Hiroko Moriguchi

Hiromi Hanamura (花村 博美, Hanamura Hiromi) (born June 13, 1968, in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan), better known by her stage name Hiroko Moriguchi (森口 博子, Moriguchi Hiroko) is a female Japanese singer and tarento.[1] Moriguchi is affiliated with the talent agency NoReason Inc., where she also serves as Second Production Department Manager.[2]

Hiroko Moriguchi
森口博子
Birth nameHiromi Hanamura (花村博美)
Born (1968-06-13) June 13, 1968
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)
Years active1982–present
LabelsKing Records
Websitewww.mogeshan.net

Biography

The youngest of four sisters, Hiromi Hanamura (花村 博美, Hanamura Hiromi) lived with her mother after her parents divorced when she was eight years old. She graduated from Fukuoka City Takamiya Junior High School and Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Chuo High School, then transferred to Horikoshi High School Performing Arts Course. Her classmates included Yōko Oginome, Kumiko Takeda, Miyuki Imori, Sayuri Iwai, Eri Murata, and Mie Takahashi. During her teenage years, Hanamura performed as a backing singer in the Tokyo Music Academy performing arts group "School Mates" (スクールメイツ, Sukūrumeitsu). Before graduating from high school, she participated in several variety shows and quiz programs. She auditioned for several idol singer competitions without success. Hanamura adopted the stage name "Hiroko Moriguchi" as a nod to musician Masaaki Hirao and female golfer Yuko Moriguchi.

After finishing second place in NHK's Winning Song Kayō Tengoku (勝ち抜き歌謡天国, Kachinuki Kayō Tengoku), Moriguchi signed with King Records and released her debut single "Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete" (水の星へ愛をこめて, "From the Aqueous Star with Love") for the anime TV series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. The song reached No. 16 on Oricon's charts. Her follow-up songs, however, failed to achieve the same success. In 1987, Moriguchi recorded the song "Kareha-iro no Smile" (枯葉色のスマイル, Kareha-iro no Sumairu, "Dead Leaf-Colored Smile") to promote the Kirin Lemon Whity drink. While the beverage sold well in Japan, the song was unable to make the Top 100 chart.

In 1988, Moriguchi recorded the song "Samurai Heart" (サムライハート, Samurai Hāto) for the anime series Yoroiden Samurai Troopers. Moriguchi also released her first gravure idol book and video Hiroko Moriguchi Photo Album (森口博子写真集, Moriguchi Hiroko Shashin-shū) that year and her second gravure book Wow! in 1990.

In 1991, Moriguchi recorded "Eternal Wind ~Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka~" (ETERNAL WIND〜ほほえみは光る風の中〜, "Eternal Wind ~Smile in the Shining Wind~") for the anime film Mobile Suit Gundam F91. The song reached No. 9 on Oricon's charts and stayed in the Top 100 for 27 weeks. It also placed 47th in Oricon's annual ranking and consistently placed in NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen for six consecutive years, making it her biggest hit. She also recorded songs for the Fuji TV variety show Yume ga Mori Mori (夢がMORI MORI, "Dream Is Mori Mori") and was a mainstay during its run from 1992 to 1995. In 1995 an arcade game featuring Moriguchi called ''Moriguchi Hiroko no Quiz de Hyuu! Hyuu!'' (森口博子のクイズでヒューヒュー) was released. She released her third gravure book Cool in 1997. Throughout the 1990s, Moriguchi appeared in television commercials for companies such as Kao Corporation, National, Daihatsu, and Asahi Breweries.

In 2003, Moriguchi played Hiroko in the NHK TV series Teruteru Kazoku (てるてる家族, Teruteru Family) and made appearances in the TBS series Ai no Gekijō (愛の劇場, Theater of Love). In 2005, she was appointed as general manager of the Japan Amateur Baseball Association team Misaki Fukuoka Blossoms (福岡美咲ブラッサムズ, Misaki Fukuoka Burossamusu). However, she and co-manager Nobuyuki Kagawa resigned following a reorganization of the team, which as since been renamed Fukuoka Oceans 9 (福岡オーシャンズ9, Fukuoka Ōshanzu Nain).

On February 28, 2012, Moriguchi joined Yoko Minamino and Tomomi Nishimura to form the trio "Blooming Girls". Their debut single "Knock!! Knock!! Knock!!" peaked at No. 66 on Oricon's singles charts on June 13. In 2015, Moriguchi released the single "I Wish ~Kimi ga Iru Konomachi de~" (I wish〜君がいるこの街で〜, "I Wish ~In This Town Where You Are~") to commemorate her 30th anniversary in the music business. Since 2017, Moriguchi has been a participant in Nippon BS Broadcasting's Momoiro Uta Gassen (ももいろ歌合戦), held every New Year's Eve.

