Sayaka Akimoto
Sayaka Akimoto 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. She also provides the Japanese dub for Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Career
Family and early career
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. Her solo book of photographs is entitled Ari no Mama. On June 26, 2014, Akimoto was appointed as the Goodwill Philippine Tourism Ambassador to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination in Japan. 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"2006–2013: AKB48 member
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 but after completing the Tokyo Marathon in 2011, she was reappointed the position. 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.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, and her final stage performance was held on August 28 at the AKB48 Theater, and has been streamed live by Nico Nico Namahousou.
2014–present: Solo career
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.
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~".
Akimoto was a co-host for Team Japan in the reality competition show Ultimate Beastmaster which was released on Netflix on February 24, 2017.
Personal life
On July 27, 2020, Akimoto married music producer and singer. She gave birth to their first child on October 4, 2023.Discography
With AKB48
Singles
| Year | No. | Title | Role | 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" |
| 2007 | 3 | "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō" | A-side | |
| 2007 | 4 | "Bingo!" | A-side | Also sang on "Only Today" |
| 2007 | 5 | "Boku no Taiyō" | A-side | Also sang on "Mirai no Kajitsu". |
| 2008 | 7 | "Romance, Irane" | A-side | Also sang on "Ai no moufu". |
| 2008 | 8 | "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" | A-side | |
| 2008 | 9 | "Baby! Baby! Baby!" | A-side | |
| 2008 | 10 | "Ōgoe Diamond" | A-side | Also sang on "109". |
| 2009 | 11 | "10nen Sakura" | A-side | |
| 2009 | 13 | "Iiwake Maybe" | A-side | Ranked 12th in 2009 General Election. |
| 2009 | 14 | "River" | A-side | |
| 2010 | 15 | "Sakura no Shiori" | A-side | Also sang on "Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll". |
| 2010 | 16 | "Ponytail to Shushu" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nusumareta Kuchibiru" as Under Girls; and "Majijo Teppen Blues" |
| 2010 | 17 | "Heavy Rotation" | A-side, Yasai Sisters | Ranked 17th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters". |
| 2010 | 18 | "Beginner" | Diva | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nakeru Basho" as Diva. |
| 2010 | 19 | "Chance no Junban" | B-side | Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. 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. |
| 2011 | -- | "Dareka no Tame ni - What can I do for someone?" | -- | Charity single |
| 2011 | 21 | "Everyday, Katyusha" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Yankee Soul". |
| 2011 | 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. |
| 2011 | 23 | "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" | Under Girls Yurigumi | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Gondola Lift" as Under Girls Yurigumi. |
| 2011 | 24 | "Ue kara Mariko" | A-side | Lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament; She sang on "Zero-sum Taiyō" as Team K. |
| 2012 | 25 | "Give Me Five!" | Special Girls B | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Hitsujikai no Tabi" as Special Girls B. |
| 2012 | 26 | "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" | Special Girls | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Mitsu no Namida" as Special Girls. |
| 2012 | 27 | "Gingham Check" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Ranked 20th in 2012 General Election. She sang on "Nante Bohemian" as Under Girls. |
| 2012 | 28 | "Uza" | New Team K | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Scrap & Build" as New Team K. |
| 2012 | 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. |
| 2013 | 31 | "Sayonara Crawl" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "How Come?" as Team K. |
| 2014 | 36 | "Labrador Retriever" | B-side | Did not participate in title song. Participated in "Kyō made no Melody" as graduated member. |
Singles with SKE48
Stage units
;Team K 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaru yo"- Skirt, Hirari
- Hoshi no Ondo
- Blue Rose
- Fushidara na Natsu
- Kimi wa Pegasus
- Himawari
- Confession
- Return Match
- Mushi no Ballad
- Ashita no Tame ni Kiss o
- Anata to Christmas Eve
- Yuuwaku no Garter
With Diva
- "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
Films
Television dramas
Stage plays
| Year | English title | Japanese title | Role | |
| 2008 | Oishii Timing | おいしいタイミング | ||
| 2010 | Space Wars | スペース・ウォーズ | ||
| 2010 | Act Izumi Kyoka | 音楽劇 「ACT泉鏡花」 | Tomohime | |
| 2012 | Roman Holiday | ローマの休日 | Ann Princess | |
| 2014 | Kokumin no Eiga | 国民の映画 | Elsa Veesenmayer | |
| 2018 | Japan's History | 日本の歴史 |