指針」紅一点の技術者好演　好きなタイプは佃社長？意外や…". sponichi (in Japanese). November 11, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  25. ^ "『おんな城主 直虎』新キャスト 本多忠勝役に高嶋政宏、本多正信役は六角精児". oricon (in Japanese). July 2, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  26. ^ "ドラマ特別企画 西村京太郎サスペンス 十津川警部シリーズ5". TBS Television (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  27. ^ "西村京太郎サスペンス 十津川警部シリーズ6「日光・恋と裏切りの鬼怒川」(内藤剛志主演)". TBS Television (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  28. ^ "西村京太郎サスペンス 十津川警部シリーズ7「浜名湖殺人ルート」(内藤剛志主演)". TBS Television (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  29. ^ "ドラマ特別企画 西村京太郎サスペンス「十津川警部シリーズ8」外房線に消えた女〜十津川の初恋〜". TBS Television (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  30. ^ "木村拓哉主演『グランメゾン東京』追加キャスト発表 玉森裕太の婚約者役に朝倉あき". oricon (in Japanese). September 23, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "清純派・朝倉あきがボディコンスーツ姿で歌舞伎町を闊歩!?「これを着ないと戦えない」". TV guide web (in Japanese). TV Guide. April 13, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  32. ^ "「青天を衝け」大隈綾子役の朝倉あきを視聴者絶賛「日本髪＆和服似合う」「のちに松坂慶子になるんだな」". iza.ne.jp (in Japanese). The Sankei Shimbun. September 27, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  33. ^ "深川麻衣の主演ドラマ「彼女たちの犯罪」に毎熊克哉、さとうほなみ、野間口徹が参加". natalie (in Japanese). June 19, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  34. ^ "白石聖が合コン通じて青春取り戻す！朝倉あき、北野日奈子との共演ドラマ3月スタート". natalie (in Japanese). January 18, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  35. ^ "「光る君へ」新キャラ続々 　居貞親王・木村達成が初登場！妻役・朝倉あき「2年越しの夢」都の動きも注目". sponichi (in Japanese). June 9, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  36. ^ "木村拓哉主演のスペシャルドラマ「グランメゾン東京」放送日決定、ゲストは窪田正孝・北村一輝". natalie (in Japanese). October 16, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  37. ^ "歓喜の歌". moviewalkerplus (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  38. ^ "朝倉あき「かぐや姫の物語」以来２年ぶり映画主演". nikkan (in Japanese). September 12, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  39. ^ "『四月の永い夢』朝倉あき×中川龍太郎監督が語る、同世代としての共感　「離れていることが美しい」". realsound (in Japanese). May 11, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  40. ^ "『七つの会議』紅一点の女性社員役・朝倉あきに注目". cinematoday (in Japanese). February 11, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  41. ^ "土佐和成×朝倉あき 2分の壁に挑んだ"時間SF"映画『ドロステのはてで僕ら』". asahi.com (in Japanese). July 21, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  42. ^ "のん主演「さかなのこ」"すっギョい人生"を彩る仲間たち発表！　場面写真も一挙披露". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  43. ^ "小雪、12年ぶり主演映画『桜色の風が咲く』11月公開　盲ろう者を演じる田中偉登の母役に". realsound (in Japanese). September 1, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  44. ^ "朝倉あき写真集『朝顔』". wani books (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2024.