Chiaki Kuriyama

Chiaki Kuriyama

Native name 栗山 千明
Born (1984-10-10) October 10, 1984
Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan
Nationality Japanese
Occupation Actress, model, singer
Years active 1995–present
Height 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)

Chiaki Kuriyama (栗山 千明 Kuriyama Chiaki, born October 10, 1984) is a Japanese actress, singer, and model. She is best known in the West for her roles as Takako Chigusa in Kinji Fukasaku's 2000 film Battle Royale and Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film Kill Bill: Volume 1.

Life and career

She was born in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki. Kuriyama was a popular model during Japan's child model boom in the mid-1990s. In 1997, she appeared in the photobooks Shinwa-Shōjo (Girl of Myth) and Shōjokan (Girl's Residence), photographed by Kishin Shinoyama. Shinwa-Shōjo became a best-seller but, as it contained some nudity, was discontinued by the publisher in 1999 after the institution of new anti–child pornography laws. She also posed as a model for the child fashion magazines Nicola (1997–2001) and Pichi Lemon (1996–2001).

She first achieved widespread recognition as an actress in Japan for her starring roles in the horror films Shikoku (1999) and Ju-on (2000). Chiaki also appeared in the 2000 action film Battle Royale as Takako Chigusa.

Following feature appearances on several notable Japanese television programs (including Rokubanme no Sayoko), Kuriyama made her Hollywood debut in director Quentin Tarantino's 2004 film Kill Bill: Volume 1 as Gogo Yubari, the schoolgirl bodyguard of yakuza boss O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). Kuriyama's other film appearances include major roles in the ninja drama Azumi 2: Death or Love and Takashi Miike's Yōkai Daisensō.

In 2010, she released the CD single "Ryūsei no Namida" on DefStar Records under the artist name "CHiAKi KURiYAMA". The song was used as the first ending theme for Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. This single was followed by three others under her name as traditionally written in Japanese: "Kanōsei Girl", "Cold Finger Girl", and "Oishii Kisetsu" / "Ketteiteki Sanpunkan"; "Kanōsei Girl" was used as the third opening theme for Yorinuki Gin Tama-san and "Cold Finger Girl" was used as the opening for the anime adaptation of Level E. She followed the singles with an album, Circus, in 2011.[1]

Discography

Album

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)[2]
JPN
[3]
Circus
  • Released: March 16, 2011
  • Re-released: January 11, 2012
  • Label: Defstar Records
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download
19 12,000

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales (JPN)[2] Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[3]
Billboard Japan Hot 100
[4][upper-alpha 1][upper-alpha 2]
"Ryūsei no Namida" (流星のナミダ, "Meteor Tears")[upper-alpha 3] 2010 11 24 21,000 Non-album single
"Kanōsei Girl" (可能性ガール Kanōsei Gāru, "Possibility Girl") 30 41 8,000 Circus
"Cold Finger Girl" (コールドフィンガーガール Kōrudo Fingā Gāru) 2011 39 88 5,000
"Oishii Kisetsu" 37 100 4,000
"Ketteiteki Sanpunkan"
"Tsukiyo no Shōzō" 62 [upper-alpha 4] 2,000 Circus Deluxe Edition
"Toyosu Luciferin" (とよす☆ルシフェリン Toyosu Rushiferin) 2013 109 900 Non-album single
"0" 111 500
"Dilemma" 2014

Filmography

Kuriyama at an event in 2010

TV series

Films

Voice roles

Video games

Photobooks

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2004 2004 MTV Movie Awards Best Fight Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Won
2004 30th Saturn Awards Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Nominated
2009 Fantastic Fest Best Fantastic Actress Kamogawa Horumo Won

Notes

  1. The Japan Hot 100 was established in February 2008.
  2. Sources for chart positions are as follows: "Ryūsei no Namida",[5] "Kanōsei Girl",[6] "Cold Finger Girl",[7] "Oishii Kisetsu".[8]
  3. Under the name CHiAKi KURiYAMA.
  4. Charted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales chart.[9]

References

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