Manami Konishi (小西真奈美, Konishi Manami?, born October 27, 1978) is a Japanese actress and singer from Satsumasendai, Kagoshima, Japan. She is a part of Sony Music Japan.
Born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, in 1978, Manami Konishi joined Kohei Tsuka's Theatre Company in 1999, and made her stage debut in Tsuka's eminent play "Netorare Sosuke." She established her experience in theatre performances playing in "Kamata Koshinkyoku" (director: Kohei Tsuka) for two consecutive years in 1999 and 2000, as well as in "Akaoni" (director: Hideki Noda) in 2004.
Manami's film career began in 2002 when she starred in the acclaimed film "Amidado Dayori" (director: Takashi Koizumi) in the role of Sayuri.
With this silverscreen debut, she received the "Kinema Junpou Award" (Best New Actress) and the 45th "Blue Ribbon Award" (Best Newcomer). Since then she has appeared in many hit films including "Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 2" (2003 / director: Katsuyuki Motohiro), "Ren-ai Shosetsu" (2004 / director: Junichi Mori), and also made a voice appearance in the animated film "Steamboy" (2004 / director: Katsuhiro Otomo).
In 2006, Manami played the main character in two films, "Udon" and "Tenshi No Tamago." "Udon" was directed by the successful Japanese filmmaker Katsuyuki Motohiro, and "Tenshi no tamago" (Angel's Egg) was based on the million-selling novel of the same title by the Japanese author Yuka Murayama.
Manami Konishi's film, "Sakebi," directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, received the official invitation for the 63rd Venice Film Festival in 2006.
In addition to her stage and film work, Manami is quite well-known in Japan for appearances in numerous hit soap operas including "Tentai kansoku" (2002 / Fuji TV), "Hotman" (2003 / TBS), and "Ruri no shima" (2005 / NTV). She also stars regularly in the one of Japan's most popular TV comedy shows, "Cocorico Miracle Type" (Fuji TV), since 2001.
In addition, she has written a poetry-styled essay "Tegami" in 2004 and published a photo book titled as "27" in 2006.
