Sakai Noriko (酒井法子) is a Japanese actress, singer, and former idol.
History[]
Sakai, born in Fukuoka, spent her early childhood there before moving to Saitama after her parents' divorce. She later returned to Fukuoka when her father remarried.
Her career began when she auditioned for a Shiseido campaign but was instead scouted directly by Sun Music's director. Moving to Tokyo, she debuted in January 1986 with a small role in a drama and gained popularity as a model featured in Momoco magazine. In October 1986, she joined the idol group Momoco Club, becoming its de-facto leader due to her popularity. She launched a solo career four months later, achieving 16 consecutive top-10 singles on the Oricon charts. After the Momoco Club idol group disbanded in 1987, she continued a successful idol career before transitioning to a more mature image in 1989, earning widespread acclaim and expanding her fanbase across East Asia.
In 1998, she married surfer and business heir Takaso Yuichi (高相祐一) and had a son in 1999, but continued her entertainment career as an actress and singer. However, in 2009, she and her husband were arrested for drug possession. Sakai faced additional charges for evading arrest and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Although she was bailed out of serving jail time, she was fired by her agency and record label. During her 2010 trial, she announced plans to divorce, seek drug rehabilitation, and retire from entertainment.
Sakai returned to entertainment in 2012 under a new agency, Office Niigun Niiba. In 2021, she established her own agency, Smile Co., LTD.
Discography[]
Studio Albums[]
- [1987.07.01] Fantasia/NORIKO Part Ⅰ
- [1988.01.01] Yume bouken/NORIKO SPECIAL (夢冒険/NORIKO SPECIAL)
- [1988.03.16] GUANBARE/NORIKO Part Ⅱ
- [1988.08.21] LOVELY TIMES/NORIKO Part Ⅲ
- [1989.06.21] Blue Wind 〜NORIKO Part Ⅳ〜
- [1989.12.16] My Dear / NORIKO Part Ⅴ
- [1990.07.04] White Girl 〜NORIKO Part Ⅵ〜
- [1991.01.21] Sweet'n' Bitter 〜NORIKO Part Ⅶ〜
- [1991.07.21] Magical·Montage·Company/Noriko Part Ⅷ (マジカル・モンタージュ・カムパニー/Noriko Part Ⅷ)
- [1992.07.22] Mammoth/Noriko Part Ⅸ (マンモス/Noriko Part Ⅸ)
- [1993.07.21] Anata ga michite yuku/Noriko Part Ⅹ (あなたが満ちてゆく/Noriko Part Ⅹ)
- [1994.07.21] 10 SONGS/Noriko Part Ⅺ
- [1996.05.22] Sugao (素顔)
- [1996.12.18] Snowflakes (スノーフレイクス)
- [1998.07.01] work out fine
Best Hits Albums[]
- [1991.02.21] CD FILE Noriko Sakai Vol.1
- [1991.02.21] CD FILE Noriko Sakai Vol.2
- [1991.02.21] CD FILE Noriko Sakai Vol.3
- [1991.12.05] Sentimental Best
- [1992.12.02] Singles 〜NORIKO BEST〜 Ⅱ
- [1994.12.02] natural best
- [1995.06.21] Watercolour
- [1995.11.12] Sakai Noriko Twin Best
- [1999.06.23] PURE COLLECTION
- [2000.04.05] Singles 〜NORIKO BEST〜 Ⅲ
- [2005.03.24] 〈COLEZO!〉Noriko Sakai Best Selection
- [2005.12.16] 〈COLEZO! TWIN〉SAKAI NORIKO (〈COLEZO! TWIN〉酒井法子)
- [2007.09.19] Daisuki 〜My Moments Best〜 (大好き 〜My Moments Best〜)
- [2016.09.21] The Best Exhibition Sakai Noriko 30th Anniversary Best Album (The Best Exhibition 酒井法子30thアニバーサリーベストアルバム)
- [2017.02.22] GOLDEN☆BEST SAKAI NORIKO (GOLDEN☆BEST 酒井法子)
