Nana Okada (岡田 奈々,Okada Nana, born November 7, 1997)[1] is a Japanese singer-songwriter and actor, represented byAvex Asunaro. She is a former member of thegirl groupsAKB48 andSTU48. She was a fixture on AKB48's major single lineups from 2016 to 2022 and is considered one of the best singers to have been part of the group.[2][3]
Okada joined AKB48 in 2012, and since 2016 has been part of the group's main lineup, performing in all the title tracks of their singles, including twice as lead singer. From 2017 to 2022, she was concurrently a member of AKB48's fifth Japan-based sister group STU48, based inSetouchi region, and served as captain since its founding until 2020. She was a finalist in all the AKB48 Group No. 1 Singing Competitions, taking first place in the fourth event in 2022, and has released two solo songs as part of AKB48's releases. She has held solo concerts in 2018 and 2022 and a duo concert in 2020. Her solo debut album has been scheduled for release in November 2023.
As an actor, Okada has appeared in several AKB48 television series and starred in stage productions such asMajimuri Gakuen (2018), its sequelMajimuri Gakuen: Loudness (2021), and an all-female stage adaptation ofBattles Without Honor and Humanity (2019). After joining Avex Asunaro, Okada has appeared in productions outside the group, such as the television seriesStolen Love, High School Teacher (2021) and the stage musical adaptation ofMagi: The Labyrinth of Magic (2022).
Okada joined AKB48 in 2012 as part of the 14th generation trainees, after failing to pass the 13th generation audition the previous year.[4][5] On March 31, 2013, the AKB48 sub-unitTentōmu Chu! [ja] was revealed, consisting of the most promising trainee members from AKB48,SKE48,NMB48 andHKT48.[6] The selected members are Okada,Mako Kojima,Miki Nishino,Ryoha Kitagawa,Nagisa Shibuya,Meru Tashima andMio Tomonaga; Okada, Kojima, and Nishino, the three AKB48 members of the unit, also became known as the Three Musketeers.[a] The Three Musketeers were later promoted to Team 4 in August 2013, during the third day of the group'sTokyo Dome concert.[7]
On January 29, 2014, Okada and fellow Kanagawa native membersRyoka Oshima andRina Kawaei formed "Team Kanagawa" to promote the new trains in the Yokohama Line.[8][9] Later in May, she was selected to sing AKB48's 36th single title track "Labrador Retriever".[10]
In the sixthAKB48 Group general election to determine the lineup for their 37th single, Okada ranked for the first time in 51st place, becoming part of Future Girls[b] which performed the song "Seikaku ga Warui Onna no Ko" in the single "Kokoro no Placard".[11]
In September, Okada was part of the cast for the AKB48 stage adaptation of the mangaAKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jōrei, playing Haruko Mizuno.[12] In the group's fifthJanken Tournament,[c] she placed 14th and appeared in the B-side of the winnerMiyuki Watanabe's solo single. For the group's 38th single "Kibouteki Refrain", Okada was not selected to sing the title track, but was assigned as one of the centers (lead performers) along withNagisa Sakaguchi for one of the B-sides, "Ima, Happy".[13]
In June 2015, Okada placed 29th in the seventh AKB48 Group general election.[14]
2016–2019: Rise to prominence, appointed STU48 captain
On May 28, 2016, Okada went on hiatus due to poor health. She returned three weeks later,[15] a day before the 8th AKB48 Group general election in which she placed 14th, thus entering the electedSenbatsu[d] for the first time. In her acceptance speech, she revealed that her hiatus was due tofunctional hypoglycemia and that she had considered leaving the group.[16][17] This was later elaborated in her solo documentary, aired in November onTBS as the fourth episode of the seriesAKB48 Inside Story,[e] titled "Nana Okada, 19 Years Old: The Price of a Dream".[f][16][18]
Since then, Okada has become part of AKB48's main lineup and performed in all the title tracks of their singles,[19] as well as her first solo song "Coin Toss" in the AKB48 albumThumbnail (2017).[20] On February 22, 2017, Okada announced that she would be holding a concurrent position in the new sister groupSTU48 and serve as the group's captain;[21] she would later cite this appointment as what solidified her decision to continue in the entertainment industry.[22] In July, Okada placed ninth in the 9th AKB48 Group general election.[23]
On January 16, 2018, Okada held her first solo concert atTokyo Dome City Hall, billed "Nana Okada Solo Concert: My Precious Things", in which she performed 23 songs.[24] She also released her first photobook, titledKazaranai Hoseki[g] and photographed inHawaii, on February 27,[25] and became the center (lead performer) of an AKB48 title track for the first time in the 56th single "Jabaja", released on March 14.[26][25]
Okada co-starred in the stage adaptation of the television dramaMajimuri Gakuen (2018) as Nero,[27] who seeks to start a war between two rival schools and was partly inspired by the Roman emperorNero.[28][29][30] She later portrayed main character Shozo Hirono in an all-female stage adaptation ofBattles Without Honor and Humanity directed byShutaro Oku, titledBattles Without Honor and Humanity ~Women's Battle to the Death~ (2019) and performed at theHakata-za inFukuoka in a collaboration to commemorate the theater's twentieth anniversary.[31]
In June 2018, Okada placed fifth in the tenth AKB48 Group general election with 75,067 votes, thus becoming aKami 7.[h][32] In her acceptance speech, she encouraged the idolotakus to take pride in their support of AKB48 Group.[33] It would be the last general election held by the group.
