Quick Facts
Biography
Minami Kato (加藤美南 Kato Minami, born January 15, 1999 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese idol and singer. She is a member of AKB48's sister group NGT48 and as part of the first generation, she is also a member of its Team NIII (pronounced En-Three).
Career
On January 25, 2015 at the "AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 1035 2015" concert, it was announced that AKB48 would form a new sister group under the name NGT48. Auditions to become a member would be starting in March. The auditions actually held place from April 5 until May 18 and on July 25 the first generation members were announced, one of them being Kato.
She was officially promoted from a Kenkyūsei (Trainee) to a Member of NGT48 Team NIII (along with 13 other members) on January 10, 2016, which was the day of the NGT48 Theater Opening. On that day she was cast as the female lead for a television series adaptation of Higurashi When They Cry, which was premiered from May 20 on BS Sky PerfecTV!. She made her A-side participation debut for AKB48's 44th Single Tsubasa wa Iranai which was released on June 1, 2016.
Later that month, Kato was the first and only member of NGT48's first generation to rank in AKB48's annual General Election (選抜総選挙 Senbatsu Sousenkyo) ranking 76th with 13,571 votes.
In December 2016, Kato was announced as one of the cast Members for Tofu Pro-Wrestling which premiered on TV Asahi on January 21, 2017.
Kato was a part of NGT48's 1st Single Seishun Dokei which was released on April 12, 2017. She centered the B-Side Song on the track Kurayami Motomu (暗闇求む) with Moeka Takakura and was a part of the song Akigan Punk.
On June 17, 2017, she improved her ranking in the 2017 Senbatsu Sousenkyo as she rose by a steady number to spot 71 (with 16,641 votes). During her speech, Kato thanked her fans for getting her this rank and that she hopes she will gain many international fans.
Discography
Singles with NGT48
| Year | No. | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 | "Seishun Dokei" | Senbatsu and B-side | Part of Senbatsu for "Seishun Dokei." Part of the B-side song "Agikan Punk". Center of the B-side song "Kurayami Motomu" together with Moeka Takakura. |
| 2017 | 2 | TBA |
Singles with AKB48
| Year | No. | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 43 | "Kimi wa Melody" | B-Side | Together with other members of NGT48, she sang on the single's D Type the song "Max Toki 315go". |
| 44 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | Senbatsu and B-Side | She performed as a part of the AKB48 Senbatsu the main song "Tsubasa wa Iranai." Together with other members of NGT48, she sang on the single's Theater Edition the song "Kimi wa Doko ni Iru". She was the center for this song. | |
| 45 | "LOVE TRIP/Shiawase o Wakenasai" | B-side and Upcoming Girls | Sang with other members the song "Hikari to Kage no Hibi". Ranked 76th in the General Election and became part of the Upcoming Girls unit. They performed the song "2016nen no Invitation". | |
| 2017 | 47 | "Shoot Sign" | B-Side | Together with other members of NGT48, she sang on the single's D Type the song "Midori to Mori no Undokuen". |
| 48 | "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" | B-Side | Sang with other members on the Type C Edition the song "Tenmetsu Pheromone". | |
| 49 | #SukiNanda | Upcoming Girls | Ranked 71st in the General Election and became part of the Upcoming Girls unit. They Performed the song "Tsuki no Kamen". |
Albums with AKB48
Thumbnail
- Dare ga Watashi wo Nakaseta?
Appearances
Stage Units
NGT48 Team NIII 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaru Yo"
- Skirt, Hirari
- Hoshi no Ondo
NGT48 Team NIII 2nd Stage "Pajama Drive"
- Temodemo no Namida
- Pajama Drive
NGT48 Team NIII 3rd Stage "Hokori no Oka"
- Gesuna Yume
TV Variety
- AKBingo! (2016 - )
- HKT48 vs. NGT48 Sashikita Gassen
Dramas
- Higurashi When They Cry (2016) as Rena Ryuugu
- Higurashi When They Cry Kai (2016) as Rena Ryuugu
- Tofu Pro-Wrestling (2017) as herself/Baton Katomina