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Ririka Kato

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Not to be confused with Ririka Kaga.

Ririka Kato (加藤 梨里香 (かとう りりか) Katō Ririka, born March 20, 1998 in Kanagawa, Japan) is a theater actress from Japan. She debuted as a child actress in 2002 at the age four. In 2012, she joined Gekidan Her Best and graduated from the troupe in 2019. Kato is best known for her starring role as Tsukushi Makino in the musical adaptation of Boys Over Flowers.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Kato was born on March 20, 1998 in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan.[1] She is the only daughter of her parents, both local farmers in Kanagawa.[2] She began performing in musicals at the age of four. Kato studied at Hinode High School (now Meguro High School) in the performing arts course.[3] In 2020, she graduated from Meiji University.[4]

Career[]

Beginnings[]

In 2002, Kato appeared in Chance as the childhood version of the character Mai.[3] She went on to appear in Gang and Present (both 2004),[5] Anne of Green Gables (2007), and Happano Freddie: Inochi no Tabi (2009).[6] In 2011, Kato auditioned for Sony Music Artists. She and thirteen others were selected to for the theater troupe, "Gekidan Her Best" (劇団ハーベスト () ). It was officially announced in January 2012.[7] The troupe regularly puts on performances throughout the year.[8] The following year, she starred in the lead role of Anne in Ladybird, Ladybird.[9] She returned to the role in 2014[10] and 2015.[11] Kato was a guest in the 2017 version to celebrate the musical's five year anniversary.[12] Also in 2013, she appeared in Ghetto[13] and Rokudenashi Chorus.[14] Kato performed in Crank Up wa Mada Hayai in 2014.[15]

Kato in a promotional photo for

Kato in a promotional photo for Hana Yori Dango: The Musical

In 2015, Kato was chosen among of 3,000 participants to play Tsukushi Makino in Hana Yori Dango: The Musical.[16][17] It opened on January 5, 2016.[18] The same year, she appeared in Kengo Shogun Yoshiteru[19][20] which was followed by a sequel the following year.[21] In 2017, Kato performed in Big Fish[22] and Maria to Midori no Princess. She had previously starred as the titular Maria in the 2015 production.[23] Kato appeared in Star Tanjo in 2018,[24] followed by Kaijin no Tantei[25] and Ai Oshiki: Boku no Jidai (both 2019).[26] In October 2019, Kato graduated from and left Gekidan Her Best.[27] In early 2020, she was a part of the ensemble in Sunset Boulevard. She performed in it until the last few performances were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[28]

Recent work[]

Kato appeared in Ryogoku Oshare Rikishi in late 2020 and early 2021.[29] Starting in May 2021, she began a two month run of Les Misérables, in which she portrayed Cosette[30] In early 2022, Kato played the title role in The Little Prince, rotating the part with Yuko Doi.[31] She starred in Cinderella Story as the title character later the same year.[32] In 2023, Kato appeared in three musicals, including The Beautiful Game,[33] Colorful,[34] and Ama Kakeru Kaze ni.[35] The following year, she continued playing supporting roles with Smoke,[36] Cross Road,[37] and Dublin no Kanetsuki Kabi Ningen.[38] Kato also performed the voice of Haru in the musical adaptation of Beastars the same year.[39] From December 2024 to June 2025, she reprised her role as Cosette in another production of Les Misérables.[40] Kato next played Helen Potter in the musical, Under the Mushroom Shade.[41]

From August to September 2025, Kato starred as Kaori Miyazono in the musical adaptation of Your Lie in April.[42] Starting in December 2025, she will star alongside Rei Yuzuka in Twelve Kingdoms.[43] In the spring of 2026, Kato will appear in The Caucasian Chalk Circle.[44] Then, from October 2026 to January 2027, she will play Ellen in the musical Miss Saigon.[45]

Filmography[]

