Maimi Yajima

Maimi Yajima (矢島 舞美, Yajima Maimi; born February 7, 1992) is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project.

Not to be confused with Mai Yajima.

Maimi Yajima
矢島 舞美
Maimi Yajima at Japan Expo 2014
Born	(1992-02-07) February 7, 1992 (age 33) Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Other names	Maimii, Yassui
Occupations	Singer actress
Spouse	Ryosuke Mikata ​ (m. 2022)​
Relatives	Akari Takeuchi (younger cousin)
Musical career
Genres	J-pop
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Zetima
Formerly of	Cute Hello! Project Kids ZYX H.P. All Stars High-King
Website	helloproject.com

Career

Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids auditions after performing "Momoiro Kataomoi" by Aya Matsuura. She debuted the same year in the movie Koinu Dan no Monogatari, taking on one of the main roles as an antagonist. The following year, she joined the first of the kids' groups, ZYX, which released two singles.

In 2004, Berryz Kobo was formed, with the intention of rotating the girls throughout the unit. Yajima did not make the original pick, and the idea was eventually dropped. The remaining girls eventually ended up forming Cute in 2005. Despite not being the oldest, Yajima still became the group's leader, after Erika Umeda turned down the role. The group did not make its official debut until late in 2006, with their first official single released in February 2007.

Aside from leading Cute, Yajima became the sub-captain of Little Gatas and the Hello! Project Kids futsal team. She was also considered^{[by whom?]} to be one of the fastest runners in all of Hello! Project, often coming first in the running events at the annual sports festivals and listing running as one of her hobbies.

Yajima also co-hosted Cute's weekly radio program, Cutie Party. She took over the role when Megumi Murakami left the group.

In 2008, Yajima was selected to be a member of Hello Project's new unit High-King.^[1] Yajima and Fukuda Kanon appeared in the movie Fuyu no Kaidan (Winter Ghost Story), released in Japan on May 23, 2009.

Cute disbanded following their final concert at Saitama Super Arena on June 12, 2017. Yajima had announced earlier, via the group's blog, that she planned to pursue an acting career.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Maimi's younger cousin, Akari Takeuchi, is a former member of ANGERME, another girl group within Hello! Project.^[2]

On November 8, 2022, she announced her marriage with actor Ryosuke Mikata.^[3] On March 25, 2024, she announced her first pregnancy.^[4]

Discography

For Maimi Yajima's releases with Cute, see Cute discography.

Solo DVDs

No.	Title	Release date	Chart position	Label
			Oricon Weekly DVD Chart [5]
1	17's (Seventeen's) (17's-SEVENTEEN'S-)	April 29, 2009	35	Zetima
–	UTB Wani Books Online Store Gentei Tokuten  "Yajima Maimi Making DVD"   (UTB ワニブックス オンラインストア限定特典  「矢島舞美 メイキングDVD」)	June 2009	—	Wani Books (not for sale)
2	Yajima Maimi Fix no E (矢島舞美 Fixの絵)	June 23, 2010	80	Zetima
3	Yajima Maimi DVD "Umikaze"   (矢島舞美DVD「海風」  ; "Yajima Maimi DVD "Sea Breeze"")	March 27, 2011	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
4[6]	A Foggy Doll (a foggy doll)	August 29, 2011	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
5	A Rainy Day (a rainy day)	September 29, 2011	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
6	Imagine Classic (Imagine classic)	November 11, 2011	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
–	Yajima Maimi Shashinshū "Tabioto" Making DVD (矢島舞美写真集「タビオト」メイキングDVD)	January 31, 2012	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
7[7]	Chelsie	December 19, 2012	141	Zetima
	Maimiuseum Special DVD   (マイミュージアム スペシャルDVD)	June 5, 2013	—	Up-Front Works (e-Hello! series)
	Blue Wind[8]	April 9, 2014	47	Zetima

Duet singles

Year	Artist	Title	Release date	Chart position
				Oricon Weekly Single Chart [9]
2008	Abe Natsumi & Yajima Maimi (Cute)   (安倍なつみ＆矢島舞美（°C－ｕｔｅ）)	"16sai no Koi Nante"   (16歳の恋なんて  , Jūrokusai no Koi Nante)	January 16, 2008 (2008-01-16)	9

