| Yui Asaka | |
| Native Name: | 浅香 唯 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Birth Date: | 4 December 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan |
| Alias: | Yui |
| Occupation: | Singer, idol, actresses |
| Genre: | Idol pop, Pop-rock, Kayōkyoku, |
| Years Active: | 1984- |
| Label: | Warner Music Japan (1985–1993, 2020-) Merdack (1997-1998) |
| Website: | http://www.yui-asaka.com/index2.html |
[1] is a J-Pop singer, idol and actresses who came to fame in the 1980s.[2] Asaka made major debut with single Natsu Shojo in 1985 under Warner Music Japan and in 1987 acting debut with main role in the third series of Sukeban Deka.
Yui was born in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan, and later attended Nakano High School. In 1984, she was the Grand Prix Winner for a Young Girls Comics Magazine. Yui was featured as the main character of the comic "Shooting Star". A year later, she debuted as a singer with the single Natsu Shoujo.[3] Up until the end of 1986, Asaka enjoyed a moderately successful career as a singer and an idol.
Her fame grew when she starred in the third series of cult TV Show Sukeban Deka in 1987.[4] In 1989, she starred as the heroine of popular manga Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl in its 1989 live movie adaptation. Capitalising on this exposure, Asaka started to write her own songs, starting with the single "Self Control".
In 1993, problems arose when her management began limiting her rights concerning her stage name (Yui Asaka).[5] Asaka decided to temporarily withdraw from the limelight and took a break from show business.[3] Her former label Hummingbird was acquired by Warner Music Japan the following year. She returned to the music scene in 1997 as Yui (not to be confused with another Japanese singer called Yui). Soon after, Asaka reconciled with her agency and was allowed to perform under the name "Yui Asaka" once more. Asaka decided to focus on her acting career, frequently appearing in Japanese TV dramas and variety shows (see full discography below).
In 2020, she released her first digital single Light a Shine. Coinciding with its release, it would be the first time in fifteen years that she released new music.[6] [7] In 2022, music from her idol years has been added to the music streaming services.[8] [9]
As of 2023, Asaka released 14 original albums, 5 compilation albums, 25 physical singles, 1 digital single and 6 home-video releases.[10]
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon [11] | |||||||||||
| Crystal Eyes |
| - | |||||||||
| Star Lights |
| 8 | |||||||||
| Candid Girl |
| 3 | |||||||||
| Herstory |
| 3 | |||||||||
| Melody Fair |
| 2 | |||||||||
| Pride |
| 7 | |||||||||
| Nude Songs |
| 4 | |||||||||
| Open Your Eyes: Nude Songs Vol.2 |
| 10 | |||||||||
| No Lookin' Back |
| 10 | |||||||||
| Glass no Miyako |
| 23 | |||||||||
| Stay |
| 28 | |||||||||
| Joker |
| 47 | |||||||||
| Contrast |
| 63 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes items which did not chart. | |||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon | |||||||||||
| Present |
| 4 | |||||||||
| Thanks a lot |
| 18 | |||||||||
| Single Collection |
| 69 | |||||||||
| Asaka Yui Daizenshou |
| - | |||||||||
| Crystals: 25th Anniversary Best |
| 236 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes items which did not chart. | |||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon | |||||||||||
| Anniversary 2824 |
| - | |||||||||
| 1989.8.23 Yui Asaka Special Live in Osaka |
| - | |||||||||
| "—" denotes items which did not chart. | |||||||||||
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Formats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Physical | |||||||||||
| 1985 | "Natsu Shoujo" （夏少女） | 120 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| "Futari no Moon River" （ふたりのMoon River） | 105 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1986 | "Yappashi...H | " （ヤッパシ…H!） | 111 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||
| "Complex Banzai | " （コンプレックスBanzai | ） | 121 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||
| "10gatsu no Christmas" （10月のクリスマス） | 88 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1987 | "Star" | 9 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| "Hitomi ni Storm" （瞳にStorm） | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Niji no Dreamer" （虹のDreamer） | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Remember" （with Onishi Yuka and Nakamura Yuma) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1988 | "Believe Again" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| "C-Girl" | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Cecile" （セシル） | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Melody" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1989 | "True Love" | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| "Neverland ~ Yawara | Main Theme" （Neverland～Yawara!メインテーマ～） | 2 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| "Koi no Rock n' Roll Circus" （恋のロックンロール・サーカス） | 4 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Dream Power" | 3 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1990 | "Chance | " | 7 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||
| "Boyfriend wo Tsukurou" （ボーイフレンドをつくろう） | 10 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| "Self Control" | 13 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | |||||||||
| 1991 | "Koi no Upside-Dow" （恋のUpside-Down） | 32 | CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| 1992 | "Itoshii Hito to Nemuritai" （愛しい人と眠りたい） | 42 | CD, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| 1993 | "Hitori" （ひとり） | - | CD, digital download, streaming | ||||||||
| 1997 | "Ring Ring Ring" | 129 | CD | ||||||||
| 1998 | "Bukiyou na Tenshi" （器用な天使） | - | CD | ||||||||
| 2005 | "Egao no Watashi" （笑顔の私） | 196 | CD | ||||||||
| "—" denotes items which did not chart | |||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon [13] | |||||||||||
| Only Yui |
| - | |||||||||
| Candid Girl |
| - | |||||||||
| Fun | Fan!Fun | Yui Graffiti |
| - | |||||||
| Rock n' Roll Circus'89 Asaka Yui Sparkling Live |
| - | |||||||||
| Self Control |
| - | |||||||||
| Yui Asaka Live 2020: Happy Birthday 35th Anniversary |
| - | |||||||||
| "—" denotes items which did not chart | |||||||||||