After her passionate portrayal of a high school student with Gender Identity Disorder in the 6th series of the long-running classroom drama Kinpachi sensei, "3-nen B-Gumi Kinpachi Sensei 6" (2001), endeared her to the Japanese nation, she was able to pursue a solo music career with her first single, "Pureness", released in August 2002. It was this performance that also convinced cult movie director Ryohei Kitamura to cast her in the title role of Azumi (2003).
With the film's release date coinciding with the sale of her debut album "AYAUETO" in the spring of 2003, Aya was set for super-stardom. Her famous smile has since earned her increasing numbers of commercial contracts and magazine covers - all-important exposure for any idol - combined with starring roles in a number of popular television dramas have meant she is rarely out of the limelight and has cemented her position as one of Japan's top entertainers.
She has been married to Hiroyuki Igarashi (HIRO of EXILE) since September 14, 2012. Their first daughter was born on August 19, 2015. On July 27, 2019, the birth of their second child, a boy, was announced. On Jun 23, 2023, the birth of their third child, a boy, was announced.", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/4rQw6_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yamaguchi Sayaka", "alternateName": "山口紗弥加", "birthDate": "February 14, 1980", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Yamaguchi Sayaka is a Japanese actress born in Fukuoka, Japan.", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/6J12O_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mukai Osamu", "alternateName": "向井理", "birthDate": "February 7, 1982", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Mukai Osamu is a Japanese actor. He graduated from Meiji University and majored in genetic engineering. While he was attending university, he worked as a bartender. He became a full-time employee there after graduation, and he became a manager later. While working as a bartender, he got into the magazine Tokyo Graffiti. A reader later recruited him to be an actor. Mukai's first main role was in the 2006 Japanese television drama Nodame Cantabile.
He has been married to Ryoko Kuninaka since December 28, 2014. They welcomed their first child, a son, in September of 2015. On September 25, 2017 they announced that they are expecting their second child.", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/q5oW2_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oizumi Yo", "alternateName": "大泉洋", "birthDate": "April 3, 1973", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Oizumi Yo, born on April 3, 1973, is a TV personality and a stage actor based in Hokkaido. He was born in Ebetsu and has been living in Sapporo since 1984.
He first made a name in Hokkaido-based TV variety series called "Suiyo Doudeshou" (How do you like Wednesday) and has been actively appearing on various media programs in Hokkaidō since then. He is also a member of a 5-piece drama group called TEAM-NACS formed when they were at Hokkai Gakuen university. TEAM-NACS had run their first national tour with their 11th original play called "COMPOSER" during spring and summer in 2005, and are now preparing for the 12th one called "HORNOR" performances in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo; opening at The Galaxy Theatre in Tokyo on March 9, 2007 and closing at Dorshin Hall at Sapporo on May 13, 2007. In 2007, he provided the voice of Professor Hershel Layton in the puzzle video game Professor Layton and the Curious Village as well as its sequels and movie.
Along with increasing popularity of "Suiyo Doudeshou" (How do you like Wednesday) and TEAM-NACS not only within Hokkaido but throughout Japan over the past years, he has been expanding his works in various fields by appearing on nationwide TV dramas and films, doing character voices on animated films and releasing CDs as a singer. In addition to voices, he is also an accomplished writer and painter.
He calls his fans "Koneko chan tachi", which means kittens in Japanese, although he doesn't like cats.
On May 30th, 2011, he became the father of a baby girl. On his website he jokes saying, "Today I successfully became a father!" (Source: Wikipedia)", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/0k6ze_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nakayama Megumi", "alternateName": "中山恵", "birthDate": "October 16, 1980", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Born on October 16, 1980 and raised in Toyama, Megumi Nakayama is a Japanese actress and a fashion model. Hailed from the Oscar Promotions, a Talent Agency that discovered her, she has appeared in numerous photoshoots in all media. Appearing in movies, TV shows, fashion mags , swimsuit and lingerie exhibits. This media icon loves to do magic tricks during spare time.
