Kou Shibasaki (柴咲 コウ, Shibasaki Kō?), born Yukie Yamamura, on August 5, 1981 in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan is a Japanese singer and actress.# Name (romaji): Shibasaki Kou
# Real name: 山村幸恵 / Yamamura Yukie
# Profession: Actress and singer
# Birthdate: 1981-Aug-05
# Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
# Height: 160cm
# Star sign: Leo
# Blood type: B
# Talent agency: Stardust
Music career
Shibasaki made her debut in the music industry in 2002 with her first single Trust My Feelings, but she became recognized for her second single Tsuki no shizuku which was used for the movie Yomigaeri. The song was one of the most successful J-Pop hits of 2003. Her first album peaked at number 2 and spent 68 weeks on the Oricon charts. Her second album was considered to be a commercial disappointment, in comparison to her first album, lasting 9 weeks and reaching a peak position of #5.
Shibasaki's first Christmas song, "Actuality", was released in December 2006. "At Home" was released later on February 21, 2007. Both failed to reach the top 10 on the Oricon charts. "Hito Koi Meguri", released on March 28, 2007, reached number 8 on the charts. It became her first single to reach the top 10 since "Invitation". On April 25, 2007, Shibasaki's third album Kiki♥ was released and went straight to number one. On August 3 and 5, Shibasaki held her first concerts - "Kou Shibasaki Premium Live" in Osaka and Tokyo. 2400 participants of the concert were selected from over 30,000 applicants for the tickets (which accompanied the KiKi album).In April 2008, the singer released two greatest hits albums, entitled The Single Best and The Back Best, each contained various tracks from the past. The Single Best topped the Oricon while The Back Best kept third, this broke Shibasaki's own record for it was her first time to reach top 1 on the weekly chart. In addition to that, she broke the record of Ayumi Hamasaki for maintaining both albums in top 3.
Though unable to compose (mainstream) music on her own, Kou Shibasaki writes the lyrics for most of her songs. Many of her singles have become theme songs for various films, dramas, and commercials. Her latest single "ラバソー～lover soul～" is the ending theme song for the live action drama Otomen.
TV Shows
* Wagaya no Rekishi as Yame Masako (Fuji TV 2010)
* Galileo Episode Zero as Utami Kaoru (Fuji TV 2008)
* Galileo as Utsumi Kaoru (Fuji TV, 2007)
* Dr. Koto Shinryojo 2006 as Hoshino Ayaka (Fuji TV, 2006)
* Orange Days as Hagio Sae (TBS, 2004)
* Dr. Koto Shinryojo as Hoshino Ayaka (Fuji TV, 2003)
* Good Luck!! as Ogawa Ayumi (TBS, 2003)
* Renai Hensachi as Yoshizawa Chie (Fuji TV, 2002)
* Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi as Mizashita Yuki (Fuji TV, 2002)
* Yume no California as Ooba Kotomi (TBS, 2002)
* Let's Go Nagata-cho (NTV, 2001)
* Face as Okuno Asako (NTV, 2001)
TV Show Theme Songs
* lover soul, theme song for Otomen (Fuji TV, 2009)
* KISS Shite (under the alias KOH+), theme song for Galileo (Fuji TV, 2007)
* Hito Koi Meguri, theme song for Sunadokei (TBS, 2007)
* Invitation, theme song for Taiyo no Uta (TBS, 2006)
* Kage, theme song for Byakuyako (TBS, 2006)
* Katachi Aru Mono, theme song for Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu (TBS, 2004)
* Omoide Dake de wa Tsurasugiru, for Dr. Koto Shinryojo (TBS, 2003)
* Nemurenai Yoru wa Nemuranai Yume wo, theme song for Egao no Hosoku (TBS, 2003)
Movie Theme Songs
* Sai Ai with Fukuyama Masaharu theme song for Yogisha X no Kenshin (2008)
* Prism theme song for Sono Toki wa Kare ni Yoroshiku / When You See Him, Say Hello For Me
(2007)
* Tsuki no Shizuku theme song for [Yomigaeri / Resurrection] (2002)
Movies
* Shokudo Katatsumuri (2010)
* Yogisha X no Kenshin (2008)
* Shaolin Shojo (2008)
* Maiko Haaaan!!! (2007)
* Dororo (2007) as Dororo
* Nihon chinbotsu (2006)
* Kiraware Matsuko no Isshou (2006)
* Kenchou no Hoshi (2006)
* Hokuto no Ken (voice) (2005)
* Maison de Himiko (2005)
* Sekai no Chuushin de Ai o Sakebu (2004)
* Chakushin Ari / One Missed Call (2004)
* Yomigaeri (2003)
* Drive (2002)
* Kewaishi (2002)
* Soundtrack (2001)
* Battle Royale - Survival Program
* Go! (2001)
* Kakashi (2001)
* Battle Royale (2000)
* Tokyo Trash Baby (2000)
* Tokyo Raiders (2000)
CM
* Epson EMP-TWD1 Projector (2005)
* Kanebo Coffret D'or
Recognitions
* 55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Galileo (2007)
* 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi (2002)
Acting career
She was discovered at the age of 14 by an agent and has worked in numerous television shows, movies and commercials. Her stage name is taken from the main character of Junko Kawakami's manga Golden Delicious Apple Sherbet.
She became famous outside Japan for her role in the controversial 2000 film, Battle Royale, where she portrayed the cold-hearted and ruthless Mitsuko Souma; her acting career took off with this movie and also raised her international profile particularly in East Asia. Shibasaki also won acclaim for her role in 2001 film, Go, which earned her several awards, among which the Best Supporting Actress Award of Japanese Academy, the Hōchi Movie Award, the Kinema Junpō Award.
In 2002, Shibasaki took a supporting role as Yuki Mazashita in the television mystery drama, Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi, where she co-starred with Takuya Kimura earning her an award as "Best Supporting Actress" while the show was named Best Drama at the 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards (Japan). She also starred in both seasons of Fuji TV drama, Dr. Koto Shinryojo, which aired in 2003 and 2006 respectively. The show was awarded Best Drama at the 38th Television Drama Academy Awards for its first season. In 2003, she re-unites with her former co-star Takuya Kimura in a television drama about an airline pilot (Takuya Kimura) called Good Luck!!. The story revolves around an up-and-coming pilot, Hajime Shinkai and Kou plays his love-interest as an airline mechanic with a fear of flying.
She had also been slated to play the part of Yuki Yubari, the twin sister of Gogo Yubari, in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. She dropped out of the project due to commitments in Japan.
In 2005, Shibasaki appeared in the independent Japanese film, Maison de Himiko. In this film, she plays Saori, an unhappy young woman whose father is gay. Saori meets her father's boyfriend who urges her to come and meet her dying father at a place called Maison Do Himiko where several aging gay men live together. In 2006, she took the title role in Dororo, working with Satoshi Tsumabuki (her co-star from the 2004 television drama, Orange Days). The film topped the Japanese box office for nearly six weeks. Shibasaki participated in two more movies, Maiko Haaaan!!! (2007) and Shaolin Girl (2008).
Shibasaki returned to television in 2007 in the dorama Galileo as the female lead co-starring with Masaharu Fukuyama. Highly rated among viewers (it finished its 10 episode run with an average viewership rating of 22%), the role continued her winning run in the medium when she won "Best Supporting Actress" at the 55th Television Drama Academy Awards. The show also won 5 other awards, including "Best Drama".
[edit] Other endeavors
Other than acting and singing, Shibasaki has advertised numerous products including Epson printers, Glico Pocky, Daihatsu vehicles, and Volvic mineral water from France.
