Yoko Minamino (Japanese: 南野 陽子, Hepburn: Minamino Yōko, born June 23, 1967), also known as Nanno (ナンノ), is a Japanese actress and singer. She is best known for playing Saki Asamiya in the second season of the live action Sukeban Deka television series. Though currently independent, Minamino was previously under the S1 Company, Southern Field, Sweet Basil and K Dash Group talent agencies.[1]
Early life and education
Minamino was scouted during high school when she went to see a public recording. Moving from Hyōgo to Tokyo when she was seventeen,[2] Minamino attended Horikoshi High School with Minako Honda and Yukiko Okada, graduating in 1986.[3]
Career
Minamino made her debut television role in 1984 in Meimon Shiritsu Jōshi Kōkō. She began working for the talent agency S1 Company at this time. Despite being a mostly unknown face in Japanese entertainment, Minamino was given an unusually large number of photos in a seinen manga magazine.[citation needed]
This led to her being cast in 1985 in the role of Saki Asamiya in the second season of Fuji TV'sSukeban Deka, a popular live action TV series about a juvenile delinquent being forced to go undercover for the police in a high school known for its rough gangs. This role made Minamino an instant star,[1] and many phrases from this season became fashionable. She was also nominated at the 11th Annual Japan Academy Prize event as "Rookie of the Year" for her performance in the movie version released in 1987.[4] Her "Saki Asamiya" character was used in a wide range of adverts.
She made her singing debut on her 18th birthday in 1985 with her song Hazukashi Sugite (恥ずかし過ぎて, Too Shy to Say). Along with Shizuka Kudo, Miho Nakayama, and Yui Asaka, Minamino was considered one of the Four Divas (四天王, Shitennō) of the time until she temporarily suspended her career in 1992. In 1988 she played two roles, including the starring role, in the Taiga dramaTakeda Shingen. That same year, she reached the number one spot for sales of publicity photo shots sold, setting a new record. Minamino was also honored by the country of Grenada in 1988 when they issued postage stamps featuring two different head shots.[5]
In 1989, Minamino switched talent agencies, moving from S1 Company to the private Southern Field agency.[citation needed] In the 1992 film Kantsubaki, she made her first nude appearance, closely followed by her second in Watashi o Daite, Soshite Kiss-shite that same year. Minamino was nominated for the 16th Annual Japan Academy Prize for "Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role" (basically "Best Actress") for her performances in both of these films.[6]
Minamino has appeared in interviews and photo shoots in Shueisha's Weekly Playboy magazine since 1984. In the 1989-08-01 issue, she appeared on the cover.[7]
Other ventures
In January 2023, Minamino was appointed as a goodwill ambassador to Cambodia. She had previously visited the country in 1989 to film a television program.[8]
Personal life
In November 2023, her husband was arrested on suspicion of embezzling ¥15million.[9] One week later, Minamino has announced divorce.[10]
Minamino has performed the theme songs for multiple television series and movies, and her music has been used in many commercials. Following is a list of some of them.
Song title
Japanese title
Description of use
Notes
Sayonara no Memai
さよならのめまい
Insert song for Sukeban Deka II: Shōjo Tekkamen Densetsu series
^ ab"Minamino Yoko". Encyclopedia Idollica. Retrieved January 5, 2007.
^南野陽子、上京後の生活費は月1万円で120円のパンで2日過ごす [Yoko Minamino's living expenses after moving to Tokyo were 10,000 yen a month, and she spent two days eating 120-yen bread.]. Smart Flash (in Japanese). January 17, 2020. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^アイドルの「卒業」名場面30年史（6）深田恭子、南野陽子、Perfume…堀越高校生の悲喜こもごも [30 years of famous idol "graduation" scenes (6) Kyoko Fukada, Yoko Minamino, Perfume... Horikoshi High School's joys and sorrows]. Asagei Plus (in Japanese). March 20, 2016. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^第11回 日本アカデミー賞 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 10, 2006. Retrieved January 5, 2007.
