Hitomi Kuroki

Incredible in the Japanese dub of The Incredibles. She won the award for best actress at the 22nd Hochi Film Award for Lost Paradise (1997).

• Name — Hitomi Kuroki • Birth Name — Shōko Ichiji (née Egami) • Born — 5 October 1960 • Birthplace — Former Kurogi, Yame District (now Yame, Fukuoka), Japan • Occupation — Actress, film director • Years Active — 1981–present

She was born 1960 (Showa 35) the youngest of 4 siblings (1 brother). Her father engaged in livestock husbandry, while her mother ran a diner. They were both strict disciplinarians, but Hitomi grew up carefreely without troubling her parent. Her father was ranked 7-dan in kendō, and partly due to that influence, she took up practicing kendō at a dōjō from the 4th grade. She loved music from childhood and took piano lessons. And an avid reader as well. As a 2nd year student in middle school, she was inspired to become an actress after watching a schoolmate in the daughter's role in Kan Kikuchi's play Chichi kaeru ("the father returns") put on by the students at the school culture festival. Having watched many films, she dreamed of being in the movies as well. She drew out a life-plan after middle school, that she would join the theater club in high school, study acting in university, join bungakuza, and become an actress. 。

In 1981, Kuroki graduated 3rd place and joined the Takarazuka Revue as the Takarazuka 67th class. Among notables in the same class are actresses Yōko Kitahara, Mayo Suzukaze, Miki Maya, Irene Iida of mixed Mexican descent who became Japanese dance instructor, and Masumi Rika who has stayed on with the troupe as leader. Kuroki was assigned to the Moon troupe as a girl-part actrees on May 18. The 67th class had their first show on stage in the Takarazuk haru no odori: Hana no kodomo fudoki that ran from March to May 1981. In May Kuroki was assigned to the Moon troupe as a girl-role actress. She appeared starting January 1982 on the TV show Ohayō Asahi desu as a regular and its first assistant. While still in the troupe, she appeared in the affiliated Tōhō production film Minami Jūjisei ("Southern Cross"; English title: The Highest Honor) co-produced with the Australian film team. This was her first movie appearance. She was cast in the heroine role in the July 1983 staging of the Ashibiki no yama no shizuku ni, then in August, was cast in the top female role opposite Mao Daichi still as a 2nd-year intern. This was the fastest promotion to the top spot for either male or females in the history of the Revue. Daichi was somewhat thin and small-faced for a male-role actress, and caught notice of Kuroki who was of similar build and was able to carry out her performance with gusto, and so made the offer, according to Kuroki. She was cast in such Takarazuka titles as Ciboulette, Moonlight Romance, and Guys and Dolls (Guys and Dolls (Takarazuka)). When Daichi announced she was leaving the organization in August 1985, Kuroki decided it was time for her to leave as well. She had her final performance in the September 1, last show of A Tale of Two Cities/Heat Wave (Takarazuka) double show in Tokyo, and resigned from Takarazuka. 。

In her first leading role on film, she was cast in Keshin (released 1986) based on the original story by novelist Junichi Watanabe, directed by Yōichi Higashi. It grabbed public attention for her nude scenes, partly due to the fact she was a former Takarasienne. She won a best new actress prize for her role in the film at 10th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes annual Japan Academy Film Prizes. Appearance in NHK Asadora series Miyako no kaze (1986) builds her popularity. She continued to play suspense drama an other roles. In 1997, she starred in Shitsurakuen or Lost Paradise also an adaptation of the Watanabe Junichi novel A Lost Paradise, and directed by Yoshimitsu Morita. The title became a buzzword and a social phenomenon, with Kuroki winning the Japanese Academy's best actress prize. She got married in 1990 and gave birth to a daughter in 1998. She was the emcee for the Japan Record Awards ceremony in 1999 and 2000 which aired on TBS. She played the lead distressed mother in the 2002 film adaptation of the horror story Dark Water directed by Hideo Nakata of Ring fame. She made her directorial debut with the 2016 feature film adaptation of Nozomi Katsura's Iya na onna. Although Kuroki did not appear in this movie, she played the lead role in the TV drama version which aired the same year.

• Iya na Onna (2016) • The Devil Wears Jūnihitoe (2020)

• The Gate of Youth (1991), Tae Ibuki • Hachidai Shōgun Yoshimune (1995), Kume • Ring: The Final Chapter (1999), Rieko Miyashita • Majo no jouken (1999), Kyoko Kurosawa • Golden Bowl (2002), Hitomi Sakura • Good Luck!! (2003), Noriko Togashi • The Great White Tower (2003), Keiko Hanamori • Onihei Hankachō (2006) voice • Real Clothes SP (2008), Jinbo Miki • Real Clothes (2009), Jinbo Miki • GTO (2012), Sakurai Ryoko • Gunshi Kanbei (2014), One • Rakuen (2017), Harumi Takahashi • Shukatsu Kazoku (2017), Mizuki Tomikawa • Overprotected Kahoko (2017), Izumi Nemoto • Okehazama (2021), Dota Gozen • Sunset (2023), Rinko Ōhata • Passing the Reins (2025), Kyoko Sanno

• Waratte Iitomo • Japan Record Award – preside • Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ • DON! (video)

• Guys and Dolls – Sara • A Tale of Two Cities

• Hamlet (1990) • Christmas Box • mama loves MAMBO (2000) • mama lobes MAMBOII (2002) • Hitomi Kuroki 25th anniversary Show "Musemore～talking&dancing" (2003) • mama loves MAMBOIII (2004) • MAMA LOVES mamboIV (2006) • Hitomi Kuroki 30th Dreaming Dinner show (2010) • Hitomi Kuroki is the reader the stage "Toritateya Oharu" (2010–2011)

• Ballerina – Odette • The Incredibles – Elastigirl • Incredibles 2 – Elastigirl