Matsuda Seiko

It's Seiko time! The longest running career in idol history, Seiko started way back in 1980 and has gained the respect of all the following generations of idols. Her early hits included "Shiroi Parasol", "Nagisa no Balcony", "Akai Sweet Pea" and "Cherry Blossom". Among her later songs were "Strawberry Time", "Tabidachi wa Freesia", "Daite" and "Taisetsu na Anata". Seiko even proved to be a talented songwriter in her own right and wrote some of her own songs and even songs for other idols such as Okada Yukiko. Like most idols past and present, she also starred in many features in both big and small screen and commercials too many to count.

In 1992, like Pink Lady and Akina before her, Seiko tried to break the American market by teaming up with one of the New Kids on the Block of all people. And like Pink Lady and Akina before her, she failed. Instead, she turned that into an attention-getting scandal with said New-Kid - which resulted in her (first) divorce). But she did manage to get a kid out of the marriage - her daughter Sayaka.

Seiko still continues to be the everlasting pop icon in Japan that many ambitious young idols strive to be like.