Ai Maeda (前田 愛 , Maeda Ai , born 4 October 1983 in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress, singer and model.
Maeda is notable for performing Shiori Kitano in the 2003 film Battle Royale II: Requiem , as well as for voicing the title role in the anime series Kino's Journey (for which she also performed a theme song to the series, "The Beautiful World"). Her younger sister is Aki Maeda . Ai Maeda came into the spotlight when she was only 8 years old, appearing in a McDonald's commercial. From there her career started off. She modeled along with her sister Aki Maeda when they were young until she was 16/17 years old, when she starred in many movies and TV series.
Maeda is skilled in the piano, Tate (fighting battles on the movie set) and the English language (Ai studied abroad in Canada for a year in 2000). She starred in the 3-D Ghost horror film Shock Labyrinth 3D, which was directed by Takashi Shimizu .
She is a graduate of Aoyama Gakuin University (Faculty of Economics, International Politics and Communications).
In 2009, Maeda married Kabuki actor Nakamura Kankurō VI and they have two sons.
1993: Debuted in a McDonald's commercial together with her sister Aki. She was in her fourth year of primary school. 1994: Ai and Aki joined the manager firm "Crayon". 1994 April: Became a regular cast of the show Appare-Sanma Sensei . 1997: Changed manager to "Granpapa". 1997: Formed the group "Pretty Chat" with Maya Hamaoka, Yuuka Nomura and Ayako Omura, releasing a single album "Wake up girls". 2003: On her 20th birthday she voiced her first anime Kino no Tabi . Night Fly [2005.03.16] the Beautiful World The title track was used in Kino's Journey ending theme
Actress
2013
Garireo (TV Series) - Madowasu (2013)
2012
Hanchô: Jinnansho Azumihan (TV Series) as
Ayumi
- Episode #5.8 (2012) - Ayumi
2010
Cast Me If You Can as
Sakura
2010
Rinjô (TV Series) as
Rio Saita
- Episode #2.7 (2010) - Rio Saita
2009
Senritsu meikyû 3D as
Rin
2009
The Woman of S.R.I. (TV Series) - Episode #9.8 (2009)
2009
Chôshoku-tei (TV Movie) as
Erika Koizumi
2008
Asahiyama dôbutsuen: Pengin ga sora o tobu as
Makoto Ogawa
2008
4 shimai tanteidan (TV Series) as
Akane Morita
- Episode #1.3 (2008) - Akane Morita
2007
Gekijô ban kino no tabi: Byôki no kuni - For you (Short) as
Kino (voice)
2007
The yakiniku mûbî: Purukogi
2006
Death Note: The Last Name as
Ayako Yoshino
2006
Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan
2006
Sengoku jieitai sekigahara no tatakai (TV Series) - Episode #1.1 (2006)
2005
Kamyu nante shiranai as
Kiyoko Hisada
2005
Yakuza Ladies: Burning Desire
2005
Azumi 2: Death or Love as
Chiyo
2004
Shibuya Kaidan Sacchan no Toshi Densetsu (TV Special)(segment 'Chenmeru')
2004
AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (TV Series) as
Sayuki Honmiya
- Episode #2.16 (2004) - Sayuki Honmiya
- Episode #2.15 (2004) - Sayuki Honmiya
2003
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 as
O-Ren (anime sequence) (voice)
2003
Battle Royale II as
Shiori Kitano (Transfer Student)
2001
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack as
Cameo appearance (Twin girl in Yokohama)
2000
Battle Royale as
Shiori - Kitano's Daughter (voice)
1999
Besuto furendo (TV Series) as
Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.9 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.8 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.7 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.6 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.5 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.4 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.3 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.2 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
- Episode #1.1 (1999) - Makoto Shindo
1999
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris as
Ayana Hirasaka
1998
Hanako of the Toilet as
Satomi Kurahashi
1995
School Mystery as
Natsumi Sakamoto
Self
1999
Gamera 1999 (Documentary)
Archive Footage
2013
Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (TV Series documentary) as
Ayana Hirasaka
- Gamera Next Gen (2013) - Ayana Hirasaka