Japan
Stay tuned for more CHiAKi KURiYAMA, including an interview and sneak preview of her new music video!
What do the two most cutely bloodthirsty schoolgirls to hit film in the past decade -- Gogo Yubari in Kill Bill: Vol 1 and Takako Chigusa in Battle Royale -- have in common? They were both played by Japanese actress Chiaki Kuriyama, the teen model sensation whose upward-curved eyes and aquiline nose instantly attracted the attention of J-Horror directors. She was just 15 when she landed a role in 1999's Shikoku (Land of the Dead), and catapulted to international recognition when Quentin Tarantino cast her as the ultraviolent, meteor hammer-swinging, schoolgirl yakuza bodyguard. Since then, Chiaki the actress has appeared in various films, TV shows, and TV commercials globally.
But did you know about Chiaki the singer? Yes, fans, your favorite gothic lolita is dipping a toe into musical waters as the performer CHiAKi KURiYAMA. Inspired by artists like My Chemical Romance, Marilyn Manson, Ringo Shiina, Hikaru Utada, and L’Arc~en~Ciel, CHiAKi doesn't shy away from darkness. Her sweet vocals add a soothing touch to melancholic ballads like “Ryusei No Namida” (already picked as the theme song of the 2010 anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn) and her kickass side shows up on rock tracks like “Kekkei IN MY BED.” With just two songs, CHiAKi's already showing such wide range. You don't know whether she'll kiss you or cut you...and that's what makes her so fascinating.
JapanCheck out this in-depth interview with CHiAKi KURiYAMA. Here she shares some experiences about moving from acting to singing, and what it’s like to hear your own voice on a recording. We’d been so excited to meet this beautiful J-horror star...when CHiAKi began to speak, her thoughtfulness and insight just blew us away.
JapanFinally, we get a taste of CHiAKi KURiYAMA’s debut single “Ryusei No Namida.” When she granted us this interview we felt so humbled -- I mean, it’s not every day you get to meet a J-horror star up close. As you’ll see, there’s more to CHiAKi than good looks and acting talent. Just listen to that amazing voice!
JapanHere's the trailer for “Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn),” the latest series in the long-running anime franchise. In case you didn’t notice, that’s CHiAKi KURiYAMA singing “Ryusei No Namida” in the background -- it’s the opening theme song for the series. It’s no wonder they picked her track; after dominating in J-horror films like Battle Royale for so long, when CHiAKi...
