Saaya Irie (入江紗綾, Irie Saaya?, born November 15, 1993, in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese actress, seiyū, junior idol and singer. Her stage name is simply her given name, Saaya. As of September 2006, her height is 150 centimeters (59 in).

She has recently been appearing in numerous films, radio, and television programs including the recent live action TV drama adaptation of the Jigoku Shoujo series. She has also done voice work, appearing in the recent anime OVA Kyo no Gononi as Chika Koizu. She was formerly a member of Japanese musical group Sweet Kiss before it disbanded on May 12, 2006 to be replaced by the group Chase.

As a gravure idol

She became well-known for her provocative poses in bikinis and her extremely large (for her age) breasts. Her bikini pictures soon received widespread distribution over the World Wide Web.[1] In the aftermath of this incident, her manager said they will refrain from having more bikini photoshoots of Saaya; but in her second DVD, “Little Legend”, Saaya was once again wearing a bikini.

[edit] 2005 anti-Japanese demonstrations

In May 2005, during the anti-Japanese demonstrations in China and Korea, pictures of Saaya taken by Japanese photographer Garo Aida captioned (loosely translated) “Please listen carefully to what I say my lovely Chinese brothers, please stop the riot!”[2] were posted on a Chinese forum by a third party, along with a message pleading for better bilateral relations between China and Japan.[1] Tabloid stories soon followed with raunchy headlines like “Busty 11-Year-Old Girl with F Cup Eases Cross-Strait Relations”.[1] Shuukan Bunshun (週刊文春), a serious and conservative news weekly, reported that her pictures and words of peace led to a reduction in anti-Japanese attitude among the Chinese people.[1]

[edit] Personal life

After she debuted as a gravure idol, she still lived in Fukuoka prefecture. Her best friend Yuan Sun has created a girls band named “Chase”.[3]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] TV programs

* Kyuyo Meisai (TV Tokyo)
* Gekito! Idol Yokibou (July 2006)
* Government Crime Investigation Agent Zaizen Jotaro (TV Asahi)
* Jigoku Shoujo (Live action adaptation, playing as Tsugumi Shibata, started airing across Nippon TV from November 4 2006)
* Manga-Kissa Toshi-Densetsu Noroi no Manna san (BS-i)

[edit] Radio programs

* Gekito! Idol Yokibou (Osaka Broadcasting Corporation, released on July 2006)

[edit] OVA

* Kyo no Gononi (as Chika Koizumi; produced by avex)
* Note: She only sung for the Sweet Kiss version of the opening and ending songs and did not play Chika in the OVA itself. Mai Kadowaki played Chika.

[edit] Films

* Kami no hidarite Akuma no migite (神の左手　悪魔の右手) 2006.
* Shibuya Kaidan (渋谷怪談 THEリアル都市伝説) 2006. official site
* Kani Goalkeeper （かにゴールキーパー） 2006. official site
* Kuchisake Onna (口裂け女) 2007

[edit] Web programs

* It’s your CHOICE! episode 2

[edit] Discography

[edit] Chase

* Chase Me! (1st single)

[edit] Sweet Kiss

* Baby Love (opening to the anime OVA Kyo no Gononi)
* Yakusoku (ending ot the anime OVA Kyo no Gononi)

[edit] Photobooks

* Saaya, Tsubomi (紗綾「ボミ」)　ISBN 4-08-780435-6,2005.
* Saaya, Saaya 11 years old (紗綾「紗綾11歳」) ISBN 4-8211-2660-5, 2005.
* Saaya, Saaya 11 years old Fugue (紗綾「さあや11歳(フーガ) 」)
* Saaya, Pastel Time. (紗綾「ぱすてるたいむ 「紗綾」」)

[edit] DVDs

* 紗綾の休日 (Saaya’s Holiday) (December 2006, King Records)
* aqua girl (December 2006, elk heart promotion)
* BLOOM – さあやから入江紗綾へ (Saaya comes into Saaya Irie)- (June 2006, elk heart promotion)
* Little Legend 紗綾in沖縄 (Saaya in Okinawa) (October 2005, elk heart promotion)
* 紗綾11歳 (Saaya 11 years old) (May 2005, BUNKASHA)
* さあや11歳 (Saaya 11 years old) (February 2005, Calture Club)

[edit] As a member of the Sweet Kiss

* Very Sweet Vol.2 (December 2005, elk heart promotion)
* Sweet Kiss (May 2005, elk heart prom)