Rina Kawaei

2012–2014 Kawaei auditioned for AKB48 and was selected to join the 11th generation as a kenkyūsei (trainee) in July 2010. In March 2012, she was promoted to Team 4, and was transferred to Team A in August. Soon after the TV series Shiritsu Bakaleya Kōkō ended on June 30, it was announced that Kawaei would participate in its film adaptation. It would star several members from the groups Johnny's Jr. and AKB48. Kawaei was a member of the AKB48 subunit Anrire with Anna Iriyama and Rena Katō. They appeared in Rino Sashihara's 2012 single "Ikujinashi Masquerade", which charted at number one in the Japanese Oricon weekly singles chart. In 2013, during a broadcast of a special episode of the comedy show Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!, it was announced that Kawaei would perform as center in a song of the special unit BKA48 that will be included on AKB48's single "Sayonara Crawl" to be released in May. At the 2013 AKB48 general election, she placed 25th with 26,764 votes, 2014–present At AKB48's 2014 general election she placed 16th with 39,120 votes and thus gained a place in the promotional line-up for the next single "Kokoro no Placard". On March 26, 2015, Kawaei announced that she would leave AKB48 and transition to acting, citing her inability to participate in handshake events after the handsaw assault as the reason. She made her debut voice role in the anime film , voicing Minifalulu, the younger sister of Falulu. == Personal life ==

Kawaei married actor Tomoki Hirose in 2019. The couple have two children, born in November 2019 and June 2023. On April 10, 2026, Kawaei announced through an Instagram post that she had finalized her divorce from Hirose, which confirmed media reports speculating their separation earlier that month. Hirose also made a similar statement and that the two promised to co-parent their two children. == Discography ==

Singles with AKB48 With Anrire • "Ikujinashi Masquerade" (2012) – Rino Sashihara and Anrire Other AKB48 songs • Sugar Rush (2012) == Stage units ==

;Team Kenkyūsei "Theater no Megami" • ;Team 4 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyou" • ;Team A Waiting Stage • • == Filmography ==

Anime • Kaijū Sekai Seifuku (2025) as Kaijū's owner Films • Gekijōban Shiritsu Bakaleya Kōkō (October 13, 2012) • ''PriPara Mi~nna no Akogare Let's Go PriPari'' (2016) as Mini-Falulu • Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016) as Sakura Aoi • Ajin: Demi-Human (2017) as Izumi Shimomura • The Lies She Loved (2018) as Kokoha • Koi no Shizuku (2018) as Shiori Tachibana • Principal (2018) as Haruka Kunishige • My Teacher, My Love (2018) as Aoi Nakamura • Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018) as Risa (voice) • The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps (2018) • ''Don't Cry, Mr. Ogre'' (2019) as Yukino • ''Until I Meet September's Love'' (2019) • Diner (2019) • Ride Your Wave (2019) as Hinako Mukaimizu (voice) • Step (2020) • Jigoku no Hanazono: Office Royale (2021) • Summer Ghost (2021) as Ayane Satō (voice) • The Floor Plan (2024) as Yuzuki • Dear Family (2024) as Nami Tsuboi • Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindler (2024) as Sakura Mochizuki TV dramas • Majisuka Gakuen 2 (2011) as Rina • Majisuka Gakuen 3 (2012) as Nanashi • Shark (2014) as Kaede Konno • Sailor Zombie (2014) as Momoka Takizawa • Gomen ne Seishun as Ai Jinbo • Majisuka Gakuen 4 (2015) as Bakamono • Majisuka Gakuen 5 (2015) as Bakamono • Tokyo Sentimental (2016) (ep.3, guest appearance) • Toto Neechan (2016) as Tomie Morita • Death Cash (2016) as Shi Hei • Hayako Sensei, Kekkon Surutte Honto Desu Ka? (2016) as Fuko Moriyama • Koe Koi (2016) as Kaori Takashima (guest appearance) • Death Note: New Generation (2016) as Sakura Aoi • ''Frankenstein's Love'' (2017) as Mikoto • Fugitive Boys (2017) as Koyoi Niizato • Idaten (2019) as Chie • ''Mr. Hiiragi's Homeroom'' (2019) • Reach Beyond the Blue Sky (2021) as Ichijō Mikako • Shitteru Waifu (2021) as Kenzaki Nagisa • Come Come Everybody (2021) as Hinata Japanese dub • Kubo and the Two Strings (2017) as The Sisters • Soul (2020) as 22 TV variety shows • (TBS) • (TV Tokyo) • (Family Gekijō) • (April 19, 2012, Yomiuri TV) • AKBingo! (June 27, 2012, TV Tokyo) • (October 12, 2012, Hikari TV Channel) == Awards and nominations ==