It's not always simple to go from music to acting, but some musicians have succeeded. Even though they've won innumerable honours and millions worth of money in the music industry, many celebrities aren't content to restrict their abilities to only singing. Several performers from various genres have made the transition from music to the cinema (or television) over the years, with often remarkable outcomes. Here are some examples of Japanese singers who have appeared in films or dramas.
1. Mika Nakashima
Mika Nakashima is a singer and actress from Japan. In Japan's Oricon album chart, five of her studio albums, one of her mini-albums, and one of her compilation albums have all charted at number one. She is an actress too, the famous role is Nana Osaki in the live-action versions of Nana.
2. Tomohisa Yamashita
Tomohisa Yamashita is a singer, actor, and TV personality also known as Yamapi or Tomo. Yamashita began his career as a trainee at the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates in 1996, making his minor acting debut in NHK's Shonentachi and being active on Japanese television since.
3. Chiaki Kuriyama
Chiaki Kuriyama is a model, singer, and actor from Japan. In the West, she is famous for her role as Takako Chigusa in Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale in 2000 and Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1 in 2003.
4. Haruma Miura
Haruma Miura was a singer and actor from Japan. He made his acting debut in the television serial Agri and rose to prominence after appearing in the film Koizora, for which he won the 31st Japan Academy Prize for Newcomer of the Year.
5. Kyoko Fukada
Kyoko Fukada is a singer and actress from Japan. Horipro is her agency of representation. In Japan, her given name is Fukakyon. Kamikaze Girls earned her the Best Actress prize at the Yokohama Film Festival.
6. Miki Nakatani
Miki Nakatani is a singer and actress from Japan. She is famous for her role in the supernatural psychological horror-thriller Ring, released in Japan in 1998. Nakatani acted in the horror flicks Ring, Rasen, and Ring 2 from 1998 to 1999, followed by a prominent part in Hideo Nakata's Chaos in 2000. She appeared in the mystery film Keizoku the same year, reprising her television role as Jun Shibata.
7. Yoshino Kimura
Yoshino Kimura is a Japanese actress, voice actor, and singer who was born in the United Kingdom. She had an appearance in an episode of Showtime's horror series Masters of Horror. Kimura's performance in Shitsurakuen earned her the "Rookie of the Year" award at the 21st Japan Academy Awards.
8. Ryoko Hirosue
Ryoko Hirosue is a Japanese actress and singer most known for her appearances in the Luc Besson-directed Wasabi and the Academy Award-nominated Japanese film Departures. She also appeared in the comedy series Yasuko to Kenji, which aired in 2008.
9. Koji Seto
Koji Seto is a singer and actor from Japan. His prominent roles include Wataru Kurenai in Kamen Rider Kiva and Satoru Okura in Atashinchi no Danshi, Ariake Yamato in Otomen, and Eiji Kikumaru in Tenimyu, among others. In the drama G: Hime-tachi no Sengoku, he plays Mori Ranmaru.
10. Teppei Koike
Teppei Koike is a Burning Productions-affiliated Japanese actor and singer. After starring in the television serial Tentai Kansoku in 2002, Koike starred in several films and dramas, including Love Com as Atsushi Otani.
