Mari Yaguchi

Mari Nakamura (中村真里 Nakamura Mari?), known professionally by her birth name of Mari Yaguchi (矢口 真里 Yaguchi Mari?) (born January 20, 1983) is a Japanese pop artist, actress and TV personality and former member of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello%21_Project Hello! Project]. She is a former member of Japanese idol group Morning Musume and Sub-group Tanpopo, one of its first sub groups, and also founded Minimoni. She later became the leader of both Morning Musume Sakuragumi and ZYX. She is currently a member of Japanese pop group Dream Morning Musume.

Morning Musume
Mari Yaguchi became a member of Morning Musume during the second generation auditions in 1998, but resigned suddenly in April 2005. She said her reason was a desire to move on "as an adult"[citation needed] with her career. The underlying reason she had to quit was that the tabloid magazine Friday discovered she was in a relationship with actor Shun Oguri, though she was 22 at the time. Yaguchi's TV show Yaguchi Hitori (やぐちひとり?) continued as before, and she began to focus on Japanese variety shows rather than on a singing career. Yaguchi and Oguri reportedly broke up in April 2006.

In her early years in the group, Yaguchi was often perceived as being "the short one" as she did not stand out a lot. However, by the time 4th generation had joined, she had become one of the most active members of the group. Her famous catchphrase is "Sexy Beam!"[citation needed], one of her solo lines from Morning Musume's "Koi no Dance Site" single, and she was asked jokingly in "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari", "When will your real sexy beam come out?" The "Sexy Beam!" line has made its way around fans and fellow musicians alike. When she resigned from Morning Musume, she was the last member to have joined before the year 2000 (Kaori Iida had left nearly 2 months earlier).

Post-Morning Musume
Her first post-Morning Musume recording, "Nigiyaka na Fuyu," a collaboration with Berryz Kobo, appears as the coupling track on Berryz Kobo's November 2005 single "Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai."

Yaguchi starred in the Japanese drama series called Sentō no Musume!? (銭湯の娘!??, "Daughter of the Public Bathhouse!?") along with fellow Hello! Project member Mai Hagiwara. Yaguchi was also one of the main actors in the Japanese daytime drama series called Gal Circle (ギャルサー Garusaa?). She co-hosted her show Yaguchi Hitori, and did MCing for Hello! Project concerts. From May 25, 2007 to June 6, 2007, Yaguchi performed in Damn Yankees, a popular 1955 Broadway musical, at the Tokyo Aoyama Theater.[1]

In summer of 2007, Yaguchi was recruited to host the Gyao internet TV show Midtown TV, which became her third television show on air. Live broadcasts of Midtown TV aired weekdays and Yaguchi hosted on Thursdays. Mari and seven [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello%21_Pro_Egg Hello! Pro Eggs] appeared live and with audience on Ciao TV. With that commencing, Yaguchi was in four TV shows being aired simultaneously[citation needed].

It was announced October 19, 2008, on the official [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello%21_Project Hello! Project] website, that Yaguchi, together with the entire Hello! Project Elder Club, would graduate March 31, 2009.[2] A graduation concert was held at Yokohama Arena on February 1, 2009.[3]

Following the popularity of singles and an album released in conjunction with the Japanese variety program, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiz%21_Hexagon_II Quiz! Hexagon II]'' (クイズ!ヘキサゴンII?), Yaguchi released her debut single, "Seishun Boku/Seishun Ore" (青春 僕/青春 俺?) , four years after her final release in Morning Musume. She performed the song for the first time on ''Quiz! Hexagon II'' on February 25, 2009.

In December 2010, a rumor began circulating, claiming that Yaguchi would be marrying her boyfriend, actor Masaya Nakamura. Nakamura and Yaguchi were quick to state on their blogs saying that while it remained a possibility, the marriage was not finalized. Additionally, it was announced that Yaguchi will be joining the newly formed group, "Dream Morning Musume" alongside other former Morning Musume members.

Yaguchi and Nakamura submitted their marriage papers on May 22, 2011. The two originally had planned on getting married mid-March, but postponed to May due to the earthquake.[4]

Discography and releases
For releases as a member of Morning Musume, please see the Morning Musume discography.===Singles===

Movies

 * 1998 – Morning Cop (モーニング刑事?)
 * 2000 – Pinch Runner (ピンチランナー?)
 * 2002 – Nama Tamago (ナマタマゴ<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2002 – Minimoni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken! (ミニモニ. じゃ ムービー お菓子な大冒険!<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2003 – Koinu Dan no Monogatari (子犬ダンの物語<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2006 – One Piece The Movie: Episode of Alabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates (One Piece エピソードオブアラバスタ 砂漠の王女と海賊たち<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?, Voice acting role)
 * 2008 – Kung Fu-kun (カンフーくん<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2008 – Journey to the Center of the Earth (Japanese release, voice)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">[5]
 * 2010 – Hoshizuna No Shima No Chiisana Tenshi: Mermaid's Smile ( 星砂の島のちいさな天使～マーメイドスマイル～<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)

Television series

 * 2003 – Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho (こちら本池上署<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2006 – Sentō no Musume!? (銭湯の娘!?<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2006 – Gal Circle (ギャルサー<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2009 – One Piece (ワンピース<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?, Voice acting role)
 * 2011 – Digimon Xros Wars (デジモンクロスウォーズ<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?, Character Design + Voice acting role) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6">[6]

Television shows

 * 2004 – 2009: Yaguchi Hitori Maru C (やぐちひとり(C)<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">[7]
 * 2006 – 2007: Kanrui! Jikū Times (感涙！時空タイムス<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?)
 * 2007 – 2008: Midtown TV
 * 2009 – 2011: How to Monkey Baby! (How to モンキーベイビー！<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8">[8]
 * April 2011 – October 2011: Yaguchi Hitori SHOW (やぐちひとりSHOW<span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color: #00e; font: bold 80% sans-serif; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 .1em;">?) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9">[9]