Broadcasting right now, the series Tokyo Dogs has her paired up with two ikemens, Oguri Shun and Mizushima Hiro. In real life, she is often making headlines paired with Tamaki Hiroshi. At only 21 years old and barely standing at 5 feet 2 inches, she may not be the prettiest face around. However, her determination to take on challenges and her comeback from a near-death experience has won her much recognition. A face constantly paired with ikemens, she has gained tremendous popularity in the past half year. Her name - Yoshitaka Yuriko.
While Yoshitaka Yuriko is not a household name yet, within the past year she has appeared in numerous dramas. Last summer she was in the drama Taiyou to Umi no Kyoshitsu, portraying a student of Oda Yuji. Earlier this year, she was in the drama Love Shuffle with Tamaki Hiroshi when their rumours began. Then she was in Shiroi Haru alongside actor Abe Hiroshi. While she has taken on many supporting roles, she has now raised the ranks to star alongside Oguri Shun and Mizushima Hiro in the drama Tokyo Dogs. Even though she's only 21, Yoshitaka's charisma and talent should not be underestimated.
Yoshitaka's biggest strength is her fearlessness and carefree attitude. For someone who had no interest in the entertainment world, she was discovered at age 16 by the same talent agent who discovered Ueno Juri. It was in this very half-hearted manner that she entered show biz. In 2006, she was chosen by controversial film director Sion Sono to appear in the movie Noriko's Dinner Table. Director Sion was the typical avant garde film director with a huge artistic temper. "Whenever I gave a bad performance, he will literally tell me to go die. Perhaps having endured this type of director in my first role, all the other projects I've worked on are much more relaxed in comparison." As a result of her surprising portrayal in the movie, Yoshitaka won the Best Newcomer Award at the Yokohama Film Festival. Japanese media also praised her for having more talent than the lead actress, Fukiishi Kazue.
Last year Yoshitaka officially took on a lead role in another avant garde film, Snakes and Earrings. However as she was preparing for the role, she was involved in a serious car accident that left her clinging onto life. After spending 5 days in ICU, she was finally out of the danger zone. As the whole production team continued to support Yoshitaka, she made a full recovery. In order to show her gratitude to the staff, she began filming shortly afterwards. After this near-death experience, it seems Yoshitaka has suddenly become more daring. She appeared fully nude in the movie, portraying a 19 year old girl facing the harsh realities of life. That role later earned Yoshitaka 3 Best Newcomer Awards.
Perhaps because of a such an unusual experience, the once ordinary Yoshitaka has become quite charismatic. The Japanese media describe her as someone who you'll never quite understand. No matter how much mystery this person holds, or how much lack of interest she shows to everything around her, it seems people can't get enough of her. The name 'Yoshitaka Yuriko' will surely become a household name in the near future.
Leading Lady Among Ikemens, Yoshitaka Yuriko's Popularity Skyrockets
Source: Mingpao
Translated by: sparkles_n15 @ asianfanatics.net
