Takai Mamiko

Akimoto Mamiko (秋元麻巳子) née Takai (高井) is a former Japanese idol, a former actress, a former member of Onyanko Club, and the sub-unit Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi.

She was invited to audition for Onyanko Club while walking the streets of Harajuku during a special televised segment on Yuuyake Nyan Nyan in April 1985. She took up the offer and formally auditioned, and on April 26, 1985 she was accepted. Her member number was "16".

After that she quickly became one of the more popular members of the group, and started to sing on many songs, even lead vocals on the first album KICK OFF. In October of 1985 it was announced that she would join the sub-unit Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi which further increased her popularity. Soon she became one of the most requested candidates for a solo debut by fans.

She made her solo debut in June of the following year, but still remained an active vocalist of Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi and Onyanko Club. During this time her popularity began to outgrow the typical Onyanko Club soloist, so she announced her graduation in early 1987 and graduated on April 5, 1987. This also disbanded Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi. However, they reunited for one final performance on September 20th, 1987, and have never performed since.

In 1988, her solo music and acting career was really taking off. She even formed a popular fanclub in April 1988. However, she suddenly retired from the entertainment industry on May 23, 1988 after marrying her Onyanko Club co-worker Akimoto Yasushi.

As of 2002 she was a book illustrator and author under her married name.

Albums

 * 1) [1987.01.21] Itoguchi (いとぐち)
 * 2) [1987.07.05] Kokoro Biyori (こころ日和)
 * 3) [1988.01.21] Watashi no Mama de… (私のままで…)
 * 4) [1988.06.05] Message

Best Albums

 * 1) [2002.02.20] MY COLLE!CTION TAKAI MAMIKO BEST (MYこれ！クション 高井麻巳子 BEST)
 * 2) [2004.05.19] Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi Uta no Daihyakka Sono 2 Takai Mamiko (うしろゆびさされ組 うたの大百科 その2 高井麻巳子)
 * 3) [2007.08.17] TAKAI MAMIKO SINGLES COMPLETE (高井麻巳子 SINGLESコンプリート)
 * 4) [2010.04.21] My Kore! Lite Takai Mamiko (Myこれ！Lite 高井麻巳子)

Singles

 * 1) [1986.06.25] Cinderella-tachi e no Dengon (シンデレラたちへの伝言)
 * 2) [1986.09.21] Melody (メロディ)
 * 3) [1986.12.21] Yakusoku (約束)
 * 4) [1987.03.18] Kagerou (かげろう)
 * 5) [1987.06.10] Jounetsu Rainbow (情熱れいんぼぅ)
 * 6) [1987.09.21] Usotsuki (うそつき)
 * 7) [1987.12.16] Tender Rain (テンダー・レイン)
 * 8) [1988.04.06] Komorebi no Season (木洩れ陽のシーズン)

Video Releases

 * 1) [1987.07.05] Tokeiji Kake no Shouakuma (Fantômas) (時計じかけの小悪魔 (ファントマ))
 * 2) [1987.07.21] First Concert DO.RA.MA (ファースト・コンサート DO・RA・MA)

Photobooks

 * 1) [1987.07.05] Soleil Takai Mamiko Shashin-shuu (ソレイユ 高井麻巳子写真集)

Trivia

 * She studied at Joshibi University of Art and Design Junior College and Fukui Prefectural Wakasa High School.
 * Takai is the only member of Onyanko Club that was invited to audition by street-scouting.
 * She's the mother of one daughter born in March 2001.
 * Takai is close friends with fellow former idol Saito Yuki. They met as co-stars in the film "Koisuru Onnatachi" in 1986, and even traveled to New York City together.
 * While in Onyanko Club, Takai was friends with Kihara Aki. The pair would occasionally go out after rehearsals to watch late night movie showings. Iwai Yukiko also reported her as her best friend in 1985 when asked, but later retracted that statement in an interview in 1988, saying that they had more of a "co-worker" like relationship for most of the duration of Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi.
 * She has four sisters, one of which was a member of dance troupe DEE-DEE, who were often featured as backup dancers on the live music TV show "Yoru no Hit Studio."
 * According to her best friend Saito Yuki, it was Takai who pursued Akimoto Yasushi, not the other way around.