- [2017.03.15] NORIKO BOX 30th Anniversary Mammoth Edition
- [2023.07.19] Premium Best
Mini Albums[]
- [2014.01.22] Namida Hitotsubu (涙ひとつぶ)
- [2015.11.11] Truth ~Tobenai Tori yo~ (Truth 〜飛べない鳥よ〜)
Cover Album[]
- [2003.09.06] Moments
Singles[]
- [1987.02.05] Otokonoko ni Naritai (男のコになりたい)
- [1987.05.21] Nagisa no Fantasy (渚のファンタシィ)
- [1987.08.25] No・Re・Na・I Teen-age (ノ・レ・な・いTeen-age)
- [1987.11.25] Yume Bouken (夢冒険)
- [1988.02.24] GUANBARE
- [1988.05.18] 1-Oku no Smile ~PLEASE YOUR SMILE~ (1億のスマイル 〜PLEASE YOUR SMILE〜)
- [1988.09.21] HAPPY AGAIN
- [1989.01.01] Honki wo Dashite (ホンキをだして)
- [1989.02.14] Otogi no Kuni no Birthday (おとぎの国のBirthday)
- [1989.04.26] Love Letter
- [1989.08.02] Sayonara wo Sugite (さよならを過ぎて)
- [1989.11.21] ALL RIGHT
- [1990.02.21] Shiawase Nante Hoshikunai wa (幸福なんてほしくないわ)
- [1990.05.21] DIAMOND☆BLUE (ダイヤモンド☆ブルー)
- [1990.08.21] Hohoemi wo Mitsuketa (微笑みを見つけた)
- [1990.11.21] Eve no Tamago (イヴの卵)
- [1991.03.21] Anata ni Tenshi ga Mieru Toki (あなたに天使が見える時)
- [1991.06.21] Montage (モンタージュ)
- [1991.11.07] Namida ga Tomaranai ~HOW! AW! YA!~ (涙がとまらない 〜HOW! AW! YA!〜)
- [1992.03.04] Karui Kimochi no Julia (軽い気持ちのジュリア)
- [1992.06.21] Nagisa no Pithecanthropus (渚のピテカントロプス)
- [1992.11.06] Tabun Taboo (たぶんタブー)
- [1993.05.21] Anata ga Michiteyuku (あなたが満ちてゆく)
- [1993.11.21] Egao ga Wasurerarenai (笑顔が忘れられない)
- [1994.06.22] Sasowarete... (誘われて…)
- [1995.02.22] OH OH OH ~We are the Winners~
- [1995.05.10] Aoi Usagi (碧いうさぎ)
- [1996.04.24] Here I am ~Nakitai Toki wa Nakeba Ii~ (Here I am 〜泣きたい時は泣けばいい〜)
- [1996.10.09] Kagami no Dress (鏡のドレス)
- [1997.07.24] Namida-iro (涙色)
- [1998.05.13] Yokogao (横顔)
- [1999.04.01] PURE
- [2000.04.05] WORDS OF LOVE
- [2000.11.01] miracle
- [2004.06.23] Tenka Muteki no Ai (天下無敵の愛)
- [2007.08.22] Sekaijuu no Dare Yori Kitto (世界中の誰よりきっと)
Other[]
- [1988.07.06] Nori-P Ondo (のりピー音頭)
- [1994.11.01] Bishou (微笑)
- [1996.02.01] Gaai Bijingyo (我愛美人魚)
- [1996.05.22] Yuensenri (有縁千里)
- [1997.11.27] ASIAN COLLECTION 97
- [1998.10.01] ASIAN TOUR SPECIAL 〜ASIAN COLLECTION 98〜
- [2000.10.01] Asia 2000 〜Words Of Love〜
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- She is the mother of one son born in 1999.
- She attended Horikoshi High School and was in the same grade as Nishimura Tomomi, Kudo Yuki, Sawada Tamae, and Saito Makiko.
- Before her debut she became good friends with Okada Yukiko who belonged to the same talent agency, and frequently went shopping with her.[1]
- Before her debut she was a talented softball player. Her middle school team was the runner up in a regional Fukuoka tournament in 1985.
- In 2013, Sakai recieved a Bachelor's Degree in Welfare and Nursing.
- In 1988, a pop-up shop style fashion accessories merchandise brand featuring her self-created mascot character "NoriP-chan" became a huge success with teenagers.[2] The items to this day sell for high prices on auction sites.
External links[]
- ↑ "Large Special Volume: Noriko Sakai" " BOMB " March 1987 issue, Gakushu Research Society , page 30.
- ↑ https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784097274827