Kou Shibasaki

Kou Shibasaki (柴咲 コウ), born on August 5, 1981 in Toshima, Tokyo, is a Japanese singer and actress.
Birth name: Yukie Yamamura (山村幸恵?)[1] [2]
Born: August 5, 1981 (age 27)
Origin: Toshima, Tokyo, Japan
Genre(s): Japanese pop
Occupation(s): Singer and actress
Instrument(s): Vocals
Years active: 2000–present
Label(s): Universal Music Group Japan
Website: Official Kou Shibasaki Universal Music site
Music careerShibasaki made her debut in the music industry in 2002 with her first single Trust My Feelings, but she became recognised for her second single Tsuki no shizuku which was used for the movie Yomigaeri. The song was one of the most successful J-Pop hits of 2003. Her first album peaked at number 2 and spent 68 weeks on the Oricon charts. Her second album was considered to be a commercial disappointment compared to her first album, lasting 9 weeks and reaching a peak position of #5.[1]
Shibasaki's first Christmas song, "Actuality", was released in December 2006. "At Home" was released later on February 21, 2007. Both failed to reach the top 10 on the Oricon charts. "Hito Koi Meguri", released on March 28, 2007, reached number 8 on the charts. It became her first single to reach the top 10 since "Invitation". On April 25, 2007, Shibasaki's third album Kiki♥ was released and went straight to number one. On August 3 and 5, Shibasaki held her first concerts - "Kou Shibasaki Premium Live" in Osaka and Tokyo. 2400 participants of the concert were selected from over 30,000 applicants for the tickets (which accompanied the KiKi album).
In April 2008, the singer released two greatest hits albums, entitled The Single Best and The Back Best, each contained various tracks from the past. The Single Best topped the Oricon while The Back Best kept third, this broke Shibasaki's own record for it was her first time to reach top 1 on the weekly chart. In addition to that, she broke the record of Ayumi Hamasaki for maintaining both albums in top 3.
Though unable to compose music, Kou Shibasaki writes the lyrics for most of her songs. Many of her singles have become theme songs for various films, dramas, and commercials.
Acting CareerShe was discovered at the age of 14 by an agent and has worked in numerous television shows, movies and commercials. Her stage name is taken from the main character of Junko Kawakami's manga Golden Delicious Apple Sherbet.
She became famous outside Japan for her role in the controversial 2000 film, Battle Royale, where she portrayed the cold-hearted and ruthless Mitsuko Souma; her acting career took off with this movie and also raised her international profile particularly in East Asia. Shibasaki also won acclaim for her role in 2001 film, Go, which earned her several awards, among which the Best Supporting Actress Award of Japanese Academy, the Hōchi Movie Award, the Kinema Junpō Award.
In 2002, Shibasaki took a supporting role as Yuki Mazashita in the television mystery drama, Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi, where she co-starred with Takuya Kimura earning her an award as "Best Supporting Actress" while the show was named Best Drama at the 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards (Japan). She also starred in both seasons of Fuji TV drama, Dr. Koto Shinryojo, which aired in 2003 and 2006 respectively. The show was awarded Best Drama at the 38th Television Drama Academy Awards for its first season.
In 2005, Shibasaki appeared in the independent Japanese film, Mazon Do Himiko. In this film, she plays Saori, an unhappy young woman whose father is gay. Saori meets her father's boyfriend who urges her to come and meet her dying father at a place called Maison Do Himiko where several aging gay men live together. In 2006, she took the role of Dororo in the Japanese film, Dororo along with Satoshi Tsumabuki (her co-star from the 2004 television drama, Orange Days). The film made a sensation in Japan, and topped the box office for nearly six weeks. Shibasaki participated in two more movies in 2007: Maiko Haaaan!!! and Shaolin Girl, scheduled to be screened in 2008.
Shibasaki returned to television in 2007 in Galileo as the female lead co-starring with Masaharu Fukuyama. Highly rated among viewers (it finished its 10 episode run with an average viewership rating of 22%), the role continued her winning run in the medium when she won "Best Supporting Actress" at the 55th Television Drama Academy Awards. The show also won 5 other awards, including "Best Drama".
Other EndeavorsOther than acting and singing, Shibasaki has advertised numerous products such as Epson printers, Glico Pocky's, Daihatsu vehicles, as well as Volvic mineral water from France.
Movies2000 - Battle Royale as Mitsuko Souma
2001 - Kakashi as Izumi Miyamori
2001 - Go as Tsubaki Sakurai
2002 - Soundtrack as Misa
2003 - Yomigaeri as RUI
2003 - One Missed Call as Yumi
2004 - Chakushin Ari as Yumi Nakamura
2004 - Sekai no Chūshin de, Ai wo Sakebu as Ritsuko Fujimura
2005 - Maison de Himiko as Saori
2006 - Hokuto no Ken: Raoh Gaiden Junai no Shō as Reina
2006 - Kenchō no Hoshi as Aki Ninomiya
2006 - Nihon Chinbotsu as Akiko Abe
2007 - Dororo as Dororo
2007 - Maiko Haaaan!!! as Fujiko Osawa
2008 - Shaolin Girl as Rin
2008 - Winter as Kadee (Wife)
2008 - Dororo II as Dororo
2008 - Yōgisya X no Kenshin as Kaoru Utsumi
Television2000 - Face ~ Mishiranu Koibito~ as Mako Okuno
2001 - Let's Go - Nagata-cho
2002 - Yume no California as Kotomi Oba
2002 - Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi as Yuki Mizashita
2002 - Good Luck!! as Ayumi Ogawa
2003 - Dr. Koto Shinryoujo as Ayaka Hoshino
2004 - Orange Days as Sae Hagio
2006 - Dr. Koto Shinryoujo (second season) as Ayaka Hoshino
2007 - Galileo Detective as Kaoru Utsumi
DiscographyKou Shibasaki has sold over 4 million singles combined.[2]
AlbumsMitsu (蜜?) – February 11, 2004 #2 (409,647 copies sold)
Hitori Asobi (ひとりあそび?) – December 14, 2005 #4 (113,063 copies sold)
Kiki♥ (嬉々♥?) – April 25, 2007 #3 (119,975 copies sold)
"Single Best" – March 12, 2008 #1 (519,055 copies sold)
"The Back Best" – March 12, 2008 #3 (67,879 copies sold)
Singles"Trust My Feelings" – July 24, 2002
"Tsuki no Shizuku" (月のしずく?) (as Rui) – January 15, 2003
"Nemurenai Yoru wa Nemuranai Yume wo" (眠レナイ夜ハ眠ラナイ夢ヲ?) – June 4, 2003
"Omoide Dake dewa Tsurasugiru" (思い出だけではつらすぎる?) – September 3, 2003
"Ikutsuka no Sora" (いくつかの空?) – January 14, 2004
"Katachi Aru Mono" (かたちあるもの?) – August 11, 2004
"Glitter" – February 16, 2005
"Sweet Mom" – October 5, 2005
"Kage" (影?) – February 15, 2006
"Invitation" – August 9, 2006
"Actuality" – December 6, 2006
"At Home" – February 21, 2007
"Hitokoi Meguri" (ひと恋めぐり?) – March 28, 2007
"Prism" (プリズム?) – May 30, 2007
"KISS Shite" (KISSして?) (as KOH+; collaboration with Fukuyama Masaharu) – November 21, 2007
"Yoku Aru Hanashi - Mofuku no Onna Hen" (よくある話~喪服の女編~?) – June 4, 2008
DVD's"Kou Shibasaki Single Clips" – February 11, 2004
"Kou Shibasaki Invitation Live" – October 31, 2007