Erika Sawajiri

Acting

Erika Sawajiri

Born

1986-04-08 (40)

Place of birth

Nerima, Tokyo, Japan

Known for

Acting

Credits

50 titles

Erika Sawajiri is a Japanese actress, singer, and model. She was born on **April 8, 1986**, in Tokyo, Japan. Her father was Japanese, and her mother is of Algerian Kabyle origin who was raised in France. She began her career as a model before becoming an actress in the early 2000s. Erika became famous for her role as Aya Ikeuchi in the television drama **1 Litre of Tears** (2005), which earned her great praise for her emotional performance. She also starred in films such as **Shinobi: Heart Under Blade**, **Helter Skelter**, and the drama **Taiyō no Uta**. Through *Taiyō no Uta*, she started a music career and released several successful songs under the names **Kaoru Amane** and **Erika**. …

Known for

Film credits

2010s · 15 titles

Helter Skelter poster
6.7

Top model Lilico, having recently undergone multiple cosmetic surgeries, begins to experience troubling side effects. As she desperately tries to retain her perfect image, Lilico descends into a world of nightmares and makes those around her miserable.

Helter Skelter

2012

No Longer Human poster
6.0

The story of Osamu Dazai, one of Japan's most celebrated novelists, absorbed in alcohol and love; married and in a relationship with two other lovers.

No Longer Human

2019

Impossibility Defense poster
7.2

At a certain park, there is a mysterious man, who has red eyes and a black suit, that people can go to and request him to kill someone. His assassinations can never be blamed on him because he takes no illegal action. His strength is in the power of suggestion and the arrangement of events. He accepts these requests, all the while privately mocking the foolishness of those whose unwise wishes he grants.

Impossibility Defense

2018

Million Dollar Man poster
6.0

A man, who is repaying a 30 million yen debt left by his brother, wins the 300 million yen lottery. He grapples with the question of whether money can buy him happiness.

Million Dollar Man

2018

Clock Store's Girl poster
NR

The story is about the emotional and spiritual exchange between an elderly watchmaker and a cheerful and kind young woman who lost her mother in the tsunami of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. The woman asks the watchmaker to repair a wristwatch, which is a precious memento left her by late mother.

Clock Store's Girl

2013

Shinjuku Swan II poster
4.8

Tatsuhiko relocates from Shinjuku to Yokohama, where he comes into conflict with Masaki Taki, CEO of the local scout company.

Shinjuku Swan II

2017

Shinjuku Swan poster
5.5

Shiratori Tatsuhiko works as a scout for talent agency Burst in Kabukichō, Shinjuku's red light district, recruiting young girls for the adult entertainment industry. In a business where money means everything, Tatsuhiko finds himself in a constant struggle between rival scouts and the Yakuza.

Shinjuku Swan

2015

Welcome to Our Home poster
7.0

Kenta Kurata (Masaki Aiba) lives with his father, Taichi (Akira Terao), his mother, Keiko (Kaho Minami), and his younger sister, Nana (Kasumi Arimura) in an isolated home in the suburbs. He works as an unpopular commercial designer. Kenta Kurata possesses a timid personality, which he picked up from his father. Kenta doesn't like his father. One day, while waiting for the train, Kenta warns a man who pushed a woman and cut in line. Kenta is surprised that he spoke out with his normally timid personality. After that incident, Kenta's family home is targeted by an unknown person with flowers from their garden being pulled out and the seat of a bicycle being torn. Also, Kenta's younger sister Nana is stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Kenta and his family try to find out who is responsible.

Welcome to Our Home

2015

First Class poster
NR

Chinami (Erika Sawajiri) works at a fabric shop, dreaming of one day working in the fashion industry. By accident, she begins work in the editing section for a fashion magazine. Chinami believes her new job may open doors for her to new opportunities, but it turns out her new job is like working in a war zone with daily fights and competitiveness between the women who work there. Can Chinami survive in such a cutthroat environment?

First Class

2014

The Cat in Their Arms poster
5.3

A 33-year-old supermarket worker at a provincial city used to be an idol, but could not see a future as a singer. Sick of everything, she moved to a provincial town and met Yoshio, a pet cat she saw at a store.

