was a Japanese actress. She is known for her roles in television series ''Asuka'' (1999), ''Pride'' (2004), ''

FlashForward A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...

'' (2009), and ''

Miss Sherlock ''Miss Sherlock'' (ミス・シャーロック) is a female-led adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories. The show is primarily set in Tokyo, Japan. It is a co-production between HBO Asia and Hulu Japan. Both the ma ...

'' (2018) as well as films such as ''

Ring (The) Ring(s) may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell Arts, entertainment, and media Film and TV * ''The Ring'' (franchise), a ...

'' (1998), ''

Yomigaeri is a 2002 Japanese film directed by Akihiko Shiota that released theatrically on 18 January 2003. It features Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (of the pop group SMAP) and Yuko Takeuchi in the lead role. Plot Set in the city of Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, ...

'' (2003), and ''Dog in a Sidecar'' (2007).

Life and career

Takeuchi was born on 1 April 1980 in

Urawa, Saitama was a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. On May 1, 2001, Urawa was merged with the cities of Ōmiya and Yono to create the city of Saitama. Since April 1, 2003, the area of former Urawa City has been divided into 4 wards: Urawa-ku, ...

, Japan. She was "discovered" during spring break in Harajuku after junior high school. Takeuchi was married to Shidō Nakamura II (who had co-starred with Takeuchi in the film '' Be With You'') from 10 May 2005 until their divorce on 29 February 2008. She had a son with Nakamura who was born in November 2005. Prior to the couple's divorce, Nakamura had apologized for a drunk driving incident where he was with actress

Aya Okamoto is a Japanese actress. Filmography * ''School Ghost Stories'' (1995) as Kaori Komuro * ''Ogyā'' (2002) Hana * ''Azumi (film), Azumi'' (2003) Yae * ''Munraito jierifisshu'' (2004) Minamida Keiko * ''Metasequoia no ki no shita de'' (2005) Okamot ...

and later seen with actress

Saki Takaoka is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 19th Hochi Film Award for '' Crest of Betrayal''. Filmography Film * ''cf girl'' (''cfガール'', 1989) * '' Swimming Upstream'' ('' バタアシ金魚'', 1990), Sonoko * '' ...

. After the drunk driving incident, Takeuchi reportedly moved to live in her management office shortly before filing for divorce in October 2006. Takeuchi married actor Taiki Nakabayashi on 27 February 2019. Her son, in junior high school at the time was reported to have actively encouraged her second marriage. In November 2019, she announced she was pregnant and gave birth to her second son in January 2020. Takeuchi was known for her earlier roles, starring in Japanese television dramas such as ''Mukodono'' (My Husband), '' Lunch no Joō'' (The Queen of Lunch), ''Egao No Hōsoku'', and ''

Pride Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...

'', as well as

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

Asadora , colloquially known as , is a serialized, 15 minutes per episode, Japanese television drama program series broadcast in the mornings by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The first such series aired in 1961 with the black-and-white , starring Ta ...

television series ''Asuka''. In the romantic comedies ''Mukodono'', she and Nagase Tomoya played newlyweds and in ''Lunch no Joō'', she played a girl with a mysterious past who loves her lunch. In the drama ''Egao no Hōsoku'', her character experiences meeting new people while supporting a manga writer and in ''Pride'', her character is the love interest of a hockey player portrayed by

Takuya Kimura is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality. He is regarded as a Japanese icon after achieving success as an actor. He was also a popular member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia. In the media, he is known as a huge hea ...

. Takeuchi's earlier films include ''Hoshi Ni Negaiwo'', ''

'', and '' Be with You'' (''Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu''). Her performances in ''Yomigaeri'' (2003)'', Be With You'' (2004), and Spring Snow'' ''(2005)'' ''were recognized by the

Japanese Academy Awards The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...

