Akihiro Miwa
Akihiro Miwa | |
|---|---|
| 美輪 明宏 | |
 Miwa in 1955 | |
| Born | Shingo Terada May 15, 1935 Nagasaki, Japan |
| Died | June 20, 2026 (aged 91) |
| Other names |
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| Occupations |
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Akihiro Maruyama (丸山 明宏, Maruyama Akihiro; May 15, 1935 – June 20, 2026), better known by his stage name Akihiro Miwa (美輪 明宏, Miwa Akihiro), was a Japanese singer, actor, director, composer, author and drag queen.[1] He appeared in the productions of Shūji Terayama, Tenjō Sajiki, and Yukio Mishima, and was a voice actor in two Studio Ghibli films.
Early life
[edit]Akihiro Maruyama was born in Nagasaki on May 15, 1935,[2][3] as one of ten siblings. His family operated a café and a restaurant.[4] The epicenter of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki was 3.6 kilometers from his family's house[5] and his family evacuated to Tatehara-cho. Miwa suffered from radiation exposure and developed anemia.[6]
In junior high school Miwa's music teacher invited him to join a female soprano group.[1] Miwa moved to Tokyo in 1951 after graduating from junior high school.[2][3] He became a student at the National College of Music High School, but dropped out.[3] When Miwa returned to Nagasaki he was angry that his father abandoned relatives who were financially struggling and his father disowned him after an argument. Miwa started working as a bartender after losing his family allowance.[4]
Career
[edit]Singing
[edit]
At age 16, Miwa started his singing career at chanson cafes in Tokyo.[2] By the age of 17 he was working in cabaret at gay bars.[1] His cover of the French chanson song "Mé Qué Mé Qué" became a hit in 1957.[2][4] He was noted for his entirely purple outfit.[2] His most popular song "Yoitomake no Uta" was released in 1965.[2][7]
Theatre and acting
[edit]On stage and film, Miwa appeared in the productions of Shūji Terayama, Tenjō Sajiki, and Yukio Mishima.[2] A stage adaptation of Mishima's Five Modern Noh Plays starring and directed by Miwa was performed in 1996, 1998, and 2002.[8]
Miwa was a voice actor for the Studio Ghibli films Princess Mononoke (1997) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004).[3][9] He was the narrator for the television series Hanako to Anne.[7]
From 2005 to 2010, he co-hosted the successful weekly television program Ōra no izumi (The spring of aura) alongside spiritual counsellor Hiroyuki Ehara and Tokio member Taichi Kokubun. While the show initially aired as late-night program, its popularity bumped it up to a primetime slot in 2007.[10]
Writing
[edit]Miwa wrote columns and articles for multiple newspapers. From 2008 to 2011, he wrote a column for Sports Nippon.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Miwa came out as gay in the 1960s.[1]
Miwa was a follower of the Lotus Sutra. He changed his name from Maruyama to Miwa in 1972 after having an experience that he perceived as a divine message while reciting sutras. He believed that he was the reincarnation of Amakusa Shirō.[4]
Miwa was hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke in 2019. He died on June 20, 2026.[2]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Black Lizard | Black Lizard | [2] | |
| 1983 | Genma Wars: Har-Magedon | Froy | Voice actor | [9] |
| 1997 | Princess Mononoke | Moro | Voice actor | [9] |
| 2004 | Howl's Moving Castle | Witch of the Waste | Voice actor | [9] |
| 2005 | Takeshis' | [9] | ||
| 2009 | Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life | Arceus | Voice actor | [9] |
| 2014 | Hanako to Anne | Narrator | [7] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Baska 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mainichi Shimbun 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sports Nippon 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Weekly Asahi Geinō 2012.
- ↑ Yamazaki 2024.
- ↑ Ito 2009.
- 1 2 3 Yamazaki 2026.
- ↑ Akihiro Miwa.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hodgkins 2026.
- ↑ Seaton, Philip A.; Yamamura, Takayoshi (February 2, 2018). Japanese Popular Culture and Contents Tourism. Routledge. p. 110.
Works cited
[edit]News
[edit]- "美輪明宏さん死去 91歳 老衰のため 歌手、俳優として長年活躍 最期の言葉は「ありがとう」". Sports Nippon. June 28, 2026. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
- "美輪明宏、初体験の相手は「先輩の男子」". Weekly Asahi Geinō. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015.
- "美輪明宏さんが死去 91歳 「ヨイトマケの唄」「黒蜥蜴」". Mainichi Shimbun. June 26, 2026. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
- Baska, Maggie (February 16, 2023). "Akihiro Miwa: Meet the trailblazing Japanese drag queen who voiced a Studio Ghibli icon". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
- Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 28, 2026). "Singer, Actor Akihiro Miwa Dies at 91". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
- Ito, Satoshi (2009). "青い海と空に励まされた 美輪明宏さん （１９３５年生まれ）". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 1, 2026.
- Yamazaki, Akiko (November 18, 2024). "美輪明宏さん「責務あって生きている」 被団協ノーベル平和賞に思う". Mainichi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
- Yamazaki, Erika (June 28, 2026). "Akihiro Miwa, iconic Japanese singer and actor, dies at 91". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
Web
[edit]External links
[edit]- Official website; Archived September 5, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
- Akihiro Miwa at IMDb
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- 1935 births
- 2026 deaths
- Actors from Nagasaki Prefecture
- Gay singers
- Hibakusha
- Japanese LGBTQ singers
- Japanese gay musicians
- Japanese gay actors
- Japanese drag queens
- Japanese male voice actors
- Japanese television personalities
- Japanese male film actors
- Male voice actors from Nagasaki Prefecture
- Singers from Nagasaki