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Chance Mai (child)
2004 Gang Poppy
Present Emily
2007 Anne of Green Gables Ensemble
2008 Coco Smile 4 Peco
2009 Happano Freddie: Inochi no Tabi Mary
2010 Princess Valentine Louisa
Happano Freddie: Inochi no Tabi Claire
2011 The Wizard of Oz Dorothy
2012 Princess Valentine 2: Rock Princess Princess Margaret
Kaien Shimasu! Girl's Up! Up! Ensemble
Ippitsu Keijo! Girl's Look Up! Ensemble
2013 Ichi ni Tsuite! Girl's Start Up! Ensemble
Ladybird, Ladybird Anne
Ghetto Gerda
Mikiri Hassha Sisters: Happy Go Lucky Ensemble
Rokudenashi Chorus
2014 Hanjuryoku Girl: Starting Over!! Ensemble
Ladybird, Ladybird Anne
Ura to Hyo to Coffee Float Ensemble
Crank Up wa Mada Hayai
2015 Ashita no Kimi to Shalalalala Ensemble
Ladybird, Ladybird Anne
Maria to Midori no Princess Maria
Miracle8 Ensemble
2016 Hana Yori Dango: The Musical Tsukushi Makino
Kishi Kaisei: Swing by Ensemble
Makko Girl Ensemble
Kengo Shogun Yoshiteru Part 1 Mahane
2017 Big Fish Ensemble
Morimachi Pepper Jam Ensemble
Kengo Shogun Yoshiteru Part 2 Mahane
Keino Jimusho Nishiki Geinosha no Natsu Ensemble
Maria to Midori no Princess Maria
The Panic Monkeys Guest
2018 Star Tanjo Yuriko Ogawa
Ashita no Kimi to Shalalalala Ensemble
Doll Ensemble
2019 Maniac Ensemble
Himeyuri Haru
Kaijin no Tantei
Ai Oshiki: Boku no Jidai
2020 Sunset Boulevard Ensemble
Ryogoku Oshare Rikishi
2021 Les Misérables Cosette
2022 The Little Prince The Prince
Cinderella Story Cinderella
2023 The Beautiful Game Bernadette
Colorful Shoko Sano
Ama Kakeru Kaze ni Satoshi Sanjo
2024 SMOKE Hon
Cross Road Asha
Dublin no Kanetsuki Kabi Ningen Manami
Beastars Haru Voice
Les Misérables Cosette
2025 Under the Mushroom Shade Helen Potter
Your Lie in April Kaori Miyazono
Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon, Shadow of the Sea Yoko Nakajima
2026 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Sri Ka
Miss Saigon Ellen

Notes[]

Boys Over Flowers related

Kato with signed illustration

Kato with Yoko Kamio's signed illustration

  • Kato played Tsukushi at age seventeen,[46] making her the youngest actress to play her.
  • During the run of Hana Yori Dango: The Musical, the creator Yoko Kamio gave her a signed illustration of Tsukushi. The F4 actors also received illustrations.[47]
  • Kato went to the Hana Yori Dango Café on January 26, 2016.[48]
  • On April 17, 2018, Kato tweeted that she was watching Hana Nochi Hare.[49] Kamio replied thanking her for her support.[50]
  • In January 2019, Kato commented on one of Kamio's illustrations, wishing Tsukasa a happy birthday.[51] Further on in the thread, Kato congratulated Kamio on the Takarazuka musical and promised to go see it.[52]
  • Kato reposted the photo of her with Kamio's illustration to wish Tsukushi a happy birthday on December 28, 2020.[53]
  • On January 31, 2022, Kato posted on Instagram that she had returned to Theater Creation for The Little Prince. She had first performed there for Hana Yori Dango: The Musical.[54]
  • She was born the same day that chapter one hundred and thirty-five of Boys Over Flowers was published.