^【速報】南野陽子さんの夫を逮捕 1500万円横領容疑 静岡市の特別養護老人ホームめぐり [[Breaking News] Yoko Minamino's husband arrested, suspected of embezzling 15 million yen, visiting special nursing homes in Shizuoka City]. FNN Prime Online (in Japanese). November 21, 2023. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^南野陽子：25年ぶり「スケバン刑事」のヨーヨーと“再会” 伊藤かずえと大映ドラマ秘話語る [Yoko Minamino: "Reunion" with Yo-Yo from Sukeban Deka after 25 years, Kazue Ito and Daiei drama secret story]. Mantan Web (in Japanese). March 18, 2012. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^Kasuga, Taichi (September 15, 2016). ナンノの魅力が横溢！純度100％アイドル映画 [Nanno's charm is overflowing! 100% purity idol movie]. Bunshun Online. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^福沢諭吉 - 作品情報・映画レビュー [Fukuzawa Yukichi - About the work・Film review]. Kinenote. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^ヌードシーンも話題に。南野陽子が芸者役を体当たりで熱演「寒椿」 [Nude scenes are also a hot topic. Yoko Minamino passionately plays the role of a geisha in Kantsubaki]. RBB Today (in Japanese). December 18, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^【ぴいぷる】女優・南野陽子 努力で勝ち取る「役者」「アイドル」への「自信」 キャリア３７年あふれ出る意欲（2/3ページ） [[Pipuru] Actress Yoko Minamino's "confidence" in becoming an "actor" and "idol" through hard work, overflowing with enthusiasm after 37 year career (page 2/3)]. zakzak (in Japanese). May 12, 2021. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^Watanabe, Toshiki (May 8, 2022). 円熟味あふれる南野陽子の演技が魅力「付き人女優・安野すみれ 楽屋裏事件ファイル」 [Yoko Minamino's mature acting is attractive in Attendant Actress Sumire Yasuno Backstage Incident File]. Hominis (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^吉永小百合「いのちの停車場」に石田ゆり子、伊勢谷友介、南野陽子、柳葉敏郎らが出演！ [Yuriko Ishida, Yusuke Iseya, Yoko Minamino, Toshiro Yanagiba and others appear in Sayuri Yoshinaga's Station of Life!]. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^広瀬すず×櫻井翔「映画ネメシス」 勝地涼、大島優子、上田竜也、真木よう子らドラマキャスト続投！ [Suzu Hirose x Sho Sakurai Nemesis: The Movie Drama cast including Ryo Katsuji, Yuko Oshima, Tatsuya Ueda, Yoko Maki and others continue!]. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^武田信玄(ドラマ)の出演者・キャスト一覧 [Takeda Shingen (drama) cast・cast list]. The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^ ab『西郷どん』斉藤由貴の代役に南野陽子 30年ぶりの大河出演 [Yoko Minamino to replace Yuki Saito in Saigodon appears in Taiga for the first time in 30 years]. Oricon News. October 18, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^『半沢直樹』新キャストに賀来賢人＆今田美桜ら 新たな“半沢包囲網”も明らかに [Hanzawa Naoki new cast members include Kento Kaku and Mio Imada, new "Hanzawa siege network" revealed]. Oricon News. March 20, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^科捜研の女：今夜、最終回2時間SP放送 ゲストに南野陽子、長谷川初範、ハリウッドザコシショウ マリコから重大発表も [The Woman of the Crime Investigation Laboratory: The final episode will be broadcast tonight as a 2-hour special. Guests include Yoko Minamino, Hatsunori Hasegawa, and Hollywood Zakoshisho Mariko will also make an important announcement]. Mantan Web (in Japanese). December 17, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^南野陽子、『ムチャブリ！』でワイナリーのオーナー役 高畑充希＆志尊淳と初共演 [Yoko Minamino, Muchaburi! co-starring with Mitsuki Takahata and Jun Shison for the first time as a winery owner]. Crank-In! (in Japanese). February 1, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^仮面ライダーガッチャード：新ライダー母役で南野陽子「今来たか！」 アクションは膝との相談？「やりたい気持ちある」 [Kamen Rider Gotchard: Yoko Minamino plays the role of the new Rider's mother, "Have you just come!" Is the action consulting with her knees? "I feel like doing it."]. Mantan Web (in Japanese). August 9, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
