# Sayaka Akimoto

Sayaka Akimoto (秋元 才加, Akimoto Sayaka, born July 26, 1988) is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a member of Japanese idol girl group AKB48 and its spin-off unit Diva.
As an actress, Akimoto has appeared in both Japanese and American productions, and made her Hollywood debut in Sniper: Assassin's End (2020). She also provides the Japanese dub for Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

## Career
### Family and early career

Akimoto was born to a Japanese father and a Filipino mother. In 2012, she ran the Tokyo Marathon for the second year in a row and donated the money to the Philippines. Her solo book of photographs is entitled Ari no Mama. On June 26, 2014, Akimoto was appointed as the Goodwill Philippine Tourism Ambassador to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination in Japan. She was also assigned as a narrator in the collaboration drama of PTV-4 and Nippon TV entitled "Halo Halo House-Jose's Nippon Diary"

### 2006–2013: AKB48 member

Akimoto began her career in AKB48 as one of the members of the second generation, the Original Team K. On the last day of the Budokan concert on August 23, 2009, during the first team shuffle, Akimoto was officially made captain of Team K. She resigned after a scandal in 2010 but after completing the Tokyo Marathon in 2011, she was reappointed the position. On August 24, 2012, in the Tokyo Dome~1830m no Yume~ concert, Yuko Oshima replaced her as the captain of Team K via team shuffle.
She has since been involved with sub-unit group Diva under Avex. She became a regular on the popular noon TV show Waratte Iitomo from 2010 to 2012. She was also featured as one of the members in AKB48's own anime television show alongside other members Minami Takahashi, Yuko Oshima, Tomomi Itano, Atsuko Maeda and others.
On April 7, 2013, Akimoto announced on her official blog that she would not be participating in AKB48's 2013 general election, and would be graduating from AKB48 to focus on her acting. Her graduation ceremony was held on August 22 at the Tokyo Dome, and her final stage performance was held on August 28 at the AKB48 Theater, and has been streamed live by Nico Nico Namahousou.

### 2014–present: Solo career

In 2014, she reunited with her sub-unit group DIVA to release their final single "Discovery", an album, and a tour before disbandment.
She composed and sang "Little Witch" which was the NHK 2014 Spring Campaign Theme Song.
Since leaving AKB48 she has starred in four films. She has a recurring role as Bikuu in Garo which led to a solo film spin off in 2015. She sang the theme song of the film entitled "Sengetsu ~Hikari to Yami no Soba de~".
Akimoto was a co-host for Team Japan in the reality competition show Ultimate Beastmaster which was released on Netflix on February 24, 2017.

## Personal life

On July 27, 2020, Akimoto married music producer and singer PUNPEE [ja]. She gave birth to their first child on October 4, 2023.

## Discography
### With AKB48
#### Singles

| Year | No. | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | 1 | "Aitakatta" | A-side | Debut with Team K. Also sang on "Dakedo..." |
| 2007 | 2 | "Seifuku ga Jama o Suru" | A-side | Also sang on "Virgin Love" |
| 2007 | 3 | "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō" | A-side | |
| 2007 | 4 | "Bingo!" | A-side | Also sang on "Only Today" |
| 2007 | 5 | "Boku no Taiyō" | A-side | Also sang on "Mirai no Kajitsu". |
| 2008 | 7 | "Romance, Irane" | A-side | Also sang on "Ai no moufu". |
| 2008 | 8 | "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" | A-side | |
| 2008 | 9 | "Baby! Baby! Baby!" | A-side | |
| 2008 | 10 | "Ōgoe Diamond" | A-side | Also sang on "109". |
| 2009 | 11 | "10nen Sakura" | A-side | |
| 2009 | 13 | "Iiwake Maybe" | A-side | Ranked 12th in 2009 General Election. |
| 2009 | 14 | "River" | A-side | |
| 2010 | 15 | "Sakura no Shiori" | A-side | Also sang on "Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll". |
| 2010 | 16 | "Ponytail to Shushu" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nusumareta Kuchibiru" as Under Girls; and "Majijo Teppen Blues" |
| 2010 | 17 | "Heavy Rotation" | A-side, Yasai Sisters | Ranked 17th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters". |
| 2010 | 18 | "Beginner" | Diva | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nakeru Basho" as Diva. |
| 2010 | 19 | "Chance no Junban" | B-side | Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Alive" with Team K. |
| 2011 | 20 | "Sakura no Ki ni Narō" | Diva | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Area K" as Diva. |
| 2011 | -- | "Dareka no Tame ni - What can I do for someone?" | -- | Charity single |
| 2011 | 21 | "Everyday, Katyusha" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Yankee Soul". |
| 2011 | 22 | "Flying Get" | A-side | Ranked 17th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Seishun to Kizukanai mama"; and "Yasai Uranai" as Yasai Sisters 2011. |
| 2011 | 23 | "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" | Under Girls Yurigumi | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Gondola Lift" as Under Girls Yurigumi. |
| 2011 | 24 | "Ue kara Mariko" | A-side | Lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament; She sang on "Zero-sum Taiyō" as Team K. |
| 2012 | 25 | "Give Me Five!" | Special Girls B | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Hitsujikai no Tabi" as Special Girls B. |
| 2012 | 26 | "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" | Special Girls | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Mitsu no Namida" as Special Girls. |
| 2012 | 27 | "Gingham Check" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Ranked 20th in 2012 General Election. She sang on "Nante Bohemian" as Under Girls. |
| 2012 | 28 | "Uza" | New Team K | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Scrap & Build" as New Team K. |
| 2012 | 29 | "Eien Pressure" | B-side | Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Watashitachi no Reason". |
| 2013 | 30 | "So Long!" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Yuuhi Marie" as Team K. |
| 2013 | 31 | "Sayonara Crawl" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "How Come?" as Team K. |
| 2014 | 36 | "Labrador Retriever" | B-side | Did not participate in title song. Participated in "Kyō made no Melody" as graduated member. |

