, better known as , was a Japanese idol and musical singer. In 1985, she made her debut with the single "Satsui no Vacance".
She was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia on January 5, 2005. At 4:38 A.M. on November 6, 2005, Honda died at the Juntendo University Hospital in Bunkyō, Tokyo.
Early life Kudo was born in Japan on July 31, 1967, at Narimasu Maternity Hospital in Narimasu, Itabashi. Kudo's family initially lived in Shibamata, Katsushika. They moved to Asaka, Saitama, where Kudo enrolled at Shirayuri Kindergarten.
Beginnings As a child Kudo was very involved with singing, largely influenced by her mother who dreamed of becoming a singer. In Kudo's graduation collection from Asaka's 6th Elementary School in Aska City, she wrote that, "It would be nice if I could become an actress or singer." While at Asaka Daiichi Junior High School at the age of 14, she would audition for Star Tanjō!, where in the TV qualifying round she would sing "Hello Goodbye" by Yoshie Kashiwabara which would win her that round and advance her to the battle tournament round, for that she would sing "Blue Angel" by her cousin, Seiko Matsuda, however none of the production companies expressed interest and Kudo would not win the competition.
While Kudo was enrolled at Tokyo Seitoku University Junior & Senior High School in 1983, she would visit Harajuku because the record label Bondo Kikaku was recruiting a new member for the group called Shojotai. Bondo Kikaku had also participated in the show Star Tanjō!. While still working with Bondo Kikaku in 1984, she heard a demo of Meiko Nakahara's song "Kimitachi Kiwi Papaya Mango da ne", which had just become a hit, this lead Kudo to believe Bondo Kikaku's President, Keiji Takasugi was taking the company in the wrong direction, and would make her decide to become a solo artist.
In 1984, Kudo performed at the Nagasaki Kayo Festival, which was a television contest to where teenagers and young adults competed to become new idols by winning what was called the grand prix. On the show, Honda was highly evaluated by judges who noted her powerful voice and overwhelming singing ability which led her to win the Grand Prix part of the competition.
Following her success in the Nagasaki Kayo Festival, Kudo would make her debut under the name Minako Honda with the song "Satsui no Vacance", this lead her to receive a Japan Record Award for the best new artist of that year.
Looking to follow up on the success of "Satsui no Vacane", Honda would release "1986 nen no Marilyn", in which a controversy would arise from her performances, in which Honda would shake her hips suggestively while wearing a navel costume, at the time this was not common for idols and was thought to be offensive.
In 1988, she made an attempt to revive her dwindling career by forming an all girl rock group called "Minako with Wild Cats", the group however would disband a year later due to lack of any hit songs.
In 1990 a turning point came for her career. Honda had auditioned for a part in the Tokyo production of Broadway play Miss Saigon, she won out over 15,000 other candidates for the part of Kim. While still starring in the role as Kim in Miss Saigon in the 1990s, Honda visited Vietnam. There she visited the famous Củ Chi tunnels just outside Ho Chi Minh City. She was found by Vietnamese authorities having photographs taken of her in the Củ Chi tunnels draped only in a Vietnamese flag. She was fined and expelled from Vietnam shortly after.
She would go on to perform in leading roles in Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, and Les Miserables.
Later career and illness Towards the end of her life, she released several classical albums demonstrating her soprano singing voice, including religious works such as "Amazing Grace" and Ave Maria. She also sang theme songs for several anime programs.
She did not abandon pop music in her adult career; indeed, she became recognized for her vocal improvement in the adult pop genre. Her song "Tsubasa" is famous for the "long note" that she holds for 30 seconds.
In 2004, Honda would add a period to the end of her name; this was done because Honda believed there was judgment to her surname.
Honda became ill in late 2004, but still performed in December in spite of a fever and fatigue. When her cold-like symptoms failed to improve, she sought medical treatment and was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia on January 5, 2005.
Honda was able to celebrate her 38th birthday at home feeling relatively well, but had a relapse shortly afterwards. Chromosome aberration was discovered and she received a dose of anticancer medicine from the United States to treat it. She recovered again briefly, but then suffered another relapse.
Death
Honda developed lung complications on October 21, 2005, and she lapsed into a coma on November 3. At 4:38 a.m. on November 6, 2005, Honda died at the Juntendo University Hospital in Bunkyō, Tokyo, officially from acute myelogenous leukemia. She was 38 at the time of her death.
Discography During her life, Honda released 14 original albums, 5 compilation albums, 25 physical singles, 1 digital single and 6 home-video releases.
Note: All releases after 2005 are posthumous.
