Haruma Miura

Haruma Miura (April 5, 1990 – July 18, 2020) was a Japanese actor and singer. He began his acting career as a child and achieved widespread recognition following his performance in the 2007 romantic film Koizora. Over his multi-decade career, Miura starred in numerous high-profile Japanese television dramas, feature films, and stage productions, while also establishing a music career.

Miura made his acting debut at age seven in the television drama adaptation Agri. During his youth, he attended Horikoshi High School, studied at the Tsukuba branch of Actors Studio, and performed in the boy band Brash Brats. After the musical group went on an indefinite hiatus, Miura continued acting full-time, appearing in early television series such as 14-sai no Haha and Unfair, as well as feature films like Catch a Wave.

His major breakthrough occurred in 2007 with Koizora, for which he earned Newcomer of the Year at the 31st Japan Academy Prize. He subsequently headlined several prominent television series, including the third season of Gokusen and the thriller Bloody Monday. His performance in the 2008 film Naoko earned him the Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award, establishing him as one of Japan's most anticipated young actors. Miura followed these achievements with leading roles in cinematic releases such as Crows Zero 2 and Kimi ni Todoke.

Throughout the early 2010s, Miura expanded his presence across television, film, and theater. He featured in the drama Hi wa Mata Noboru, the romantic comedy Last Cinderella, and Boku no Ita Jikan, earning an Individual Award at the 51st Galaxy Awards for his performances. On screen, he starred in the two-part live-action adaptation Attack on Titan, played a supporting role in The Eternal Zero, and learned Mandarin Chinese for the international production Five Minutes to Tomorrow.

In 2016, Miura achieved major theatrical acclaim for playing Lola in the Japanese production of Kinky Boots, winning the Haruko Sugimura Award and Best New Actor at the 24th Yomiuri Theater Awards. He continued to accept varied roles, appearing in the historical drama Naotora: The Lady Warlord, the comedy film Gintama 2, and the action-drama series Two Weeks. Miura also co-hosted the travel program Sekai wa Hoshii Mono ni Afureteru starting in 2018.

Alongside acting, Miura launched a music career in 2019 with his debut single, Fight for Your Heart, which served as the theme song for Two Weeks and earned him the Asia Star Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards. He released several photobooks throughout his career, including Letters, Switch, Fureru, and Nihonsei, and actively engaged in philanthropic efforts such as the Act Against Aids initiative.

Miura passed away on July 18, 2020, in Tokyo at the age of 30. Several of his projects were released posthumously, including his second single, Night Diver, and the period feature Godai: The Wunderkind, for which he received the Fan's Choice Best Actor Award at the 34th Nikkan Sports Yujiro Ishihara Film Prizes.