Miki Nakatani

is a Japanese actress and singer. She began her career as a member of the girl group Sakurakko Club from 1991 to 1993, wherein she formed the duo Key West Club with member Keiko Azuma.

Nakatani focused on acting after her departure, making her debut on the popular television drama ''Under One Roof''. She relaunched her music career under the tutelage of producer Ryuichi Sakamoto in 1996, releasing three albums: '' Shokumotsu Rensa'' (1996), ''Cure'' (1997) and ''Shiseikatsu'' (1999). Her best known songs include "Mind Circus" and "Suna no Kajitsu", which peaked at number ten on the ''Oricon'' charts.

As an actress, Nakatani has received six Japan Academy Awards for her roles in ''When the Last Sword Is Drawn'' (2002)'', Memories of Matsuko'' (2006), and ''Zero Focus'' (2009), among others. She is most known internationally for her role as Mai Takano in the Japanese horror film franchise ''Ring''.

Biography

From 1998 to 1999, Nakatani starred in a trio of horror films – ''Ring'', ''Rasen'', and ''Ring 2'' – followed by a lead role in Hideo Nakata's ''Chaos'' in 2000. That same year, she reprised her television role as Jun Shibata in the mystery film ''Keizoku''.

In 2005, she co-starred in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's horror film ''Loft'' with Etsushi Toyokawa, and portrayed the love interest Hermes in ''Densha Otoko''.

For her performance in the title role of Matsuko Kawajiri in Tetsuya Nakashima's 2006 film ''Memories of Matsuko, s''he won the Best Actress award at the 31st Hochi Film Award, the Asian Film Award for Best Actress, and the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

Nakatani appeared in François Girard's ''Silk''. She co-starred in Isshin Inudo's ''Zero Focus'' with Ryōko Hirosue and Tae Kimura.

As a musician, she collaborated several times with famed composer Ryuichi Sakamoto from 1996 to 2001.

As a spokesperson and model, she has appeared in several promotion campaigns, including over 70 television commercials for Ito En's Oi Ocha green tea. Nakatani speaks Japanese, French, and English.

In 2018, Nakatani announced her marriage to German musician Thilo Fechner, a viola player with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Filmography

Film

* ''Berlin'' (1995) – Kyoko
* ''Daishitsuren'' (1995)
* ''Ring'' (1998) – Mai Takano
* '' Rasen'' (1998) – Mai Takano
* ''Ring 2'' (1999) – Mai Takano
* ''Chaos'' (2000) – Satomi Tsushima
* '' Keizoku'' (2000) – Jun Shibata
* ''When the Last Sword Is Drawn'' (2003) – Nui
* ''River of First Love'' (2004) – Satuki Kato
* '' The Hotel Venus'' (2004) – Wife
* '' Rikidozan'' (2004) – Aya
* ''Thirty Lies or So'' (2004) – Takarada
* '' Train Man'' (2005) – Hermes
* ''Loft'' (2005) – Reiko Hatuna
* ''Dead Run'' (2005) – Akane
* ''Memories of Matsuko'' (2006) – Matsuko Kawajiri
* ''Christmas on 24 July Avenue'' (2006) – Sayuri Honda
* ''Silk'' (2007) – Madame Blanche
* '' Happy Ever After'' (2007) – Yukie Morita
* ''Flavor of Happiness'' (2008) – Takako Yamashita
* ''Zero Focus'' (2009) – Sachiko
* '' Sweet Little Lies'' (2010)
* '' Hankyu Railways: A 15-Minute Miracle'' (2011) – Shoko
* '' Genji Monogatari: Sennen no Nazo'' (2011) – Shikibu Murasaki
* ''Himawari & Puppy's Seven Days'' (2013)
* ''Real'' (2013) – Eiko Aihara
* ''The Kiyosu Conference'' (2013) – Nene
* ''Ask This of Rikyu'' (2013) – Souon
* '' The World of Kanako'' (2014) – Rie Azuma
* '' A Stitch of Life'' (2015)
* ''First Gentleman'' (2021) – prime minister Rinko Sōma
* ''The Legend and Butterfly'' (2023) – Kagamino

Television

* '' Under One Roof'' (1993) – Aiko Mifune
* ''Oda Nobunaga'' (1998) – No-Hime
* '' Joi'' (1999)
* ''Woman Doctor'' (1999)
* '' Keizoku'' (1999) – Jun Shibata
* ''Eien no Ko'' (2000) – Yuki Kusaka
* ''Manatsu no Merry Christmas'' (2000) – Haru Hoshino
* ''Prince Shotoku'' (2001) – Tojiko no Iratsume
* '' R-17'' (2001)
* ''Otosan'' (2002)
* ''Believe'' (2002)
* '' Jin'' (2009) – Miki Tomonaga/Nokaze
* ''Beautiful Rain'' (2012) – Akane Nishiwaki
* ''Gunshi Kanbei'' (2014) – Teru
* ''Ghostwriter'' (2015) – Risa Tono
* ''IQ246'' (2016) – Tomomi Morimoto
* ''Kataomoi'' (2017)
* '' Followers'' (2020) – Limi Nara

Discography

Albums

* ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' (1996) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Cure'' (1997) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Vague'' (Remix album) (1997) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Absolute Value'' (Best album) (1998) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Shiseikatsu'' (1999) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Pure Best'' (Best album limited edition) (2001) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* ''Miki'' (Best album from Warner Music Japan) (2001) produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto

Singles

* "Mind Circus" (1996) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Strange Paradise" (1996) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Suna no Kajitsu" (1997) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Wilder Than Heaven" (1997) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Ibara no Kanmuri" (1997) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Chronic Love" (1999) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Frontier" (1999) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Kowareta Kokoro" (2000) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto
* "Air Pocket" (2001) composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto

Videos

* ''Butterfish'' (1997)
* ''Completeness'' (1998)
* ''Air Pocket'' (2002)

DVDs

* ''Butterfish'' (2000)
* ''Kowareta Kokoro'' (2000)
* ''Air Pocket'' (2002)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nakatani, Miki
1976 births
Living people
Japanese women pop singers
Japanese idols
20th-century Japanese women singers
20th-century Japanese singers
People from Higashimurayama, Tokyo
20th-century Japanese actresses
21st-century Japanese actresses
Stardust Promotion artists
Best Actress Asian Film Award winners