# Mao Inoue

Mao Inoue (井上 真央, Inoue Mao, born January 9, 1987) is a Japanese actress. She is best known to Japanese television drama audiences as Akane Imai (今井 茜, Imai Akane) in Kids War (キッズ・ウォー, Kid's War), as Makino Tsukushi in the Boys Over Flowers series, and as Sugi Fumi (ja) in the 54th taiga drama Burning Flower. She also appeared in a number of films, including I Give My First Love to You, Rebirth, and The Snow White Murder Case.

## Career
### Dramas and films

Inoue Mao began her acting career at the age of five, appearing in the television series Kids War from 1999 to 2003. She gained widespread recognition in 2005 for her portrayal of Tsukushi Makino in Boys Over Flowers, which earned her a Best Actress Award from the Television Drama Academy.
In 2006, Inoue appeared in her first film, Check It Out, Yo!.
Inoue made her film debut in 2006 with Check It Out, Yo! and subsequently starred in the television drama First Kiss alongside Yūta Hiraoka. She continued to take on prominent roles in television, including the drama special Hanaikusa, in which she played a maiko-turned-geisha, and Anmitsu Hime (2008), where she portrayed a princess. She reprised her role in Anmitsu Hime 2 (2009), also contributing to the theme song alongside Shoko Nakagawa
Following the success of Boys Over Flowers and its 2007 sequel, Inoue starred in the film adaptation, Boys Over Flowers: Final (2008).The film topped the Japanese box office and became the second-fastest-earning film of that year, contributing to her nickname, the "10 Billion Yen Actress."
After a brief break from acting to concentrate on her studies at Meiji University,Inoue returned to acting in Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu (2009), in which she shared the lead with Masaki Okada; it was released in theaters in October 2009. In April of the following year, My Darling is a Foreigner was released in theaters with Inoue starring opposite Jonathan Sherr.
Three years after her last drama, she reunited with Boys Over Flowers co-star Shun Oguri for the drama Jūi Dolittle (獣医ドリトル, Veterinarian Dolittle), which began airing in October 2010. She also starred in the 84th asadora drama Ohisama (おひさま, The Sun), portraying a young woman who lived through World War II in Nagano prefecture. For her role, she won "Best Actress" in the 70th The Television Drama Academy Awards.
In February 2011, Inoue, together with Yutaka Takenouchi, co-starred in Oba: The Last Samurai, a film about World War II holdout Captain Sakae Ōba. Filming took place in Thailand. It was also announced in late September 2010 that Inoue would star in the film Rebirth which was released in April 2011. Both films were successful at the box office. In Rebirth, her portrayal of a daughter with a difficult past earned her several film awards, including her first "Best Starring Actress" award in the 35th Japan Film Academy Awards. The film also won nine other awards that year.
Inoue was chosen to chair the Red team in the New Year's Eve Singing Contest Kōhaku Uta Gassen 2011. This team became the first female-led Red team to win the Kōuhaku Uta Gassen in seven years.
Because of her performance in Oba: Miracle in the Pacific, she was chosen to star in the comedy Tug of War! released in 2012.
It was announced in May 2012 that Inoue would play the lead role in a summer drama called Tokkan Tokubetsu Kokuzei Choushukan, reuniting her with director Tsuna Hiichatta. The drama aired in July 2012.
She appeared alongside V6's member Junichi Okada and Haruma Miura in the war film The Eternal Zero in 2013. The film topped the Japan Box Office for eight consecutive weeks and broke box office records. The film also won The Audience Award at the Udine Far East Film Festival.
It was announced that she would reunite with some of her co-stars and her Tug of War! director in the comedy film King of Apology, which was released in September 2013.
In March 2014, Inoue appeared in a leading role in the mystery suspense film The Snow White Murder Case, directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura.
In June 2014, it was announced that Inoue would play the lead role of Sugi Fumi in the 2015 NHK taiga drama, Burning Flower. After the series received historically low ratings during its run, Inoue took the responsibility for the low viewership, stating, "I am the starring actress, so it has to be from my lack of ability."
She then took a year and a half off of acting, and later made a drama comeback in a Fuji TV drama in fall titled School Counselor.
In 2019, Inoue starred in a comedic and cinematic period film Talking the Pictures and the special 5-episode NHK drama titled Boy Torajiro. The next year, On January 8, 2020, her movie titled Angry Rice Wives on which the story was set during the 1918 Rice Riots, was released on various cinemas in Japan.
In May 2020, it was confirmed that Inoue would have a role in the NTV drama Pay To Ace alongside Yuya Yagira and Shigeaki Kato. The series was originally scheduled to air in July 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### Print and television endorsements

