35 Facts About Mana Ashida

Mana Ashida is a Japanese actress, talent and singer.

Mana Ashida became the youngest lead star in Japanese drama history when she starred in Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien.

Mana Ashida was the youngest lead actress in a television serial drama by appearing in the serial drama Marumo no Okite in the spring of 2011.

Mana Ashida appeared in Japanese films such as Confessions and Bunny Drop.

Mana Ashida made her debut appearance in Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2.

Mana Ashida appeared in the film Ghost: In Your Arms Again, a Japanese remake of the 1990 film Ghost.

Mana Ashida voiced Agnes in the Japanese version of the film Despicable Me, and she was the voice of the young Fang Deng in the Japanese release of Aftershock.

Mana Ashida rose to prominence after appearing in the award-winning television drama Mother, as Reina Michiki, a young child abused by her mother.

Mana Ashida won awards such as the Best Supporting Actress at the 14th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix and the Special Award at the 4th Tokyo Drama Awards for her role.

At the age of 6, Mana Ashida became the youngest lead actress in a Japanese television drama in the special television drama movie Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien in 2011.

Mana Ashida co-starred in this series with the then-6 year old actor Fuku Suzuki.

On 14 August 2011, Mana Ashida appeared in the NHK music television program Music Japan with Suzuki, actress Nozomi Ohashi and actor Seishiro Kato.

In early 2011, Mana Ashida appeared in several Japanese films, including Inu to Anata no Monogatari, and Hankyu Densha.

Mana Ashida co-starred with actor Kenichi Matsuyama in the manga adaptation Usagi Drop.

Mana Ashida played the main character Rin, and was widely praised for her performance.

Mana Ashida won the "Best Newcomer" award at the 54th Blue Ribbon Awards.

Mana Ashida was the youngest person to receive this award, beating the 1983 record set by actress Tomoyo Harada.

In October 2011, Mana Ashida began co-hosting the NTV variety and talk show Meringue no Kimochi with the show's long-time hosts, Masami Hisamoto and Asako Ito.

On 15 September 2011, it was announced that Mana Ashida would make her solo music debut with Universal Music.

Mana Ashida released her first single with them in October 2011, and her debut album in late 2011.

Mana Ashida beat the previous record of 13 years and 8 months set in 1974 by Canadian singer Rene Simard.

Mana Ashida voiced the female lead character of Annie in the Japanese anime film adaptation of the Magic Tree House series in the first role in a 2012 film.

Mana Ashida starred as Miu Kinoshita, the daughter of a single father who suffered from juvenile Alzheimer's disease, in Fuji Television's summer drama series Beautiful Rain.

Mana Ashida sang its theme song, entitled "Ame ni Negai o".

Mana Ashida made her Hollywood debut playing the role of young Mako Mori in the 2013 film Pacific Rim.

Mana Ashida auditioned for the role in October 2011, when she reportedly impressed the judges with her rich expressiveness.

Mana Ashida travelled to Toronto to shoot the film, where she met Guillermo del Toro.

Del Toro allegedly allowed Mana Ashida to call him "Totoro-san", due to her being unable to pronounce his surname.

Mana Ashida appeared in a Celebrity Kids Edition of the Japanese version of the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on 2 January 2013.

In 2014, Mana Ashida starred in the television series Ashita, Mama ga Inai as Post, a child abandoned at birth at a baby hatch.

Mana Ashida was born on 23 June 2004 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture and is an only child.

Mana Ashida is commonly nicknamed Mana-chan, which is a combination of her given name and the Japanese honorific used when addressing children.

Mana Ashida revealed that she is a fan of K-pop group Kara.

Mana Ashida loves cycling unicycles and reads over 60 books per month.

In March 2023, Mana Ashida graduated from Keio Senior High School.