Yū Aoi

Yu Aoi (蒼井 優, Aoi Yū, born August 17, 1985) is a Japanese actress and model. She made her film debut as Shiori Tsuda in Shunji Iwai's 2001 film All About Lily Chou-Chou. She subsequently portrayed Tetsuko Arisugawa in Hana and Alice (2004), also directed by Iwai, Kimiko Tanigawa in the hula dancing film Hula Girls and Hagumi Hanamoto in the 2006 live-action adaptation of the Honey and Clover manga series.

Yū Aoi
蒼井 優
Aoi at the 2017 Tokyo International Film Festival
Born	Yū Natsui (1985-08-17) August 17, 1985 (age 39) Kasuga, Fukuoka, Japan
Other names	Yu Yamasato (After marriage)
Occupations	Actress model
Years active	1999–present
Agent	Itoh Co.
Spouse	Ryota Yamasato ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1
Website	www.itoh-c.com/artist/aoi/

She has won numerous awards for her performances on screen, including the Japan Academy Prize and Kinema Junpo Awards for best supporting actress in 2007 for Hula Girls and Rookie of the Year for continued performances in the field of Films in Media and Fine Arts by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan in 2009.^[1]

Early life

Aoi was born on August 17, 1985, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. She moved to Tokyo in junior high school and lived in Kasai, Edogawa ward.^[2]

Career

Early career

Yu Aoi made her stage debut as Polly in the 1999 rendition of Annie, followed by her appearance as a regular on TV Tokyo's Oha Suta (The Super Kids Station) in 2000. A year later, she debuted in Shunji Iwai's All About Lily Chou-Chou playing Shiori Tsuda alongside Hayato Ichihara, Shugo Oshinari, Miwako Ichikawa, and Ayumi Ito. Aoi would later work in Ao to Shiro de Mizuiro and Gaichu with friend Aoi Miyazaki. With her first roles on the small and big screen came TV commercials and endorsements for Sony, Yamaha, DoCoMo, Toshiba and Coca-Cola.

In 2003, commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kit Kat in Japan, Shunji Iwai shot a series of short films starring Yu Aoi and Anne Suzuki, which later was expanded into the feature film called Hana & Alice, which earned Aoi the Best Actress award at the Japanese Professional Movie Award.^[3]

2005–2007

In 2005, Aoi played her first lead on the big screen in Letters from Kanai Nirai, which was sold in Korea with the alternate title of Aoi Yu's Letter due to her popularity. She also had supporting roles in the Satoshi Miki film Turtles Swim Faster than Expected starring Juri Ueno, and Yamato with Shido Nakamura and Kenichi Matsuyama. This supporting role would earn her one of her double-nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the 2007 Japanese Academy Award.^[4] She won against herself for her work as Kimiko Tanikawa in the Japanese hit Hula Girls, which was sent to the Academy Awards as the Japanese official selection that year.

To this date, her role as the hula dancing girl from small town Iwaki remains her most successful role yet, earning her a dozen awards as Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress,^[5] alongside her other smaller roles that year as Hagu in Honey & Clover, and Kana Sato in the Shunji-Iwai-produced and Nirai-Kanai-directed Rainbow Song. Aoi also lent her voice to play Shiro in the animated film Tekkon Kinkreet, the adaptation to the Taiyō Matsumoto manga, Black and White, directed by Michael Arias.

During these years, she made commercials for Nintendo, Canon, Shiseido Cosmetics, Shueisha Publishing, Kirin Beverage and continued endorsing DoCoMo. Aoi also released two photobooks with Yoko Takahashi as photographer, and distributed by Rockin'on: Travel Sand in 2005 and Dandelion in 2007.

In 2007, she participated in the live-action adaptation of the manga series Mushishi alongside Joe Odagiri, as well as WOWOW's Don't Laugh at My Romance, Welcome to the Quiet Room with Yuki Uchida, and going back to the stage to play Desdemona in a rendition of Shakespeare's Othello. For these last two roles, Aoi lost 7 kg for her role as eating disorder patient, Miki.^{[citation needed]}

2008–present

Yu Aoi at the LG exhibition fair in 2009

Aoi began 2008 with the release of Don't Laugh at My Romance, which earned her a nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the Asian Film Awards 2009. She appeared in the experimental drama Camouflage (aka. Aoi Yu x 4 Lies), in which she collaborated with four different directors exploring the theme of lies. The series lasted for 12 episodes, and included work with Ryō Kase, Yoichi Nukumizu, Shoko Ikezu, Nobuhiro Yamashita, and Yuki Tanada.

A couple of months later, NTV signed Aoi to play her first TV leading role as Handa Sen in the live-action adaptation of Shota Kikuchi's manga series Osen, which aired until the end of June with ten episodes.

Next, Aoi released One Million Yen Girl written and directed by Camouflage director Yuki Tanada, and also released by WOWOW. This was her latest leading film role since Nirai Kanai in 2005. She briefly participated in the Japanese World-War-II-jury-themed film Best Wishes for Tomorrow, as well as the international Tokyo! - a three-short-film collection by Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Bong Joon Ho.