Aside from acting in films, Inoue has been chosen to represent Mizuho Bank and Chocola BB Eisai series, NTT fleet West and Asahi Breweries's Asahi Direct Shot, collaborating with Tomohisa Yamashita. She also appears on the covers of various magazines, such as Bomb, Steady, Weekly Shonen, among others.

### Voice acting

In 2014, Inoue debuted as a voice actress, providing the voice of Apple Boy in one of the Anpanman films. The anime film was released in July 2014.
Her next voice project was the animated film 3DCG Rudolf and the Black Cat. It was announced on 31 July 2015. The film was released on August 6, 2016.

### Stage

Inoue was cast in a stage play called MIWA in 2013.
A new stage play starring Inoue was announced called Anger. It ran from January to April 2016.

## Personal life

Inoue revealed in one show that her mother encouraged her to join performing acts to learn at the age of 4. She was also learning music and arts. Early on, acting was not her priority, but when she received her first fan letter, she decided to continue acting. Although she entered show business at a young age, she gave her school priority. In 2004, she rose in popularity from her role in the Kid's War series. Despite this, she chose to put her acting on hold as she concentrated on graduating from the University of Japan. In 2005, at age 18, Inoue enrolled in Meiji University, majoring in theater and literature; she chose Chinese as her second language elective. In her last year of college, she concentrated solely on her studies. In March 2009, she graduated from Meiji University.

## Filmography
### Television dramas

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Gakkō ga Abunai! | Mami Asakura | |
| 1992 | Itsumitemo Haran Banjō | Midori Satsuki | |
| 1992 | Tsubusareta Kao! Zankoku na Shashin | | |
| 1993 | Kokoro no Tabi Series | | |
| 1994 | Kagishi | | |
| 1994 | Mayonaka no Jōkyaku | | |
| 1994 | Ninja Sentai Kakuranger | Tsuruhime/Ninja White as a young child | |
| 1995 | Tōryanse | | |
| 1995 | Kura | | |
| 1996 | Genki o Ageru | Maiko Nitani | |
| 1996 | Asahi ni Wakare no Seppun o | | |
| 1997 | Abarenbō Shōgun VII | Sayo | Episode 17 |
| 1997 | Mito Kōmon 25th Series | | Episode 14 |
| 1997 | Terakoya Yume Shinan | | |
| 1997 | Kin no Tamago | | Episode 3 |
| 1997 | Shin Hanshichi Torimonochō | | |
| 1997 | Gourmet Mystery Onna Shutchō Ryōrinin ga Iku! | | |
| 1998 | Tōyama no Kinsan vs Onna Nezumi | Tonbo | Episode 8 |
| 1998 | Hi no Ryōsen | | |
| 1999 | Kai | Ayako Tomita | |
| 1999 | Kids War Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2000 | Kids War 2 Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2000 | Otōsan | Yū Ōmura | |
| 2001 | Kids War 3 Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2002 | Kids War Special Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2002 | Kids War 4 Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2002 | Kids War Special Ai Koso Subete da! Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2003 | Kids War 5 Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | Lead role |
| 2003 | Kids War Special Kore de Final! Zaken na yo | Akane Imai | |
| 2004 | Home Drama | Shōko Nagamine | |
| 2005 | Kyūmei Byōtō 24 Ji | | |
| 2005 | Boys Over Flowers | Makino Tsukushi | Lead role |
| 2005 | Grave of the Fireflies | Natsu Sawano | TV movie |
| 2007 | Boys Over Flowers 2 | Makino Tsukushi | Lead role |
| 2007 | Ōsama no Shinzō | Sakura Kariya | |
| 2007 | First Kiss | Mio Fukunaga | Lead role |
| 2007 | Hanaikusa | Mineko Iwasaki | Lead role |
| 2008 | Anmitsu Hime | Anmitsu Hime/Tokoroten | Lead role |
| 2009 | Anmitsu Hime 2 | Anmitsu Hime/Tokoroten | Lead role |
| 2009 | Karei naru Spy | Ami Yoshizawa | Episode 1 |
| 2009 | Kinkyu Special Kyumei Byoto 24-ji Kyumei Kusush | | Episode 4 |
| 2009 | Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara | Natsuko Nonogami | Television film |
| 2009 | Yonimo Kimyō na Monogatari: Aki no Tokubetsuhen | Kanako Okazaki | Lead role |
| 2010 | Mominoki wa Nokotta | Uno | |
| 2010 | Veterinarian Dolittle | Asuka Tashima | |
| 2011 | Sunshine | Yōko Sudō | Lead role; Asadora |
| 2012 | Gooko's Life | Suzumiya Miki | Lead role |
| 2013 | Paji | Momo | Special appearance |
| 2015 | Burning Flower | Sugi Fumi | Lead role; Taiga drama |
| 2017 | School Counselor | Hinata Aizawa | Lead role |
| 2019 | Shōnen Torajirō | Mitsuko Kuruma | Lead role; miniseries |
| 2021 | Pay to Ace | Mai Sakura | |
| 2023 | Why Didn't I Tell You a Million Times? | Yui Sōma | Lead role |

### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | Check It Out, Yo! | Yui Haebaru | |
| 2007 | Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro | Mika Miura | |
| 2007 | Kaidan | | |
| 2008 | Hana Yori Dango Final | Makino Tsukushi | Lead role |
| 2009 | I Give My First Love to You | Mayu Taneda | Lead role |
| 2010 | My Darling Is a Foreigner | Saori | Lead role |
| 2010 | Surely Someday | Shōko Gotō | |
| 2011 | Oba: The Last Samurai | Chieko Aono | |
| 2011 | Rebirth | Erina | Lead role |
| 2012 | Tug of War! | Nishikawa Chiaki | Lead role |
| 2013 | The Eternal Zero | Miyabe Matsuno | |
| 2013 | King of Apology | Noriko Kuramochi | |
| 2014 | The Snow White Murder Case | Miki Shirono | Lead role |
| 2014 | Anpanman: Apple Boy and Everyone's Hope | Apple Boy (voice) | |
| 2016 | Rudolf the Black Cat | Rudolf (voice) | Lead role |
| 2018 | Yakiniku Dragon | Rika | |
| 2018 | When a Tree Falls | Mitsue Kayama | Lead role |
| 2019 | Talking the Pictures | Kotoe Tachibana | |
| 2020 | I Never Shot Anyone | Karuta Fukuhara | |
| 2021 | Angry Rice Wives | Ito Matsuura | Lead role |
| 2022 | Remember to Breathe | Yūko | Lead role |
| 2025 | Sunset Sunrise | Momoka Sekino | |

### Other television

* 2011: 62nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen - MC

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Organization | Award | Work(s) | Result |
| 2007 | 10th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix | Best Actress | Boys Over Flowers 2 | Won |
| 2007 | 16th Hashida Awards | Best Newcomer | Boys Over Flowers 2 | Won |
| 2007 | MTV Student Voice Awards | Best Actress | Boys Over Flowers 2 | Won |
| 2008 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Best Actress | Boys Over Flowers 2 | Won |
| 2011 | 3rd TAMA Film Award | Best Emerging Actress | Miracle in the Pacific | Won |
| 2011 | 35th Fumiko Yamaji Award Film Awards | Newcomer Actress | Rebirth | Won |
| 2011 | 26th Nikkan Sports Film Award | Best Newcomer | Rebirth, Miracle in the Pacific | Won |
| 2012 | 36th Elan d'or Awards | Newcomer of the Year | Herself | Won |
| 2012 | 35th Japan Academy Film Prize | Best Actress | Rebirth | Won |
| 2015 | 38th Japan Academy Film Prize | Best Actress | The Snow White Murder Case | Nominated |
| 2019 | 61st Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Yakiniku Dragon | Nominated |