Tomomi Itano


Tomomi Itano is a Japanese recording artist, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. Her talent agent is Horipro. In 2011 she debuted solo with a single titled "Dear J", which was followed the same year by "Fui ni", and later by "10nen Go no Kimi e" and "1%".

Life and career

2005–2013: Early career beginnings and AKB48

In 2005, Itano joined the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 as part of the first team, Team A. She also modeled for the women's fashion magazine Cawaii!, and released her first photo book titled T.O.M.O.row in April 2009. In early 2010, she played Shibuya in AKB48's TV Tokyo drama Majisuka Gakuen. She had a recurring role on Kamen Rider W as Queen, alongside fellow AKB48 performer Tomomi Kasai, until the show ended in late 2010. Together, they made up the sub-unit Queen & Elizabeth. In AKB48's 2010 general election, she placed fourth overall.

2010-2013: Solo Singles and Majisuka Gakuen 2

Itano released her first single, "Dear J", on January 26, 2011. It reached number 1 on the Oricon daily ranking and number 2 on the Oricon weekly ranking, selling 204,981 copies. In April, she reprised her role as Shibuya in Majisuka Gakuen 2. Her first digital single "Wanna Be Now" reached number 2 on Recochoku's daily charts and number 6 on the weekly charts. She placed eighth overall in AKB48's 2011 general election held in June. Her second single, "Fui ni", was released on July 13 and sold 90,103 copies, and reached number one on the Oricon weekly chart.
In 2012, Itano was cited as the "Queen of TV commercials" for having more contracts with companies than any other female tarento.

2013: Graduation from AKB48 and new beginnings

On February 1, 2013, during an AKB48 stage greeting, Itano announced she was leaving the group. She released her fourth solo single, "1%", on June 12. The title track was used in television commercials for Samantha Vega. The music video was shot in New York, and includes an appearance by the American actress and model Taylor Momsen. Itano had her farewell "graduation" ceremony at the Tokyo Dome on August 25, and a follow-up performance on August 27 at the AKB48 Theater; the performance was streamed live by Nico Nico Namahousou. Her graduation song is "Saigo no Door", which was released as a B-side on one of the editions of AKB48's single "Koisuru Fortune Cookie".

2014–present: Solo career success

In an interview with Japanese entertainment website Nihongogo, Itano shared her thoughts on transitioning to a solo artist "In a group you perform as a unit with each member playing a certain character role, however as a solo artist you have to be able to play all the roles at once. You have to take on the roles of being cool, sexy, and cute and although it’s definitely a challenge, it’s something I have to strive for achieving."
In July 2014, Tomomi Itano made her U.S. performance debut at Union Square in San Francisco for J-POP Summit Festival 2014.
Tomomi Itano has been cast the lead role of a Japanese foreign student based in China alongside Taiwanese singer-actor Dino Lee in the Chinese romance movie Raincoat, as revealed in a press conference the duo appeared in on 29 September 2015. The projected 2-month filming period for the movie that takes place in Shanghai and Tokyo is ongoing. The film is expected for a release in Spring 2016 in three countries.

Discography

Studio albums

  1. Swag
  2. Get Ready

    Extended plays

  3. Loca

    Singles

* RIAJ Digital Track Chart was cancelled in July 2012.

Additional digital singles

AKB48

YearNo.TitleRoleNotes
2006Ind-1"Sakura no Hanabiratachi"A-sideDebut with Team A.
2006Ind-2"Skirt, Hirari"A-side
20061"Aitakatta"A-side
20072"Seifuku ga Jama o Suru"A-side
20073"Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō"A-side
20074"Bingo!"A-side
20075"Boku no Taiyō"A-side
20076"Yūhi o Miteiru ka?"A-side
20087"Romance, Irane"A-side
20088"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008"A-side
20089"Baby! Baby! Baby!"A-side
200810"Ōgoe Diamond"A-side
200911"10nen Sakura"A-side
200912"Namida Surprise!"A-side
200913"Iiwake Maybe"A-sideRanked 7th in 2009 General Election.
200914"River"A-side
201015"Sakura no Shiori"A-sideDebut with Team K. Also sang on "Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll".
201016"Ponytail to Shushu"A-sideAlso sang on "Majijo Teppen Blues"
201017"Heavy Rotation"A-sideRanked 4th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters" and "Lucky Seven".
201018"Beginner"A-side
201019"Chance no Junban"B-sideDid not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Yoyakushita Christmas"; and "Alive" with Team K.
201120"Sakura no Ki ni Narō"A-side
2011–"Dareka no Tame ni – What can I do for someone?"–charity single
201121"Everyday, Katyusha"A-sideAlso sang on "Korekara Wonderland" and "Yankee Soul".
201122"Flying Get"A-side, Yasai Sisters 2011Ranked 8th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Seishun to Kizukanai Mama"; "Yasai Uranai" as Yasai Sisters 2011; and "Ice no Kuchizuke".
201123"Kaze wa Fuiteiru"A-side
201124"Ue kara Mariko"B-sideDid not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament; She sang on "Noël no Yoru"; and on "Zero-sum Taiyō" as Team K.
201225"Give Me Five!"A-side, Selection 6Played shaker in Baby Blossom; She also sang on "Sweet & Bitter" as Selection 6.
201226"Manatsu no Sounds Good!"A-sideAlso sang on "Choudai, Darling!"
201227"Gingham Check"A-sideRanked 8th in 2012 General Election. Also sang on "Yume no Kawa".
201228"Uza"A-side, New Team KAlso sang on "Scrap & Build" as New Team K.
201229"Eien Pressure"A-sidePlaced 13th in rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Totteoki Christmas"
201330"So Long!"A-sideAlso sang on "Yuuhi Marie" as Team K.
201331"Sayonara Crawl"A-side, CenterAlso sang on "How Come?" as Team K.
201332"Koisuru Fortune Cookie"A-sideRanked 11th in 2013 General Election. Also sang on "Namida no Sei Janai" and "Saigo no Door", the latter of which was her graduation song.
201643"Kimi wa Melody"A-sideMarked as the 10th Anniversary Single. Participated as graduated member.

Theater performances

With AKB48

;Team A 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaruyo"
  1. Skirt, Hirari
  2. Hoshi no Ondo
;Team A 2nd Stage "Aitakatta"
  1. Nageki no Figure
  2. Garasu no I Love You
  3. Senaka Kara Dakishimete
  4. Rio no Kakumei
;Team A 3rd Stage "Dareka no Tameni"
  1. Nage Kissu de Uchiotose!
  2. Seifuku ga Jama osuru
;Team A 4th Stage "Tadaima Rennai Chū"
  1. Faint
;Himawarigumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyō"
  1. Itoshisa no defence
  2. Idol Nante Yobanaide
;Himawarigumi 2nd Stage "Yumewo Shinaseru Wakeni Ikanai"
  1. Confession
;Team A 5th Stage "Rennai Kinshi Jōrei"
  1. Tsundere!
;Team K 6th Stage "Reset"
  1. Seifuku Resistance

    As AKB48 subunits

Movies