### Singles with SKE48

| Year | No. | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | 19 | "Chicken Line" | B-side | Sang on "Tabi no Tochū". Participated as graduated member. |

#### Stage units
##### Team K 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaru yo" (PARTYが始まるよ)

* Skirt, Hirari (スカート、ひらり)
* Hoshi no Ondo (星の温度)

##### Team K 2nd Stage "Seishun Girls" (青春ガールズ)

* Blue Rose
* Fushidara na Natsu (ふしだらな夏)

##### Team K 3rd Stage "Nōnai Paradise" (脳内パラダイス)

* Kimi wa Pegasus (君はペガサス)

##### Himawari Gumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyō" (僕の太陽)

* Himawari (向日葵)

##### Himawari Gumi 2nd Stage "Yume o Shinaseru Wakeni Ikanai" (夢を死なせるわけにいかない)

* Confession

##### Team K 4th Stage "Saishū Bell ga Naru" (最終ベルが鳴る)

* Return Match (リターンマッチ)

##### Team K 5th Stage "Sakaagari" (逆上がり)

* Mushi no Ballad (虫のバラード) (Solo Unit)

##### Team K 6th Stage "Reset"

* Ashita no Tame ni Kiss o (明日のためにキスを)

##### Team K Waiting Stage

* Anata to Christmas Eve (あなたとクリスマスイブ)
* Yuuwaku no Garter (誘惑のガーター)

### With Diva

* "Tsuki no Ura gawa"
** "Fade out"
** "Information"
** "Blue rose -Diva ver.-"
* "Cry"
** "No way out"
** "Chika Suidō"
** "Maria -Diva ver.-"
* "Lost the Way"
** "Kanashimi no Mirage"
** "Kimi wa Pegasus -Diva ver.-"

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Densen Uta | Shuri Matsuda | |
| 2009 | Super Gore Girl | Yukie Takashi | Lead role |
| 2009 | High Kick Girl! | Rika | |
| 2012 | Ultraman Saga | Anna Ozaki | |
| 2014 | Tokyo Slaves | Eia Arakawa | Lead role |
| 2015 | Bikuu the Movie | Bikuu | Lead role |
| 2015 | Mango and the Red Wheelchair | Ayaka Miyasono | Lead role |
| 2015 | Galaxy Turnpike | Manmo | |
| 2020 | Sniper: Assassin's End | Yuki "Lady Death" Mifune | American film |
| 2020 | Beautiful Dreamer | Sayaka | |
| 2023 | Sniper: Rogue Mission | Yuki "Lady Death" Mifune | American film |
| 2025 | #Iwilltellyouthetruth | | |

### Television dramas

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | Good Morning Call | Yukari | |
| 2016 | Sumika Sumire | Chiaki Yoshinogo | |
| 2021 | Aikatsu Planet! | Izumi Watanuki | |
| 2022 | The 13 Lords of the Shogun | Tomoe Gozen | Taiga drama |

### Stage plays

| Year | English title | Japanese title | Role |
| 2008 | Oishii Timing | おいしいタイミング | Un­known |
| 2010 | Space Wars | スペース・ウォーズ | Un­known |
| 2010 | Act Izumi Kyoka | 音楽劇 「ACT泉鏡花」 | Tomohime (富姫) |
| 2012 | Roman Holiday | ローマの休日 | Ann Princess (アン王女) |
| 2014 | Kokumin no Eiga | 国民の映画 | Elsa Veesenmayer (エルザ・フェーゼンマイヤー) |
| 2018 | Japan's History | 日本の歴史 | Un­known |

### Musicals

| Year | English title | Japanese title | Role |
| 2009 | AKB Kagekidan Infinity | AKB歌劇団 「∞・Infinity」 | Muraama Ruka (村雨ルカ) |
| 2010 | Minky Momo: Kagami no Kuni no Princess | ミンキーモモ〜鏡の国のプリンセス〜 | Nightmare (ナイトメアー) |
| 2011 | Super Live Show "Double Heroine" | スーパーLIVEショー「ダブルヒロイン」 | Kinoshita Rachel (木下レイチェル) |
| 2013 | Mozart l'Opéra Rock | ロックオペラ モーツァルト | Constanze (コンスタンツェ) |
| 2015 | Shelock Holmes 2: Bloody Game | シャーロック ホームズ2 ～ブラッディ・ゲーム～ | Maria Clara (マリア・クララ) |
| 2018 | Ghost the Musical | ゴースト | Molly Jensen (モリー・イェンセン) |

### Other television

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2008 | Mujack | Self |
| 2008 | AKB 0ji 59fun | Self |
| 2008–2013 | AKBingo! | Self |
| 2008–2010 | AKB48 Nemosu TV (AKB48ネ申テレビ) | Self |
| 2009–2010 | Shukan AKB48 (週刊AKB) | Self |
| 2009 | Music Fighter | Self |
| 2010 | G.I. Goro | Self |
| 2010–2012 | Waratte Iitomo! | Self |
| 2014 | Couple Kitchen | Self |
| 2017 | Ultimate Beastmaster | Host for Team Japan |

### Japanese dub

| Year | Title | Role | Voice dub for |
| 2013 | Spring Breakers | Faith | Selena Gomez |
| 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Mantis | Pom Klementieff |
| 2018 | Avengers: Infinity War | Mantis | Pom Klementieff |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | Mantis | Pom Klementieff |
| 2022 | Thor: Love and Thunder | Mantis | Pom Klementieff |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Mantis | Pom Klementieff |