Minami Hamabe

is a Japanese actress. Having starred in various blockbusters and popular television shows since her teenage years, she is one of Japan's most prominent figures in the modern-day entertainment industry.

Hamabe won the New Generation Award at the 2011 Toho Cinderella Audition and subsequently began her film career the following year. She gained fame by playing Meiko Honma in the live-action version of the TV series Anohana (2015), and later made her breakthrough playing the lead in the romance film Let Me Eat Your Pancreas (2017); with the latter earning her Newcomer of the Year at the 41st Japan Academy Prize. Hamabe subsequently starred in The Great War of Archimedes (2019), Cursed in Love, The Promised Neverland (both 2020), Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler Part 2 (2021), and One Day, You Will Reach the Sea (2022). In 2023, she co-starred with Ryunosuke Kamiki in the television drama Ranman and Takashi Yamazaki's kaiju epic Godzilla Minus One. Her acting in Godzilla Minus One along with Shin Kamen Rider attained her international recognition and she won Best Supporting Actress at the 66th Blue Ribbon Awards.

Early life and career Hamabe was born in Ishikawa Prefecture on August 29, 2000. She has one younger brother seven years her junior. On February 20, 2019, Hamabe shared the news of her graduation from Horikoshi High School.

She started off her career by winning the New Generation Award at the 7th Toho Cinderella Audition. She has since starred in numerous films and dramas, with many of them being live-action adaptations of popular manga and video games.

Hamabe gained widespread fame for her role in Japan for her role in the live-action film Let Me Eat Your Pancreas, which tells the story of a terminally ill girl's relationship with her introvert male classmate who happens to find out about her illness by accident. The film was the 5th highest-grossing film in Japan in 2017. Hamabe was awarded the Newcomer Of The Year Award at the 41st Japan Academy Film Prize, with the film itself being nominated for the Picture of the Year award at the same ceremony.

In 2019, Hamabe starred in the film The Great War of Archimedes. It grossed over 1.9 billion yen in Japan is amongst the highest-grossing film of 2019 in Japan.

In 2020, Hamabe co-starred with Ryusei Yokohama and Yukino Kishii in the live-action adaptation of the manga Cursed in Love. Hamabe also appeared in the film Murders At The House of Death in 2020. The film has grossed over 1 billion yen and is the 20th highest-grossing film in Japan for the year 2020.

In December 2020, Hamabe starred in the live-action film The Promised Neverland. The film has since grossed over 2.1 billion yen in Japan, making it amongst the highest-grossing film of 2021 in Japan. Hamabe starred in the drama Dr. White in 2022. The drama is based on the novels Dr. White: Senrigan no Karute (published 2015 by Kadokawa) and Dr. White: Kami no Shindan (published 2019 by Kadokawa) by Shin Kibayashi. Hamabe also appeared alongside Sho Hirano in the SP drama Seito ga Jinsei wo Yarinaoseru Gakko. Hamabe again starred alongside Yukino Kishii in the film One Day, You Will Reach the Sea (Yagate Umi e to Todoku) which was released in April 2022.

Hamabe was chosen directly by NHK without audition as the 108th Asadora heroine by NHK whereby she starred alongside Ryunosuke Kamiki as the wife of Kamiki's character. Filming for the Asadora, titled Ranman (らんまん), began in fall 2023. She appeared in two major films in 2023: Hideaki Anno's live-action superhero film Shin Kamen Rider and played a similar character to that of Ranman in Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One.

Personal life Hamabe has a Pomeranian pet dog she calls "Popu-chan". She is close friends with fellow actors Takumi Kitamura, Kanna Hashimoto, and Elaiza Ikeda.

Before winning the Toho Cinderella Audition and entering the entertainment industry, she initially wanted to become a dentist.

Filmography Films

Television Year Title RoleNotes

Other television Year Title Notes 202374th NHK Kōhaku Uta GassenHost

Video games Year Title Role Notes Physint

Music video appearances Year Title Artist Notes2016"Sora ga Aozora de Aru Tame ni"Glay 2017"Hana no Uta"Aimer 2018"I Want You Back"Twice 2019"I Beg You"Aimer

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result201730th Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest NewcomerLet Me Eat Your Pancreas and Ajin: Demi-Human Best ActressLet Me Eat Your Pancreas 42nd Hochi Film AwardsBest New Artist 201872nd Mainichi Film AwardsBest New Actress 60th Blue Ribbon AwardsBest Newcomer 27th Tokyo Sports Film AwardsBest Newcomer 41st Japan Academy PrizeNewcomer of the Year 202145th Elan d'or AwardsNewcomer of the YearHerself 202336th Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressGodzilla Minus One and Shin Kamen Rider 48th Hochi Film AwardsBest Supporting Actress 2024 66th Blue Ribbon AwardsBest Supporting Actress 47th Japan Academy Film PrizeBest ActressGodzilla Minus One Best Supporting ActressShin Kamen Rider