Minako Honda

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Minako Honda
Born	July 31, 1967 Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan
Died	November 6, 2005 Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan

Minako Honda (本田美奈子, Honda Minako^?), real name Minako Kudo (工藤美奈子 Kudō Minako, July 31, 1967 - November 6, 2005) was a Japanese pop-star and musical singer. She got famous and popular as "Japan's Madonna" because of her sexy fashion and live performance in 1980s. In 2005, her blood type changed into A type from O type by a transplant of umbilical cord blood after the detection of her illness.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 Discography 4.1 Singles 4.2 Albums 4.2.1 Studio albums 4.2.2 Live albums 4.2.3 Compilations 4.3 VHS/DVD 5 External links

[edit] Early life

Born Minako Kudo in a suburb outside Shibamata, Katsushika, Tokyo (Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of fame) and raised in Asaka, Saitama Prefecture. She was the first sister in the Kudo's family of two sisters and had her younger sister named Ritsuko (律子).

[edit] Career

Kudo changed her name as she pursued a professional career in singing. In 1985 she appeared on the music scene with her debut EP Satsui no Vacance. She was known for appearing in revealing outfits and for exposing her belly (hesodashi in Japanese).

The albums in her short career included:

• M' Syndrome 1985

M' / Temptation <New Mix version> / Sanbika Wa Utaenai (=I can't sing hymns.) / November Snow / Aperitif / Doubt / Charlie / Hard to Say "I Love You" / Mahattan No Hotaru (= The Light of Manhattan)

• Minako The Virgin Concert In Budokan Live 1986
• Lips 1986

Sold out / Ribbon ga hodokenai (I can't untie the ribbon.) / 1986nen no Marilyn (Marilyn of 1986) / Schedule / Joe / Bathroom Angel / Marionette No Yuuutsu (Marionette Blue) / Dramatic Escape / Yokosuka Rule / Ai ga sugiyukumamani (= As love goes by)

• Cancel 1986

Cancel / Tomaranai Railway (=Non-stopping Railway) / Lovesong for somebody / SHIKASHI (=However) / Bond Street / 24jikan no hankou (=The 24-hour rebellion) / Roulette / Feel like I'm running / No Problem / Namida wo F.O. shite (=Fade out the tears)

• Oversea 1987 <English album>

Sneak Away / Playboy / Plaything / That's the way I want / Let's start again / Heart Break / You can do it / Take it or leave it / Girl Talk

• Passenger Original Soundtrack 1987

One Shot / Passenger / Kodoku na Hurricane (=The Solitary Hurricane) + 9 other music tracks

• Midnight Swing 1987

One Shot / Do you remember? / Yumemigokochi (=Dreams come true) / About - Adult / Hajimeteiukedo (=Although it is the first time to say it) / Kanashimi Swing (=Sadness Swing) / Konya Wa Beat Ni Noranai (=I can't follow the beat tonight) / Destiny / Kodoku Na Hurricane (= The Solitary Hurricane) / Eye Kodoba Wa Lonely (= The message in my eyes is Lonely)

• DISPA 1987 <the short form for Disco Party> 1988
• Wildcats 1988 <Released under the band name MINAKO with WILD CATS>

We are wild cats / Let it burn / VIRGINITY / Bang Bang / Kiri no Viel (=The Misty Viel) / Because You're mine / Full Metal Armor /School girl blues / Kasis No kajitsu (the fruit of kasis) / anata to nettai (= the tropic and you)

• The Target of Leopard 1989

Katte Ni Sasete (=Let me follow my way) / Hearts on fire / Walk away / Helter Skelter / Slow Walk / Ai ga kikoeru (=The call for love) / Heat me up / Asamade (until dawn) / Surrender / Kill me

After her J-pop career, she briefly recorded anime songs, including:

• Magic Knight Rayearth
• Hunter × Hunter
• Ashita no Nadja

By the 1990s, Honda became a musical singer, with appearances as Kim in the Japanese production of Miss Saigon. She also starred in Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, and The King and I.

She has recorded with a number of non-Japanese artists, including:

• Brian May of Queen (He offered "Crazy Nights"/"Golden Days" to her, wrote the lyrics, composed, played the guitar and produced)
• Gary Moore (He offered "The Cross" to her)
• Joe Jackson of the Jacksons family offered her the song "Heart Break". Minako recorded this song in two languages, English which was included in her English album "Oversea" and Japanese mix which was released as a single.
• Members from Queen, John Deacon also offered a number of songs to Minako which were included in the album "Cancel"

[edit] Death

She was diagnosed with myelocytic leukemia in January 2005. She recovered from her illness instantly and came home to Asaka. In addition, she celebrated her birthday of the age of 38 in her home. However, chromosome aberration was discovered and she recieved a dose of anticancer medicine from United States to cure it. Unfortunately, she died at Juntendo University Hospital of Bunkyō, Tokyo at 4:38 a.m. on November 6, 2005. She was unmarried at the time of her death. "Minako was a little angel" said Brian May on his official page after her death. There's the message about her in his November 6 and 8's contribution at WET [1]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

