Mariko Shinoda
| Mariko Shinoda | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 篠田 麻里子 |
| Also known as | Mariko-sama (麻里子様?) |
| Born | March 11, 1986 |
| Origin | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Genres | J-Pop, Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Japanese idol, singer, actress |
| Years active | 2006 - present |
| Labels | King (AKB48) |
| Associated acts | AKB48 |
| Website | mariko-shinoda |
Mariko Shinoda (篠田 麻里子 Shinoda Mariko?, born March 11, 1986 in Fukuoka) is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shortly after her audition, Shinoda began working AKB48's theater café - then known as Akihabara 48 - as a café attendant serving customers and handing out promotional flyers on the street. Shinoda became quite popular among patrons who soon learned of her failing her audition. To show their support, patrons began submitting her name on hand-written ballots for the weekly performer polls. Yasushi Akimoto, general producer of AKB48, took notice of her popularity and gave her a chance to join AKB48 on the condition that she learn the group's 12 songs and dances in four days. She became AKB48's first non-generation, or "1.5 generation", member with her debut on Team A on January 22, 2006. Her first single as part of the main group was on "Aitakatta". On March 30, 2011, she began to host a show with her own name, Mariko-sama no Oriko-sama (麻里子様のおりこうさま!?) on NHK. She has appeared individually in television commercials and was cited as the "queen of TV commercials" (CM joō) for 2012 for having more contracts (a total of twenty) with companies to appear in their ads than any other female tarento (fellow AKB48 member Tomomi Itano was tied at 20).
In August 2012, AKB48 Theater’s manager Tomonobu Togasaki announced sweeping team changes that placed Shinoda as the new captain of Team A.
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