In 2009, The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan named Yu Aoi Rookie of the Year in the field of Films in Media and Fine Arts, citing her work in her film debut in All About Lily Chou Chou, until her work in One Million Yen Girl. Later that year, Aoi provided the voice of Ikechan in the film Ikechan and Me, a live-action adaptation of the picture book of the same name by Rieko Saibara, as well as playing supporting roles in Honokaa Boy and Yoji Yamada's Ototo. The following year Aoi starred in Ryūichi Hiroki's 2010 film The Lightning Tree.^[6] She later appeared in Vampire,^[7] Rurouni Kenshin,^[8] and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2012 television drama Penance.^[9]

Personal life

Aoi married comedian Ryota Yamasato on June 3, 2019.^[10] On February 10, 2022, they announced that she was pregnant with their first child and due in the summer.^[11] On August 10, 2022, Yamasato revealed that Aoi had given birth to their daughter.^[12]

Filmography

Movies

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2001	All About Lily Chou-Chou	Shiori Tsuda		[13]
2002	Kinema Tōri no Hitobito	Hikari
	Harmful Insect	Natsuko Yamaoka		[14]
	Hashire! Kettamashin: Wedding Kyosō Kyoku	Lead	Musical
2003	Worst by Chance	Harada's girlfriend
	1980	Rika Hashiba
2004	Hana and Alice	Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa	Lead role
	Mask de 41	Haruka Kuramochi
	Sea Cat	Miya Noda
2005	Tetsujin 28: The Movie	Mami Tachibana
	Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected	Kujaku Ogitani
	Letters from Nirai Kanai	Fuki Asato	Lead role
	Shining Boy & Little Randy	Emi Murakami
	Henshin	Kei Hamura
	Jukai	Harumi
	Yamato	Taeko
2006	Honey and Clover	Hagumi Hanamoto
	Hula Girls	Kimiko Tanikawa
	Tekkon Kinkreet	White (voice)
	Rainbow Song	Kana Sato
	Sugar and Spice		Cameo
2007	Mushishi	Tanyu
	Welcome to the Quiet Room	Miki
2008	Sex Is No Laughing Matter	En-Chan
	Best Wishes for Tomorrow	Kazuko Moribe
	One Million Yen Girl	Suzuko Sato	Lead role
	Tokyo!	Pizza delivery girl	Segment Shaking Tokyo
2009	Honokaa Boy	Kaoru
	Good Bye, My Secret Friend	Ikechan (voice)
2010	About Her Brother	Koharu Takano
	Flowers	Rin	Lead role
	The Lightning Tree	Yū	Lead role
	Redline	Sonoshee (voice)
2011	Patisserie Coin de rue	Natsume Usuba	Lead role
	Vampire	Mina
	By Chance	Traveler	Lead role
2012	Fukushima Hula Girls	Narration
	Rurouni Kenshin	Megumi Takani
2013	Tokyo Family	Noriko Mamiya
	Space Pirate Captain Harlock	Miime (voice)
2014	Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno	Megumi Takani
	Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends	Megumi Takani
	Climbing to Spring	Ai Takazawa		[15]
2015	The Case of Hana & Alice	Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa (voice)	Lead role	[16]
	Journey to the Shore	Tomoko
2016	Over the Fence	Satoshi Tamura		[17]
	Japanese Girls Never Die	Haruko Azumi	Lead role
	What a Wonderful Family!	Noriko Mamiya
2017	What a Wonderful Family! 2	Noriko Hirata
	Tokyo Ghoul	Rize Kamishiro
	Mixed Doubles	Yo		[18]
	Birds Without Names	Towako	Lead role	[19]
2018	What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life	Noriko Hirata		[20]
	Penguin Highway	Lady (voice)		[21]
	Killing	Yū		[22]
2019	Miyamoto	Yasuko Nakano		[23]
	A Long Goodbye	Fumi Higashi	Lead role	[24]
	Children of the Sea	Ruka's mother (voice)		[25]
	They Say Nothing Stays the Same	A geisha		[26]
2020	Romance Doll	Sonoko	Lead role	[27]
	Ora, Ora Be Goin' Alone	Young Momoko		[28]
	Wife of a Spy	Satoko Fukuhara	Lead role	[29]
2021	Rurouni Kenshin: The Final	Megumi Takani		[30]
2022	Dr. Coto's Clinic 2022	Mina Nakai	Cameo	[31]
2023	Sylvanian Families the Movie: A Gift from Freya	Teri Chocolate (voice)		[32]
2025	Anpanman: Chapon's Hero!	Chapon (voice)		[33]

