Mana Ashida

Acting

Mana Ashida

Born 2004-06-23 · Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan

Mana Ashida (芦田 愛菜, Ashida Mana; born 23 June 2004) is a Japanese actress, talent and singer. Her first appearance was in Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2, though she rose to prominence after acting in the television drama Mother. She became the youngest lead star in Japanese drama history when she starred in Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien. She was the youngest lead actress in a television serial drama by appearing in the serial drama Marumo no Okite in the spring of 2011. She also appeared in Japanese films such as Confessions and Bunny Drop. Ashida and her co-actor Fuku Suzuki sang the 2011 hit song "Maru Maru Mori Mori", the theme song for the television drama Marumo no Okite.

Acting credits

Pacific Rim poster
6.9

Using massive piloted robots to combat the alien threat, Earth's survivors take the fight to the invading alien force lurking in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless enemy, the forces of mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes who now stand as Earth's final hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Pacific Rim

2013

Scarlet poster
7.0

After failing to avenge her father's murder, Princess Scarlet, wakes up in the "Land of the Dead." In this world filled with madness, if she does not achieve her revenge against her nemesis and reach the "No End Place," she will become "Void" and cease to exist. Can Scarlet find a way to live at the end of her endless journey?

Scarlet

2025

Cells at Work! poster
7.7

A novice red blood cell and a relentless white blood cell work together to protect their human from invading germs, pathogens and other threats.

Cells at Work!

2024

Confessions poster
7.6

Devastated at the death of her four-year-old daughter, a grieving middle school teacher is horrified to discover that her students aren't as innocent as she thinks.

Confessions

2010

Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us poster
7.2

A young athlete whose running days might be behind her, a compulsive liar, a shy researcher, a bitter old woman, and a little girl with a big secret—the only thing they have in common is the annual Wind Festival in Fula City. The festival celebrates the Legendary Pokémon Lugia, who brings the wind that powers this seaside city. When a series of threats endangers not just the festival, but all the people and Pokémon of Fula City, it’ll take more than just Satoshi and Pikachu to save the day! Can everyone put aside their differences and work together—or will it all end in destruction?

Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us

2018

The Floating Castle poster
7.4

In the year 1590, the mighty warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi is close to fulfilling his ambition of unifying all of Japan under his banner when he comes across unexpected resistance in the form of a floating fortress known as Oshi Castle. Narita Nagachika, a frivolous hedonistic fellow and unlikely candidate for the position of rebel general, finds himself in charge of defending the castle. His odds? An army of 500 men to combat Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army of 20,000.

The Floating Castle

2012

Children of the Sea poster
7.1

Ruka is a young girl whose parents are separated and whose father works in an aquarium. When two boys, Umi and Sora, who were raised in the sea by dugongs, are brought to the aquarium, Ruka feels drawn to them and begins to realize that she has the same sort of supernatural connection to the ocean that they do. Umi and Sora's special power seems to be connected to strange events that have been occurring more and more frequently, such as the appearance of sea creatures far from their home territory and the disappearance of aquarium animals around the world. However, the exact nature of the boys' power and of the abnormal events is unknown, and Ruka gets drawn into investigating the mystery that surrounds her new friends.

Children of the Sea

2019

Lonely Castle in the Mirror poster
7.1

Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

2022

MYSTERY ARENA poster
5.6

Six contestants compete in a high-stakes live TV quiz show to solve a complex "closed-circle" murder mystery for a 10 billion yen jackpot.

MYSTERY ARENA

2026

Liar Game: Reborn poster
6.3

To exact revenge, the Liar Game office is revived. The target is only one person: Shin'ichi Akiyama. Because of new heroine Shinomiya, Shin'ichi, who kept refusing to take part in the game, finds himself in the game. Along with Akiyama, there's 19 other players competing for the prize of two billion yen. Omega, who revived the game, plays the game at the Liar Game office with Alice. Alice sets up the game, chooses the players, and sets the traps.

Liar Game: Reborn

2012

Chimney Town: Frozen in Time poster
4.5

After losing his friend Poupelle, young Lubicchi wanders into a mysterious realm where a clock in a tower is frozen at 11:59. To return home, he must restart it – and find the courage to believe again.

Chimney Town: Frozen in Time

2026

Poupelle of Chimney Town poster
6.6

The story is about a young boy named Lubicchi and a trashman named Poupelle who meet on a Halloween night in a city that is full of tall chimneys. The chimneys pour out black smoke and the true sky cannot be seen.