.'' ''She later won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Japanese Academy Awards for her role in the 2014 film'' '' Cape Nostalgia.'' In 2010, Takeuchi appeared on the science fiction American TV serial ''

'' in two episodes (as a character portrayed in five). Director

Michael Nankin Michael Nankin (born December 26, 1955) is an American film and television writer, director and producer. He was nominated for the Humanitas Prize for his writing. Career Nankin's film career began in 1976 with a short film called ''Gravity'' ...

called her "Japan's answer to

Audrey Hepburn Audrey Kathleen Hepburn ( Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress. Recognised as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Holly ...

." Takeuchi's dialogue was in Japanese, but she said the experience caused her to make it a goal to master English as she wished she had been able to communicate better with the other cast members and crew. In 2018, Takeuchi portrayed the titular character in

Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...

HBO Asia HBO Asia is the Asian division of HBO, headquartered in Singapore. Originally launched on 1 May 1992 as MovieVision, it was rebranded on 1 June 1995 to its current name upon Home Box Office, Inc. purchase. The Singapore-based broadcast networ ...

series ''

'', an adaptation of

Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Hol ...

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

detective stories.

Death

On 27 September 2020 at 2:00a.m. ( JST), Takeuchi was found hanged at her home in

Shibuya is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. She was taken to the hospital, but died shortly afterwards. No suicide note has been found. She was 40 years old.

Filmography

Television

* ''Cyborg'' (1996 Fuji TV) * ''Nice Guy'' (1997 Fuji TV) * ''Shin-D'' (1997 NTV) * ''Frozen Summer'' (1998 NTV) as Junko Moriguchi * ''Setsunai'' (1998 TV Asahi) * ''Dangerous Police Forever'' (1998 NTV) as Asuka Fubuki * ''Kantaro Terauchi's Family in autumn 1998'' (1998 TBS) as Misuzu Kawachi * ''Nanisama'' (1998 TBS) as Yuri Kimura * '' Romance'' (1999 NTV) as Kotoe Kurasawa * ''Asuka'' (1999 NHK

) as Asuka Miyamoto * ''Friends'' (2000 TBS) as Miyuki Matsuno * ''Stories of 100 Years'' in episode 2 (2000 TBS) as Toshiko Nagai * ''Style!'' (2000 TV Asahi) as Shiori Sakakibara * ''A White Shadow'' (2001 TBS) as Noriko Shimura * ''Mukodono!'' (2001 Fuji TV) as Sakura Arai * ''School Teacher'' (2001 TBS) as Motoko Asakura * '' Lunch no Joō'' (2002 Fuji TV) as Natsumi Mugita * ''The Law of the Smile'' (2003 TBS) as Yumi Kurasawa * ''Autumn in Warsaw'' (2003 YTV) as Yoko Aoki * ''

'' (2004 Fuji TV) as Aki Murase * ''New York Love Story'' (2004 Fuji TV) as Eiko Fujikura * ''Fukigen na Jiin (The Selfish Gene)'' (2005) as Yoshiko Aoi * '' Bara no nai Hanaya'' (2008) as Miou Shirato * ''

'' (2009 ABC) as Keiko Arahida * ''Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku'' (2010) as Shiori Kitamura * '' Strawberry Night'' (2012) as Reiko Himekawa * ''cheap flight'' (2013) * '' Sanada Maru'' (2016 NHK) as

Yodo-dono or (1569 – June 4, 1615), also known as Lady Chacha (茶々), was a Japanese historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She was the concubine and the second wife of Japanese ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi. As the mother of his son and successor ...

