Aragaki Yui

See also

• nicola (magazine)

Recognitions

• 61st Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Smile
• 13th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Spring 2009): Best Supporting Actress for Smile

Career

Overview

After seeing an audition notice for the junior fashion magazine nicola , her sister sent in Yui's profile and she auditioned, winning a Grand Prix award. She became anicomo, a model for the magazine. By 2001, her fellownicomo, Ayako Enamoto, nicknamed herGakky.

Aragaki expanded her modeling career into gravure in 2004. She also appeared on variety shows and commercials, her commercials for Pocky being most popular. A year later, she officially graduated from the magazine. During the same year, she acted in the TBS drama, Dragon Zakura , alongside fellow Japanese idol, Tomohisa Yamashita and actress Masami Nagasawa . This was her breakthrough performance. Since then, Aragaki has been cast in various dramas like Kanojo no Koibumi, Gal Circle and My Boss, My Hero . Despite the expiration of her contract with 'nicola', she still appears in the magazine occasionally. She currently holds the record for appearing the most number of times as its cover girl .

In 2007 she started the year with a movie,Waruboro, with Shota Matsuda and Yuu Shirota . Afterwards she was cast alongside Hiroshi Tachi and Shigeaki Kato in TBS ' summer drama,Papa to Musume no Nanokakan. Aragaki plays a high school student who exchanges bodies with her father, a middle-aged salaryman .

Aragaki was also cast in the movieKoisuru Madori(Tokyo Serendipity), with Ryuhei Matsuda . Later that year she appeared in the tragic drama Koizora with Haruma Miura .

Outside acting she also released her first album, Sora , and the singleheavenly days, a song from Koizora .

In 2007 she starred in three films and a drama, and recorded a debut album. But she became ill from work related stress

To date, Aragaki has won five Newcomer awards for the moviesWaruboro,Tokyo SerendipityandKoizora /Sky of Love. Her fifth award was in honor of her role in the ¥3.6 billion-grossing movie,Sky of Love.

Memories, the theme song forTokyo Serendipity, was included in her debut album. She also performed her at Budokan .

She also released two singles in 2008,Make my dayandAkai Ito.Make my Daywas used in the NHK dramaHachi-One Driver, whileAkai Itois a cover of a song written and performed by Kobukuro during their indie days, in commemoration of the duo's tenth anniversary in the Japanese music industry.

In August 2008 Aragaki' played intern Megumi Shiraishi in the medical dramaCode Blue: Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei, with Tomohisa Yamashita and Erika Toda . At the same time she made the movieFure Fure Shojo.

She also appeared inBallad, with Tsuyoshi Kusanagi , as a feudal princess. She released her fifth singlePIECEin February 2009.

Aragaki also hostsGIRLS LOCKS!, part of the Japanese radio program,SCHOOL OF LOCKS!, together with other U-20 idols Maki Horikita , Chiaki Kuriyama and Nana Eikura . She also works as a voice actor.

Television

Films

Voice acting

Commercials

• Daio Paper -Elleair(2003)
• Seika - Meiji (2005)
• Senoby- JT Beverage (2005)
• NTT East (2005-current)
• Pantene - Procter & Gamble (2006-current)
• Dailies Aqua- Ciba Vision (2006)
• Pocky - Glico (2006-current)
• Townwork- Recruit (2006-current)
• Japanese Red Cross (2007)
• Uniqlo (2007)
• Mitsuya Cider - Asahi Soft Drinks (2007)
• Green Tea - Asahi Soft Drinks (2009-current)
• Sony Walkman - S series (2009-current)
• Tokyo Metro - Tokyoheart (2010)

Photobooks

• Chura Chura
• Masshiro
• Koisuru Madori

Singles

Albums

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