Yui Aragaki

Infobox actor


imagesize = 150px
name = Yui Aragaki
birthdate = birth date and age|1988|6|11
birthname = nihongo|Yui Aragaki|新垣結衣|"Aragaki Yui"
location = Naha, Okinawa, Japannihongo|Yui Aragaki|新垣結衣|Aragaki Yui|extra=born June 11, 1988 is a Japanese model, actress, seiyū and occasional radio show host. She is a well-loved Japanese idol.

Born in Naha, Okinawa, she is popularly known as "Gakky" (ガッキー "Gakkī"), a nickname given by Ayako Enomoto in 2001. [ [http://wiki.theppn.org/Aragaki_Yui#Trivia Aragaki Yui - Wiki.theppn ] ]

Because of her fashion sense and logical personality, she gained a large fanbase in and out of Japan. Her beauty is well-regarded in her home country, being considered as one of the local celebrities who possess beautiful faces [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1711 Oricon: best face - Tokyograph ] ] .

Along with U-20 idol Maki Horikita, she is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses in Japan who are below twenty years of age [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-883 Oricon survey: most prominent 18-year-old - Tokyograph ] ] .

She has also been involved in the music industry, having released an album, "Sora", in December 2007, and has recently released her debut single, "Make My Day", on July 16, 2008.

Profile

* Full Name: Yui Aragaki
* Nickname(s): Gakky, Yuibo
* Date of Birth: 11th June 1988
* Place of Birth: Naha, Okinawa, Japan
* Vital Statistics
*Height: 167 cm
*Bust: 80 cm
*Waist: 62 cm
*Hips: 87 cm
* Blood Type: A
* Family: Parents, two older sisters
* Hobbies: Karaoke, reading manga and drawing
* Favorite Manga: "Lovely Complex"
* Favorite Artist: DA PUMP
* Best Friend: Konan Yuka
* Talent Agency: Les Pros Entertainment

Personality

Aragaki was very shy as a child. Until now she is shy around strangers, which is uncommon for most celebrities who appear on-screen as outgoing personalities. She and then-popular U-15 idol Ishida Miku belonged to the same agency.

Career

Overview

After seeing an audition notice for the junior fashion magazine nicola, Aragaki applied for and won the Grand Prix award for the audition. After that, she became a model for the said magazine or popularly called as a "nicomo".

In 2004 she put her modeling in nicola on hold to expand her current modeling career into gravure, appearing on variety shows, and acting.

Came 2005, she officially graduated from the magazine. The same year, she was in the TBS drama Dragon Zakura. This began her entrance into the acting world and she has gone on to appear in other shows since. Even though she has graduated from nicola, she still appears in the magazine occasionally.

Currently, Aragaki holds the record for most covers of nicola at 15 covers.

She constantly appears in TV commercials, her Pocky commercials being the most popular ones.

Just recently, Aragaki made her singing debut [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1440 Aragaki makes singing debut - Tokyograph ] ] . The ballad called "Memories" , the theme song for her first lead role movie, "Koisuru Madori", marked the beginning of her career as a singer. She will also release a song called "Heavenly Days" for the movie "Koizora". It is confirmed that Aragaki will be releasing an album on December 5th, 2007 and will perform a debut performance in Budoukan [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1853 Yui Aragaki to debut at Budokan - Tokyograph ] ] . If this event pushes through, she would be the third song artist to debut in the said location. Aragaki's situation where an album is to be released before a single is very rare to female idols like her.

Besides modeling, acting and singing, Aragaki occasionally hosts a segment in the radio show, "SCHOOL OF LOCKS!". "GIRLS LOCKS!", the segment where certain young female idols switch slots in hosting, is also hosted by the likes of Maki Horikita, Nana Eikura and Erika Toda.

She debuted as a singer after releasing her debut album "Sora" on December 5,2007. The album features two songs, "Memories" and "heavenly days", which she sang as theme songs for the movie Koizora. She had her first live concert taken place at Nippon Budoukan on December 22,2007. She did not participate in singing at the 58th Annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen, but she attended as a guest judge along with actress Aoi Miyazaki and 9 people who took an active part in 2007.

On February 12, 2008, she was awarded the New Actor Award of the 50th Blue Ribbon Awards. She has already been awarded with 4 different new actor awards for starring in three movies in 2007 ("Koisuru Madori", "Waru Boro", and "Koizora"). [citeweb |url=http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200802/gt2008021314.html |title=ガッキー、新人賞受賞にスマイル全開！ブルーリボン賞授賞式 |publisher=Sankei Sports |accessdate=2008-02-12|language=Japanese] On March 3, 2008, she was awarded the Golden Arrow Award. This award became her 6th award from starring in three movies in 2007. [citeweb|url=http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200803/gt2008030406.html|title=ガッキー映画賞に輝き6冠目！ゴールデン・アロー賞授賞式|accessdate=2008-03-03|date=2008-03-03|language=Japanese]

Television

Commercials

* Daio Paper - "Elleair" (2003)
* Seika - Meiji (2005)
* "Senoby" - JT Beverage (2005)
* NTT East (2005)
* Pantene - Procter & Gamble (2006)
* "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)

Photobooks

* Chura Chura
* Masshiro

Recognitions

* nicola Grand Prix: Winner
* Japanese U-20 Idol Scholar Ranking: Placed 9th
* Oricon: Best Face: Tied with Sawajiri Erika for First Place [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1711 Oricon: best face - Tokyograph ] ]
* Oricon: Who would you spend the Tanabata Festival with?: Placed 3rd (Female) [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1325 Oricon: Fukuyama tops Tanabata survey again - Tokyograph ] ]
* Oricon: Cutest Lively Voice: Placed 6th [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1043 Oricon survey: cutest lively voice - Tokyograph ] ]
* Oricon: Most Prominent Eighteen-Year-Old: Placed 1st [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-883 Oricon survey: most prominent 18-year-old - Tokyograph ] ]
* Oricon: Best Black Hair: Placed 5th [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-847 Oricon survey: best black hair - Tokyograph ] ]

Discography

ingles

#Make My Day (2008.07.16)
#nihongo|Akai Ito|赤い糸 (2008.10.15)

Albums

*"Sora" (2007.12.05)

ee also

*nicola (magazine)

References

External links

*ja icon [http://www.lespros.co.jp/artists/yui_aragaki/index.html Official biography]