Singles As soloist + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions FormatsJPNOricon1985"Satsui No Vacance"（殺意のバカンス） 21 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Suki To Iinasai"（好きと言いなさい） 21 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Aoi Shumatsu"（青い週末） 23 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Temptation" 10 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download1986"1986 Nen No Marilyn"（1986年のマリリン） 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Sosotte" 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Help" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"The Cross: Ai No Jyujika" (愛の十字架) 5 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download1987"Oneway Generation" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Crazy Nights/Golden Days" 10 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Heart break" 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Kodoku Na Hurricane" (孤独なハリケーン) 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Kanashimi Swing" (悲しみSWING) 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download1989"7th Bird: Ai Ni Koi (愛に恋) 53 CD, LP, digital download1990"Shangri-La" 62 CD, digital download1994"Tsubasa" (つばさ) 62 CD, digital download1995"Lullaby: Yasashiku Dakasete" (ら・ら・ば・い～優しく抱かせて) 19 CD, digital download"Boku No Heya De Kurasou" (僕の部屋で暮らそう) 99 CD, digital download"Fall in Love With You: Koi ni Ochite" (恋に落ちて) – CD, digital download1996"Shining Eyes" – CD, digital download1999"Kaze no Uta" (風のうた) 300 CD, digital download2000"Honey" 289 CD, digital download2001"Hoshizora" (星空) – CD, digital download2003"Nadja!!" (ナージャ!!) 150 CD, digital download2004"Shinsekai" (新世界) 85 CD, digital download "—" denotes items which did not chart.
As Minako With Wild Cats + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Formats JPNPhysical1988"Anata To Nettai"（あなたと、熱帯） 10 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download"Stand Up: Full Metal Armor" 59 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download1989"Katte Ni Sasete"（勝手にさせて） 49 CD, LP, digital download "—" denotes items which did not chart.
Albums As soloist + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon M'SyndromeReleased: November 21, 1985 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 LipsReleased: June 4, 1986 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 3 CancelReleased: September 28, 1986 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 OverseaReleased: June 22, 1987 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 4 Midnight SwingReleased: June 22, 1988 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 23 JunctionReleased: September 24, 1994 Label: Mercury Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 75 Hare Tokidoki Kumori (晴れ ときどき くもり)Released: June 25, 1995 Label: Mercury Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 99 Ave MariaReleased: May 21, 2003 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 22 Toki (時)Released: November 35, 2004 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 39 Amazing GraceReleased: October 19, 2005 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 7 Kokoro wo Komete (心を込めて)Released: April 20, 2006 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 23 Yasashii Sekai (優しい世界)Released: November 6, 2006 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 46 Eternal HarmonyReleased: November 6, 2008 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 163 Last Concert (ラスト・コンサート)Released: December 10, 2008 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 128 AgainReleased: November 4, 2015 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 89 "—" denotes items which did not chart.
As Minako With Wild Cats + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Wild CatsReleased: August 5, 1988 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming 32 Hyōteki (豹的 -Target-)Released: July 5, 1989 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming 86
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon The Minako CollectionReleased: December 20, 1986 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 13 Look over my shoulderReleased: October 26, 1988 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: CD, SHM-CD, digital download, streaming 63 Life Minako Honda: Premium BestReleased: May 21, 2005 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 23 CD+DVD THE BestReleased: December 7, 2005 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD+DVD 19 I Love YouReleased: March 29, 2006 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 113 Angel Voice: Minako Honda Memorial BestReleased: April 18, 2007 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 66 Classical Best: Ten ni Hibiku UtaReleased: April 20, 2007 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD+DVD, LP, digital download, streaming 32 Anthem of Life: Sweet Ballads BestReleased: April 20, 2007 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 233 "—" denotes items which did not chart.
Home-video release + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon The Virgin Concert in BudokanReleased: February 20, 1986 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD, DVD 208 Dangerous Bond StreetReleased: November 21, 1986 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD – Dramatic FlashReleased: June 21, 1987 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD, DVD – DISPA 1987Released: December 16, 1987 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD, DVD – Minako in L.A.Released: January 10, 1989 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD – Katteni SaseteReleased: June 28, 1989 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD – Tropical Holiday in HawaiReleased: January 1991 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD – Tropical HolidayReleased: December 10, 1991 Label: EMI Music Japan Formats: VHS, LD – "—" denotes items which did not chart.
Movie soundtracks Passenger (October 25, 1988) Hunter x Hunter (1999, Ending no. 1 – Kaze no Uta)
Theatre Miss Saigon (1992–1993) – Kim Fiddler on the Roof (1994–1998) – Hodel The King and I (1996–2002) – Tuptim Les Misérables (1997–2001) – Éponine Himeyuri (2002–2004) – Kimi Twelfth Night (2003) – A Cat Claudia (2004) – Claudia Note: Minako Honda was originally cast as Fantine in Les Misérables for the Japanese tour in 2005, but due to her death, another actor was given the part.
References
External links
Minako Honda's official page Web page by Columbia record Web page by Universal (EMI) Music Japan Live for Life web page