Kaito Sakurai is a Japanese actor, musician, and model known primarily for his live-action roles in film and television, particularly in adaptations of popular anime and manga series. Born in Tokyo on April 13, 2001, he is also recognized for his background as a former member of the band Inner Journey, where he served as the drummer after the group formed in 2019. He departed from the band in 2023 to concentrate fully on his acting career. His family background includes being the son of a prominent musician, though his own professional identity is built on his work across music, sports, and drama.

Sakurai began his acting career with a television drama debut in the NHK morning serial Yell in 2020, followed by regular roles in series such as Night Doctor. His career gained significant momentum with leading performances in major productions. He portrayed the role of Aqua Hoshino in the live-action drama and film adaptations of Oshi no Ko, released in 2024, a role that brought him widespread recognition. In the live-action film adaptation of the manga A Girl & Her Guard Dog, he played the character Mikio Tanuki. In 2026, he was cast as Meguru Bachira in the live-action film adaptation of the popular soccer manga Blue Lock. This role held personal significance for Sakurai, as he had pursued competitive soccer from the age of three with the goal of becoming a professional player; his background includes being part of the Tokyo Verdy Junior Youth team and representing Japan in international futsal, where he won a tournament in Italy.

His approach to roles is noted for its physical dedication, and his athletic training has directly informed his performances. In preparing for his role in the live-action Blue Lock film, he underwent intensive soccer training for approximately one and a half years and deliberately adjusted his physique, losing about five kilograms to achieve the lean muscle composition typical of a soccer player. On set, he focused on accurately recreating his character's signature dribbling and passing techniques. While he has not primarily worked as a voice actor for anime, he has demonstrated his voice acting abilities in projects such as the animated film 100-Tage überlebender Krokodil. His transition to leading roles in both television and film adaptations of major manga properties marks him as a prominent figure in contemporary Japanese entertainment media.