Ruki Shiroiwa
Description
Ruki Shiroiwa is a Japanese singer, performer, and voice actor known primarily as a member of the global boy band JO1. Born in Tokyo on November 19, 1997, he rose to fame after finishing sixth place in the 2019 survival reality show Produce 101 Japan, leading to his debut with JO1 in early 2020. Prior to his success with JO1, Shiroiwa had been active in the entertainment industry from a young age, including a period as a junior member with the talent agency Johnny & Associates.
Ruki Shiroiwa made his formal voice acting debut in 2025, taking on the lead role of Yoh in the science fiction anime feature film As One. The film serves as a prequel to Square Enix's arcade game Starwing Paradox and is directed by Kobun Shizuno, with character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Yoh is a high school student on Earth who dreams of becoming a musician but struggles with an uncertain future and conflicts with his family. The character's journey intersects with a girl named Rako from the distant planet Meguriboshi, and the story follows their fated connection.
Shiroiwa's casting was a direct result of his musical work. The film's production team offered him the role after seeing the music video for Himawari, a rock song he originally wrote as a student and later performed as part of his self-produced project PLAN J. Shiroiwa has publicly expressed his surprise and happiness at being offered the role, noting his lifelong love for anime, including series like One Piece. He has described the challenge of voicing Yoh, a character he considers much more vulnerable and unsure of himself than his own personality, requiring him to focus deeply on immersing himself in the role to convey emotion solely through his voice. Beyond his voice work for the film, Shiroiwa also wrote, composed, and performed the film's theme song, Meguriboshi, which was released under his solo artist name Ruki.
While As One marks his official debut in anime voice acting, Shiroiwa has previous experience in live-action film. In 2023, he starred in the movie Yoru ga Aketara Ichiban ni Kimi ni Ainiiku (You Made My Dawn), playing the leading role of Seiji Fukagawa, an art prodigy. In his early career, he also provided voice work for a virtual character named Hiyori Ruki as part of the 2.5D idol group Tsukikura. His work in As One stands as his most significant achievement in the field of voice acting to date, establishing him as a new talent in the industry.
Ruki Shiroiwa made his formal voice acting debut in 2025, taking on the lead role of Yoh in the science fiction anime feature film As One. The film serves as a prequel to Square Enix's arcade game Starwing Paradox and is directed by Kobun Shizuno, with character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Yoh is a high school student on Earth who dreams of becoming a musician but struggles with an uncertain future and conflicts with his family. The character's journey intersects with a girl named Rako from the distant planet Meguriboshi, and the story follows their fated connection.
Shiroiwa's casting was a direct result of his musical work. The film's production team offered him the role after seeing the music video for Himawari, a rock song he originally wrote as a student and later performed as part of his self-produced project PLAN J. Shiroiwa has publicly expressed his surprise and happiness at being offered the role, noting his lifelong love for anime, including series like One Piece. He has described the challenge of voicing Yoh, a character he considers much more vulnerable and unsure of himself than his own personality, requiring him to focus deeply on immersing himself in the role to convey emotion solely through his voice. Beyond his voice work for the film, Shiroiwa also wrote, composed, and performed the film's theme song, Meguriboshi, which was released under his solo artist name Ruki.
While As One marks his official debut in anime voice acting, Shiroiwa has previous experience in live-action film. In 2023, he starred in the movie Yoru ga Aketara Ichiban ni Kimi ni Ainiiku (You Made My Dawn), playing the leading role of Seiji Fukagawa, an art prodigy. In his early career, he also provided voice work for a virtual character named Hiyori Ruki as part of the 2.5D idol group Tsukikura. His work in As One stands as his most significant achievement in the field of voice acting to date, establishing him as a new talent in the industry.