Miharu Hanai, a native of Chitose, Hokkaido, was born on 8 February 1998.[1][2] After being unsuccessful in her dream to join the Takarazuka Revue, which she originally wanted to do because she "really likes singing and expressing herself in front of people", she decided to pursue a career in voice acting after watching the anime K-On!.[3] She then studied acting at International Media Gakuin [ja],[3] and after her graduated, she belonged to IAM Agency.[4]
Hanai voices Tomoe Murakami in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, a sub-franchise in The Idolmaster franchise. Since then, she has performed as a singer on several Idolmaster music releases, including the 2020 single "The Idolmaster Cinderella Starlight Master for the Next! 07: Gaze and Gaze" (which charted at #7 in the Oricon Singles Chart)
and the 2021 single "The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Starlight Master Gold Rush! 08: Evil Live" (which charted at #16 in the Oricon Singles Chart).[14][15] She also stars as Urū Miyazaki in Utagoe wa Mille-Feuille, an a capella mixed-media project.[16]
Although this had been rumored for a while due to their similarities,[17] Hanai and her sister Aina Suzuki had not disclosed their familial relationship to prevent any signs of nepotism.[18] However, on 30 November 2022, it was for the first time confirmed at the press conference announcing their roles in the upcoming anime A Journey Through Another World that they were sisters;[18] she was also announced as the voice actor for Elena.[19]
Hanai is a certified 5th dan folk singer and a 4th danshamisen player.[1] She and Suzuki began practicing folk music after being instructed by her grandfather, and they spent at least seven years in the Shōseikai circle, winning several folk song contests.[20] Hanai in particular has won several competitions in the national, regional, and local levels, including in Esashi oiwake, Hokkai bon'uta [ja], jinku, and kudoki [ja].[1]