Okada underwent surgery forvocal cord nodules in August and was unable to speak for some time while recovering.[34] In December, the AKB48 Group held its first AKB48 Group No. 1 Singing Ability Competition,[i] spanning all six Japan-based groups. Okada earned the highest score in the qualification round, in which 155 members participated, and placed third in the finals.[35] In the second event held in October 2019, she placed first again in the qualification round, but did not place within the top three in the finals.[36]
On July 27, Okada took part in AKB48's first ever live performance inMalaysia, which was part of the Japan Expo Malaysia 2019 atPavilion Kuala Lumpur.[41]
2020–2023: YouTube channels, solo activities, departure from STU48 & AKB48
Okada stepped down as STU48 captain on January 18, 2020[42] and continued as a regular member until she officially left the group in March 2022, after her final single participation in "Hetaretachi yo" (2021). Her farewell concert, billed "STU48 Nana Okada Last Concert: Sailing day from Nana",[k] was held at theKobe Kokusai Hall on March 18.[43][44] During her time with the group, Okada had also taken on her first stage producer role for STU48's second original stageset list, titledBokutachi no Koi no Yokan.[l][45]
Okada and fellow AKB48 members Yuiri Murayama, Shinobu Mogi, andMion Mukaichi launched their jointYouTube channel, the YuuNaaMogiOn Channel (ゆうなぁもぎおんチャンネル), on January 21, 2020.[46] The next day, Okada and Murayama, together known as "YuuNaa" (ゆうなぁ), performed in a duo concert billed "YuuNaa Independent Concert ~Irreplaceable Time~"[m] at theTokyo Dome City Hall. Several AKB48 members participated as guest performers, including Mogi, Mukaichi, and former Team 4 captainMinami Minegishi, and the rock bandGacharic Spin served asbackup band.[48] Backstage reporting of the concert by Mogi and Mukaichi was released on the YouTube channel.[49]
Okada took third place in the 3rd AKB48 Group No. 1 Singing Ability Competition in December 2020[50] and joined the vocal group consisting of the event's top nine finalists, later named Nona Diamonds and represented by the agencyZest [ja].[51][52] In AKB48's 58th single "Nemohamo Rumor" (2021), Okada was appointed title song center for the second time after "Jabaja".[53][54] She reprised her role as Nero in the stage playMajimuri Gakuen: Loudness (2021),[55] where in contrast to previous installments of theGakuen series, Nero calls for peace between the opposing factions in the end; idol journalist Hana Inukai connected this to AKB48's recent trend of reducing internal rivalry to present a united front.[54] She took first place in the fourth Singing Ability Competition in January 2022[56] and was rewarded with her second solo song, "Kowasanakucha Ikenai Mono",[n] which was released as part of AKB48's 59th single "Motokaredesu" (2022). The song is arock ballad and the music video depicted her as a "fallen angel" singing on a building rooftop against a cityscape.[3] In April 2022, Okada was officially transferred to AKB48 Team A, leaving Team 4 after eight years and eight months of service.[57]
In July 2021, Okada launched her individual YouTube channel and announced that she has joined theAvex Asunaro talent agency with the goal of expanding her solo activities.[58] These include appearances in the television dramaStolen Love, High School Teacher (2021)[59][60] and a stage play adaptation ofMagi (2022).[61] She also held her second solo concert in commemoration of her decade in the entertainment industry, titled "Starting Over" in English, on July 3, 2022 at theHitomi Memorial Hall in Tokyo[62][63][64] with an additional performance scheduled for July 10 at theKanagawa Kenmin Hall, which would also be livestreamed.[65][66] During the concert, she performed the first song for which she wrote all the lyrics, titled "Kono Yo Kara Boku Dake ga Kieru Koto ga Dekitara".[o][64]
Okada wrote the lyrics forBangkok-based groupBNK48's 12th single "Believers" (2022).[67][68] She had previously contributed lyrics for BNK48 and its sister groupCGM48, based inChiang Mai.[64] Yuiri Murayama would produce the choreography for the single.[67]
