Misako Uno (宇野実彩子, Uno Misako, born July 16, 1986)[2] is a Japanese Tarento, artist, actress, essayist and talent agent best known as a lead vocalist and dancer of the performing arts group AAA.[3][4][5] She is also the Middle manager of Avex Group, advertising manager of SHUFU TO SEIKATSU SHA (主婦と生活社) and public fasting Consultant of Japan Enzyme Hydrogen Medical Beauty Society (日本酵素・水素医療美容学会).[6] Her feature film debut as an actress was in the 2006 Hollywood horror film, The Grudge 2, as Miyuki.[7]

Misako Uno
宇野 実彩子
Misako Uno and Awoo doll 'UNO' at the Asian Music Festival with UNICEF in 2011.
Born (1986-07-16) July 16, 1986 (age 38)
Other namesUno-chan ( 宇野ちゃん)
Uno Misako (AAA)
UNO48[1]
Akane (茜) or Akane Sarasa (茜 さらさ)[citation needed]
Alma materShirayuri Women's University
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • artist
  • tarento
  • essayist
  • talent agent
Years active2005–present
EmployerAvex Group
Organization(s)YMCA and Japan Vegetarian Society
Agents
Known for
  • network
  • magazine
  • Television
  • radio
Notable workThe Grudge 2
Style
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Spouse
(m. 2024)
Musical career
Genres
Occupations
  • Vocalist
  • songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active2005–present
Labels
WebsiteAAA Official Website
Misako Uno Official Website
Signature
AAA+Uno Misako+Akane

Career

edit

Uno was born into a wealthy family. Her father was a copywriter and her mother was a social worker. Inspired by London's West End's Cats, Uno, from a young age, had aspirations of becoming a stage artist.[8]

Her childhood was difficult and unsure; she described her primary school years as "dark times", as she was not good at running and jumping. Afflicted with a frail body and slow reflexes, she determined while still young to make herself regain confidence.[8]

She spent fifteen years at Shirayuri Gakuen (白百合学園). At the age of 8, she began to write essays and study dance at this school. At the age of 11, she and two other students left Japan, representing the Ministry of Education, to go Germany's International Summer Camp.[8]

She could not speak with other students because she didn't know any German. She decided to study English hard and resolved on going abroad. She later studied in London during her grade 8 summer vacation.[8]

During her first year of high school Uno auditioned in Avex Group's "Avex Audition 2002,” where she came in second out of tens of thousands of participants. She was then signed onto the Avex Artist Academy. A year later, she set up the dance club of Shirayuri Gakuen. This club is the predecessor of AAA.

She made her debut in the 2005 drama SLOW DANCE, though it was only as background music. Later that year, she appeared as Mai Honda in the art film Their Waters (彼らの海) VIII -Sentimental Journey-. She had her first starring role as Akane Sueyoshi (末吉茜) in the 2006 antiwar drama Bokura no te (ボクラノテ).

In the same year, Columbia Pictures held an audition in search of an actor to be signed under their company. She passed the audition and made her Hollywood debut in the 2006 horror film The Grudge 2, as the Japanese student Miyuki Nazawa.

She had her first starring film role as Taniyama Miguru (谷山めぐる) in the 2010 Japan comedy film rendez-vous (ランデブー!). At the end of the year, she first appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

In 2011, her early experiences were included in the Stepping stone Vol.7 Misako Uno, an English textbook compiled by the MEXT middle school and high school.[9]

Personal life

edit

Keiichiro Koyama of NEWS announced his marriage to Uno on March 12, 2024. They registered their marriage on March 12, which is also the birthday of Uno's beloved father, who passed away in January 2023.[10]

Discography

edit

Albums

edit
List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak positions Sales[a]
JPN
Oricon

[11]
Honey Stories 2019 5 17,000[12]

Singles

edit

As lead artist

edit
List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak positions Sales[13][b]
JPN
Oricon

[11]
JPN
Hot

[14][c]
"End of this Way" 2007
"Narou yo"
(with Kazuya Kojima)
2016
"Doushite Koishite Konna" 2018 7 17
  • JPN: 20,000 (Phy.)
  • JPN: 9,300 (Dig.)
"Summer Mermaid" 11 37
  • JPN: 10,000 (Phy.)
  • JPN: 4,000 (Dig.)
"Mint" 2019 13 65
  • JPN: 8,800 (Phy.)[15]
edit
List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak positions Album
JPN
Hot

[14]
"Anata to Ashita mo"
(Spicy Chocolate feat. Hazzie & Misako Uno)
2015 12 Shibuya Junai Monogatari 2

Promotional singles

edit
List of promotional singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak positions Album
JPN
Hot

[14]
"Bijo to Yajuu"[16]
(with Takahiro Nishijima)
2017 31 Thank You Disney
"Lullaby"[17]
(with Sigala)
2018 [d] Honey Stories
"Lock on"[19] [e]
"One Love Pop"[21] 89
"Yorusora"[22] 2019 32
"Saita Haru to Tomo ni Anata he Okuru Kotoba"[23] [f]

Other charted songs

edit
List of other charted songs, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak positions Album
JPN
Hot

[14]
"Beauty and the Beast"
(with Takahiro Nishijima)
2017 70 Non-album song

Other appearances

edit
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Groovin" 2005 Mayu Slow Dance Original Soundtrack[25]
"Good Time" Mayu, Eco
"Now Is the Time"
"L.W.R" 2011 Naoya Urata
Wataru Yoshida (Purple Days)
Digitalian Is Eating Breakfast 2

Filmography

edit

Movies

edit
  • 2006: The Grudge 2 ... Miyuki
  • 2010: Randebû! (ランデブー!) ... Meguru Taniyama

