Minamino Yoko (南野陽子) is a Japanese singer, actress, talento, and former idol.
History[]
She was scouted in Osaka after appearing on a public broadcast program, and despite her parents wishes, she made a sudden decision to pursue a career in entertainment. She moved to Tokyo the following year, and passed a professional scouting audition for CBS/SONY. Around this time she became a very popular cover girl of Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine, which helped boost her sales. At the end of the year she was granted the lead role in the Fuji TV television drama Sukeban Deka II, after it was decided her costar Yoshizawa Akie could not play the role, and she quickly became one of the most popular idols of the mid-late '80s.
From 1991-1995 Minamino dated singer Ishii Tatsuya.
From 2007-2011 she dated advertising and music video director Yanai Michihiko (箭内道彦)
In 2011, she got married to business entrepreneur Kaneda Mitsufumi (金田充史). In November 2023, Kaneda was arrested for embezzlement, and in December 2023 Minamino announced their divorce.
She retired from singing in 1991 to focus on her acting career, only returning occasionally to self-cover her older works. However, she started releasing new original music again in 2022.
Discography[]
Albums[]
- [1986.04.21] Gelato (ジェラート)
- [1986.11.01] VIRGINAL
- [1987.05.02] BLOOM
- [1987.11.01] garland
- [1988.07.15] GLOBAL
- [1988.12.14] SNOWFLAKES
- [1989.07.12] GAUCHE
- [1989.12.01] Dear Christmas
- [1990.06.23] Gather
- [1991.07.01] Natsu no Obakasan (夏のおバカさん)
Best Albums[]
- [1988.03.21] NANNO Singles
- [1988.07.21] YOKO'S FAVORITES
- [1990.07.15] NANNO SONGLESS
- [1991.01.01] NANNO Singles II
- [1992.03.25] Diamond Smile
- [1992.03.25] Pearl Tears
- [1992.06.21] Affairs of Yesterday
- [1992.11.21] Dear My Best
- [1998.08.21] GOLDEN J-POP MINAMINO YOKO
- [2000.06.21] 2000 BEST MINAMINO YOKO
- [2002.10.09] Dream Price 1000 Rakuen no Door (Dream Price 1000 楽園のDoor)
- [2003.07.16] GOLDEN☆BEST MINAMINO YOKO NANNO Singles III + My Favorites (GOLDEN☆BEST 南野陽子 ナンノ・シングルズ3 + マイ・フェイバリット)
- [2010.11.11] Nanno Anniversary 25th (ナンノ・アニバーサリー25th)
- [2011.02.09] ReFined-Songs Collection ~ NANNO 25th Anniversary
- [2015.12.09] GOLDEN☆IDOL Minamino Yoko 30th Anniversary (ゴールデン☆アイドル 南野陽子 30th Anniversary)
- [2021.12.08] Four Seasons NANNO Selection
Singles[]
- [1985.06.23] Hazukashi Sugite (恥ずかしすぎて)
- [1985.11.02] Sayonara no Memai (さよならのめまい)
- [1986.03.21] Kanashimi Monument (悲しみモニュメント)
- [1986.07.02] Kaze no Madrigal (風のマドリガル)
- [1986.10.01] Sekkin "Approach" (接近 「アプローチ」)
- [1987.01.10] Rakuen no Door (楽園のDoor)
- [1987.04.01] Hanashi Kaketa Katta (話しかけたかった)
- [1987.07.01] Pandora no Koibito (パンドラの恋人)
- [1987.09.23] Aki no Indication (秋のIndication)
- [1987.12.02] Haikara-san ga Toru (はいからさんが通る)
- [1988.02.26] Toiki de Net. (吐息でネット。)
- [1988.06.18] Anata wo Aishitai (あなたを愛したい)
- [1988.10.08] Aki Kara mo, Soba ni Ite (秋からも、そばにいて)
- [1989.02.15] Namida wa Doko e Itta no (涙はどこへいったの)
- [1989.06.21] Trouble Maker (トラブル・メーカー)
- [1989.11.29] Film no Mukugawa (フィルムの向こう側)
- [1990.06.01] Double Game (ダブルゲーム)
- [1990.07.01] Henna no!! (へんなの!!)
- [1990.08.01] Mimi wo Sumashite Goran (耳をすましてごらん)
- [1990.11.21] KISS Shite Loneliness (KISSしてロンリネス)
- [1991.06.08] Natsu no Obakasan (夏のおバカさん)
- [2005.07.27] Haikara-san ga Toru / Toiki de Net.
- [2022.06.23] Sora wo Miagete (空を見上げて)
Video Releases[]
- [1986.06.21] Tokimeki, Kudasai. (ときめき、ください。)
- [1986.11.01] First Concert (ファースト・コンサート)
- [1987.07.22] NANNO CLUB
- [1987.11.21] Summer Concert (サマー・コンサート)
- [1988.04.01] FROM Summer Concert (FROM サマー・コンサート)
- [1988.08.01] COLORFUL AVE.
- [1988.12.21] ÉTÉ DU CINÉMA YOKO MINAMINO SUMMER CONCERT '88
- [1989.11.22] Omoi no Mama ni YOKO MINAMINO SUMMER CONCERT '89 (思いのままに YOKO MINAMINO SUMMER CONCERT '89)
- [1989.11.24] JUST SWEET LOVE
- [1990.09.21] Henna no!!
- [1990.11.21] ABEND
- [1991.01.21] from SUMMER CONCERT 1990
- [1991.11.21] Toki no Nagare ni (時の流れに)
- [1992.11.21] Dear My Best
- [2017.02.22] NANNO 30th & 31st Anniversary
Box Sets[]
- [2005.06.22] NANNO BOX
- [2005.09.28] NANNO DVD BOX
- [2006.06.21] NANNO BOX SOUND TRACKS + SONGLESS
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- She is designated as one of the four "Idol Shitenno" (アイドル四天王; Four Heavenly Idol Queens) aka idols of the late '80s era that continued to have great success as idols into the 1990s. The other three are Kudo Shizuka, Nakayama Miho, and Asaka Yui
- Minamino attended Horikoshi High School in her junior and senior years, and was in the same grade as Okada Yukiko and Honda Minako
- She considered Honda her best friend in high school