Miho Watanabe

Miho Watanabe (Japanese: 渡邉美穂, Hepburn: Watanabe Miho; born February 24, 2000)^[1] is a Japanese actress and presenter. She is a former member of the idol group Hinatazaka46.

Miho Watanabe
渡邉美穂
Watanabe in 2022
Born	(2000-02-24) February 24, 2000 (age 25) Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Occupations	Actress television presenter
Years active	2017–present
Agent	Queen-B
Musical career
Genres	J-pop
Years active	2017–2022
Labels	Sony Music Records
Formerly of	Hinatazaka46
Website	Official website

Watanabe joined Hiragana Keyakizaka46, now Hinatazaka46, in August 2017 and made her acting debut a month later in the group's drama Re:Mind. She has starred in the television films With You, Who Wanted to Be A Star (2021) and Good Morning, Sleeping Lion (2022). She left Hinatazaka46 in July 2022 to focus on her acting career.

Early life

Watanabe played basketball from elementary to high school. She was the captain and point guard of her high school team, and participated in prefectural level tournaments.^[2]

Career

See also: Hinatazaka46 § Saitama Trio/Color Chart

On August 15, 2017, Watanabe was introduced as one of nine Hiragana Keyakizaka46 (now Hinatazaka46) second generation members.^[3]

In October 2017, Watanabe made her acting debut in the Hiragana Keyakizaka46 drama Re:Mind, aired on TV Tokyo and Netflix, and was the only second generation member to appear in the main story with those of the first generation.^[4][5][6] She co-starred in the Hinatazaka46 drama Dasada (2020)^[6] and appeared in Koeharu! (2021).^[7]

Watanabe's first photobook, titled Hidamari^[a] and photographed in New Zealand, was released on January 17, 2019. About 17,000 copies were sold in its release week, placing it first in that week's photobook ranking and fifth among all books.^[8][9] It was the first and only solo photobook by a Hiragana Keyakizaka46 member, as subsequent books by other members were released after they were renamed into Hinatazaka46 in February of that year.^[10]

In July 2020, Watanabe became a co-host for the basketball program Toriaezu NBA Fan ni nattemiru?^[b] on NBA Rakuten, the National Basketball Association's web streaming service in Japan.^[11][12]

In January 2021, Watanabe played female lead Nasa Kotosaka in the television drama adaptation of the romance/science fiction novel With You, Who Wanted to Be A Star [ja], alongside Gordon Maeda. The drama was aired on Nippon TV and Hulu Japan, with slightly different storylines for each version.^[13][14] In 2022, she played female lead Remi Watanuki in the action web film Good Morning, Sleeping Lion.^[15]

On April 3, 2022, Watanabe announced her departure from Hinatazaka46 after the promotion for the group's 7th single "Boku Nanka" has concluded. She would be the first 2nd generation member, and the third after the group renamed, to leave the group.^[16] In that single, she served as center (lead singer) for the "aggressive, rock-sounding" track "Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu",^[c][17] and the music video for "Hikōkigumo ga Dekiru Riyū"^[d] is about the closing of a dormitory named "Hidamari", a reference to her aforementioned photobook.^[18] Her "graduation" ceremony took place on June 28 at the Tokyo International Forum, Hall A;^[19] recordings of the concert were included in Type-A and Type-B of Hinatazaka46's 8th single "Tsuki to Hoshi ga Odoru Midnight".^[20] A graduation commemorative book, titled Watashi ga Watashi de aru Tame ni^[e] was published by Nikkei BP, which sold 16,000 copies in its release week.^[21] She officially left Hinatazaka46 on July 31,^[22] with her posting on its official blog for the last time the next day, August 1.^[23] In an interview with Oricon, Watanabe stated that she would continue her entertainment career, saying that she has garnered some experience in acting.^[24]

On September 1, 2022, Watanabe announced her affiliation with the talent agency Queen-B. She also launched her Twitter and Instagram accounts, an official website and her own fanclub.^[25]

Due to her experience in basketball, Watanabe became Saitama Basketball Ambassador in 2023 and the Women's Japan Basketball League Ambassador in 2024.^[26][27] She is also a member of the Saitama Prefecture public relations group, the Saitama Supporters Group, or Kobaton Club.^[28]

Discography

See also: Hinatazaka46 § Discography

Watanabe had participated in all Hinatazaka46 title songs until "Boku Nanka" (2022).^[29][30] Prominent appearances include:

• "Kirei ni Naritai" (Hashiridasu Shunkan, 2018), as a trio with Nao Kosaka and Akari Nibu^[31]
• "Akubi Letter" ("Tteka" B-side, 2021), with Color Chart^[32][33]
• "Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu" ("Boku Nanka" B-side, 2022), center^[17]

