Yu Aoi
Biography
Yu Aoi is a Japanese actress, voice actress, model, and television personality. Born Yu Natsui on August 17, 1985, in Kasuga, Fukuoka, Japan, she stands 160 centimeters tall and has blood type A. A member of the Itoh Company Group talent agency since elementary school, she has established herself as a prominent figure in the Japanese entertainment industry. Known professionally as Yu Aoi, she is recognized for her extensive body of work, which includes over 100 known credits across film and television. Her career spans multiple decades, beginning with stage performances in her youth before transitioning into a successful career as a screen performer and model.
Career overview
Yu Aoi began her professional acting career on stage in 1999, when she was selected from hundreds of candidates to play the role of Polly in a musical production of Annie at the age of 14. She made her feature film debut in 2001, portraying the character Shiori Tsuda in the Shunji Iwai film All About Lily Chou-Chou. She continued her collaboration with director Shunji Iwai in 2004, taking on the role of Tetsuko Arisugawa in the film Hana and Alice. Her filmography also includes the role of Kimiko Tanigawa in the 2006 hula dancing film Hula Girls and the character Hagumi Hanamoto in the 2006 live-action adaptation of the manga series Honey and Clover.
Her performances have been recognized with various honors within the industry. In 2007, she received the Japan Academy Prize and the Kinema Junpo Award for best supporting actress for her work in Hula Girls. Additionally, she was honored with a Rookie of the Year award for her continued performances in the field of films in media and fine arts by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Throughout her career, she has maintained a consistent presence in Japanese media, contributing to a diverse range of projects as both an actress and a voice performer.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Human Vapor (2026) as Kyoko Kono
- Until the T-Shirt Dries (2026) as Sakiko
- Asura (2025) as Takiko
- Tokyo Taxi (2025) as Young Sumire
- Go! Anpanman: Chapon’s Hero! (2025) as Chapon (voice)
- Meets the World (2025) as Yuki
- How Dare You? (2025) as Keiko Ueda
- Wrapped in Poison, Healed by Love (2024) Director
- Boogie Woogie (2023) as Reiko Yamato
- Sylvanian Families: The Movie (2023) as Teri Chocolate (voice)
- FRONTIERS (2023) as Narrator
- Dr. Coto's Clinic (2022) as Mina Nakai
- Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021) as Megumi Takani
- 20th year reunion (2021) as self
- Shikatanakatta to Yuute wa Ikan Nodesu (2021) as Fusako Torii
- Wife of a Spy (2020) as Satoko Fukuhara
- Romance Doll (2020) as Sonoko Kitamura
- 戦争童画集 ～75年目のショートストーリー～ (2020)
- Ora, Ora Be Goin' Alone (2020) as Momoko
- Children of the Sea (2019) as Kanako Azumi (voice)
- They Say Nothing Stays the Same (2019) as Geisha
- A Long Goodbye (2019) as Fumi Higashi
- From Miyamoto to You (2019) as Yasuko Nakano
- From Miyamoto To You (2018) as 中野靖子
- Penguin Highway (2018) as Onē-san (voice)
- このマンガがすごい！ (2018) as navigator
- What a Wonderful Family! 3 (2018) as Noriko Mamiya
- Killing (2018) as Yu
- Hello, Detective Hedgehog (2017) as Setsuko Kawai
- Tokyo Ghoul (2017) as Rize Kamishiro
- My High School Business (2017) as Chihiro Mashiba
- What a Wonderful Family! 2 (2017) as Noriko Mamiya
- Birds Without Names (2017) as Towako Kitahara
- Mixed Doubles (2017) as Yo
- What a Wonderful Family! (2016) as Noriko Mamiya