Moriguchi released Gundam Song Covers on August 7, 2019, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Gundam franchise. The album reached No. 3 on Oricon's Weekly Album Chart on August 16, making it her first top-10 album since 1991's Eternal Songs.[3] On November 16, 2019, the album was announced as one of six recipients of the Planning Award at the 61st Japan Record Awards, which was held on December 30.[4] Moriguchi's follow-up album Gundam Song Covers 2 was originally planned for release on June 10, 2020, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was pushed to September 16, 2020.[5][6]

In June 2021, Moriguchi announced the release of her 35th anniversary album Aoi Inochi (蒼い生命, Blue Life) on August 4. It was her first original studio release since her 1997 album Happy Happy Blue. Moriguchi also hosted a special concert at the Tokyo International Forum Hall C on October 3.[7] In December 2021, Moriguchi announced the release of Gundam Song Covers 3 on March 9, 2022.[8]

Following the release of Gundam Song Covers 3, Bandai Namco announced that Moriguchi would record "Ubugoe" as the theme song of the film Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island.[9] "Ubugoe" peaked at No. 10 on Oricon's charts, becoming her first top-10 since "Whistle" in 1993.[10]

On March 4, 2023, Moriguchi announced the release of Anison Covers on May 24. The album features her covers of popular anime theme songs from the 1980s and 1990s.[11]

Moriguchi currently co-hosts the variety show Anison Days alongside singer/songwriter Mikio Sakai on BS11.[12] She is also the host of her own radio show Kiss & Smile on Bay FM 78.[13]

Personal life

During the 1990s, Moriguchi suffered from cold sensitivity. Starting in 2000, she changed her diet and sleeping habits to remedy her condition.[14][15][16][17]

Discography
Main article: Hiroko Moriguchi discography

Bibliography
  • Hiroko Moriguchi Photo Album
    (森口博子写真集, Moriguchi Hiroko Shashin-shū) (Fresh Scholar, 1988 May)[18]
  • Wow (Scholar, 1990 April)
  • Cool (Bunkasha, 1997 June)
  • Gekkan wa Kata ★ Rensai-chū
    (月刊はかた　★連載中) (2015 April)

Filmography

Kōhaku Uta Gassen appearances
Year / Broadcast Appearance Song Appearance order Opponent
1991 (Heisei 3) / 42nd Debut "Eternal Wind ~Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka~" 4/28 Smokey Mountain
1992 (Heisei 4) / 43rd 2 "Speed" 1/28 SMAP
1993 (Heisei 5) / 44th 3 "Whistle" 13/26 Takashi Hosokawa Also performed a cover of "Moonlight Densetsu" with Fuyumi Sakamoto and Hikaru Nishida in a special segment.
1994 (Heisei 6) / 45th 4 "Let's Go" 6/25 SMAP
1995 (Heisei 7) / 46th 5 "Anata to Itatokikan" 7/25 Fumiya Fujii
1996 (Heisei 8) / 47th 6 "Shisen" 17/25 Kenichi Mikawa

References
  1. "森口博子". Idol.ne.jp. 30 December 2018. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  2. "Company Profile". NoReason Inc. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. "森口博子、「ガンダム」カバーで28年2ヶ月ぶりのTOP10入り 「80代まで歌い続けたい」". Oricon. 2019-08-16. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  4. "Winners and Nominees for the 61st Japan Record Awards Announced". Arama! Japan. 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  5. "あの大ヒットアルバムの続編『GUNDAM SONG COVERS 2』2020年6月10日リリース決定！！". Hiroko Moriguchi Official Website. 2020-03-08. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  6. Moriguchi, Hiroko (2020-05-14). "大切なお知らせ" [Important Notice]. Mori Mori Blog. Ameba. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  7. "「水の星へ愛をこめて」アカペラVer.などガンダムソングも多数収録した森口博子 35周年記念オリジナルアルバム『蒼い生命』8月4日リリース決定！35周年アニバーサリーコンサート開催決定！" [Hiroko Moriguchi's 35th Anniversary Original Album "Aoi Inochi" will be released on August 4th, including many Gundam songs such as "Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete (Acapella Ver.)". 35th Anniversary Concert to be held!]. Yahoo! Japan. 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  8. "「GUNDAM SONG COVERS 3」 2022年3月9日にリリース決定!!!" ["Gundam Song Covers 3" will be released on March 9, 2022!!!]. Hiroko Moriguchi Official Website. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  9. Loo, Egan (2022-04-24). "Hiroko Moriguchi Sings Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island Anime Film's Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  10. "Ubugoe(初回限定盤) | 森口博子". Oricon. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  11. Moriguchi, Hiroko (2023-03-04). "森口博子 NEW ALBUM「ANISON COVERS」5月24日 リリース決定". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  12. "Anison Days". Nippon BS Broadcasting. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  13. "Kiss & Smile". Bay FM. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  14. "［歌手 森口博子さん］冷え性（１）１７歳でデビュー、大ヒット" [Singer Hiroko Moriguchi: Cold Sensitivity (1) Debut at Age 17, a Huge Hit]. Yomiuri Shimbun. 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  15. "［歌手 森口博子さん］冷え性（２）握手したら「手が冷たい」" [Singer Hiroko Moriguchi: Cold Sensitivity (2) "Hand Is Cold" After Shaking Hands]. Yomiuri Shimbun. 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  16. "［歌手 森口博子さん］冷え性（３）体調壊す前に常に予防" [Singer Hiroko Moriguchi: Cold Sensitivity (3) Always Prevent Before Illness]. Yomiuri Shimbun. 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  17. "［歌手 森口博子さん］冷え性（４）感謝の大切さ 気付かされた" [Singer Hiroko Moriguchi: Cold Sensitivity (4) The Importance of Gratitude Was Noticed]. Yomiuri Shimbun. 2014-10-02. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  18. "Profile". Hiroko Moriguchi. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
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