Stage plays

edit
  • 2006: Theater of AAA-bokura no te- (Theater of AAA〜ボクラノテ〜) … Akane Sueyoshi
  • 2007: Super Battle Live Delicious Gakuin Bangaihen ~Delicious 5 Shijō Saidai no Teki~
  • 2008: Love Letters
  • 2010: Genji Monogatari and Ōguro Maki Songs -Boku wa Jyūnihitoe ni Koi wo Suru- (源氏物語×大黒摩季songs~僕は十二単に恋をする~) … Aoi no Ue (葵の上)[26]
  • 2011: Legend of the Galactic Heroes[27]

TV drama

edit
  • 2008: Hitomi () … supporting role Keiko Endo
  • 2010: Massugu na Otoko
  • 2012: Umechan Sensei (梅ちゃん先生) … Akane Yabuki
  • 2013: Tokyo Toy Box (東京トイボックス) … Hoshino Tsukiyama[28]
  • 2014: Big Tokyo Toy Box (大東京トイボックス)

Radio

edit
  • 2006–2007: Uno Misako no English Lyrics Selection
  • AAA Uno Misako no Radio Unoccoli (FM Niigata, 2011–2014)

Books

edit
  • 2011: Kizuna Rensa (キズナレンサ)
  • 2011: Houkago Gomi Hiro (放課後のゴミヒーロー)

Photo Album

edit
  • 2010: UNO[29]
  • 2012: UNO-BON
  • 2014: You Know-UNONU-
  • 2016: Bloomin'
  • 2018: ABOUT TIME

References

edit
  1. ^ Sales provided by Oricon database and rounded to the nearest thousand.
  2. ^ Sales provided by Oricon database and rounded to the nearest thousand.
  3. ^ The Japan Hot 100 was established in 2008.
  4. ^ "Lullaby" did not enter the Japan Hot 100, but peaked at number 37 on the Top Download Songs chart.[18]
  5. ^ "Lock on" did not enter the Japan Hot 100, but peaked at number 29 on the Top Download Songs chart.[20]
  6. ^ "Saita Haru to Tomo ni Anata he Okuru Kotoba" did not enter the Japan Hot 100, but peaked at number 22 on the Top Download Songs chart.[24]
  1. ^ "AAA、愛がつながる全国ツアーのハイライト公演<AAA Buzz Communication Deluxe Edition>" (in Japanese). BARKS音楽ニュース. June 28, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  2. ^ "Celebrities:Misako Uno". Hollywood Staff. Hollywood.com. Retrieved October 31, 2006.
  3. ^ (旬)歌手・俳優 宇野実彩子 (in Japanese). 朝日新聞デジタル. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  4. ^ 東京ガールズコレクション2013 Autumn/Winter"【AAA 宇野実彩子】藤江れいな(AKB48)がインタビュー". 無料ネット動画WWSチャンネル. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  5. ^ AAA・全国ツアーが終了・宇野は父親からの手紙の誕生日サプライズで号泣した(松山公演)"POP JAM 2012年 10月/11月/12月". Music TV. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  6. ^ "【JUNON先読み】 宇野実彩子 UNO-BON 宣伝部長より、最後の演説!". ジュノン編集部(プラチナ☆JUNON). Twitter. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  7. ^ 編輯部 (April 8, 2011). "Stepping stone Vol.7 宇野実彩子さん" (PDF). 英検受験応援マガジン. 文部科学省-公益財団法人 日本英語検定協会: 1–5.
  8. ^ a b c d 白石梓 (March 1, 2011). "Tea Lounge Vol.36 宇野実彩子さん". THE EIKEN TIMES. 公益財団法人 英語検定協会. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  9. ^ "Tea Lounge". 英検. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  10. ^ "News小山慶一郎&Aaa宇野実彩子が結婚「温かい家庭を育んでいきたい」 昨年亡くなった宇野"最愛の父"の誕生日に入籍". March 13, 2024.
  11. ^ a b 宇野実彩子のリリース一覧 [List of Misako Uno's Releases]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  12. ^ 週間 CDアルバムランキング 2019年07月29日付 [Weekly CD Album Ranking on July 29, 2019]. Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  13. ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c d "Billboard Japan Hot 100" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  15. ^ "週間 CDシングルランキング 2019年05月27日付" [Weekly CD Single Ranking for May 27, 2019]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  16. ^ "アルバム『Thank You Disney』より、AAA西島隆弘&宇野実彩子が歌う「美女と野獣」の先行配信がスタート". M-On! Music (in Japanese). October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  17. ^ "Lullaby – Single by Sigala & Misako Uno on iTunes". iTunes Stores. Japan. October 3, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  18. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 15, 2018.
  19. ^ "Lock on – Single by Misako Uno on iTunes". iTunes Stores. Japan. October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  20. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 22, 2018.
  21. ^ "One Love Pop – Single by Misako Uno on iTunes". iTunes Stores. Japan. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "Yorusora – Single by Misako Uno on iTunes". iTunes Stores. Japan. January 7, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  23. ^ "Saita Haru to Tomo ni Anata he Okuru Kotoba – Single by Misako Uno on iTunes". iTunes Stores. Japan. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  24. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs 2019/02/18 付け" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  25. ^ "SLOW DANCE ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK" (in Japanese). avex network. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  26. ^ 登場人物紹介 葵の上(宇野実彩子さん) (in Japanese). 『源氏物語×大黒摩季songs~僕は十二単に恋をする~』公式ブログ. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  27. ^ 松坂桃季、初舞台初主演作に気合十分 – ORICON STYLE
  28. ^ 要潤主演で『東京トイボックス』連ドラ化 ヒロインはAAA宇野 – ORICON STYLE 2013年10月10日閲覧
  29. ^ AAA・宇野実彩子、セクシー水着初披露「新しい宇野も楽しんで」 – ORICON STYLE
edit