POP CULTURE
COURTESY MARI IIJIMA
Mari Iijima, inset, has found lasting fame as the voice of anime character Lynn Minmay.
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The role of a lifetime endures
"Macross" actress Mari Iijima heads to Kawaii Kon
Just one iconic role can sometimes define a person for the rest of her life.
Kawaii Kon 2008
Place: Hawaii Convention Center, third floor
Time: 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; registration opens at 9 a.m. all three days
Admission: $25 single-day pass, $35 for two days, $50 for three; children ages 6-13, $15, $25 and $40
Information: kawaii-kon.org
Guests include:
» Colleen Clinkenbeard, Funimation voice actor, director and scriptwriter known as Luffy in "One Piece" and Riza Hawkeye in "Fullmetal Alchemist"
» Robert and Emily DeJesus, Studio Capsule artists
» The Emeralds, Japanese rock band
» Tiffany Grant, ADV voice actor and scriptwriter known as Asuka in "Neon Genesis Evangelion"
» Vic Mignogna, ADV and Funimation voice actor known as Edward Elric from "Fullmetal Alchemist"
» Yuuko Miyamura, voice of Asuka in "Neon Genesis Evangelion"
» Monica Rial, voice actor
» Rikki Simons, Studio Tavicat artist and voice of Gir in "Invader Zim"
» Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons, Studio Tavicat artist
» David Williams, ADV director and representative
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Take Mari Iijima, who will be appearing this weekend at Kawaii Kon, the annual anime convention at the Hawaii Convention Center. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter has built an enduring career for herself in both Japan and the United States, with this year marking 25 years since her debut album, "Rosé," was released in Japan.
But to a generation of anime fans, she will always be the voice of Lynn Minmay in the 1982-83 television series "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross" and the related 1984 film, "Macross: Do You Remember Love?" In the "Macross" universe, Minmay was a budding pop idol singer, one of the love interests of series hero Hikaru Ichijyo and a vital player in Earth's defense against invading Zentradi forces. (The "Macross" series was later adapted in the United States as part of the "Robotech" TV series.)
It was never Iijima's intent to make anime her career.
"I was never a voice actor like all the people in the world think," Iijima said via e-mail. "The only anime gig I ever did was 'Macross,' and it will remain that way for sure."
Music, however, was in Iijima's life from an early age. Her parents had a piano that she started playing when she was 3 or 4 years old. She started writing songs as a fifth-grader and continued through high school, also studying classical piano along the way.
In college, she sent out demo tapes to several record labels; one, JVC Victor, signed her to a deal. One of her first accomplishments was landing the role of Minmay.
For all of the songs Iijima sang as Minmay, one in particular still resonates with her today — the first song that she sang as the pop idol.
"When the director asked me to sing something during the overdub, I sang my original 'Cinderella,'" she said. "It was a very spontaneous moment."
Much has happened since Iijima rocketed to fame with "Macross." She moved to Los Angeles in 1989, got married to (and subsequently divorced) an American musician and had twin boys, who are graduating from high school this year. But music has remained a constant in her life; her 21st album, "Uncompromising Innocence," was released in 2006.
COURTESY SCOTT YOSHINAGA
Mari Iijima in concert in May 2004 at the Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.
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COURTESY SCOTT YOSHINAGA
Mari Iijima in concert in May 2004 at the Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.
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One of the people touched by Iijima's music over the years was Scott Yoshinaga, co-creator of the online comic strip "nemu*nemu." Yoshinaga's online nickname, "KimonoStereo," is in fact a tribute to her, taken from her album of the same name.
"I've been a fan of Mari since probably 1989 or so," Yoshinaga said. "The first songs I heard from her was of course the Macross soundtrack, but back then I had no clue who was singing, I just enjoyed the music ... it was much better than the silly "Robotech"/Reba West stuff. Later a college friend who was really into J-Pop (which was hard to come by back in the early '90s) turned me on to Mari and a few other artists."
It was Yoshinaga's fandom that eventually led him to write to Iijima, offering to help her design her Web site. She took him up on her offer, and he worked on her site for a few years. The two remain in close contact.
But Iijima has not turned her back on the character that brought her fame. When ADV Films re-released "Macross" in 2005 on DVD, she reprised her role as Minmay in the English dub. While she had once been uncomfortable that her identity as Minmay eclipsed what she felt was her image as a musician, by the time the new recording sessions began, she had come to terms with it.
"I felt that I needed to protect her, keep her original personality no matter what. So I sort of fought for her in the studio," Iijima said.
"Mari is one of the sweetest people I have ever met," said Vic Mignogna, the voice of Hikaru in ADV's dub. "I love her to death! When we met at AWA (Anime Weekend Atlanta, held annually in Georgia), I had no idea who she was, but we really hit it off with our common interests in music."
Indeed, while Minmay may be Iijima's most well-known legacy, it's the music that she feels will be her lasting legacy.
"I made myself survive in the music industry," Iijima said. "You have to be willing to do so if you believe you were born to create music in this life. 'Rosé' still shines like a brand-new album, vividly. I'm proud of each album I made."
COURTESY SCOTT YOSHINAGA
Mari Iijima in concert in May 2004 at the Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.
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COURTESY SCOTT YOSHINAGA
Mari Iijima in concert in May 2004 at the Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.
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Scott Yoshinaga's Favorite Albums
1. KimonoStereo (Gray) — "This was recorded in England and really has a classic feel to it. It still feels good to listen to this album. This is her 4th album with Victor and her last with that company. She moved to AlphaMoon after."
2. Rosé — "Her debut album, which was produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Many of the songs were written when she was a teenager but it really shows off her song writing chops even at that age. Lots of melody, tons of hooks, too."
3. Wonderful People — "Released in 2004, this was a project she did with the members of John Mayer's touring band. This album takes her songwriting to another level."
4. Silent Love — "I love this album because it's almost all Mari except for guitarist Tim Pierce. She wrote, recorded, produced and played all the instruments. It's almost like a polished demo. I enjoyed the rawness of it. This was my first introduction to Mari's English singing. Her first all-English albums, 'No Limit' and 'Right Now,' were sold out at the time."
Top 10 songs
1. "Hitomi wa Angel" — KimonoStereo (Gray)
2. "Blueberry Jam" — Rosé
3. "Tuesday" — Wonderful People
4. "Love Sick" — Rosé
5. "Cecile no Amegasa" — KimonoStereo (Gray)
6. "Pizza Man" — Right Now
7. "LAX" — Silent Love
8. "Unspoken Love" — Wonderful People
9. "3tsu (Mittsu) no Rule" — KimonoStereo (Gray)
10. "Hitoribochi ga Suki" — Midori
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