, 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.
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, Minamino attended Horikoshi High School with Minako Honda and Yukiko Okada, graduating in 1986.
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.
This led to her being cast in 1985 in the role of Saki Asamiya in the second season of Fuji TV's Sukeban 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, 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. 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 . Along with Shizuka Kudo, Miho Nakayama, and Yui Asaka, Minamino was considered one of the of the time until she temporarily suspended her career in 1992. In 1988 she played two roles, including the starring role, in the Taiga drama Takeda 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.
In 1989, Minamino switched talent agencies, moving from S1 Company to the private Southern Field agency. 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.
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.
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.
Personal life In November 2023, her husband was arrested on suspicion of embezzling million. One week later, Minamino filed for divorce.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1987Sukeban Deka The MovieSaki AsamiyaLead roleHaikara-San: Here Comes Miss ModernBenio HanamuraLead role1988Bodaiju: LindenbaumMami NakaharaLead role1990The Pale HandAyako KosawaLead roleGold RushMasami SanokawaLead role1991Fukuzawa YukichiNobu 1992KantsubakiSadako OtaniLead roleHeaven's SinBookstore workerCameo The Rocking HorsemanPassenger seat girlCameoHold Me and Kiss MeKeiko GodaLead role1993Driving High!Kaoru Misumi1995Three StraitsChizuru Sato1997Hissatsu ShimatsuninKamomeHissatsu Shimatsunin IIKamomeHissatsu Shimatsunin IIIKamome1998The Great End: BonnoTakako IshiguraLead role2000Eki ni Sumi YoshiYōko KitanoLead role2001Taiga no IttekiAmi KawamuraSennen no Koi Story of GenjiOborozukuyo2003New Battles Without Honor and Humanity/MurderHidemi Watanabe2004Ghost ShoutAiko Yatabe2005ShinkuMichiko Ibara2009DonjūJunko Mama2011Soredemo Hana wa Saiteiku "Edelweiss"Kanako AndōOmurice2021A Morning of FarewellYūko Wakabayashi2023Nemesis: The Mystery of the Golden SpiralAkira Himura2026Goodbye My CarShizue Yasuda
Television Television series Year Title Role Notes 1984–1985Meimon Shiritsu Joshi KōkōYōko KitanoDebut1985–1986Sukeban Deka II: Shōjo Tekkamen DensetsuSaki Asamiya1986Toki ni wa Issho niKiyo Tagawa1987Ariesu no Otome-tachiKaori MizuhoLead role1988Takeda ShingenOkoko, KoihimeTaiga dramaNetsuppoi no!Madoka NanjōLead roleOikaketai no!Akira ShiratoriLead role1989–1990Aitsu ga TroubleReiko MisakiLead role1990Geinō Shakai1992What I Can Do For YouAkiko Sekine1993I Love You!Shino Kuji1994Ō-Edo FūundenSonoko1995Yureru OmoiKanako YokozawaLead role1996Shōgun no Onmitsu! Kage JūhachiKunoichi no MikiLead roleKitto Dareka ni Au Tame niEpisode 121997Shinkansen '97 Love StoryKyōko Tsumura1998Unnecessary PersonAi Miyamoto1999Shin Nanbu Daikichi Kōban Nikki2001The Woman of Science Research InstituteMisaki KanoSeason 3 Episode 12002Ikkaku Senkin Yume KazokuHaruka SugiuraLead role, Ai no GekijōHaru ga KitaMiyo2003Ikkaku Senkin Yume Kazoku 2Haruka SugiuraLead role, Ai no Gekijō2005Ya • Ku • So • KuYoko IdeLead role, Drama 302006YaohKōko SuizenjiEpisode 17 Female LawyersChiharu Tashiro2007Weekly Akagawa JirōEpisodes 7–132008Scrap Teacher: Teacher RebirthAkimi Gotokuji2018SegodonIkushimaTaiga drama2020Hanzawa NaokiMiyuki HirayamaEpisodes 1–4The Woman of Science Research InstituteShizue AzaiSeason 20 Episode 92021NemesisAkira Himura2022Muchaburi! I Can't Believe I'm Going To Be PresidentHarunoEpisode 42023–2024Kamen Rider GotchardTamami Ichinose
One-shot dramas Year Title Role Notes 1985The Girl Who Leapt Through TimeKazuko YoshimayaLead role1986Sailor-fuku Ren'ai Kyōshitsu: Ai no Lesson A! B! C!1987Fujiko Fujio's Dream Camera 2 "Blue Train Blues"Masami OtagiriLead role
Discography As of 2023, Minamino released 10 original albums, 15 compilation albums, 22 physical singles, 2 digital single and 13 home-video releases.