On November 7, 2022, coinciding with her 25th birthday, Okada announced her first solo national tour, titled "Timeless Flag", which would take place from January to February 2023, with eight shows in seven prefectures.[69] Following reports published byShūkan Bunshun alleging that she and actorHiroki Ino were in a relationship,[70] on November 23, 2022, Okada announced that she was leaving AKB48.[71] Her farewell concert took place on April 1, 2023, at the Kanagawa Kenmin Hall,[72][73] followed by her final performance at the AKB48 Theater inAkihabara the next day.[74]
Okada's solo debut album, titledAsymmetry, was released on November 7, the same day as her twenty-sixth birthday. All the lyrics were written by her, and the Blu-ray bonus content included footage from the "Starting Over" and "Timeless Flag" concerts.[75]
Okada is a supporter of theLGBT community and is a member of it, coming out asnon binary before the release of her albumAsymmetry.[80][81][82]
Okada is also known for her close friendship with fellow AKB48 member Yuiri Murayama; both of them had been members of Team 4 since they became full AKB48 members, until Okada was transferred to Team A in April 2022.[57] This relationship is often teased, discussed or even depicted as a near-romantic one in their group-related appearances.[83][84] They are referred to by theblended name "YuuNaa" (ゆうなぁ),[85] which is later officially used as their duo concert title and part of their joint YouTube channel name with Shinobu Mogi and Mion Mukaichi, themselves known as "MogiOn" (もぎおん).[46]
In a November 2023 interview withAera Dot, Okada revealed that she is anon-binary and is in a relationship with a man. She had been attracted to both men and women in the past, and had considered herself alesbian while in AKB48, particularly around July 2017 when she was in a relationship with a woman.[91][92]
Before joining AKB48, Okada had aspired to become a doctor.[93] Her personal hero is former AKB48 Group General ManagerMinami Takahashi.[94]
"Soshite Boku wa Boku Janaku naru" ("Hitorigoto de Kataru Kurainara" B-side, 2021), performed with 3rd AKB48 Group No. 1 Singing Ability Competition finalists from STU48[110][111]
Tentoumu-Chu! no Sekai o Muchu ni Sasemasu Sengen! (てんとうむChu!の世界をムチューにさせます宣言!,Tentoumu Chu! Declaration to Dazzle the World!) (Nippon TV, 2014), regular cast[114]
^"Irreplaceable time" is the meaning of theapple mint inhanakotoba,[47] and Murayama and Okada are associated with theapple andmint (particularlymint chocolate), which were also referenced in the concert. However, this connection has never been officially confirmed.
^Secrets During Audition (Speech). AKB48 Theater Performance. Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan. June 20, 2014.Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. RetrievedMay 16, 2018.Actually I tried for the 13th gen audition and I managed to reach the interview stage. I was very nervous for the interview that I said something like "I'll desperately do my very best!", and then I failed that stage.
^"ＡＫＢ次世代エース・岡田奈々「そんなにダメだとは思わない」" [AKB Next Generation Ace, Nana Okada "I do not think it is so bad"].東スポＷeb - 東京スポーツ新聞社 (in Japanese).Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved2018-06-07.
^"「何度失敗しても、私が前を向き続ける理由」 AKB48・岡田奈々の生きる道" ["Why I keep looking forward no matter how many times I fail" AKB48 Nana Okada's Way of Life].ITmedia ビジネスオンライン (in Japanese). December 5, 2018.Archived from the original on 2022-06-17. Retrieved2022-06-17.While [Okada] had previously been obsessed with the idea of working hard for herself, she was now in the position of leading about 30 members, all of whom were juniors who had just made their debut. For the first time, Okada was able to realize the meaning of her existence.
^Okada, Nana [@okadanana_1107] (2018-09-05)."10月の舞台『 マジムリ学園 』ネロ役をやらせていただきます 。" [I will play the role of Nero in the "Majimuri Gakuen" stage play in October.] (Tweet) (in Japanese) – viaTwitter.
^"AKB48岡田奈々のメッセージに会場沸く「自信を持ってオタク人生を貫いて」" [AKB48 Nana Okada's message at the venue "Please live your otaku lives with pride"].マイナビニュース (in Japanese). 2018-06-16.Archived from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved2022-06-20.