Bibliography

Photobooks

No.	Title	Release date	Publisher	ISBN	Notes
1	Maimi (舞美)	April 25, 2007	Wani Books	ISBN 978-4-8470-4003-0	1st solo photobook
2	Sō Sora (爽・空 （そうそら）; "Clear•Sky")	January 27, 2008		ISBN 978-4-8470-4065-8	2nd solo photobook
3	17	April 18, 2009		ISBN 978-4-8470-4169-3	3rd solo photobook
4	Yajima Maimi Shashinkan 2008–2010 (矢島舞美写真館 2008–2010)	June 5, 2010		ISBN 978-4-8470-4285-0
5	Tabioto (タビオト)	November 27, 2011		ISBN 978-4-8470-4409-0
6	Hatachi (ハタチ)[10]	November 27, 2012		ISBN 978-4-8470-4509-7
7	Maimiuseum (マイミュージアム)[11]	May 27, 2013		ISBN 978-4-8470-4546-2

Appearances

Movies

• Koinu Dan no Monogatari (仔犬ダンの物語; "Puppy Dan's Story")
• Fuyu no Kaidan: Boku to Watashi to Obāchan no Motogatari (冬の怪談〜ぼくとワタシとおばあちゃんの物語〜; "Winter Ghost Story: You, Me, and Grandma's Story") (2009)
• Ōsama Game (December 17, 2011)
• Zomvideo (ゾンビデオ) (December 29, 2012)
• First Love (2019)
• BLACKFOX: Age of the Ninja (2019)

Straight-to-video

• Black Angels (ブラック・エンジェルズ) (April 27, 2011, Geneon Universal Entertainment) as Reira
• Black Angels 2 (ブラック・エンジェルズ2〜黒木覚醒編〜) (July 4, 2012)
• Black Angels 3 (ブラック・エンジェルズ3〜黒木死闘編〜) (August 3, 2012)

TV dramas

• Sūgaku Joshi Gakuen (January 11, 2012 – March 28, 2012)
• Mannequin Girls (マネキン・ガールズ) (2011)

Television

• Chikyū Seibā: Yume no Gijutsu de Mirai o Sukue! (地球セイバー 夢の技術で未来を救え!; "Earth Saver: Save the Future with the Art of Dreams!") (May 3, 2005)
• °C-ute Has Come #03 (December 2, 2006)
• °C-ute Has Come #04 (December 16, 2006)
• 58th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (December 31, 2007)
• Ahoya nen! Sukiya nen! (あほやねん!すきやねん!) (NHK Osaka, April 21, 2009)
• Bijo Hōdan (美女放談; "Beautiful Girls Chat Show") (June 26, 2009) — a talk show featuring Hello! Project members
• Piramekiino G (ピラメキーノG; "Zakkuri Senshi Piramekid" corner)
• Bijo Gaku (美女学)
• Hello Pro! Time (ハロプロ！ＴＩＭＥ)
• Hello! Satoyama Life (ハロー！ＳＡＴＯＹＡＭＡライフ)

Radio

• Cutie Party (November 4, 2006 – ongoing)
• °C-ute Maimi Yajima's I My Me Maimi~ (°C-ute矢島舞美のI My Me まいみ〜) (July 4, 2008 – ongoing, Fridays at 10 pm, FM Port)^[12]

Internet

• Hello! ga Ippai #01 (November 10, 2006)
• Hello! ga Ippai #02 (November 24, 2006)
• Hello! Pro Hour #02 (March 17, 2006)
• Michishige Sayumi no "Mobekimasutte Nani??" (道重さゆみの『モベキマスってなに？？』) (2011)
• Hagiwara Mai Desu ga... Nani ka? (2012)

Theater

• Cat's Eye (2012) as Hitomi Kisugi
• Hatagumi Vol.3 "Ran" (2010) as Ran^[13]
• Hatagumi Vol.4 "Ran―2011New version!!" (2011) as Ran^[14]
• Hatagumi Vol.5 "Taklamakan" (2013) as Kei^[15]