Poupelle of Chimney Town

2020

Bunny Drop poster
7.1

Daikichi learns that his recently deceased grandfather has an illegitimate daughter with an unknown mother. The girl's name is Rin and she is just 6 years old. Everybody in Daikichi's family looks at the girl as an embarrassment and wants no part of her. Disgusted by his family's attitude, Daikichi decides to raise Rin by himself, even though he has no experience raising a child and is still single.

Bunny Drop

2011

The House of the Lost on the Cape poster
6.5

A strange old woman allows a teenage runaway and a young orphan to stay in an abandoned house that overlooks the sea. However, when a menacing entity threatens their new home, they must band together and face their fears to save it.

The House of the Lost on the Cape

2021

Goodbye to Our Kindergarten poster
7.7

One day, five kindergarten children suddenly disappear from a kindergarten in Tokyo, sending their teachers and parents into a panic. The five of them are connecting on trains and headed to an unfamiliar place for some purpose.

Goodbye to Our Kindergarten

2011

Magic Tree House poster
7.0

Jack and Annie are young siblings who find a magic tree house on their way home after chasing a weasel. By using the books available on the tree house, they are able to travel through time and location. The two end up with the difficult task of collecting four medallions, each one hidden in a different place and epoch, in order to help a magician named Morgan.

Magic Tree House

2012

BL Metamorphosis poster
6.8

An introverted bookstore employee and a widow living in isolation develop a cross-generational friendship through their shared love of BL manga.

BL Metamorphosis

2022

The Round Table poster
7.4

Kokko is a third grade elementary school student. Even though she has a family who loves her, Kokko is full of dissatisfaction and she admires loneliness.

The Round Table

2014

Hankyu Railways - A 15-Minute Miracle poster
6.6

"Hankyu Densha" follows the lives of various people who commute on Hankyu Railway's Imazu Line - connecting the cities of Nishinomiya and Takarazuka in Hyogo prefecture. One of the commuters is Shoko (Miki Nakatani), an office worker in her 30s who lost her boyfriend to a younger colleague. There's also a college student (Erika Toda) who is so easily persuaded by her no good boyfriend. Other commuters include a grandmother & granddaughter, a house wife, a female high school student, and a female otaku college student. Although the train ride takes only 15 minutes between two stations, the lives of these commuters are changed as they interact with each other...

Hankyu Railways - A 15-Minute Miracle

2011

Child of the Stars poster
7.7

When Chihiro was a baby, she suffered from eczema. Her parents tried to find a cure, but nothing worked. Her father's co-worker then gave him some water from a strange religious group. Chihiro was miraculously cured by the water. Her parents began to follow the strange religion and became fervent followers. Chihiro is now in the 3rd grade of middle school and she faces changes in her life.

Child of the Stars

2020

The Partner poster
NR

The Partner is a 2013 Japanese-Vietnamese historical telefilm based on the true story of the Vietnamese independence fighter Phan Bội Châu and his Japanese friend Asaba Sakitaro. The film aired on September 29, 2013 on Vietnam Television in Vietnam and Tokyo Broadcasting System Television in Japan.

The Partner

2013

Not Me That Went Viral poster
5.8

Yamagata is a middle-aged real estate sales manager. One day, a Twitter account that appears to belong to him seems to incriminate him for a murder of a young woman. He knows nothing about the account – but an online outrage declares him a dangerous criminal, and he ends up running for his life, both from the police and clout-chasing YouTubers. A body of another murdered young woman turns up at his house, and he receives an accusatory letter from the one who has framed him. But who would do such a thing? He's well-liked by everyone… or so he thinks.

Not Me That Went Viral

2025

TAKAYUKI YAMADA DOCUMENTARY「No Pain, No Gain」 poster
NR

TAKAYUKI YAMADA DOCUMENTARY「No Pain, No Gain」

TAKAYUKI YAMADA DOCUMENTARY「No Pain, No Gain」

2019

Don't Lose Heart poster
8.0

Depicts the life of best-selling Japanese poet Toyo Shibata. Toyo Shibata first began writing poems at the age of 92 and published her first collection of poems "Kujikenaide" (″Don't lose heart″) in 2009, which sold over 1.5 million copies.

Don't Lose Heart

2013