seiyuu
15Yaguchi, Mari
- Blood type
- A
- Active since
- 1998
Personal Information
Mari Yaguchi joined the idol group Morning Musume through the second-generation auditions but resigned in April 2005. While she publicly stated a desire to pursue her career as an adult, her departure followed the tabloid magazine FRIDAY revealing a relationship with actor Shun Oguri at age 22. The couple reportedly broke up in April 2006. Following her exit, Yaguchi shifted her focus from a singing career to hosting and guest appearances on Japanese variety shows, while her program Yaguchi Hitori continued as scheduled. Initially perceived as the shortest member who did not stand out, Yaguchi became one of the group's most active members by the time the fourth generation joined. She is best known for the catchphrase "Sexy Beam!" from her solo line in the Morning Musume single "Koi no Dance Site," a phrase that became popular among fans and fellow musicians. In the show Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari, she was jokingly asked when her "real sexy beam" would appear. Upon graduating, she held the fifth-longest tenure in the group's history, surpassed only by Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, Hitomi Yoshizawa, and Kaori Iida. She was also the last member to join before the year 2000. Her first recording after leaving Morning Musume was "Nigiyaka na Fuyu," a collaboration with Berryz Kobo released as a coupling track on their November 2005 single "Gag 100 Kaibun Aishite Kudasai." In acting, Yaguchi starred in the drama Sento no Musume and played a main role in the daytime drama Gal Circle. Additionally, she MC'd Hello! Project concerts and performed in the Broadway musical "Damn Yankees" at the Tokyo Aoyama Theater from May 25 to June 6, 2007. In the summer of 2007, Yaguchi expanded her television work by hosting the new Gyao TV program "Midtown TV," which aired on Thursdays, bringing her total to three simultaneous shows. She also appeared on the Kids Station program "Ciao TV" with seven H!P Eggs on September 2, 2007, from 19:00 to 19:30, resulting in her hosting four TV shows concurrently. On October 19, 2008, the official Hello! Project website announced that Yaguchi and the entire Hello! Project Elder Club would graduate on March 31, 2009. A graduation concert was subsequently held at Yokohama Arena on February 1, 2009. Capitalizing on the success of releases tied to the variety program Quiz! Hexagon II, Yaguchi released her debut single "Seishun Boku/Seishun Ore" four years after her final Morning Musume release. She performed the song for the first time on Quiz! Hexagon II on February 25, 2009.
