Sayaka Akimoto

Sayaka Akimoto 秋元才加
Sayaka Akimoto at Japan Expo 2009, Paris
Background information
Also known as	Saaya (さぁや)
Born	(1988-07-26) July 26, 1988
Origin	Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Genres	J-pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	April 1, 2006 - present
Labels	King Records (with AKB48), Avex Trax (with Diva), UMG Japan (with Chocolove from AKB48)

Sayaka Akimoto (秋元才加, Akimoto Sayaka, born July 26, 1988 in Chiba Prefecture), is a member of the Japanese idol group AKB48. She is captain of Team K and also a member of the sub-unit group Diva. She was born to a Japanese father and a Filipina mother.

Controversy

Alleged sex scandal

On October 13, 2010, Akimoto was caught up in an alleged scandal with director Hiroi Ouji after Weekly magazine “Shukan Bunshun” reported that he visited her apartment on October 9, and stayed overnight. According to the magazine, Hiroi visited her place 30 minutes after she came back home. After Sayaka’s roommate (another AKB48 member) left the house the next day, Sayaka and Hiroi were seen coming out of the apartment, albeit separately. The magazine asserts that Hiroi visited Sayaka’s apartment on the 7th as well. Ouji was known as the creator of the hit games, “Tengai Makyou” and “Sakura Taisen”, Hiroi Ouji also produced the musical “AKB Kagekidan”. The scandal lies in the fact that Sayaka starred in the AKB48 musical, leading many to speculate if she landed the part in an honest manner.

Akimoto and Ouji both denied anything happening between them during that night although Ouji did admit that he stayed overnight and slept on a sofa and that they were only watching a movie together. Akimoto later on talked about this issue on the radio show, “AKB48 no all night Nippon” which aired on October 16th where she also apologized for creating a big issue. She also announced that she would step down as the captain of Team K.

On February 27, 2011, it was announced that Akimoto was re-instated as the captain of Team K after she completed the Tokyo Marathon. Various members of AKB48 showed their support for her by watching the marathon in the studio and leaving kind messages to her.

Appearances

Akimoto has been featured on every single by the group as she is the Captain of Team K making her a regular featured member for most of their A-side tracks. However after the scandal in 2010 she has only been featured on their B-side tracks. The only time that she had appeared on an A-side track was during those determined by a General election and the rock-paper-scissors tournament.

However she is sometimes seen performing with the group during their live appearances on TV when the other featured members are on busy schedules. She has since been involved with sub-unit group DiVA under Avex.

Singles

as AKB48

• Aitakatta (会いたかった)
• Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru (制服が邪魔をする)
• Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō (軽蔑していた愛情)
• BINGO!
• Boku no Taiyō (僕の太陽)
• Romance, Irane (ロマンス、イラネ)
• Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008 (桜の花びらたち2008)
• Baby! Baby! Baby!
• Ōgoe Diamond (大声ダイヤモンド)
• Iiwake Maybe (言い訳Maybe)
• RIVER
• Included in "Sakura no Shiori" (桜の栞)
  • Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll (マジスカロックンロール)
• Included in "Ponytail to Shushu" (ポニーテールとシュシュ)
  • Majijo Teppen Blues (マジジョテッペンブルース)
  • Nusumareta Kuchibiru (盗まれた唇) - as Under Girls
• Heavy Rotation (ヘビーローテーション)
  • Yasai Sisters (野菜シスターズ) - as Yasai Sisters
• Included in "Beginner"
  • Nakeru Basho (泣ける場所) - as DIVA
• Included in "Sakura no Ki ni Narō" (桜の木になろう)
  • Area K (エリアK) - as DIVA
• Included in "Everyday, Kachūsha" (Everyday、カチューシャ)
  • Yankee Soul (ヤンキーソウル)
• Flying Get (フライングゲット)
  • Seishun to Kizukanai mama (青春と気づかないまま)
  • Yasai Uranai (野菜占い) - as Yasai Sisters 2011
• Included in "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" (風は吹いている)
  • Gondola Lift (ゴンドラリフト)
• Ue kara Mariko (上からマリコ)

  Zero-sum Taiyō (ゼロサム太陽)

as DiVA

• Tsuki no Ura gawa (月の裏側)
  • Fade out
  • Information (インフォメーション)
  • Blue rose -DiVA ver.-
• Cry
  • No way out
  • Chika Suidō (地下水道)
  • Maria -Diva ver.-

Stage Units

Team K 1st Stage "PARTY ga Hajimaruyo" (PARTYが始まるよ)

1. Skirt, Hirari (スカート、ひらり)
2. Hoshi no Ondo (星の温度)

Team K 2nd Stage "Seishun Girls" (青春ガールズ)

1. Blue Rose
2. Fushidara na Natsu (ふしだらな夏)

Team K 3rd Stage "Nōnai Paradise" (脳内パラダイス)

1. Kimi wa Pegasus (君はペガサス)

Himawari Gumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyō" (僕の太陽)

1. Himawari (向日葵)

Himawari Gumi 2nd Stage "Yume wo Shinaseru Wakeni Ikanai" (夢を死なせるわけにいかない)

1. Confession

Team K 4th Stage "Saishū Bell ga Naru" (最終ベルが鳴る)

1. Return Match (リターンマッチ)

Team K 5th Stage "Sakaagari" (逆上がり)

1. Mushi no Ballad (虫のバラード) (Solo Unit)

Team K 6th Stage "RESET"

1. Ashita no Tame ni Kiss wo (明日のためにキスを)

Filmography

Movies

Year	English Title	Role
2007	Densen Uta (伝染歌)	Shuri Matsuda (松田朱里)
2009	High Kick Girl! (ハイキック・ガール！)	Rika
2009	Super Gore Girl (聖白百合騎士団)	Yukie
2012	Ultraman Saga (ウルトラマンサーガ)	Anna

Dramas

Year	Title	Role
2008	Tadashii Ouji no Tsukuri Kata (正しい王子のつくり方)	Kiryu Natsuki (桐生夏輝)
2010	Salary Man Kintaro 2 (サラリーマン金太郎2)	Torii Madoka (鳥居まどか)
2010	Arienai (episode 5) (あり得ない)	Store Clerk
2010	Majisuka Gakuen (マジすか学園)	Chokoku
2011	Majisuka Gakuen 2 (マジすか学園2)	Chokoku
2011	Kudo Shinichi he no Chosenjo (工藤新一への挑戦状)	Suzuki Sonoko

Television

Year	Title	Role
2008	Mujack	Self
2008	AKB 0ji 59fun	Self
2008	Ecogainder	Mudaana-sama
2008–Present	AKBINGO!	Self
2008–2010	AKB48 Nemousu TV (AKB48ネ申テレビ)	Self
2009–2010	Shukan AKB48 (週刊AKB)	Self
2009	Music Fighter	Self
2010	G.I. Goro	Self
2010-2012	Waratte Iitomo!	Self

References

• Interview: AKB48 à la Japan Expo 2009 (in French) (2009-08-25) Mata-Web. Retrieved 2009-09-17
• Super Gore Girl Official Site

External links

• Sayaka Akimoto at IMDb
• Sayaka Akimoto (English page) - Google+