Appearances outside Sakamichi Series releases include:

• "Hatsukoi Door" (AKB48 single "Jiwaru Days" B-side, 2019), Sakamichi Series collaboration with AKB48 Group (SakamichiAKB)^[34]
• "Hitoribocchi no Kakumei" (Good Morning, Sleeping Lion theme song, 2022), solo song^[35]

Videography

Video albums

Year	Video album	Notes	Ref(s)
2022	Hinatazaka46 3rd Anniversary Memorial Live in Tokyo Dome[f]		[36]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2022	Good Morning, Sleeping Lion	Remi Watanuki	Lead role	[15]
2023	Good Morning, Sleeping Lion 2	Remi Watanuki		[37]
2024	You Are Mine!	Akoko Sekikawa	Lead role	[38]
2025	Seishun Gestalt Houkai	Asaha Mamiya	Lead role	[39]

Television drama series

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2017	Re:Mind	Miho Watanabe		[4]
2020	Dasada	Saori Shinohara	Lead role	[6]
2021	With You, Who Wanted to Be A Star [ja]	Nasa Kotosaka	Lead role	[13]
	With You, Who Wanted to Be A Star: Another Story	Nasa Kotosaka	Lead role; alternate ending	[13]
	Koeharu!	Amane Amasaki		[7]
	Women's Gourmet Burger Club [ja] – 2021 Summer Special	Emi Moribayashi	Substituting for regular cast Mirei Sasaki, who was on health leave	[40]
	Pickles the Frog: Color of Feelings	Miho (voice)		[41]
2022	The Last Train Bound for Nagoya 2022: Tarumi Line Spinoff	Homa Suzuki		[42][43]
	Brother Trap	Eriko Miyake		[44]
2023	Animation x Paralympic	Mana Kurobe (voice)	Episode 16	[45][46]
	Ichikei's Crow – Special	Midori Honda		[47]
	Shut Up [ja]	Sana Asai		[48]
2024	I Will Rob Your Lover[g]	Risa Hayakawa		[49][50]
	The Tiger and Her Wings	Mariko Akiyama	Asadora	[51]
	Love Live! School Idol Musical the Drama	Rurika Tsubaki		[52]

Variety and talk shows

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2020	Toriaezu NBA Fan ni nattemiru?[b]	Co-host		[11][12]
2021–2022	CHOTeN [ja]	Co-host		[53][54]
2023–present	Cinema Addict	Host		[55]

Music video

Year	Artist	Title	Notes	Ref(s)
2022	Ryujin Kiyoshi (feat. Leo Uchida)	"If I Stay Out of Life...?"	Main role	[56]
2023	The Shes Gone	"Apostrophe"	Main role	[57]

Other appearances

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Network	Notes	Ref(s)
2020–2022	Belc presents Hinatazaka46 no Yokei na Kotomade Yarimashō[h]	Host	Tokyo FM		[58][59][60]

Fashion shows

Tokyo Girls Collection

Year	Date	Title	Venue	Ref(s)
2020	January 11	"SDGs Promotion TGC Shizuoka 2020 by Tokyo Girls Collection"	Twin Messe Shizuoka	[61]
	February 29	"Mynavi presents 30th Tokyo Girls Collection 2020 Spring/Summer"	Yoyogi National Gymnasium	[62]
	September 5	"Mynavi presents 31st Tokyo Girls Collection 2020 Autumn/Winter Online"	Saitama Super Arena	[63][64]

Bibliography

Year	Title	ISBN	Publisher	Notes	Ref(s)
2019	Hidamari[a]	ISBN 978-4344033993	Gentosha	Photobook	[10]
2022	Watashi ga Watashi de aru Tame ni[e]	ISBN 978-4296112593	Nikkei BP	Graduation commemorative book	[21]

Notes

1. 陽だまり (lit. 'Sunny Spot')
2. とりあえずNBAファンになってみる?; transl. Want to Become an NBA Fan For Now?
3. The Fish in Love Flies in the Sky (恋した魚は空を飛ぶ)
4. 飛行機雲ができる理由 (The Reason Contrails Appear)
5. 私が私であるために ("For Me to Be Who I Am")
6. 日向坂46 3周年記念 Memorial Live ～3回目のひな誕祭～ in 東京ドーム
7. あなたの恋人、強奪します。, Anata no Koibito, Gōdatsushimasu
8. ベルク presents 日向坂46の余計な事までやりましょう; transl. Belc presents Hinatazaka46's Let's Do Extra Things