* ''Kamoshirenai Joyū tachi'' (2016 Fuji TV) as herself * ''A Life'' (2017 TBS) as Mifuyu Danjō * ''

'' (2018 Hulu, HBO) as Sara "Sherlock" Shelly Futaba (

) * ''Innocent Days'' (2018 Wowow) as Yukino Tanaka * ''Queen'' (2019 Fuji TV)

Film

* ''Innocent World'' (1998) – Ami * ''

'' (1998) – Tomoko Oishi * ''Big Show! Sing in Hawaii'' (1999) – Satomi Takahashi * ''Night of the Shooting Star'' (2003) – Kana Aoshima * ''

'' (2003) – Aoi Tachibana * ''

Heaven's Bookstore is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Tetsuo Shinohara about a struggling classical pianist who is sent to heaven to work in a bookstore. It is based on two novels, written by Atsushi Matsuhisa and Wataru Tanaka. Plot Kenta ( Tetsuji Tamayama), ...

– The Light of Love'' (2004) – Shoko Hiyama / Kanako Nagase * '' Be with You'' (2004) – Mio Aio * '' Spring Snow'' (2005) – Satoko Ayakura * ''A Dog on Sidecar'' (2007) – Yōko * ''The World According to Chocolat'' (2007) – Chocolat * ''Closed Note'' (2007) – Ibuki Mano * '' Midnight Eagle'' (2007) – Keiko Arisawa * ''The Glorious Team Batista'' (2008) – Kimiko Taguchi * ''The Triumphant of General Rouge'' (2009) – Kimiko Taguchi * ''No More Cry'' (2009) – Tetsuko Yamagishi * ''Golden Slumbers'' (2010) – Haruko Higuchi * ''Flowers'' (2010) – Kaoru * ''

1,778 Stories of Me and My Wife is a 2011 Japanese film based on the true story of the science fiction writer Taku Mayumura. It was directed by Mamoru Hoshi, and stars actor Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and actress Yūko Takeuchi. The film is the fourth in the so-called "Boku Series" ...

'' (2011) – Setsuko * ''

A Ghost of a Chance , also known as ''Once In a Blue Moon'' in Japan, is a 2011 Japanese comedy mystery film directed by Kōki Mitani. Plot Emi Hosho, a third-rate lawyer without much of a future, is tasked with defending Goro Yabe, a man arrested for the murder of ...

'' (2011) * ''Hayabusa'' (2011,

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

) – Megumi * '' Cape Nostalgia'' (2014) * ''

Creepy Creepiness is the state of being creepy, or causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease to someone and/or something. Certain traits or hobbies may make people seem creepy to others; interest in horror or the macabre might come across as 'c ...

'' (2016) – Yasuko Takakura * '' The Magnificent Nine'' (2016) – Toki * '' The Inerasable'' (2016) – I * ''The Travelling Cat Chronicles'' (2018) * ''The Confidence Man JP: The Movie'' (2019) * '' A Long Goodbye'' (2019) * ''The 47 Ronin in Debt'' (2019) – Riku * ''The Confidence Man JP: Episode of the Princess'' (2020)

Other

Narrator

* Wonderful Spaceship Earth (2002 TV Asahi) * If the World is 100 Villages 6 (2009 TV Fuji) * The Nonfiction (2010 TV Fuji) * Eko's manners (2011 BS Asahi)

Dubbing roles

*'' Inside Out'' – Joy (

Amy Poehler Amy Meredith Poehler ( ; born September 16, 1971) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her roles in sketch comedy, sitcoms and comedy films, she has earned acclaim and several accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award (out of 26 nom ...

) *''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...

'' (2001 Fuji TV edition) – Rose DeWitt Bukater (

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Primarily known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Ac ...

)

Works

Essay

* Nioi Fechi (2004 Pia) * Nioi Fechi 2 calorie off (2006 Pia)

Photo essay

* Tabibon (travel diary of

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian language, Tahitian , ; ) is the largest island of the Windward Islands (Society Islands), Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is located in the central part of t ...

) (2007 SDP)

Supplies-of-provisions catalog

* Takeuchi Marche

Single

* Tada Kaze Wa Fukukara (1998

Pony Canyon , also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966, which distributes music, films, home video, and video games. It is affiliated with the Japanese media group Fujisankei Communications Group. Pony Canyo ...

