Minami Hamabe (born August 29, 2000) is a Japanese actress who has starred in blockbuster films and popular television shows since her teenage years. She won the New Generation Award at the 7th Toho Cinderella Audition in 2011 and gained fame for playing Meiko Honma in the live-action Anohana (2015). Her breakthrough came with the romance film Let Me Eat Your Pancreas (2017), which earned her Newcomer of the Year at the 41st Japan Academy Film Prize. She is regarded as one of Japan's most prominent figures in the modern entertainment industry.
Early life and career
Hamabe was born in Ishikawa Prefecture and began her career by winning the New Generation Award at the Toho Cinderella Audition. Since then she has appeared in numerous films and dramas, many of them live-action adaptations of popular manga and video games. Before entering the entertainment industry, she had wanted to become a dentist.
Breakthrough and later roles
Her role in Let Me Eat Your Pancreas, about a terminally ill girl and her introverted classmate, brought her wide recognition in Japan. In 2019 she appeared in The Great War of Archimedes, and in 2023 she starred opposite Ryunosuke Kamiki in the NHK morning drama Ranman. Her performance as Noriko Ōishi in Godzilla Minus One earned her Best Supporting Actress at the 66th Blue Ribbon Awards and brought her international recognition.