1. Satsui no Vacance (殺意のバカンス, Vacation of the urge to kill) (April 21, 1985)
2. Suki to Iinasai (好きと言いなさい, Say to me "I love you") (July 20, 1985)
3. Aoi Shumatsu (青い週末, Blue weekend) (August 31, 1985)
4. Temptation (September 28 1985)
5. 1986 nen no Marilyn (1986年のマリリン, Marilyn in 1986) (February 5, 1986)
6. Sosotte (May 1, 1986)
7. HELP (July 23, 1986)
8. the Cross -Ai no Jyujika- (愛の十字架, the cross of love) (September 3, 1986)
9. Oneway Generation (February 4, 1987)
10. CRAZY NIGHTS (April 22, 1987)
11. GOLDEN DAYS (May 11, 1987) released only in UK
12. HEART BREAK (1987年6月22日)
13. Kodoku na Hurricane (孤独なハリケーン, Lonely hurricane) (September 9, 1987)
14. Kanashimi Swing (悲しみSWING ) (November 25, 1987)
15. Anata to Nettai (あなたと、熱帯, With you, tropical) (July 6, 1988) as "MINAKO with WILDCATS"
16. Stand Up～Full Metal Armor (November 30, 1988) as "MINAKO with WILDCATS"
17. Katte ni Sasete (勝手にさせて, Let me have my own way) (May 31, 1989) as "MINAKO with WILDCATS"
18. 7th Bird "Ai ni Koi" (愛に恋 Love and love) (October 11, 1989)
19. SHANGRI-LA (July 4, 1990)
20. Tsubasa (つばさ, Wings) (May 25, 1994)
21. Rarabai~Yasashiku Dakasete~ (ら・ら・ば・い～優しく抱かせて, Lullaby~Let me hold you kindly) (May 10, 1995) (ending theme of Magic Knight Rayearth)
22. Boku no Heya de Kurasou (僕の部屋で暮らそう, Let's live in my room) (July 26, 1995)
23. Fall In Love With You -Koi ni Ochite- (恋に落ちて, Fall in love) (November 6, 1995)
24. shining eyes (July 21, 1996)
25. Kaze no Uta (風のうた, Wind song) (November 21, 1999) (ending theme song of Hunter × Hunter)
26. Honey (October 21, 2000)
27. Hoshizora (星空, Starlit sky) (January 24, 2001)
28. Nadja!! (ナージャ!!) (February 21, 2003) (theme song of Ashita no Nadja)
29. Shinsekai (新世界, New world) (May 14, 2004)

[edit] Albums

[edit] Studio albums

1. M'Syndrome (M'シンドローム) (November 21, 1985)
2. LIPS (June 4, 1986)
3. CANCEL (September 28, 1986)
4. OVERSEA (June 22, 1987)
5. Midnight Swing (December 16, 1987)
6. WILD CATS (August 5, 1988) as "MINAKO with WILDCATS"
7. Hyōteki (豹的, Target) (July 5, 1989) as "MINAKO with WILDCATS"
8. JUNCTION (September 24, 1994)
9. Hare tokidoki Kumori (晴れ ときどき くもり, Fine, sometimes cloudy) (June 25, 1995)
10. AVE MARIA (May 21, 2003)
11. Toki (時, Time) (November 25, 2004)
12. Amazing Grace (アメイジング・グレイス) (October 19, 2005)
13. Kokoro wo Komete... (心を込めて... Heartily) (April 20, 2006)

[edit] Live albums

1. The virgin concert (ザ・ヴァージン・コンサート) (February 20, 1986)
2. DISPA 1987 (January 25, 1988)

[edit] Compilations

1. MINAKO COLLECTION (December 20, 1986)
2. Look over my shoulder (October 26, 1988)
3. LIFE -Minako Honda. Premium Best- (May 21, 2005)
4. I LOVE YOU (March 29, 2006)

[edit] VHS/DVD

1. The Virgin Live In Budokan
2. DANGEROUS BOND STREET
3. DRAMATIC FLASH
4. DISPA 1987
5. MINAKO in L.A.
6. Katte ni Sasete (勝手にさせて, Let me have my own way)
7. TROPICAL HOLIDAY
8. TROPICAL HOLIDAY In HAWAI

[edit] External links

• Minako Honda's official page (Japanese)
• Web page by Columbia record (Japanese)
• Live for Life web page (Japanese)
• Minako Honda discography (French)
• Nippop - Minako Honda Profile (English)
• Japan will miss its Miss Saigon MSN-Mainichi Daily News (English)