# Maimi Yajima

Maimi Yajima (矢島 舞美, Yajima Maimi, born February 7, 1992) is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project.

## Career

Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids auditions after performing "Momoiro Kataomoi" by Aya Matsuura. She debuted the same year in the movie Koinu Dan no Monogatari, taking on one of the main roles as an antagonist. The following year, she joined the first of the kids' groups, ZYX, which released two singles.
In 2004, Berryz Kobo was formed, with the intention of rotating the girls throughout the unit. Yajima did not make the original pick, and the idea was eventually dropped. The remaining girls eventually ended up forming Cute in 2005. Despite not being the oldest, Yajima still became the group's leader, after Erika Umeda turned down the role. The group did not make its official debut until late in 2006, with their first official single released in February 2007.
Aside from leading Cute, Yajima became the sub-captain of Little Gatas and the Hello! Project Kids futsal team. She was also considered to be one of the fastest runners in all of Hello! Project, often coming first in the running events at the annual sports festivals and listing running as one of her hobbies.
Yajima also co-hosted Cute's weekly radio program, Cutie Party. She took over the role when Megumi Murakami left the group.
In 2008, Yajima was selected to be a member of Hello Project's new unit High-King. Yajima and Fukuda Kanon appeared in the movie Fuyu no Kaidan (Winter Ghost Story), released in Japan on May 23, 2009.
Cute disbanded following their final concert at Saitama Super Arena on June 12, 2017. Yajima had announced earlier, via the group's blog, that she planned to pursue an acting career.

## Personal life

Maimi's younger cousin, Akari Takeuchi, is a former member of ANGERME, another girl group within Hello! Project.
On November 8, 2022, she announced her marriage with actor Ryosuke Mikata. On March 25, 2024, she announced her first pregnancy.

## Discography
### Solo DVDs

| No. | Title | Release date | Chart position | Label |
| No. | Title | Release date | Oricon Weekly DVD Chart | Label |
| 1 | 17's (Seventeen's) (17's-SEVENTEEN'S-) | April 29, 2009 | 35 | Zetima |
| – | UTB Wani Books Online Store Gentei Tokuten "Yajima Maimi Making DVD" (UTB ワニブックス オンラインストア限定特典 「矢島舞美 メイキングDVD」) | June 2009 | — | Wani Books (not for sale) |
| 2 | Yajima Maimi Fix no E (矢島舞美 Fixの絵) | June 23, 2010 | 80 | Zetima |
| 3 | Yajima Maimi DVD "Umikaze" (矢島舞美DVD「海風」 , "Yajima Maimi DVD "Sea Breeze"") | March 27, 2011 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| 4 | A Foggy Doll (a foggy doll) | August 29, 2011 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| 5 | A Rainy Day (a rainy day) | September 29, 2011 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| 6 | Imagine Classic (Imagine classic) | November 11, 2011 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| – | Yajima Maimi Shashinshū "Tabioto" Making DVD (矢島舞美写真集「タビオト」メイキングDVD) | January 31, 2012 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| 7 | Chelsie | December 19, 2012 | 141 | Zetima |
| | Maimiuseum Special DVD (マイミュージアム スペシャルDVD) | June 5, 2013 | — | Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series) |
| | Blue Wind | April 9, 2014 | 47 | Zetima |

### Duet singles

| Year | Artist | Title | Release date | Chart position |
| Year | Artist | Title | Release date | Oricon Weekly Single Chart |
| 2008 | Abe Natsumi & Yajima Maimi (Cute) (安倍なつみ＆矢島舞美（°C－ｕｔｅ）) | "16sai no Koi Nante" (16歳の恋なんて , Jūrokusai no Koi Nante) | January 16, 2008 (2008-01-16) | 9 |