Satsuki Shimabukuro (Japanese: 島袋 さつき, Shimabukuro Satsuki, Born on May 28, 1988 in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan), better known by her stage name Meisa Kuroki (Japanese: 黒木 メイサ, Kuroki Meisa), is a Japanese actress, model and singer. She is represented by the agency Sweet Power and is signed to Sony Music Japan. She made her acting debut in 2004. She has modeled for the popular Japanese fashion magazine JJ, among others, and is the current Japanese representative for Epson and Giorgio Armani. She has appeared in numerous television dramas, commercials, films, and stage productions.

Kuroki released her debut single "Like This" in 2008, followed by the extended play Hellcat (2009). Her debut studio album, Magazine (2011) peaked at number six on the Oricon and featured her first top fifteen single, "LOL!". Kuroki is best known for the song "Wired Life", which served as an ending theme for the anime series Blue Exorcist. It was included on her second studio album, Unlocked (2012). Since its release, Kuroki has focused solely on her acting career.

Early life and career Kuroki was born Satsuki Shimabukuro in Okinawa, Japan. While in her second year of junior high school in Okinawa, Kuroki was discovered by a fashion scout and subsequently began modeling, initially modeling exclusively for the popular fashion magazine JJ. While studying at the Okinawa Actors School, from which she graduated in 2007, she was a member of the institution's B.B. Waves group. Kuroki is one-quarter Brazilian.

Acting career

Kuroki made her acting debut in February 2004 in the Kōhei Tsuka play Atami Satsujin Jiken: Pyonyang Kara Kita Onna Keiji (The Atami Murder Case.) Since her debut she has continued to perform in theater, notably in the Azumi stage productions in 2005 and 2006, the musical Endless Shock (2005), and most recently in Onna Nobunaga (2009) and Hiryuden 2010: Last Princess (2010). Kuroki made her television debut in 2004 in the Fuji TV drama, Medaka. She has played supporting roles in several high-rated and critically acclaimed drama series, including Haikei, Chichiue-sama (2007), Kaze no Garden (2008), and Shinzanmono (2010). Kuroki won the Television Drama Academy Award and TV Life Annual Drama Awards for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 for her role in the Fuji TV drama, Ninkyo Helper. In 2006, she starred in Chakushin Ari: Final, the final installment of the Chakushin Ari franchise, for which she earned the Golden Arrow Award for Newcomer of the Year. In 2007 she appeared in Fumihiko Sori's CGI anime film Vexille. She also starred in Subaru, the live-action, film adaptation of the Masahito Soda manga, produced by Bill Kong, and Assault Girls, directed by Mamoru Oshii. In 2010, Kuroki played the role of Yuki Mori in the live-action film Space Battleship Yamato, opposite Takuya Kimura. In 2011, Kuroki co-starred with Mikako Tabe in her first serial drama lead role in the TV Asahi drama Jiu: Keishicho Tokushuhan Sosakei. In 2011, she also starred in the film "ANDALUCIA" by director Hiroshi Nishitani, who also shared roles with the acclaimed Hideaki Ito and Yuyi Oda. This film was shot at the legendary Toho Studios, where the iconic film Godzilla was filmed decades ago.

Music career Kuroki performed on the soundtrack of the 2007 film Crows Zero, in which she also appeared. On June 21, 2008, her debut song, "Like This", was released through the Sony Music Japan subsidiary label Studioseven Recordings. It soon was announced on February 17, 2009, that Kuroki's first EP, Hellcat, would be released on April 8, 2009. Her second EP, Attitude, was released in January 2010. In January 2011 Kuroki released her first studio album, Magazine, which peaked at number 6 on the Oricon Weekly Albums chart. She also performed "Wired Life" for Ao no Exorcist as the second ending theme.

Modeling In addition to her modeling work for the fashion magazines JJ and 25ans, Kuroki has released two photobooks, one of her own, Love Meisa, and a joint one, Missmatch, with her best friend and actress, Maki Horikita, photographed by Kishin Shinoyama. In 2009, Kuroki was chosen as the Japanese face of international fashion brand, Emporio Armani, and she also appeared in numerous events for the brand worldwide. In 2010 Kuroki was chosen as the international face of French cosmetic brand, L'Oréal.

