Yuki Wakai | |
|---|---|
若井 友希 | |
| Born | (1995-10-30)30 October 1995 (age 30) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2013–present |
| Agent | 81 Produce |
| Notable work |
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| Musical career | |
| Member of | |
Musical artist | |
Yuki Wakai (若井 友希,Wakai Yūki; born 30 October 1995) is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with81 Produce.[1] She is a member of the idol groupIris, and has starred as Leona West inPriPara, Miton inMahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara, Itsuki Sumeragi inKakegurui, Sara Midorikawa inKiratto Pri Chan, Maria von Messina inWise Man's Grandchild, Mai Tadakusa inYatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki, Naoko Naruse inLet's Make a Mug Too, Hikari Jogasaki inTeppen—!!!, Mamoru inMy Wife Has No Emotion, Riku Sorano inPrincession Orchestra, and Miharu Kiryu inWitch Watch.
Yuki Wakai, an only child,[2] was born on 30 October 1995 and is a native ofGifu Prefecture.[3] She became an anime fan in junior high, becoming interested in theHigurashi When They Cry anime after a friend of hers invited her to watch the show together, in part due to its Gifu Prefecture setting.[4] Becoming a fan of theBleach character Tōshiro Hitsugaya, she became interested in voice acting after learning that he was voiced by a woman,Romi Park.[4]
While attending high school, Wakai performed street shows in Nagoya, carrying an electronic piano in her uniform.[5][6] Despite being part of a unit for these performances, she "wrote [her] own lyrics, composed [her] own music, and sang them".[5] As Wakai later recalled, the music, which she found at the time embarrassing in hindsight, "made [her] realize how important lyrics and melodies are, something you can only write at that time".[5]
Wakai entered the Avex-sponsored kids' contest Kira Challenge during her second year of junior high school, winning the grand prize and attending Avex's training school the following year.[7][8][9] After passing the Avex/81 Produce Anison Vocalist Audition, she became one of the founding members ofIris.[10] As she recalled, her pre-debut training camp was "pretty strict" and their voice acting classes "were really tough for [her]", and having little knowledge of anime, she struggled with conversations there.[9] In 2016, she won theSeiyu Awards Singing Award as part of Iris at the10th Seiyu Awards.[11]
Wakai starred inPriPara alongside the other members of Iris,[10] voicing Leona West.[1] She reprised her role inPriPara the Movie: Minna Atsumare! Prism Tours,[12] the 2016 stage musicalPriPara: Minna ni Todoke,[13] and the 2025 crossover movieAikatsu! × PriPara the Movie: A Miracle Encounter!.[14] Throughout thePretty Rhythm franchise, she also voiced Sara Midorikawa inKiratto Pri Chan[15] and Yurari Saionji inKing of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars (2019).[16]
Wakai performed "Destiny Sky", the ending theme song forKingdom; it was released as a single by Dive II Entertainment on 7 November 2012, making Wakai's solo debut.[17] She has also served as a member of the musical groupD-selections [ja].[18]
Wakai also works as a solo musician under the nameYuki (友希), an alias she also used as a lyricist and composer for Iris.[19][20] She had forwent her childhood dream of being a singer-songwriter when she settled for Iris, but reconsidered after staff encouraged her; however, she initially struggled for recognition due to her association with the idol group.[21] She released her solo debut single "No More" in 2021.[22] In October 2024, she performed "Hello! My Dream", her solo debut concert.[20] Her solo debut albumMain Dish will be released on 29 October 2025.[21]
Wakai made her voice acting debut in the 2013 anime seriesKingdom,[23] before starring as Miton inMahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara.[24] She starred as Itsuki Sumeragi inKakegurui (2017-2019).[25][26] She also starred as Maria von Messina inWise Man's Grandchild[27] and Mai Tadakusa inYatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki;[28] she was selected for the latter she was originally from Gifu Prefecture and matched the character's image.[29] She starred as Naoko Naruse in the 2021 animeLet's Make a Mug Too[30] and was part of the anime' Mug-Mo tie-in musical group.[31] Her other starring roles include Hikari Jogasaki inTeppen—!!!,[32] Mamoru inMy Wife Has No Emotion,[33] and Riku Sorano inPrincession Orchestra.[34] Since 2025, she has starred as Miharu Kiryu inWitch Watch.[35]
In March 2022, she andAkane Takayanagi started co-hosting theCBC Radio showTakayanagi Akane / Wakai Yuki no Yaodagane.[36]
Wakai citesChiaki Ito as her idol.[37]
Wakai was once part of a handball club.[38]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-2017 | PriPara | Leona West | [1] | |
| 2016 | Mahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara | Miton | [24] | |
| 2016 | Twin Star Exorcists | Suzu | [39] | |
| 2017-2019 | Kakegurui | Itsuki Sumeragi | [25][26] | |
| 2018-2021 | Kiratto Pri Chan | Sara Midorikawa | [15] | |
| 2018 | Beatless | Olga Suguri | [40] | |
| 2018 | Wise Man's Grandchild | Maria von Messina | [27] | |
| 2019 | Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki | Mai Tadakusa | [28] | |
| 2021 | Let's Make a Mug Too | Naoko Naruse | [30] | |
| 2022 | Teppen—!!! | Hikari Jogasaki | [32] | |
| 2024 | My Wife Has No Emotion | Mamoru | [33] | |
| 2025 | Bullet/Bullet | Rin | [41] | |
| 2025 | Let This Grieving Soul Retire! | Mary Auden | [42] | |
| 2025 | Princession Orchestra | Riku Sorano | [34] | |
| 2025 | Witch Watch | Miharu Kiryu | [35] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Oshiete Hokusai!: The Animation | Kanon Kano | [43] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | PriPara the Movie: Minna Atsumare! Prism Tours | Leona West | [12] | |
| 2019 | King of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars | Yurari Saionji | [16] | |
| 2025 | Aikatsu! × PriPara the Movie: A Miracle Encounter! | Leona West | [14] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Kobayashi ga Kawai Sugite Tsurai!! Ge-mu demo Kyun Moe MAX ga Tomaranai | Tomo-chan | [44] | |
| 2015 | Xuccess Heaven | White Academy student | [45] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | PriPara: Minna ni Todoke | Leona West | [13] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
