Mariko Shiga


Mariko Shiga was an idol star and voice actress born in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. She attended and graduated from Funabashi Municipal High School before enrolling in the University of California, Riverside in 1989. While on a trip to Arizona in November of that same year, Shiga was killed in an accident near Flagstaff when she was thrown from the vehicle due to the car rolling as it swerved to miss an animal. She died thirty-one days before her 20th birthday.

Profile

Shiga had a starring role as one of the children answering questions in the NHK quiz show Donna Mondai Q TV from 1984 to 1985. She performed the song Yume no Naka no Rondo, which was used as the theme song for the July 1985 OVA Magical Princess Minky Momo: La Ronde in My Dream. In 1986, Shiga played the role of Yumi Hanazono, the main character in Magical Idol Pastel Yumi. Her single, Freesia no Shōnen, was used as a theme song for the same series, and this helped her gain in popularity. After playing the role of Yumi and performing the theme song for the series, she officially made her debut as an idol singer under Warner Pioneer.
Shiga's only song to be listed on the Oricon Top 100 Weekly Rankings is Freesia, which ranked as high as #48 during the week of March 31, 1987.

Voice roles

Singles

;Yume no Naka no Rondo
;Freesia no Shōnen / Kane no Ribon de Rock-shite
;Aoi Namida / Hishochi no Yakusoku
;Hikōki Kumo / Ame ni Nurete Ponytail
;Rainy Day Hello / Time for Love

Albums

;mariko
;mariko+3

Compilations

;Haha to Ko no Dōyō no Kuni
;Oshiete Idol Warner Music-hen Sono Ki ni Sasete
;Emotion 20th Anniversary Theme Collection - OVA & Movie

Soundtracks

;Magical Princess Minky Momo: Yume no Naka no Rondo Ongakuhen
;Magical Princess Minky Momo: Fenarinarsa Song Festival
;Dendō Twin Series Magical Princess Minky Momo TV-ban OVA-ban
;Magical Idol Pastel Yumi Ongakuhen Vol.1
;Magical Idol Pastel Yumi Ongakuhen Sōshūhen
;Natsukashi no Music Clip 42 Magical Idol Pastel Yumi

Awards

In 2001, Shiga was posthumously awarded the "Natsukashi no Ongaku Daishō" at the 17th Annual OGUmen Awards for her song Rainy Day Hello.