Personal details

  • At the time of Hana Yori Dango: The Musical, she listed her favorite movie, drama and stage production as Hairspray, Jin, and Les Misérables. She also considered her hobbies as being singing and tap dancing.[55]

Connections to others

References[]

  1. ↑ https://www.sma.co.jp/s/sma/artist/226#/news/0 (Japanese)
  2. ↑ https://www.townnews.co.jp/0202/2020/10/23/548007.html (Japanese)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://nehohaho.com/1701.html (Japanese)
  4. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/1242078053871702016 (Japanese)
  5. ↑ https://trend.pedia-jp.com/actress/kato-ririka/ (Japanese)
  6. ↑ http://www.astage-ent.com/stage-musical/mptg2017.html (Japanese)
  7. ↑ https://thetv.jp/news/detail/27760/ (Japanese)
  8. ↑ https://her-best.net/stage/ (Japanese)
  9. ↑ http://alii-inc.co.jp/ladybir/ (Japanese)
  10. ↑ http://alii-inc.co.jp/ladybird2014/ (Japanese)
  11. ↑ http://alii-inc.co.jp/ladybird2015/ (Japanese)
  12. ↑ http://alii-inc.co.jp/ladybird/2017.php (Japanese)
  13. ↑ https://stage.corich.jp/stage/45245 (Japanese)
  14. ↑ https://stage.corich.jp/stage/49241 (Japanese)
  15. ↑ https://stage.corich.jp/stage/60261 (Japanese)
  16. ↑ https://deview.co.jp/Interview?am_interview_id=432&set_cookie=2 (Japanese)
  17. ↑ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-08-17/boys-over-flowers-musical-cast-revealed/.91784
  18. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/hanadan-musical/entry-12116711465.html (Japanese)
  19. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12200618108.html (Japanese)
  20. ↑ http://mottorekishi.com/yoshiteru/index.html (Japanese)
  21. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12285262722.html (Japanese)
  22. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12252509948.html (Japanese)
  23. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/237214 (Japanese)
  24. ↑ http://www.musical-za.co.jp/stage/スター誕生2018-2/ (Japanese)
  25. ↑ https://www.kaat.jp/d/kaijin (Japanese)
  26. ↑ https://www.bokunojidai.com/cast.html (Japanese)
  27. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12541124521.html (Japanese)
  28. ↑ https://horipro-stage.jp/stage/sunsetblvd2020/ (Japanese)
  29. ↑ https://tokyo.whatsin.jp/613651 (Japanese)
  30. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/401661 (Japanese)
  31. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/460945 (Japanese)
  32. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/474392 (Japanese)
  33. ↑ https://www.sma.co.jp/s/sma/news/detail/100260#/ (Japanese)
  34. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12815865429.html (Japanese)
  35. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/524434 (Japanese)
  36. ↑ https://www.sma.co.jp/s/sma/news/detail/104590#/ (Japanese)
  37. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/551943 (Japanese)
  38. ↑ https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2319206/full/ (Japanese)
  39. ↑ https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20240605-2959430/ (Japanese)
  40. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/579317 (Japanese)
  41. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DFUptGfSZSA/ (Japanese)
  42. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/589688 (Japanese)
  43. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/611265 (Japanese)
  44. ↑ https://natalie.mu/stage/news/640947
  45. ↑ https://www.sma.co.jp/s/sma/news/detail/112401?ima=0000&link=ROBO004#/ (Japanese)
  46. ↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/01/07/stage/boys-flowers-blooms-stage/#.XZ0lHEZKjIU
  47. ↑ http://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12116772903.html (Japanese)
  48. ↑ http://ameblo.jp/kato-ririka/entry-12121826846.html (Japanese)
  49. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/986262259839057920 (Japanese)
  50. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/986266491833090049 (Japanese)
  51. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/1090810809511374849 (Japanese)
  52. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/1090999049774219265 (Japanese)
  53. ↑ https://twitter.com/Ririka_Kato/status/1343455675112771584 (Japanese)
  54. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZNe3blR4f/ (Japanese)
  55. ↑ https://www.sma.co.jp/artist/profile/index/226 (Japanese)

See also[]



External links[]

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