Mari Iijima

Mari Iijima

Mari Iijima in 2010
Background information
Native name 飯島 真理
Born (1963-05-18) May 18, 1963
Origin Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan
Genres J-Pop, Pop, Synthpop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, voice actress
Years active 1982–present
Labels Marimusic/BounDee
Website www.marimusic.com

Mari Iijima (飯島 真理 Iijima Mari, born May 18, 1963 in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan) is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime Macross. Her debut original album, Rosé, was released in 1983, which was produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. She also later collaborated with other world-renowned musicians, such as Van Dyke Parks. She lives in Los Angeles, California, United States.

Biography

Mari Iijima live at Tekkoshocon 5, April 14, 2007
Mari Iijima Live in Tokyo at the Hakuju Hall on July 31, 2010

Iijima's original demo tape was picked up by JVC Victor in 1982 and she was signed to the record company as a singer-songwriter. Soon afterward, she was asked to audition for the role of Lynn Minmay in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross by the label and the producers chose her to play the role. The series quickly became a mega hit and brought Iijima to stardom. Her debut album, Rosé, containing no Macross tracks, had lyrics and music written by her. It debuted at number 10 on the charts in September 1983, and she started her career as a singer-songwriter.[1]

Iijima moved to Los Angeles in 1989 to expand her music career. That same year, she appeared as a guest vocalist on Van Dyke Parks' album Tokyo Rose.[2] After releasing her first independent (and first English language) album, No Limit, she was nominated for the 2000 Los Angeles Music Awards' Best Pop Artist for the album and she was in the final four for the award.

Mari Iijima Live in Tokyo at the Hakuju Hall on July 31, 2010

She won the best Asian song for her track Unspoken Love from the album Wonderful People at the Just Plain Folks Awards in 2006 and performed as a guest performer.

In 2006, she reprised her role as Lynn Minmay in ADV Films' English-language release of Macross.[3] which made her the second Japanese voice actor to reprise her role in an English anime dub.[4][5][6]

Iijima released her twenty-first studio album, called Echo, in August 2009. The title was taken from the nymph character Echo that appears in Echo and Narcissus. The album's theme is unrequited love.[7]

Discography

Original albums

Year Title
1983 Rosé
1984 Blanche
1985 Midori
1985 Kimono Stereo
1987 Coquettish Blue
1988 Miss Lemon
1989 My Heart in Red
1990 It's a Love Thing
1991 Believe
1993 Different Worlds
1994 Love Season
1995 Sonic Boom
1996 Good Medicine
1997 Europe
1998 Rain & Shine
1999 No Limit
2001 Right Now
2003 Silent Love
2004 Wonderful People
2006 Uncompromising Innocence
2009 Echo
2012 Take a Picture Against The Light
2013 Dancing With Minmay
2014 Sharp As A Knife, As Sweet As Strawberries

Best Of albums

Year Title
1984 Variée
1993 The Classics
1995 Best of the Best
2005 Mari picks "The Ultimate Collection" (1983-1985)
2005 Mari picks "The Ultimate Collection" (1987-1999)
2004 Gems
2007 palette

Singles

Year Title
1983 Yumeiro no Spoon
Kitto Ieru
1984 Ai Oboete Imasu ka
1 gram no Shiawase
1985 Cecile no Amagasa
1986 Harukana Hohoemi -Kodou Kougen-
1987 People! People! People!
1988 Kagami yo! Kagami (I wanna marry you)
Blue Christmas
1989 Still
Secret
1990 Nichiyoubi Date
Sayonara Ienai
Bokura wa Tenshi ja Nai
1991 Love is a miracle
1992 Ki・ra・i
1993 Ai Oboete Imasu ka (re-release)
1994 Don't fade out!
1995 Is There Anybody Out There?
1996 Forever Young
1997 Mikazuki no Canoe
Friends
2002 Eternal love ~Hikari no Tenshi~
2003 Eternal love 2003
2009 Iki o Shiteru Kanjiteiru
2012 Churiru Churira/Anata No Hana Ni Naritai/The Unconventional
2013 Eternal Forest

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Super Dimension Fortress Macross Lynn Minmay Voice actress and singer
1984 Macross: Do You Remember Love? Lynn Minmay Voice actress, singer, and songwriter for "Tenshi no Enogu"
1999 Pacific Blue Kiko Season 5 - episode 12 "God's Gift"
2001 Spyder Games Soraya Episodes 1&2
2001 Lorna Doone Composer (2001 re-release of 1922 film)
2004 Green Tea-r Yoko Lead actress and songwriter
2006 The Super Dimension Fortress Macross Lynn Minmay[3] ADV Films' 2006 English Dub

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Galaxy Angel Theme song performance "Eternal love ~Hikari no Tenshi~", "Tenshi-tachi no Kyuusoku"
2003 Galaxy Angel: Moonlight Lovers Theme song performance "Eternal love 2003", "Tenshi-tachi no Kyuusoku"
2004 Cy-Girls Aska (voice)
2013 Macross 30: The Voice that Connects the Galaxy Lynn Minmay

References

  1. "Anime Idol". LA Weekly People Issue 2011. LA Weekly. May 19, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  2. Tokyo Rose review
  3. 1 2 ADV Films Official Macross English Dub Page.English/Japanese Cast Information. 04-09-09
  4. "Mari Iijima on Macross Dub". animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  5. "The Anime Review". theanimereview.com. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  6. "Correction: First Japanese VA on an English Dub". Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  7. "Mari Iijima Interview". J-Pop World. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
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