Kiki Sukezane

2.1. Ancestry and Childhood

Kiki Sukezane was born in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, into a family of Samurai descent. Her lineage is noted for its ancient origins, with her surname traceable to swordsmiths from the 13th century. Historically, some of her ancestors were involved in the 1860 Sakuradamon Incident on the side of the Rōnin, while others were Ochimusha (defeated warriors) under the Taira clan. She has an older brother and a younger sister. Her paternal uncle, Tomoki Sukezane (祐真朋樹_{Tomoki Sukezane}^Japanese), is a well-known stylist and fashion magazine editor. From a young age, Sukezane enjoyed being in the spotlight, aspiring to appear on television programs like Tensai Terebi-kun on NHK Educational TV.

2.2. Education and Early Career Aspirations

Sukezane harbored a strong desire to speak English, driven by an admiration for American movies and dramas. Although she initially attended high school in Kyoto Prefecture, her ambition to study in the United States persisted. During the summer of her second year of high school, she spent a year as a foreign exchange student in South Dakota, where she successfully acquired English proficiency.

After graduating from high school, Sukezane did not immediately pursue higher education. Instead, she took on part-time jobs and frequently traveled to Tokyo for work as an extra in productions. Inspired by figures such as Mother Teresa and Angelina Jolie, she developed a strong aspiration to act in international dramas. Around the age of 20, she began to seriously consider a career in acting, but also contemplated working in refugee support. This internal debate led her to Tanzania as a backpacker, where she met an American individual working for an international organization on refugee assistance. Upon learning that many actresses in the United States are also involved in volunteer work, Sukezane realized she could pursue both her dreams simultaneously: becoming an actress who also contributes to refugee support.

At the age of 21, she enrolled in Ups Academy, where she studied the fundamentals of acting three times a week for approximately one and a half years, while continuing to balance multiple part-time jobs. She also trained in sword fighting under Takashi Takara. Concluding that New York was ideal for acting studies but Los Angeles was better for securing work, Sukezane relocated to Los Angeles, California, in 2012 at the age of 23. This strategic move was fueled by her belief that achieving global recognition would be challenging if she remained based solely in Japan.

3.1. Breakthrough in Hollywood

Upon her move to Los Angeles in 2012, Kiki Sukezane proactively worked to build her professional profile. She actively participated in numerous smaller auditions, securing roles in student films, web series commercials, and newspaper advertisements. These early experiences allowed her to compile a comprehensive portfolio of her work. Her breakthrough came when an acquaintance from her sword fighting class in Los Angeles introduced her to an audition for the NBC miniseries Heroes Reborn.

From 2015 to 2016, Sukezane played the prominent role of Miko Otomo, also known as Katana Girl, in Heroes Reborn. This role, a key character in a globally popular production, brought her significant international attention. During this period, she adopted the stage name "Kiki" because her birth name was often difficult for non-Japanese speakers to pronounce, simplifying her identity for a broader international audience.

3.2. International and Japanese Appearances

Following her success in Heroes Reborn, Sukezane continued to expand her presence in international productions. She appeared in Netflix's Lost in Space as Aiko Watanabe and the film Earthquake Bird as Natsuko. Her roles also included Sakura in HBO's Westworld and Yuko in AMC's The Terror: Infamy (Season 2).

In addition to her work in American productions, Sukezane also made her debut on the Japanese stage in February 2016. She was cast as the heroine, Lily, in Intaiya Lily, an unreleased play by Kohei Tsuka (also known as Kōhei Tsuka), staged for his seventh memorial. In December 2016, she made her debut in Japanese television dramas, appearing as Yuri Saeki in TV Asahi's Nenmatsu Ren'ai Drama Daiichi Ya 'KinQ Furin Sokuhō'. She continued to appear in Japanese television, including roles in Code Name Mirage (TV Tokyo, 2017) as Yui Sakuragaoka, and Ikenami Shotaro Jidaigeki: Hikari to Kage Episode 5 "Onna Ken Myo'onki" (BS Japan, December 2017) as Rui Sasaki.

4.1. Film

4.2. Television

4.3. Stage

4.4. Other Media

Kiki Sukezane has also participated in various other media forms, including web series, commercial advertisements, and Japanese variety shows.

• Web Television**
  • AbemaPrime (AbemaTV, September 10, 2018) - Commentator
  • Variety Show Appearances**
    • Jōhō Live Miyane-ya
    • Mezamashi TV
    • PON!
    • Kayō Surprise
    • Oshiete! Kokoro-kun
    • Hitori ni Osusume! Ninki Haishin Drama TOP20 Kyō!!
    • Kiseki Taiken! Unbelievable 3.5-hour special
    • Nep League
    • Hirunandesu! 3-iro Shopping
    • Nandemo World Ranking Nep & Imoto no Sekai Banzuke
    • Sukkiri!!
    • Odoru! Sanma Goten!!
    • 1H Sense
    • Another Sky
    • Nakai no Mado
    • Kaiketsu Emichan Neru
    • Mayonaka Shōnin
    • Commercial Advertisements (CMs)**
      • Nissan Juke "Kiki Sukezane vs. Paparazzi" (August 2016-) - Co-starred with Eikichi Yazawa.