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2001	Ao to Shiro to Mizuiro	Kimiko Shiina	TV movie
2002	Ukiwa - Shōnen-tachi no Natsu	Miyuki Yamashita	TV movie
	Shin Zukkoke Sanningumi	Megumi
2003	High School Teacher	Mami Ezawa		[34]
	Engimono	Koyomi	Mini-series
	14 Months	17-year-old Yūko Igarashi
2004	Ichiban Taisetsu na Dēto Tokyo no Sora- Shanghai no Yume	Kaori
	Yo ni mo Kimyō na Monogatari: Kako kara no Nikki	Yurie Kotajima	Short drama
	Nanako and Nanao: The Day They Became Sister and Brother	Nanako	Lead role; TV movie
2005	Tiger & Dragon	Risa
	Twenty-Four Eyes	Kotoe Katagiri	TV movie
2006	Dr. Coto's Clinic 2006	Mina Nakai		[31]
2008	Camouflage	Chika / Makoto/ Umeko / Suzuko	Lead role
	Osen	Sen Handa	Lead role
2010	Ryōmaden	Omoto	Taiga drama	[35]
2012	Penance	Sae Kikuchi	Mini-series
2013	Galileo Season 2	Atsuko Kanbara	Episode 8
	Mottomo Tooi Ginga	Akane	Mini-series
2014	Mozu Season 2	Shiori Nanami
	All About My Siblings	Azusa
2015	Stitch! Perfect Memory	Tila-3000 (voice)	TV special	[36]
2017	Dr. Rintarō	Yumeno		[37]
	Hello, Detective Hedgehog	Setsuko Kawai		[38]
2018	Miyamoto kara Kimi e	Yasuko Nakano		[39]
2020	Wife of a Spy	Satoko Fukuhara	Lead role; TV movie	[40]
2021	Shikatanakatta to Iute wa Ikan no desu	Fusako Torii	TV movie	[41]
2023	Boogie Woogie	Reiko Yamato	Asadora	[42]
2025	Asura	Takiko	Lead role	[43]
TBA	The Human Vapor		Lead role	[44]

Stage

• Zipang Punk: Goemon Rock III (2014), Silver Cat Eyes

Awards and nominations

Aoi receiving the New Artist Award from the Arts Encouragement Prize in 2019

Year	Award	Category	Work(s)	Result
2005	14th Japan Film Professional Awards	Best Actress	Hana and Alice	Won
2006	31st Hochi Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Hula Girls, Honey and Clover	Won
	19th Nikkan Sports Film Awards[45]	Best Newcomer	Hula Girls	Won
2007	26th Zenkoku Eiren Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Won
	31st Elan d'or Awards	Newcomer of the Year	Herself	Won
	61st Mainichi Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Hula Girls, Rainbow Song, Honey and Clover	Won
	80th Kinema Junpo Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Won
	49th Blue Ribbon Awards	Best Actress	Hula Girls, Honey and Clover	Won
	28th Yokohama Film Festival	Best Actress		Won
	30th Japan Academy Film Prize	Best Supporting Actress	Hula Girls	Won
			Yamato	Nominated
		Newcomer of the Year	Hula Girls	Won
2009	3rd Asian Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Don't Laugh at My Romance	Nominated
2010	35th Hochi Film Awards	Best Actress	The Lightning Tree	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress	About Her Brother	Nominated
	23rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards[45]	Best Supporting Actress		Won
2011	34th Japan Academy Film Prize	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
	5th Asian Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
2014	37th Japan Academy Film Prize	Best Supporting Actress	Tokyo Family	Nominated
	8th Asian Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
2017	42nd Hochi Film Awards	Best Actress	Birds Without Names	Won
	30th Nikkan Sports Film Awards[45]	Best Actress		Won
2018	39th Yokohama Film Festival	Best Actress		Won
	60th Blue Ribbon Awards	Best Actress		Nominated
	41st Japan Academy Film Prize	Best Actress		Won
	91st Kinema Junpo Awards	Best Actress		Won
	12th Osaka Cinema Festival	Best Actress		Won
	12th Asian Film Awards	Best Actress		Nominated
2019	44th Hochi Film Awards	Best Actress	A Long Goodbye	Nominated
	32nd Nikkan Sports Film Awards	Best Actress	A Long Goodbye, Miyamoto	Nominated
2020	Elle Cinema Awards 2020[46]	Elle Best Actress	Wife of a Spy and others	Won
	74th Mainichi Film Awards	Best Actress	Miyamoto	Nominated
		Kinuyo Tanaka Award	Herself	Nominated
	62nd Blue Ribbon Awards	Best Actress	A Long Goodbye	Nominated
	45th Hochi Film Awards	Best Actress	Wife of a Spy	Nominated
	33rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards	Best Actress		Nominated
2021	40th Zenkoku Eiren Awards	Best Actress		Won
	75th Mainichi Film Awards	Best Actress		Nominated
	63rd Blue Ribbon Awards[47]	Best Actress		Nominated
	15th Asian Film Awards[48]	Best Actress		Won

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External links

• Official website
• Yū Aoi at IMDb
• Yū Aoi at the Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese)