Ikue Sakakibara

Ikue Sakakibara
Sakakibara in 2020
Born	(1959-05-08) May 8, 1959 (age 65) Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan[1]
Nationality	Japanese
Other names	Ikue Watanabe
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer
Spouse	Toru Watanabe ​ ​ (m. 1987; died 2022)​
Children	2

Ikue Sakakibara (Japanese: 榊原 郁恵, Hepburn: Sakakibara Ikue, born May 8, 1959) is a Japanese actress and a J-pop singer.

Biography

In 1976, Sakakibara took part in the Talent Scout Caravan organised by Horipro, and won the competition.^[2] She made her musical debut on January 1, 1977, with the single "Watashi no Sensei" (My Teacher). The Japanese press dubbed Sakakibara the "100 million yen Cinderella".^[3]

Sakakibara was promoted alongside Idols Mizue Takada and Yukiko Shimizu, who also debuted in 1977. They were dubbed the "Fresh San'nin Musume" (three fresh girls). Before them, Junko Sakurada, Momoe Yamaguchi and Masako Mori were promoted in the same fashion.

The single "Natsu No Ojousan"' (Summer Girl), provided Sakakibara with her biggest hit. It reached the number 11 position on the Oricon charts in the summer of 1978.^[4] That same year she was invited to appear on Kohaku Uta Gassen, and would subsequently make five more appearances on the show.^[5]

In 1981 Sakakibara debuted in the musical Peter Pan, which turned out to be a great success. Sakakibara played the part of Peter Pan for seven years on the stage.^[6]

In 1987, she married Japanese actor Toru Watanabe and gave birth to two sons. After her marriage she gave up her musical career, and began hosting television programs such as Monomane Battle.

Notable singles

• "Itoshi No Robin Hood-sama" (My Darling Robin Hood), released on January 18, 1978. (Reached the No. 18 position on the Oricon charts.)
• "Natsu No Ojousan" (Summer Girl), released on July 1, 1978. (Reached the No. 11 position on the Oricon charts. Performed at the 29th edition of Kohaku Uta Gassen.)
• "Do It BANG BANG", released on October 1, 1978. ( Reached the No. 15 position on the Oricon charts.)
• "Seishun Kiryū" (Youth Airflow), released on April 1, 1979. (Reached the No. 21 position on the Oricon charts.)
• "Love Jack Summer", released on July 1, 1979.(Reached the No. 20 position on the Oricon charts. Performed at the 30th edition of Kohaku Uta Gassen.)
• "ROBOT", released on June 1, 1980. (Reached the No. 22 position on the Oricon charts. Performed at the 31st edition of Kohaku Uta Gassen.)
• "Shining Love" released on October 1, 1981. (Reached the No. 60 position on the Oricon charts. Performed at the 32nd edition of Kohaku Uta Gassen.)

Filmography

Television

• Aoi Zesshō (1980)^[7]
• Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger (2021)

Film

• Cherry Magic! the Movie (2022)^[8]

References

1. 榊原郁恵 さかきばら・いくえ. Allcinema.net (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
2. Billboard Magazine, 1980. September 6, 1980.
3. 榊原郁恵. 我が道.
4. "Oricon" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
5. "List of Idol singers appearing on Kohaku Uta Gassen" (in Japanese). Retrieved May 31, 2012.
6. 本人曰く「なかでも美智子様と紀宮様 （当時）が観劇に来られた事が一番の思い出」と語っている（『 報道ステーション 』でのコマ劇場閉鎖についてのコメントより）
7. 青い絶唱 (in Japanese). TBS. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
8. "チェリまほ THE MOVIE 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい". eiga.com. Retrieved February 10, 2022.

External links

• Hori Pro