Mari Iijima

Mari Iijima (飯島 真理) is a Japanese singer-songwriter who became famous due to her participation as voice actress/singer in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime series and who also has released various top 10 albums in Japan. She wrote all of the music for her debut album Rosé, which was produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. She currently has over 20 albums listed in her discography.

Biography
Iijima was selected to play Lynn Minmay in the classic Japanese sci-fi anime The Super Dimension Fortress Macross in 1981. When the series was released in 1982, Minmay became one of the first anime idols, turning her into an instant celebrity in Japan and launching her musical career there.

She was nominated for the 2000 Los Angeles Music Awards' Best Pop Artist for her first English album No Limit, and has released several independent albums (in English) in the United States, including her most recent independent American release, Uncompromising Innocence, on November 5, 2006.

In 2006, she reprised her role as Lynn Minmay in ADV Films' English-language release of Macross.

Iijima was one of the finalists in the Song of the Year Awards for her song "Swim" in January and March 2007. The judging was done by Norah Jones, Shelia E. and other famous individuals in the music world. Her song was sent to major record labels, famous agents, and management companies. She has also received proof of entry for the 50th Grammy Awards provided entries for "Swim", a track on her 2006 album Uncompromising Innocence. Her listed entries are for the "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" category (entry#55) and the "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)" category (entry#175).

Iijima released her twenty-first studio album, called "Echo", in August 2009. The title was taken from the nymph character Echo that appears in Echo and Narcissus. The album's theme is unrequited love.

Discography

 * Rose (1983)
 * Blanche (1984)
 * Midori (1985)
 * Kimono Stereo (1985)
 * Coquettish Blue (1987)
 * Miss Lemon (1988)
 * My Heart in Red (1989)
 * It's a Love Thing (1990)
 * Believe (1991)
 * Different Worlds (1993)
 * Love Season (1994)
 * Sonic Boom (1995)
 * Good Medicine (1996)
 * Europe (1997)
 * Rain & Shine (1998)
 * No Limit (1999)
 * Right Now (2001)
 * Silent Love (2003)
 * Wonderful People (2004)
 * Gems (2004)
 * Uncompromising Innocence (2006)
 * Echo (2009)

Filmography

 * The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) - Lynn Minmay
 * Pacific Blue - God's Gift (1999)- Kiko
 * Spyder Games - Episodes 1-2 (2001) - Soraya
 * The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (English dub) (2006) - Lynn Minmay
 * Lorna Doone (2001 re-release of 1922 film) -- Composer

Other roles

 * Cy Girls (video game) - Aska (voice)