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Formats JPNPhysical1985"Hazukashi Sugite"（恥ずかしすぎて） 57 CD, LP, Cassette"Sayonara no Memai"（さよならのめまい） 15 CD, LP, Cassette1986"Kanashimi Monument"（悲しみモニュメント） 6 CD, LP, Cassette"Kaze no Madrigal"（風のマドリガル） 5 CD, LP, Cassette"Approach"（接近 (アプローチ)） 6 CD, LP, Cassette1987"Rakuen no Door"（楽園のDoor） 1 CD, LP, Cassette""（話しかけたかった） 1 CD, LP, Cassette"Pandora no Koibito"（パンドラの恋人） 1 CD, LP, Cassette"Aki no Indication"（秋のIndication） 1 CD, LP, Cassette"Haikara-san ga Tōru"（はいからさんが通る） 1 CD, LP, Cassette1988"Toiki de Net"（吐息でネット） 1 CD, LP, Cassette"Anata o Aishitai"（あなたを愛したい） 1 CD, LP, Cassette"Aki kara mo, Soba ni Ite"（秋からも、そばにいて） 1 CD, LP, Cassette1989"Namida wa Doko e Itta no"（涙はどこへいったの） 2 CD, LP, Cassette"Trouble Maker"（トラブル・メーカー） 2 CD, LP, Cassette"Film no Mukōgawa"（フィルムの向こう側） 1 CD, LP, Cassette1990"Doublegame"（ダブルゲーム） 3 CD, Cassette"Hen na no!!"（へんなの!!） 11 CD, Cassette"Mimi o Sumashite Goran"（耳をすましてごらん） 7 CD, Cassette"Kiss-shite Loneliness"（KISSしてロンリネス） 9 CD, Cassette1991"Natsu no Obaka-san"（夏のおバカさん） 17 CD, Cassette2005"Haikara-san ga Tōru / Toiki de Net"（はいからさんが通る/吐息でネット） 74 CD
Digital singles Year Single Reference2022"Saishū Order"2023"Ashita E no Niji"
Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon GelatoReleased: April 21, 1986 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 VirginalReleased: November 1, 1986 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 BloomReleased: May 2, 1987 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 GarlandReleased: November 1, 1987 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 1 GlobalReleased: March 21, 1988 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming note:first press included a bonus disc titled Nanno Compatibility Diagnosis Game 3 SnowflakesReleased: December 14, 1988 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 2 GaucheReleased: July 12, 1989 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 1 Dear ChristmasReleased: December 1, 1989 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 5 GatherReleased: June 23, 1990 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 7 Natsu no Obaka-sanReleased: July 1, 1991 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 13
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Nanno SinglesReleased: March 21, 1988 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, 1 My Favorite Song series: Yoko's FavoritesReleased: July 21, 1988 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming Note:includes a mini album featuring "B-side" songs with commentary 7 Nanno SonglessReleased: July 15, 1990 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape34 NANNO Singles IIReleased: January 1, 1991 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming9 Diamond Smile/Pearl TearsReleased: March 25, 1992 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming51, 52 Affairs of YesterdayReleased: June 21, 1992 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming Note: featuring songs selected by Minamino herself79 Dear My BestReleased: November 21, 1992 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD Note: featuring songs selected by Minamino herself - Golden J-Pop: The Best Minamino YokoReleased: August 21, 1998 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD - 2000 My Best Yoko MinaminoReleased: June 21, 2000 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD - Dream Price 1000 Minamino Yoko Rakuten no DoorReleased: October 9, 2001 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD - Golden Best Minamino Yoko Singles IIIReleased: June 17, 2003 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Nanno Anniversary 25thReleased: November 11, 2010 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - ReFined Songs Collection: Nanno 25th AnniversaryReleased:February 9, 2011 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 95 Golden Idol Minamino Yoko 30th AnniversaryReleased: February 9, 2015 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD 38 Nanno Singles Collection 1985-1991+1Released: February 9, 2015 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: digital download, streaming - Four Seasons Nanno SelectionReleased: December 8, 2021 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 37 "—" denotes items which did not chart
Box set + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon NANNO BOXReleased: June 22, 2005 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: 10CD+1DVD142 Nanno Soundtracks + SonglessReleased: June 21, 2006 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: 6CD, digital download - "—" denotes items which did not chart
Soundtracks + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Sukeban Deka II: Shōjo Tekkamen Densetsu Original SoundtrackReleased: May 21, 1986 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - Sukeban Deka Original SoundtrackReleased: March 5, 1987 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - Haikara-san ga Tōru Original SoundtrackReleased: December 21, 1987 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - Badaiju: Rindenbaumu Original SoundtrackReleased: August 13, 1988 Label: LP Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - ORE Special Collection: 5-nin no Idol-tachiReleased: 1988 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - Bakumatsu 2001 Original SoundtrackReleased: October 23, 2001 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - Sukeban Deka Last Memorial: Asamiya Saki yo Eien niReleased: September 20, 2006 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: CD Notes:also features Yuki Saitō and Yui Asaka - "—" denotes items which did not chart
Home-video DVD + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Tokimeki, kudasaiReleased: June 21, 1986 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: VHS, LD - First ConcertReleased: November 1, 1986 Label: CBS-Sony Formats: VHS, LD - Nanno ClubReleased: July 22, 1987 Label: CBS-Sony