Yuki Wakai

Yuki Wakai
若井 友希
Born (1995-10-30) 30 October 1995
Occupations
  • Voice actress
  • singer
Years active2013–present
Agent81 Produce
Notable work
Musical career
Member of

Yuki Wakai (若井 友希, Wakai Yūki; born 30 October 1995) is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with 81 Produce.[1] She is a member of the idol group Iris, and has starred as Leona West in PriPara, Miton in Mahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara, Itsuki Sumeragi in Kakegurui, Sara Midorikawa in Kiratto Pri Chan, Maria von Messina in Wise Man's Grandchild, Mai Tadakusa in Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki, Naoko Naruse in Let's Make a Mug Too, Hikari Jogasaki in Teppen—!!!, Mamoru in My Wife Has No Emotion, Riku Sorano in Princession Orchestra, and Miharu Kiryu in Witch Watch.

Biography

Early life

Yuki Wakai, an only child,[2] was born on 30 October 1995 and is a native of Gifu Prefecture.[3] She became an anime fan in junior high, becoming interested in the Higurashi When They Cry anime after a friend of hers invited her to watch the show together, in part due to its Gifu Prefecture setting.[4] Becoming a fan of the Bleach character Tōshirō Hitsugaya, she became interested in voice acting after learning that he was voiced by a woman, Romi Park.[4]

While attending high school, Wakai performed street shows in Nagoya, carrying an electronic piano in her uniform.[5][6] Despite being part of a unit for these performances, she "wrote [her] own lyrics, composed [her] own music, and sang them".[5] As Wakai later recalled, the music, which she found at the time embarrassing in hindsight, "made [her] realize how important lyrics and melodies are, something you can only write at that time".[5]

Iris and Pretty Rhythm

Wakai entered the Avex-sponsored kids' contest Kira Challenge during her second year of junior high school, winning the grand prize and attending Avex's training school the following year.[7][8][9] After passing the Avex/81 Produce Anison Vocalist Audition, she became one of the founding members of Iris.[10] As she recalled, her pre-debut training camp was "pretty strict" and their voice acting classes "were really tough for [her]", and having little knowledge of anime, she struggled with conversations there.[9] In 2016, she won the Seiyu Awards Singing Award as part of Iris at the 10th Seiyu Awards.[11]

Wakai starred in PriPara alongside the other members of Iris,[10] voicing Leona West.[1] She reprised her role in PriPara the Movie: Minna Atsumare! Prism Tours,[12] the 2016 stage musical PriPara: Minna ni Todoke,[13] and the 2025 crossover movie Aikatsu! × PriPara the Movie: A Miracle Encounter!.[14] Throughout the Pretty Rhythm franchise, she also voiced Sara Midorikawa in Kiratto Pri Chan[15] and Yurari Saionji in King of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars (2019).[16]

Music career outside of Iris

Wakai performed "Destiny Sky", the ending theme song for Kingdom; it was released as a single by Dive II Entertainment on 7 November 2012, making Wakai's solo debut.[17] She has also served as a member of the musical group D-selections.[18]

Wakai also works as a solo musician under the name Yuki (友希), an alias she also used as a lyricist and composer for Iris.[19][20] She had forgone her childhood dream of being a singer-songwriter when she settled for Iris, but reconsidered after staff encouraged her; however, she initially struggled for recognition due to her association with the idol group.[21] She released her solo debut single "No More" in 2021.[22] In October 2024, she performed "Hello! My Dream", her solo debut concert.[20] Her solo debut album Main Dish will be released on 29 October 2025.[21]

Voice acting and radio career

Wakai made her voice acting debut in the 2013 anime series Kingdom,[23] before starring as Miton in Mahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara.[24] She starred as Itsuki Sumeragi in Kakegurui (2017–2019).[25][26] She also starred as Maria von Messina in Wise Man's Grandchild[27] and Mai Tadakusa in Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki;[28] she was selected for the latter she was originally from Gifu Prefecture and matched the character's image.[29] She starred as Naoko Naruse in the 2021 anime Let's Make a Mug Too[30] and was part of the anime' Mug-Mo tie-in musical group.[31] Her other starring roles include Hikari Jogasaki in Teppen—!!!,[32] Mamoru in My Wife Has No Emotion,[33] and Riku Sorano in Princession Orchestra.[34] Since 2025, she has starred as Miharu Kiryu in Witch Watch.[35]

In March 2022, she and Akane Takayanagi started co-hosting the CBC Radio show Takayanagi Akane / Wakai Yuki no Yaodagane.[36]

Personal life

Wakai cites Chiaki Ito as her idol.[37]

Wakai was once part of a handball club.[38]

Filmography

Television animation

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2014–2017 PriPara Leona West [1]
2016 Mahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara Miton [24]
2016 Twin Star Exorcists Suzu [39]
2017-2018 Idol Time PriPara Leona West
2017–2019 Kakegurui Itsuki Sumeragi [25][26]
2018–2021 Kiratto Pri Chan Sara Midorikawa [15]
2018 Beatless Olga Suguri [40]
2018 Wise Man's Grandchild Maria von Messina [27]
2019 Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki Mai Tadakusa [28]
2021 Let's Make a Mug Too Naoko Naruse [30]
2022 Teppen—!!! Hikari Jogasaki [32]
2024 My Wife Has No Emotion Mamoru [33]
2025 Bullet/Bullet Rin [41]
2025 Let This Grieving Soul Retire! Mary Auden [42]
2025 Princession Orchestra Riku Sorano [34]
2025 Witch Watch Miharu Kiryu [35]
2026 Tune In to the Midnight Heart Aiko [43]

Original net animation

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 Oshiete Hokusai!: The Animation Kanon Kano [44]

Animated film

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2015 PriPara the Movie: Minna Atsumare! Prism Tours Leona West [12]
2019 King of Prism: Shiny Seven Stars Yurari Saionji [16]
2025 Aikatsu! × PriPara the Movie: A Miracle Encounter! Leona West [14]

Video games

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2015 Kobayashi ga Kawai Sugite Tsurai!! Ge-mu demo Kyun Moe MAX ga Tomaranai Tomo-chan [45]
2015 Xuccess Heaven White Academy student [46]

Stage musical

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2016 PriPara: Minna ni Todoke Leona West [13]

References

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