^STU48 [@STU48_official_] (March 15, 2019)."#岡田奈々 が『進研ゼミ 中学講座』の短編アニメーションに声優出演!!" [Nana Okada appears as a voice actor in the short animation "Shinken Seminar Junior High School Course"!] (Tweet) – viaTwitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^abcd"1年半ぶりの新曲が好評、"逆襲の"AKB48が今こそ見せる一枚岩の強さ" [AKB48's first new song in 1.5 years has been well received, and now is the time for the "counterattacking" AKB48 to show its unified strength].entamenext.com (in Japanese). Retrieved2022-06-30.
^abSaito, Takashi."『奪い愛』新作で女子高生役の岡田奈々は今のAKB48のエース。まじめ伝説と女優への意欲" [[Ubai Ai] The high school girl in the new series is played by Nana Okada, the current ace of AKB48. Legendary earnestness and her desire to be an actress].Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved2022-06-21.
^AKB48岡田奈々10周年に４年ぶりソロコン「振り幅お化けに」ソロデビューへの思い／一問一答 [AKB48 Nana Okada's first solo concert in 4 years on her 10th debut anniversary: "To be a wandering spirit" Thoughts on solo debut].nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved2022-07-07.
^"ＡＫＢ次世代エース・岡田奈々「そんなにダメだとは思わない」" [AKB Next Generation Ace, Nana Okada "I do not think it is so bad"].東スポＷeb - 東京スポーツ新聞社 (in Japanese).Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved2018-06-07.
^"AKB岡田奈々 脱センター志向、脱アイドル路線、脱優等生「奇抜な方がいい」" [AKB's Nana Okada, moving away from center intention, idol route, honor student image "It's better to be weird"].www.sponichi.co.jp (Interview) (in Japanese). 2019-04-07.Archived from the original on 2019-11-23. Retrieved2020-05-23.
^@okadanana_1107 (December 9, 2016)."舞台『 紅をさす 』を 観にいってきました 親戚との関係とか LGBTのこととか" [I went to watch "Be wo sasu" It made me think a lot about relationship between relatives and LGBT].Twitter.Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. RetrievedApril 15, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^岡田奈々 (November 13, 2018)."同性の子が好きになってしまいました。" [I'm fallen in love with someone on the same gender as me. I couldn't talk about it to my friend or family.].7gogo.Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. RetrievedApril 15, 2021.
^"AKB48岡田奈々＆村山彩希、公開キスにファン歓喜「運営の公認ってこと？」" [AKB48 Nana Okada & Yuiri Murayama's public kiss delighted fans].ORICON NEWS (in Japanese).Archived from the original on 2018-09-11. Retrieved2018-09-11.
^Scramble Egg Magazine [@s_egg] (2017-08-19)."岡田奈々「私、実は生まれは大阪なんです。３歳まで大阪に住んでて」" [Nana Okada: "I was actually born in Osaka. I lived in Osaka until I was three years old."] (Tweet) (in Japanese) – viaTwitter.
^（ＡＫＢ的人生論）岡田奈々 涙は愛犬が消してくれる：朝日新聞デジタル [My dogs make the tears disappear].Asahi Shimbun Digital (Interview) (in Japanese). 2014-01-10. Archived fromthe original on 2014-11-30. Retrieved2020-03-08.
^Myao's Room [ja]. Episode 2 (in Japanese). 2016-05-06. 33 minutes in.Showroom (streaming service).It's just that I've no exact preference for a gender for me to be in a relationship with. ... I've been in love before. I confessed to my first love back in middle school, and he's a boy.
^【なぁ編】おうちで48の質問！【花粉症】 [[Naa Version] 48 Questions from Home [Hay Fever]] (in Japanese). 2020-05-02. Event occurs at 0:45.Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved2020-05-03.
^"岡田奈々のプロフィール" (in Japanese).Oricon. 27 October 2023. RetrievedDecember 6, 2024.
"Contrust".Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved2024-12-06.
^週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2023年11月06日～2023年11月12日 [Oricon Weekly Album Ranking November 6, 2023 – November 12, 2023] (in Japanese). Oricon.Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. RetrievedNovember 15, 2023.
^"AKB48"ゆうなぁ"岡田奈々＆村山彩希、腕組み2ショットランウェイ 指ハートも披露＜TGC2021A／W＞ - モデルプレス" [AKB48 "YuuNaa" Nana Okada and Yuiri Murayama, walking the runway with arms linked and doing finger hearts <TGC2021A/W>].モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). 31 August 2021. Retrieved2022-06-27.
^"6月の公演スケジュール".STU48 OFFICIAL WEB SITE｜STU48 FAN CLUB (in Japanese). Retrieved2022-06-28.6/24 (Friday) [Bokutachi no Koi no Yokan] ~Final Performance~
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