- Over the Fence (2016) as Satoshi Tamura
- Japanese Girls Never Die (2016) as Haruko Azumi
- Dr. Rintaro, Psychiatrist (2015) as 梦乃
- The Case of Hana & Alice (2015) as Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa (voice)
- Song FUKUYAMA (2015)
- Journey to the Shore (2015) as Tomoko
- MOZU (2014) as Shiori Nanami
- Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno (2014) as Megumi Takani
- Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends (2014) as Megumi Takani
- All About My Siblings (2014) as Azusa Sawabe
- Climbing to Spring (2014) as Ai Takazawa
- Zipang Punk Goemon Rock III (2014) as Neko no me o gin
- 四代目市川猿之助 斬新という宿命 (2014)
- Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013) as Miime (voice)
- NHK for School (2013)
- Tokyo Family (2013) as Noriko Mamiya
- The Farthest Galaxy (2013) as Misato Ebata / Akane Seike
- Penance (2013) as Sae Kikuchi
- Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012) as Megumi Takani
- Penance (2012) as Sae Kikuchi
- Double Face: gisō keisatsu-hen (2012)
- Patisserie Coin De Rue (2011) as Natsume Usuba
- By Chance (2011)
- Vampire (2011) as Mina
- Fukushima Hula Girls (2011) as Narrator (voice)
- Ryōmaden (2010) as Omoto
- Detective Lovesick (2010) as Setsuko Konuma
- Flowers (2010) as Rin
- The Lightning Tree (2010) as Rai / Yu
- About Her Brother (2010) as Koharu Takano
- Nodame Cantabile: The Movie II (2010) as Jadwiga (voice)
- Redline (2009) as Sonoshee McLaren (voice)
- Miyori's Forest (2009) as Miyori (voice)
- Honokaa Boy (2009) as Kaoru
- Good Bye, My Secret Friend (2009) as Narrator
- Tokyo! (2008) as Pizza-Delivery Girl (segment "Shaking Tokyo")
- One Million Yen Girl (2008) as Suzuko Sato
- Aoi Yū × Yottsu no Uso Camouflage (2008) as Chika/Makoto/Umeko/Suzuko
- Osen (2008) as Sen Handa
- Sex Is No Laughing Matter (2008) as En
- Galileo (2007) as Kanbara Atsuko
- Best Wishes for Tomorrow (2007) as Kazuko Moribe
- Welcome to the Quiet Room (2007) as Miki
- Mushi-Shi: The Movie (2007) as Tanyu
- Tekkonkinkreet (2006) as Shiro (voice)
- Rainbow Song (2006) as Kana Sato
- Hula Girls (2006) as Kimiko Tanikawa
- Honey and Clover (2006) as Hagu
- Sugar & Spice (2006) as Girl on the Bus
- Tiger and Dragon (2005) as Risa
- Yamato (2005) as Taeko
- 呪戒-JUKAI- (2005)
- Tiger & Dragon Special (2005) as Risa
- Shining Boy and Little Randy (2005) as Emi Murakami
- Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers (2005) as Kujaku Ogitani
- Tetsujin 28: The Movie (2005) as Mami Tachibana
- Letters from Kanai Nirai (2005) as Fuki Asato
- Henshin (2005) as Kei Hamura
- Filming H&A (2005)
- Umineko - Inseparable (2004) as Miya Noda
- Hana & Alice (2004) as Tetsuko Arisugawa (Alice)
- Tales of the Bizarre: 2004 Fall Special (2004)
- The Diary from the Past (2004)
- Mask de 41 (2004) as Haruka Kuramochi
- Nanako and Nanao: the Day They Became Sister and Brother (2004) as Nanako
- Dr. Coto's Clinic (2003) as 仲依ミナ
- Worst by Chance (2003) as Harada's Girlfriend
- Kou Kou Kyoushi (2003) as Ezawa Mami
- Hana & Alice (2003) as Alice
- 14ヶ月〜妻が子供に還っていく〜 (2003)
- 演技者 狂い咲きヴァージンロード (2003)
- 1980 (2003) as Rika Hashiba
- All About "All About Lily Chou-Chou" (2002)
- The Summer Promise (2002)
- Harmful Insect (2002) as Natsuko Yamaoka
- Olfactogram (2002)
- All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) as Shiori Tsuda
- Ao to Shiro de Mizuiro (2001) as Shiina Kasumi
- Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen (1990)
- Muyo no Hito