Minami Hinase (美波 みなみ Hinase Minami), more popularly known in Japan as Minami (みなみ), is a half-Japanese, half-French model and actress.

Biography

Hinase was born in Tokyo, Japan on 22 September 1986. She is internationally known for her role as Shogo Kawada's girlfriend Keiko Onuki in the critically acclaimed Japanese film Battle Royale.




Career
She is employed under Horipro, a giant Japanese model and talent agency. Recently, she has taken a principal role in the 2006 Japanese drama film Humoresque: Sakasama no Chou (literally Humoresque: The Upside Down Butterfly).

Her interests include playing the piano, and watching French films; she is also very athletic and takes an interest in basketball. She has acted in more movies than dramas; such as Toso Kuso Tawake, Lament of the Lamb, Robo Rock, and Detroit Metal City. She also starred in the Hanazakari No Kimitachi E special, in which she portrays a character named Julia. Recently she finished filming a drama called Yukan Club where she acted as Kenbishi Yuri. She co-starred in this drama with KAT-TUN's Akanishi Jin and Taguchi Junnosuke.


Modeling
Minami is a regular print model for Japanese fashion magazines, as well as appearing in other magazines such as mina, SEDA, Phat PHOTO, Dolce Vita and 26ans. She is also a regular model for Shiseido Majolica Majorica,and often appears on their website.Which creatively features chapters for every brand they create and is interactive. Many of these chapters have featured her as the main character. She also has featured on many advertisements for both Shisheido and Lotte Pione. Her career in the modelling industry has immensely grown over the years and is widely known in Japan.


Film
2000 Battle Royale　(バトルロワイアル) as Onuki Keiko
2002 Yumeko's Nightmare (惨劇館 夢子) as Okuyo Yumeko
2003 Embraced by Mana (マナに抱かれて) as Emi
2004 Problem Free Us (問題のない私たち) as Shiozaki Maria
2005 Tomie: Revenge (富江 REVENGE) as Fuyugi Yukiko
2006 Humoresque: Sakasama no Chou (ユモレスク 〜逆さまの蝶〜) as Sonny
2007 Sakuran (さくらん) as Wakagiku
2007 Tōbō Kuso Tawake (逃亡くそたわけ) as Hanachan
2007 ROBO☆ROCK (ROBO☆ROCK) as Kiriko
2008 Detroit Metal City (デトロイト・メタル・シティ) as Nina
2010 Vengeance Can Wait (乱暴と待機) as Nanase
2012 Afro Tanaka (アフロ田中) as Sacchan
Drama
2004 Cheer Heaven (天国への応援歌 チアーズ〜チアリーディングにかけた青春〜) as Tamura Miho
2007 Getsuyou Golden (月曜ゴールデン)
2007 Operation Mystery Second File (怪奇大作戦 セカンドファイル) as Ogawa Saori
2007 Yūkan Club (有閑倶楽部) as Kenbishi Yuri
2008 Loss Time Life (ロス:タイム:ライフ) as Yoshida Yukari
2008 SAVE THE FUTURE・Boku no shima/Kanojo no Sango (SAVE THE FUTURE・僕の島/彼女のサンゴ) as Inoue Shiori
2009 Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (花ざかりの君たちへ〜イケメン♂パラダイス〜 卒業式&7 1/2話スペシャル) as Julia Maxwell
2009 OL Nippon (OLにっぽん) as Yabe Sakura
2009 The Quiz Show (ザ・クイズショウ) as Mika
2010 Trick Shinsaku Special 2 (TRICK新作スペシャル 2) as Sasaki Kikushi
2011 Banquet of the Lower Class (下流の宴) as Miyagi Tamao
2011 Human Metamorphosis (人間昆虫記) as Tomura Toshiko
2011 Yujo Mameshiba (幼獣マメシバー) as Kitajo Yoshiki