Mei Nagano's Profile
- Full Name: Mei Nagano
- Native Name: 永野芽郁
- Nicknames: Namida no Megami
- Birthday: Sep 24, 1999 (25 years old)
- Blood Type: AB
- Height/Weight: 163 cm (5’4") / 48 kg (105.8 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Debut: 2009
- Birthplace: Nishitokyo, Tokyo, Japan
-
Nationality:
Japanese
- Profession: Actress, Model
- Language Skills: Japanese (Native)
- Current Agency: Stardust Promotion
- Active Years: 2009 – present (16 years)
- Marital Status: Single
Mei Nagano (永野芽郁) is a Japanese actress and model. She was born on September 24, 1999, in Nishitokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Nagano began her career as a teen magazine model and soon transitioned into acting. Today, she is mainly active in Japanese television dramas and films, while also participating in advertising campaigns and fashion projects.
Early life
Mei Nagano grew up in Nishitokyo with her parents and an older brother three years her senior. When she was in the third grade of elementary school, she was scouted in the Kichijōji district of Tokyo. Shortly afterward, she began working as a child model, appearing in magazines such as Nico☆Petite and later nicola. This early experience in modeling laid the foundation for her shift to acting, starting with supporting roles in films and television during her teenage years.
Career
Mei Nagano entered the entertainment industry in 2009 with a small role in the action film Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle. Around the same time, she began modeling for children’s magazines such as Nico☆Petite and nicola. This period marked the start of her career, allowing her to gain experience and expand her presence in the entertainment field.
In 2015, Nagano landed her first lead role as Rinko Yamato in the live-action adaptation of the manga My Love Story!! (Ore Monogatari!!). The role was a turning point that brought her wider recognition among young audiences in Japan.
In 2016, she starred as Yuiko Yoshioka in the television series Koe Koi and, in the same year, became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Seventeen. Her parallel appearances in both television and print media significantly boosted her popularity among young viewers.
Nagano’s career continued to grow in 2017 with projects such as Daytime Shooting Star (Hirunaka no Ryusei), Peach Girl, and Mixed Doubles. She began to take on leading roles in school and romance films—genres especially popular in Japan at the time.
In 2018, she portrayed Suzume Nireno in Half Blue Sky, the 98th NHK Asadora (morning drama). Broadcast daily over six months, the series cemented her status as a household name in Japanese television.
In 2019, she co-starred with Masaki Suda in the drama Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom. Her performance earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the Japan Television Drama Academy Awards.
In 2020, she appeared in the feature film Masked Ward. The following year, in 2021, she played lead roles in And, the Baton Is Passed and It’s a Flickering Life. Her performance in And, the Baton Is Passed won her the Best Actress award at the 64th Blue Ribbon Awards and a nomination at the 45th Japan Academy Film Prize.
In 2022, Nagano starred in the films Motherhood and My Broken Mariko, and appeared in the television drama Unicorn ni Notte. This period marked her transition into more mature and diverse roles, moving beyond the teen-centered projects that had defined her earlier career.
In 2024, she appeared in Teasing Master Takagi-san Movie, the live-action film adaptation of the popular manga.
Outside of acting, Nagano has been featured in numerous commercial campaigns for brands such as Calpis Water, Sekisui House, UQ Mobile, and Alpen. Her image is regularly seen in advertising, fashion magazines, and public events.
As of 2025, Mei Nagano’s career has gone through major turbulence. After a period of steady growth with leading roles in television dramas and advertising work, she faced a series of personal scandals in 2025 that resulted in the cancellation of endorsement deals, withdrawal from projects, and significant damage to her public image.
Fun Facts
- Fans nicknamed her the “pretty crying fairy” because even when she cries, her face looks pure and beautiful.
- She was scouted in elementary school while hanging out in Kichijōji, Tokyo.
- She worked as an exclusive model for Seventeen magazine, a major teen fashion bible in Japan.
- She loves playing the guitar and sometimes strums casually backstage.
- Running, traveling, and photography are her go-to ways to relax off set.
- She once admitted she prefers wired headphones over Bluetooth ones because the sound feels “more real” to her.
- Her big breakthrough came with the sweet high school role in My Love Story! as Rinko Yamato.
- She has a close circle of actress friends: Wakana Aoi, Karen Ohtomo, and Mayu Yokota.
- In the teen drama Koe Koi, she charmed viewers with a wholesome schoolgirl romance story.
- She surprised fans by appearing as a studio commentator on Terrace House: Tokyo 2019–2020.
- Her facial expressions are so diverse that fans often turn them into “Nagano reaction memes” online.
- On a TV show, she shyly admitted that she once ate a ridiculous amount of ramen during filming.
- During a movie promo event, she couldn’t hold back her laughter in a serious moment, and the clip went viral on Japanese Twitter.
- She once did playful cosplay of manga characters in a magazine shoot, which delighted anime fans.
- One of the most clipped fan moments is her “derpy face” when caught off guard by a tricky question on a talk show.
Photo Gallery
The Beautiful Photos of Japan’s Tear Goddess Actress Mei Nagano