Personal life On February 2, 2012, Kuroki married Jin Akanishi, a Japanese actor and pop singer best known for his work as part of the boy band KAT-TUN, and the following week, on 9 February, the media reported she was pregnant. She gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Theia, on September 23, 2012 and their second child, a son, on June 6, 2017. On December 25, 2023, Kuroki and Akanishi announced through their respective social media accounts that they were getting divorced. The two promised to co-parent their two children.

Discography

Albums Magazine (2011) Unlocked (2012)

Filmography

Film Title Year Role Notes Onaji Tsuki o Mite Iru 2005 Emi Sugiyama Camus Nante Shiranai 2006 Rei Chakushin Ari: Final 2006 Emiri KusamaAlso known as One Missed Call: Final Tada, Kimi o Aishiteru 2006 Miyuki Toyama Taitei no Ken 2007 Botan Vexille: 2077 Nihon Sakoku 2007 Vexille Voice Crows Zero 2007 Ruka Aizawa Subaru 2009 Subaru Miyamoto Crows Zero 2 2009 Ruka Aizawa Assault Girls 2009 Gray Yazima Beauty Salon 2010 Raspberry Space Battleship Yamato 2010 Yuki Mori Andalucia: Megami no Hōfuku 2011 Yuka Shindō Kirin no Tsubasa 2012 Ami Aoyama Lupin III 2014 Fujiko MineFist & Faith2017Chinese film

Television Title Year Role Notes Medaka 2004 Asuka Yoshizumi Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi 2004 Eriko Mitsuhashi Season 2, Episode 21 Koisuru Nichiyōbi: Bungaku no Uta 2005 Keiko Yokoyama Episode 1 Aru Ai no Uta 2006 Ruka Kashiwagi Haikei, Chichiue-sama 2007 Naomi Karasawa Byakkotai 2007 Sayoko Asai TV movie Seitosho-kun 2007 Yūko Sonoi Episode 1 1-Pound no Fukuin 2008 Sister Angela Tobira wa Tozasareta Mama 2008 Yuka Usui TV movie Kaze no Garden 2008 Rui Shiratori Dansō no Reijin: Kawashima Yoshiko no Shōgai 2008 Young Yoshiko Kawashima TV movie Chance!: Kanojo ga Seikō Shita Riyū 2009 Saori Tamaki TV movie Ninkyo Helper 2009–2011 Riko Yomogi 11 episodes1 specialTV Life Annual Drama Awards for Best Supporting ActressNominated—Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix for Best Supporting ActressNominated—The Television Drama Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Saigo no Yakusoku 2010 Yuriko Niimi TV movie Shinzanmono 2010–2011 Ami Aoyama 10 episodes1 special Iris 2010 Seung-hee Choi Japanese voice Shiawase ni Narō yo 2011 Haruna Yanagisawa Jiu: Keishichou Tokushuhan Sousakei 2011 Motoko Isaki A Suffocatingly Lonely Death 2024 Asuka Gomi Reboot 2026 Mayu Gido

Theatre Title Year Role Notes Atami Satsujin Jiken: Pyonyang Kara Kita Onna Keiji 2004 Tomoko Mizuno Endless Shock 2005 Rika Azumi: Azumi on Stage 2005 Azumi Chōkyōshi 2005 Momo Azumi: Azumi Returns 2004 Azumi Itsu no Hi Ka Kimi Kaeru 2007 Lin Akai Shiro, Kuroi Suna 2009 Princess Nadja Onna Nobunaga 2009 Nobunaga Oda Hiryuden 2010: Last Princess 2010 Michiko Kanbayashi

Accolades

Awards Year Award Category Work(s) Result Ref. 2009Elan d'or AwardsNewcomer of the YearHerself

Prizes Year Prize 2008 Bvlgari Brilliant Dream Award 2009 Miss Cotton USA Prize 2009 FEC Special Prize 2009 Ms. Lily Prize 2009 Forevermark Prize 2009 Fur of the Year Prize 2009 Shogakukan Dime Trend Woman of the Year Prize 2010 Clarino Bikyaku Prize 2010 Vogue Nippon Women of the Year 2010 Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Prize

References

External links

Agency Profile