The Cat in Their Arms

2018

Ōoku poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Ōoku

2016

悪女について poster
NR

Erika Sawajiri plays Kimiko, the main character of the story who has died. Although the title implies that it is a story of a “wicked woman,” the original novel was divided into 27 chapters, one for each “testimony” by someone who knew Kimiko at some point in her life, providing a range of perspectives on what kind of person Kimiko was. ~~ Adapted from 1978 novel series "Akujou ni Tsuite" by Ariyoshi Sawako.

悪女について

2012

L et M: The Reason I Love You, Other Stories poster
NR

Eru is a 28-year-old woman, good at working but scared of dating. Emu is a 25-year-old woman who enjoys love but does not know what real love is. This drama series depicts the two different love styles of these women.

L et M: The Reason I Love You, Other Stories

2013

Seeing with the Heart poster
NR

Content with his perfect life, Yoshinori Arai’s eyesight starts to fail and he despairs. How will he battle his illness and return to his dreams?

Seeing with the Heart

2016

Eating Women poster
7.4

Follows the daily lives of 8 women with different backgrounds through what they eat and whom they date.

Eating Women

2018

2000s · 16 titles

Shinobi: Heart Under Blade poster
6.6

Even though Gennosuke and Oboro are from rival ninja villages, they are secretly in love. At an annual conference with the Lord, it is dictated that a competition--a fight to the death--will take place between the five best shinobi from each village. Gennosuke and Oboro's love is made even more impossible when they each got picked as the leader of the five to represent their respective villages.

Shinobi: Heart Under Blade

2005

Closed Note poster
7.5

Kae Horii moves into her new flat in an undisclosed area of Kyoto. While unpacking her belongings, she discovers a hidden compartment behind a inconspicuous mirror. In that compartment, Kae finds a notebook, that turns out to be a diary belonging to the previous tenant. Later that evening Kae starts to read the diary. The writer of the diary is Ibuki Mano, a young lady about to embark on her first year as an elementary school teacher. Ibuki is also in love with a man named Takashi, who may or may not hold similar feelings for Ibuki.

Closed Note

2007

We Shall Overcome Someday poster
6.4

Romeo, A.K.A. Kosuke Matsuyama, is a second-year high school student. A nice, normal, nonviolent type, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a rampaging crowd of Korean boys, outraged by insults perpetrated by several of his idiotic class-mates on two Korean girls. He makes a narrow escape, but soon after, he and his best bud Yoshio are sent by their home-room teacher to invite the Korean students to a friendly soccer game as a way of restoring the peace.

We Shall Overcome Someday

2005

Ashura poster
5.3

Adapted from the successful play, the film takes place in 19th-century Japan, where a war between demons and their slayers is fought. Izumo, a kabuki actor with a demon-slaying past, meets and falls in love with Tsubaki. However, something is not right, as mysterious marks appear on her body as time progresses. At the same time, it is announced that Ashura, the queen of all demons, will be resurrected and bring destruction to the universe.

Ashura

2005

Ghost Train poster
4.9

On her way to school, high school girl Nana sees a train accident. Then Nana and her friend Kanae start to come across various bizarre phenomena, including red fingerprints and a female spirit who 'lives' on the station platform. One day, Nana's younger sister is lost, and the only possibility seems to be that she had been taken by these spirits. The missing tracks. The predictions that a mysterious woman makes.

Ghost Train

2006

1 Litre Of Tears SP poster
6.0

The Story of the 1 Litre of Tears special takes place after the events in the main drama. The Special takes the view of Asou Haruto who is remembering life the way it used to be before the events of the last episode of the series.

1 Litre Of Tears SP

2007

The Letters poster
6.5

How have you been? Takeshi's letter is delivered one each month to his younger brother, Naoki. Takeshi is serving a life term in prison for the crime that he had committed to save his brother. But the crime's aftereffect extends to Naoki, and, branded as a "murderer's brother," Naoki is deprived of his love, career and dream. His desperate situation gradually changes when he finds true love with Yumiko, who always stands by him. To protect the love that he has finally found, Naoki begins writing a letter to Takeshi... The touching story of a man who was powerless against his irreversible fate, but still tried to overcome it in the quest for his dream.