[Weirdasiannews]", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/6D3rP_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tomosaka Rie", "alternateName": "ともさかりえ", "birthDate": "October 12, 1979", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Tomosaka Rie is a Japanese actress and pop star from Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, born on October 12, 1979, in Nagano-shi, Nagano. She works for Itoh Company. From 1996 to 1997, she has also released music under the name Eri Sakatomo.
In 1992, Rie Tomosaka joined the entertainment world with the commercial film of "ESTIMA" of Toyota Motor Corporation, and she also began her career as an actress with the NHK TV drama, Kora, Nanba Shiyotto in the same year. In 1993, she came into the limelight in Subarashikikana Jinsei of Fuji TV. In 1995, she came to be known widely at the people because Kintaichi Shonen no Jikenbo, the manga-based popular TV mystery series, in which she co-starred with Domoto Tsuyoshi gained popular extremely. But, Domoto is a popular idol in Japan, so she was envied intensely by his fans.
In 1996, she also made her debut as a singer by "Escalation", and released "Kusyami" in succession. Moreover, she released "Sukini nattara KIRIN LEMON" which was the theme song of a carbonated drink which Kirin Beverage of the subsidiary of Kirin Brewery Company releases and "Docchidemo IN" which was the theme song of camera "AXIA" which Fuji Film released in the name of "Sakatomo Eri" which is a logogriph of Tomosaka Rie from 1996 to 1997.
Tomosaka released eleven singles as a vocalist, often backed by members of Yokohama horn band Big Horns Bee, who toured with her. Her singles "Cappuccino" (1999) and "Shoujo Robot" (2000) were written and produced by her friend Shina Ringo, who also provided piano and the rhythm section from her own band. Four other Ringo songs were also recorded in these sessions ("Mokuren no Cream," "Shampoo," "Ikenai Ko" and "Nihon ni Umarete"), subsequently released as b-sides and album cuts. Ringo also adds chattering to the song "Good For Us" on Tomosaka's album "Murasaki."
"Prime Colors" (45 min., 1997) was a Tomosaka solo performance in twelve distinctive shorts released to VCD.
In 2000, she starred in the TV drama Kimiga Oshietekureta Koto for which Donna Williams’s Nobody Nowhere was adapted. She played a young autistic woman, the character being inspired by the works of autistic author Donna Williams. She played splendidly the difficult role which was considerably different from the active girl whom she played till then. She was highly praised by Donna about an autistic performance and was highly regarded by her talent as an actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress of the Drama Academy Award of "THE TELEVISION" and of the Drama Grand Prix of "Nikkan Sports".
In 2001, Her starring performance in the feature "Chloe" contributed to the film's win at the Berlin Film Festival that year.
She married actor and stage director Masahiko Kawahara in April 2003 and gave birth to a son in October 2004. They divorced at the end of 2008 and she currently raises the child on her own.
She met singer, song-writer, music producer Suneohair aka Kenji Watanabe after co-starring in the 2010 film "Aburakusasu no Matsuri" and married in June of 2011. They divorced in 2016.
(Source: Wikipedia)", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/kDYBk_5c.jpg" } ], "director": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ishikawa Junichi", "alternateName": "石川淳一", "birthDate": "December 31, 1971", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Ishikawa Junichi is a japanese director.
In 2012 he won two "Best Director" awards in the Television Drama Academy Awards on the dramas "Strawberry Night" and "Legal High".", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/wJ3zk8_5c.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sato Yuichi", "alternateName": "佐藤祐市", "birthDate": "August 18, 1962", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/23VjWc.jpg" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kitagawa Gaku", "alternateName": "北川学", "birthDate": "", "nationality": "Japanese", "description": "Kitagawa Gaku is a Japanese director.", "image": "https://i.hndrama.com/image/people/wRQBk_5c.jpg" } ]
}