Mion Mukaichi

is a Japanese idol singer and former child actress best known for her affiliation with the girl group AKB48, where she served as the third AKB48 Group between 2019 and 2024.

Biography Mukaichi was born in Saitama Prefecture. She played tennis from 1st grade in elementary school right up to 3rd grade in junior high school.

Career Mukaichi was a child actress represented by talent agency Central G. She quit in fifth grade to concentrate on her studies Her most prominent acting role was that of Mio Sato in the Unfair series (2006) and its movie adaptation, Unfair: The Movie (2007).

In January 2013, Mukaichi took part and passed the AKB48 15th generation auditions, joining the group as a trainee. She was promoted to Team 4 during the group's Daisokaku Matsuri team assignment event and concert in February 2014. In April 2014, Mukaichi was selected as the new center (lead performer) for the song "Heavy Rotation" after being nominated by original center Yuko Oshima, who was about to leave the group. She joined a title track lineup, or senbatsu, for the first time for the group's 38th single title track "Kibouteki Refrain".

Mukaichi appeared in the series Sailor Zombie, starring fellow AKB48 members Nana Owada, Rina Kawaei, and Juri Takahashi, as a guest role in episode 2.

Mukaichi was appointed as center for the group's 44th single title track "Tsubasa wa Iranai" which was released on June 1, 2016. In AKB48 Group's general elections in the same year, she placed 13th with 47,094 votes and entered the senbatsu in AKB48 45th single.

In June 2018, she placed 13th in that year's elections and revealed that she aimed to become the next General Manager of AKB48 Group. In December, during the 13th anniversary celebration of the group at the AKB48 Theater, current General Manager Yui Yokoyama nominated Mukaichi as her successor and stated that she would remain to guide her until she was ready to take over the position. Mukaichi officially assumed the General Manager position on April 1, 2019.

On January 21, 2020, to commemorate AKB48's fifteenth anniversary, Mukaichi launched the AKB48 individual YouTube channels project, where members would produce their own YouTube channels to express their individual appeal to the general public, following the cancellation of long-running AKB48 television shows such as AKBingo! and AKB48 Show! Her joint channel with fellow AKB48 members Nana Okada, Yuiri Murayama, and Shinobu Mogi, the , was launched the same day.

On December 8, 2021, she was appointed the new captain of Team A during AKB48's 16th Anniversary performance, which she will serve in addition to her role as General Manager.

On December 31, 2023, Mukaichi announced that she will be stepping down as General Manager on March 16, 2024, and that Narumi Kuranoo will take her place.

On December 12, 2025, Mukaichi announced that she will graduate from AKB48 on 2026.

On April 30, 2026, Mukaichi graduated from AKB48. She resumed her entertainment activities on July of that year following a two-month hiatus.

Mukaichi wrote the lyrics for , a B-side song on AKB48's 68th single "Suki-ish" performed by the 20th generation trainees.

Discography

AKB48 singles Year No. Title Role Notes 2013 33 "Heart Electric" B-side Sang 'Kimi no Hitomi wa Planetarium' together with the trainee members. 2014 35 "Mae Shika Mukanee" B-side Sang 'Himitsu no Diary' as part of one-shot unit 'Baby Elephants'. 36 "Labrador Retriever" B-side Sang 'Heart no Dasshutsu Game' as part of Team 4. 38 "Kibouteki Refrain" A-side Mukaichi's first A-side. Also sang 'Me wo Akete Mama no First Kiss' as part of Team 4. 2015 39 "Green Flash" B-side Sang "Haru no Hikari Chikadzuita Natsu" and "Yankee Rock".40Bokutachi wa TatakawanaiA-sideAlso sang "Kafka to Dendenmu Chu!"41Halloween NightB-sideSang "Mizu no Naka no Dendouritsu", "Ippome Ondo", and "Yankee Machine Gun".42Kuchibiru ni Be My BabyB-sideSang "Kimi wo Kimi wo Kimi wo...", "Madonna no Sentaku", "Senaka Kotoba", and "Oneesan no Hitorigoto" 2016 43 "Kimi wa Melody" A-side Marked as the 10th Anniversary Single. Also sang "LALALA Message". 44 "Tsubasa wa Iranai" A-side, Center First solo center. Also sang "Aishū no Trumpeter". 45 "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" A-side Also sang "Black Flower". 46 "High Tension" A-side Also sang on "Happy End". 2017 47 "Shoot Sign" A-side Also sang on "Accident Chū" as AKB48 U-19 and "Dare no Koto wo Ichiban Aishiteru?" as Sakamichi AKB. 48 "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" A-side Also sang on "Tenmetsu Pheromone" 49 "#sukinanda" B-side Sang "Darashinai Aishikata" and "Give Up wa Shinai" 50 "11gatsu no Anklet" A-side 2018 51 "Jabaja" A-side Also sang on "Position" as AKB48 Wakate Senbatsu, and on "Kokkyo no Nai Jidai" as Sakamichi AKB. 52 "Teacher Teacher" A-side Also sang "Romantic Junbichuu" as Team A. 53 "Sentimental Train" A-side Placed 13th in the 2018 Senbatsu Sousenkyo. Also sang "Yuri wo Sakaseru ka?". 54 "No Way Man" A-side 2019 55 "Jiwaru Days" A-side 56 "Sustainable" A-side Also sang on "Nagareboshi ni Nani wo Megaeba Ii no Darou". 2020 57 "Shitsuren, Arigatō" A-side Also sang on "Mata Aeru Hi Made" and "Aisuru Hito" 2021 58 "Nemohamo Rumor" A-side Also sang on "Hanareteitemo"

Appearances

Stage units AKB48 Kenkyusei Stage

Team 4 3rd Stage

TV variety SMAP X SMAP (2005) AKBingo! (2013–2019) (2013-2016) (2014-2016) (2014– ) (2014) (2014-2015)

TV dramas (2002), young Hatsu (2002), Yumi's Daughter Unfair (2006), Sato Mio (2006), Fujiyoshi Juri (2007), Kawamura Kaya (2007) (2007) (2014), Giant zombie (Ep 2) (2015), Jisedai (Team Hinabe) (2015), Jisedai (Team Hinabe) Ep.21 - Big Sister (2015), Ikuko Episode 8 (2015) as Mayu Izumi Ep.37 - Dangerous Two-seaters (2016), Mirai (2016), Nami Katayama (2016), Jisedai (Fugu) (2017), Mion Mukaichi/Strawberry Mukaichi, Blackberry Mukaichi (2018), Bara/Ikumi Kuwabara

Movies Bayside Shakedown 2 (2003), Rikako Unfair: The Movie (2007), Sato Mio (2008), Haruka (2008) Unfair: The End (2015), Sato Mio

Educational (2014- )

Magazines Love Berry, Tokuma Shoten 2001-2012 and 2015-, as an exclusive model since December 2015