Maria Asahina

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Maria Asahina
朝比奈 マリア
Born (1962-03-15) 15 March 1962
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • painter
Children1
MotherIzumi Yukimura
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelAlfa Music

Maria Asahina (朝比奈 マリア, Asahina Maria; born 15 March 1962) is a Japanese singer, actress, and painter. She released an album and single with Alfa Records in 1979, before releasing another tie-in single for the 1982 anime film Arcadia of My Youth. She also appeared as a television personality in variety shows and as an actress in dramas. She later became an oil painter who exhibited some of her work at Nikaten.

Biography

Asahina was born on 15 March 1962, in Washington, D.C.[2] Her parents were Jack Sellar, an American employee at the Latin Casino,[3] and singer Izumi Yukimura.[4] She remained in the United States while one year old after her parents returned to Japan before divorcing when she was three.[4][5] She was educated at Seisen International School, but dropped out.[6]

In 1977/1978, Asahina started her entertainer career in modeling,[2][1] and her first job was appearing in a commercial for a fashion complex.[6] She later became a television personality, appearing in several variety shows.[1] She also appeared in television dramas and commercials.[2]

In 1979, Asahina made her debut as a singer with her single "Disco Girl" and her album Maria.[2] "Disco Gal" was composed by Koichi Sugiyama and used backing vocals from Tatsuro Yamashita and Minako Yoshida, while Maria involved the work of Haruomi Hosono, Riyoko Ikeda, Harvey Mason, Masataka Matsutoya, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Ken Sato.[1] Shishamo Ayanokoji of Reminder-top said that "Disco Gal" fell into obscurity due to its nature as a "novelty act".[1] She performed two insert songs for the 1982 anime film Arcadia of My Youth: "Hoshizora no Last Song" and "Taiyō wa Shinanai";[7] the latter was released as her second and final single that same year.[2][1]

Inspired by her mother, Asahina started oil painting and exhibited some of them at the Nikaten exhibitions.[8] In September 1983, one of her oil paintings "Pinku no Umafuku" (ピンクの馬服; lit. "Pink horse rug") was disqualified from the Nikaten for being a reproduction of a photograph.[9] She also works as an accessory designer,[1] by 2010 she was regularly hosting workshops teaching beaded accessory design.[8]

Asahina's music returned to popularity following the city pop wave of the 2010s and 2020s, particularly "Disco Girl".[1] Her album was re-released as part of the Aldelight City Pop Collection in November 2022,[10] and her song "Kokoro no Mama ni" appeared on the album City Pop Stories: '70s & '80s (2024).[11]

In 1985, Asahina married a television producer who worked with TBS Television; they had one son, born in 1988.[8] She also a fan of The Rose of Versailles, having attended the manga's 40th anniversary exhibition at Matsuya Ginza in 2012.[12]

Discography

Albums

Title Details
Maria
(stylized in all-caps)[13]
  • Released: 1979[2]
  • Label: Alfa Records

Singles

Title Details
"Disco Gal" (ディスコ・ギャル)[14]
  • Released: 1979[2]
  • Label: Alfa Records
"Arcadia of My Youth: Taiyō wa Shinanai/Hoshizora no Last Song" (「わが青春のアルカディア」 太陽は死なない/星空のラストソング)[15]
  • Released: 1982[2]
  • Label: Nippon Columbia

Filmography

List of acting performances in live-action
Year Title Role Source
1979-1980Ai [16]
1980Shiawase Sensō [17]
1982Hana no Kage[18]
1983Fūfu no HaruAi Sakabe[19]
1983Hahatoko no Kokuin[20]

References

  1. Ayanokoji, Shishamo (7 March 2023). "朝比奈マリア「ディスコ・ギャル」シティポップの名曲はまだまだ埋もれているぞ！". reminder.top (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  2. "朝比奈マリア". Tower Records Online. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  3. "雪村いづみ（13）「君なしでは生きていけない。すでに父親からは勘当され、ボクの行く場はない」｜昭和スター千一夜物語". Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese). 28 January 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  4. "雪村いづみ（15）娘と好きな人を手に入れるため、全財産をジャックにあげてター坊を選んだ｜昭和スター千一夜物語". Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese). 30 January 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  5. フォ-カス - Volumes 180-196. p. 20.
  6. 週刊テレビ番組（東京ポスト）1980年10月3日号 p.50「プロフィール」
  7. キネマ旬報 - Issues 839-842 (in Japanese). p. 195.
  8. 週刊朝日 - Volume 115, Issues 20-26. 2010. p. 65.
  9. 読売ニユース総覧 (in Japanese). 1983. p. 894.
  10. "ソニーミュージックのシティポップの名盤再発シリーズ『ALDELIGHT CITY POP COLLECTION』第1弾10タイトルが11月23日発売". Tower Records Online. Archived from the original on 14 March 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  11. "1970～80年代シティポップのコンピレーションアルバム発売 栗本斉が選曲&鈴木英人がジャケ写担当". Real Sound (in Japanese). 1 November 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  12. "池田理代子：「ベルサイユのばら」は「この世に生まれた証し」 40周年記念展覧会開催". Mantanweb (in Japanese). 13 September 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  13. "マリア/MARIA ASAHINA/朝比奈マリア". Diskunion (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  14. "ディスコ・ギャル/MARIA ASAHINA/朝比奈マリア". Diskunion (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  15. "「わが青春のアルカディア」 太陽は死なない/星空のラストソング/MARIA ASAHINA/朝比奈マリア". Diskunion (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  16. "愛 - ドラマ詳細データ". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  17. "しあわせ戦争 - ドラマ詳細データ". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  18. "花の影 - ドラマ詳細データ". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  19. "夫婦の春 - ドラマ詳細データ". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  20. "母と娘の刻印". テレビドラマデータベース (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 June 2026.