)

Awards and nominations

Awards

* 2001: 9th Hashida Best Newcomer Award * 2001: 31st the Television Drama Academy Award: Best Supporting Actress for ''Gakkou no Sensei'' * 2002: 34th the Television Drama Academy Award: Best Actress for '' Lunch no Joou'' * 2002: 26th Élan d'or Award: Newcomer of the Year * 2002-2003: 6th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix: Best Actress for '' Lunch no Joou'' * 2004: 13th Japan Movie Critics Award: Best Actress for ''

'' * 2005: 22nd Wakayama Citizen Movie festival: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'' * 2005: 9th NIFTY Film Award: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'' * 2005: Movie Walker Cinema Award: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'' * 2003-2004: 7th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix: Best Actress for ''

'' * 2007: Osaka Movie Press Club Best Movie Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2007: 20th

Nikkan Sports Film Award The , also called the Nikkan Sports Yujiro Ishihara Film Prizes, are annual film-specific prizes awarded by the ''Nikkan Sports'' newspaper since 1988. The categories of ''Fans' Choice Award for Best Film'' and ''Fans' Choice Award for Best Act ...

: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2007: 31st Fumiko Yamaji Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2008: 81st Kinema Junpo Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'', ''Closed Note'', and '' Midnight Eagle'' * 2008: 17th Japan Movie Critics Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2008:

Yahoo! Japan is a Japanese web portal. It was the most-visited website in Japan, nearing monopolistic status. According to ''The Japan Times'', as of 2012, Yahoo! Japan had a footprint on the internet market in Japan. In terms of use as a search engine, ...

Katteni Movie Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' and ''Closed Note'' * 2008: 56th the Television Drama Academy Award: Best Supporting Actress for '' Bara no nai Hanaya'' * 2010: 66th the Television Drama Academy Award: Best Supporting Actress for ''Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku''

Nominations

* 2003: 27th Japan Academy Prize: Best Actress for ''

'' * 2003: 46th

Blue Ribbon Awards The are film-specific prizes awarded solely by movie critics and writers in Tokyo, Japan, established in 1950 by , established under the name of the "Association of Tokyo Film Journalists Award", which was formed mainly by film reporters from th ...

: Best Actress for ''

'',''Hoshi ni Negai wo'' * 2004: 28th Japan Academy Prize: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'' * 2004: 47th Blue Ribbon Awards: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'',''

'' * 2004: 14th

Tokyo Sports Film Award The are film-specific prizes awarded solely by the ''Tokyo Sports is a Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1960. See also * Tokyo Sports Film Award * Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards References External links * http://www.tokyo- ...

: Best Actress for '' Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu'' * 2004-2005: 8th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix: Best Actress for ''Fukigen na Gene'' * 2005: 29th Japan Academy Prize: Best Actress for '' Haru no Yuki'' * 2007: 50th Blue Ribbon Awards: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2007: 17th Tokyo Sports Film Award: Best Actress for ''Sidecar ni Inu'' * 2009: 34th

Hochi Film Award The are film-specific prizes awarded by the '' Hochi Shimbun''. Categories *Best Picture *Best International Picture *Best Animated Picture (since 2017) *Best Actor *Best Actress *Best Supporting Actor *Best Supporting Actress *Best New Artist ...

: Best Actress for ''The Triumphant of General Rouge'' * 2010: 35th Hochi Film Award: Best Supporting Actress for ''Golden Slumbers'' * 2011: 36th Hochi Film Award: Best Actress for ''

Hayabusa was a robotic spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis. ''Hayabusa'', formerly known as MUSES-C ...

'' and ''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Takeuchi, Yuko 1980 births 2020 deaths 2020 suicides 20th-century Japanese actresses 21st-century Japanese actresses Japanese film actresses Japanese television actresses Female suicides People from Saitama (city) Japanese expatriates in the United States Stardust Promotion artists Asadora lead actors Suicides by hanging in Japan Suicides in Tokyo