The Letters

2006

The Mamiya Brothers poster
5.4

The main characters are the Mamiya brothers who are living together although they are over 30-years-old. Unconcerned with appearance and reputations, they enjoy their life in their own way. The only concern is the lack of girlfriends. One day, however, a change occurs to their mundane lives. The elder brother, Akinobu (Kuranosuke Sasaki), falls in love with a girl at a video shop. The younger brother, Tetsunobu (Muga Tsukaji), scrambles around to aid his brother achieve love and arranges various dates. The elder brother strives to return the effort, but gets the cold shoulder. The two brothers return to their original lives, continuing with their ordinary, but happy days.

The Mamiya Brothers

2006

Angel's Ladder poster
NR

Tenshi no Hashigo 2006 (Japan), also known as Angel's Ladder is Japan drama premiere on Oct 22, 2006 on TV Asahi

Angel's Ladder

2006

Sugar & Spice poster
5.1

Recently graduated from high school, 17-year-old Shiro decides to put off college and work at a gas station instead. Shy and introspective, Shiro understands he is at a turning point of his life, but is unsure of what lies ahead. Though his parents disapprove of his decision, he has the support of his flower child grandmother who declares that a gas station is a romantic place for life's drifters. Surely enough, soon a new co-worker, college student Noriko, drifts into Shiro's life. He falls headfirst into a bittersweet first love that ushers him into the world of adulthood.

Sugar & Spice

2006

Angel's Egg poster
6.5

The film follows a young aspiring art university student, who falls in love with the older sister of his girlfriend. The heartrending longing and the true love that the three characters pursue, is pure, but almost painful. Is the person who stands next to you, is the person that gives you true comfort and love? Can you say that you love him/her from the bottom of your heart?

Angel's Egg

2006

Mondai no Nai Watashitachi poster
8.0

Mio Sasaoka hears of a middle school student that was a victim of bullying and then committed suicide. Mio thinks the girl should have confronted her tormentors rather than committing suicide. Mio herself is the leader of a group of students at her school. She is a bully. Her main target is Maria Shiozaki who is weak. Mio pushes her into the swimming pool and scribbles on her book, justifying her actions because Maria is disagreeable.

Mondai no Nai Watashitachi

2004

The Winds of God poster
NR

Two Osaka comedians, Makoto (Tomomitsu Yamaguchi) and Kinta (Go Morita), are riding bicycles in Tokyo when they're hit by a dump truck. They regain consciousness in 1945, but not of their own bodies. Somehow, their souls have been transported into the bodies of two tokkotai (special forces, or "kamikaze") pilots. Having grown up in a peaceful, carefree Japan, the two comedians experience severe disorientation at having to suddenly deal with the realities of war. They attempt to escape their squadron, knowing that Japan will eventually lose the war, but are nevertheless moved by the young men they meet, all of whom have very different opinions about their fate and the responsibilities that have been placed upon them.

The Winds of God

2005

Visual Queen of 2002 poster
NR

Fuji Television Special

Visual Queen of 2002

2002

Cheers Heaven poster
NR

Teenage girl has to decide if she is capable of being captain of the school's cheerleading squad. Suddenly the team lost the support and inspiration.

Cheers Heaven

2003

North Point - Friends poster
NR

Japanese TV movie from 2003

North Point - Friends

2003

Series credits

1 Litre of Tears poster
8.5

1 Rittoru no Namida is a Japanese television drama for Fuji Television about a girl who was diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease at 15, but was able to continue her life until her death at the age of 25.

1 Litre of Tears

2005

Followers poster
6.7

When an aspiring actress hits it big thanks to a candid Instagram post, the lives of several Tokyo women cross as they struggle to define happiness IRL.

Followers

2020

Hagetaka poster
7.0

During turbulent economic times in Japan, Masahiko Washizu leads a foreign investment fund and is criticized for being a vulture. He tries to buy a bank and another company that are experiencing financial depression.

Hagetaka

2018

The Great White Tower poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

The Great White Tower

2019

First Class poster
6.0

Chinami works at a fabric shop, dreaming of one day working in the fashion industry. By accident, she begins work in the editing section for a fashion magazine. Chinami believes her new job may open doors for her to new opportunities, but it turns out her new job is like working in a war zone with daily fights and competitiveness between the women who work there. Can Chinami survive in such a cutthroat environment?

