Iijima Mari

Mari was already an aspiring and promising young singer/songwriter when she came upon the turning point of her career. In the mid 80s, Mari auditioned and won the role of the lead character of Lynn Minmei in the now classic anime series and movie "Macross".

This became both a blessing and a curse. While Mari enjoyed sudden fame on both sides of the Pacific, she became typecast as Minmei, and most of her fans only wanted to hear Minmei songs. This was very frustrating for a young singer/songwriter who so much wanted people to hear and enjoy her original compositions. Her first album "Rosé" was released in 1983 and was produced by Ryuchi Sakamoto. She has since released numerous albums with her latest being "Wonderful People." You can aquire this album by contacting Mari herself directly at her personal website http://www.marimusic.com/.

Mari now lives in Los Angeles with her twin sons.