Ryoko Shinohara

is a Japanese singer and actress.

As a singer, she is best known for the 1994 song "Itoshisa to Setsunasa to Kokoro Zuyosa to" with producer Tetsuya Komuro, which charted at number one and made her the first female artist in Japan to record a double million in CD single sales. It was followed by the number one album Lady Generation: Shukujo no Jidai (1995). Shinohara's musical output saw waning commercial reception in the latter half of the decade, at which she began concentrating on her acting career.

Highlighted by the Japan Times for her "long reign as a TV drama queen", Shinohara's best known acting credits include detective Yukihira Natsumi in the drama series Unfair, which spawned three feature films and several specials; and temp worker Haruko Oomae in Haken no Hinkaku. She has starred in several acclaimed films, winning two Japan Academy Film Prizes for her roles in The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps and Sakura Guardian in the North, both in 2018.

Career Shinohara appeared in Tetsuya Nakashima's 2004 film Kamikaze Girls.

Filmography

Films Shin Funky Monkey Teacher Dotsukaretarunen (1994) Funky Monkey Teacher Forever (1995) Happy People (1996) June Bride (1998) Beru Epokku (1998) Go-Con! Japanese Love Culture (2000) Red Shadow (2001) Calmi Cuori Appassionati (2001) Totunyuuseyo! Asama Sansou Jiken (2002) Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS (2002) Kendama (2002) Blessing Bell (2003) Kamikaze Girls (2004) as Momoko's mom. The Uchoten Hotel (2006) Unfair (2006) as Natsumi Yukihira

Hanada Shōnen Shi (2006) Unfair: The Movie (2007) as Natsumi Yukihira Unfair 2: The Answer (2011) as Natsumi Yukihira One Piece Film: Z (2012) as Ain (voice) Unfair: The End (2015) as Natsumi Yukihira Sakura Guardian in the North (2018) Sunny: Our Hearts Beat Together (2018) as Nami Abe (adult) The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps (2018) as Kaoruko Harima Bento Harassment (2019) as Kaori Mochimaru Wedding High (2022) as Maho Nakagoshi

Television Houkago (1992) Sugao no Mama de (1992) Ninshin Desuyo 2 (1995) Kagayaku Toki no Naka de (1995) Rennai Zenya: Ichidodake no Koi 2 (1996) Pure (1996) Naniwa Kinyudo 2 (1996) Shinryounaikai Ryouko (1997) Gift (1997) Bayside Shakedown (1997) Ao no Jidai (1998) Nanisama (1998) Beach Boys Special (1998) Kira Kira Hikaru (1998) Kiken na Kankei (1999) Genroku Ryoran (1999) Kabachitare (2000) Tokimune Hojo (2000) Saotome Typhoon (2001) Mukodono! (2001) HR (2002) Hatsu Taiken (2002) Renai Hensachi (2002) Boku no Mahou Tsukai (2003) Mukodono (2003) Mother and Lover (2004) Hikari to Tomo ni (2004) (2004) Yankee Bokou ni Kaeru (2004) Naniwa Kinyudo 6 (2005) Anego (2005) as Naoko Noda Unfair SP (2006) as Natsumi Yukihira Message (2006) Hanayome wa Yakudoshi (2006) Unfair (2006) as Natsumi Yukihira Woman's Island (2006) The Pride of the Temp (2007) Hataraku Gon! (2009) Ogon no Buta (2010) Tsuki no Koibito (2010) Unfair Double Meaning ~ Yes or No? SP 2 (2013) Last Cinderella (2013) Lady Girls (2015) as Aki Nakahara The Pride of the Temp 2 (2020) Ochoyan (2020–21) as Shizu Okada Fishbowl Wives (2022) Silent (2022) as Ritsuko Sakura

Dubbing World War Z, Karin Lane (Mireille Enos)

Discography

Albums Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions JPNOricon Ryoko from Tokyo Performance Doll Released: 15 January 1993 Label: Cha-Dance Formats: CD63 Lady Generation Released: 21 August 1995 Label: Sony Formats: CD1

Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positions JPNOricon 2019 61st Blue Ribbon Awards Best Actress 42nd Japan Academy Prize Best Actress The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps Best Supporting Actress Sakura Guardian in the North