First Class

2014

Hotman poster
9.8

Enzo, a school art teacher, is the pillar of a rather unusual family. He takes care of his 5-year-old daughter but does not know who her mother is, and he also lives with his four siblings whose fathers are all different. Enzo's daughter suffers from severe atopic dermatitis, so he throws himself into managing her diet to alleviate her condition. He is so determined to raise the little daughter well, he doesn't appear to have any spare time for a girlfriend. And yet Enzo finds himself drawn to Misuzu, a health teacher at his school. A light-hearted and romantic story of a man trying to find love and learn to be a father at the same time.

Hotman

2003

A Song to the Sun poster
7.6

Amane Kaoru lives a night life, not because she wishes so, but because she is infected with the xeroderma pigmentosum virus. This virus defects the ability to repair damage caused by the sun's rays. Although she cannot expose her body to the sunlight, she dreams of becoming a singer, even if remaining positive has been ruined many times due to her illness. One night, playing outside, she meets Fujishiro Kouji, who has lost his job and hope, and becomes someone who reminds him of his long forgotten music passion.

A Song to the Sun

2006

Aikurushii poster
9.0

Yuki, mother of the Mashiba family, is the grease that keeps this well-oiled machine running and its seven members happy and healthy. But when Yuki herself falls ill and needs to be hospitalized, the rest of the family must cooperate and make sacrifices in order to keep everything running smoothly and make ends meet.

Aikurushii

2005

Papa for One Summer poster
NR

A high school student’s mother passes away leaving her alone with her grief. The girl, Marimo, discovers the name of a father she never knew. Marimo sets off to meet him, but is completely shocked when she finds someone very different from the father she envisioned. Her father, Shinpei, a 38-year-old would-be private detective, is shocked too, and doesn’t believe her until he sees the paperwork. With Marimo muttering “The worst father in the world” and Shinpei lamenting the loss of his freedom, these two are about to learn how difficult and rewarding a father/daughter relationship can be.

Papa for One Summer

2003

Welcome to Our Home poster
8.0

Kurata Kenta lives with his father, Taichi, his mother, Keiko, and his younger sister, Nana in an isolated home in the suburbs. He works as an unpopular commercial designer. Kurata Kenta possesses a timid personality, which he picked up from his father. Kenta doesn't like his father. One day, while waiting for the train, Kenta warns a man who pushed a woman and cut in line. Kenta is surprised that he spoke out with his normally timid personality. After that incident, Kenta's family home is targeted by an unknown person with flowers from their garden being pulled out and the seat of a bicycle being torn. Also, Kenta's younger sister Nana is stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Kenta and his family try to find out who is responsible. This mini series is based on the novel "Yokoso Wagaya e" by Jun Ikeido.

Welcome to Our Home

2015

Ooku: Saikyou no Onna / Higeki no Shimai poster
1.0

Sawajiri Erika acting as different Edo-era concubines in each episode.

Ooku: Saikyou no Onna / Higeki no Shimai

2016

Impossibility Defense poster
7.0

A hypnotic assassin meets his match when a detective immune to his powers becomes determined to bring him down!

Impossibility Defense

2017

Become a Mother poster
7.0

In the spring, when Kashiwazaki Yui and her 3 years old son were coming back home from kindergarten, she let go of her son's hand for a moment and then he was gone. 9 years later, her son appears in front of her again.

Become a Mother

2017

Tengoku e no Ouenka Cheers poster
NR

A teenage girl has to decide if she is capable of being captain of the school's cheerleading squad.

Tengoku e no Ouenka Cheers

2003

The Blind Teacher poster
NR

Content with his perfect life, Yoshinori Arai's eyesight starts to fail and he despairs. How will he battle his illness and return to his dreams? One-off TV drama special, produced by Ax-On and Nippon Television (NTV) for Japan.

The Blind Teacher

2016

The Watchmaker's Daughter poster
NR

The story is about the emotional and spiritual exchange between an elderly watchmaker and a cheerful and kind young woman who lost her mother in the tsunami of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. The woman asks the watchmaker to repair a wristwatch, which is a precious memento left her by late mother.

The Watchmaker's Daughter

2013

Friends poster
NR

One-off TV drama special, produced by UHB Network for Japan.

Friends

2003