Miki Fujimoto

Miki Shōji (庄司 美貴, Shōji Miki)[1][2] (born February 26, 1985), professionally known by her birth name of Miki Fujimoto (藤本 美貴, Fujimoto Miki), and nicknamed Mikitty, is a Japanese actress and former pop singer. After failing the audition to join girl group Morning Musume with the fourth generation members, Fujimoto debuted as a solo artist within Hello! Project in 2002 with the single "Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi". Fujimoto later joined Morning Musume in 2003 along with the sixth generation and eventually became the leader of the group in 2007.

Miki Fujimoto
藤本 美貴
Fujimoto in 2010
Fujimoto in 2010
Background information
Born (1985-02-26) February 26, 1985
Takikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
Genres
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Singer
  • Dancer
  • Model
Instruments
  • Vocals
Years active2001–present
Labels
  • Rice Music
  • UP Front Works
  • J.P Room
Websitewww.jp-r.co.jp/fujimotomiki

Early life

Fujimoto was born and raised in the Takikawa area of Hokkaidō, Japan. She has an older brother, who won a defamation case alongside Fujimoto in 2009.[3]

Career

Early work: 2002–2003

Fujimoto originally started out as a solo singer in 2002 under the idol family Hello! Project, becoming the first of six members to debut under Hello! Project after losing a Morning Musume audition. She is often called by fans as Aya Matsuura's rival, but in fact, they are the best of friends. After a successful performance on the music program on New Year's Eve, "Kōhaku Uta Gassen", producer Tsunku added her to Morning Musume as a sixth generation member in 2003.

She sang many of the lead lines in Morning Musume songs, especially after Natsumi Abe's graduation. She and fellow Morning Musume member Asami Konno were also lent to Country Musume, a group that features "Country Girls from Hokkaidō", such as Miki and Asami (the group has been known, however, to include members not from the rural island—such as former featured singers Rika Ishikawa and Miuna Saito).

In October 2002, she was placed in the one-shot unit, Gomattou with two other prominent pop soloists under Hello! Project, Maki Goto (a former Morning Musume member), and Aya Matsuura. She was also in Hello! Project Shuffle groups Odoru 11, 11Water, H.P. All Stars and Sexy Otonajan.

In 2003, when Morning Musume was split into two groups, she was placed in Morning Musume Otomegumi.

Breakthrough: 2003–2008

On June 15, 2006, it was announced that Fujimoto and Aya Matsuura would join in a new Hello! Project duo called GAM. Their debut single was released on September 13, 2006,[4] and after two other singles, their debut LP was released on May 23, 2007.

On May 6, 2007, after the graduation of then-leader Hitomi Yoshizawa, Fujimoto took her place as the fifth leader of Morning Musume.

On April 23, 2008, Fujimoto released a collaboration single, "Okitegami" (置き手紙, lit. Leftover Letter), featuring Takao Horiuchi.[5] In fall of 2008, Fujimoto played the part of Rizzo in the fall musical, Grease.[6]

Personal life

In March 2009, Fujimoto announced her engagement to Tomoharu Shōji from the comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji and graduated from Hello! Project. Fujimoto and Shoji married on July 3, 2009, in Hawaii. On March 27, 2012, Fujimoto gave birth to the couple's first child, a son.[7]

Outside of her career as a performer, Miki has opened a chain of yakiniku restaurants in Japan. The first Yakinuku Mikitei opened on her 26th birthday, February 26, 2011, to much success. Three more restaurants were opened.　The restaurant chain was short-lived, and closed on June 29, 2012, following various incidents.[8]

On August 1, 2015, Fujimoto gave birth to the couple's second child, a daughter.[9]

Their third child was born in 2020.

Controversy

On May 24, 2007, Fujimoto was featured in the Japanese gossip magazine Friday pictured walking with Tomoharu Shōji, a member of the comedy duo Shinagawa Shōji. Friday explained that they had a two-hour dinner together, drove to Fujimoto's apartment, then went to the sauna, returning to Shōji's apartment just after midnight.[10] It soon became apparent that she was to be involved in a scandal that would jeopardize her position in Morning Musume. After seeing the article, Up-Front Agency had no intention to deal with the situation since there was no proof of them dating.[11] On the May 26, 2007 edition of Young Town Doyōbi (a radio show with Ai Takahashi, Fujimoto and Sanma Akashiya), she confirmed that the pictures were of her, and that she had been going out with Tomoharu Shōji. She also mentioned that she spoke to the head of Up-Front Agency, Naoki Yamazaki, about the situation.[12] On June 1, 2007, Fujimoto resigned from her position in Morning Musume.[13][14] She continued with GAM and remained contracted with Hello! Project and Up-Front Agency.[15]

Discography and releases
For releases as a member of Morning Musume, see Morning Musume discography. For releases as a member of GAM, see GAM (group) § Discography.

Albums
TitleRelease dateFirst week salesTotal sales
Miki 12003-02-2693,475128,502

Singles
TitleRelease dateFirst week salesTotal sales
"Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi" (会えない長い日曜日)2002-03-1325,61043,670
"Sotto Kuchizukete Gyutto Dakishimete" (そっと口づけてギュッと抱きしめて)2002-06-1224,73040,450
"Romantic Ukare Mode" (ロマンティック浮かれモード)2002-09-0438,49062,000
"Boyfriend" (ボーイフレンド)a 2002-11-0736,29048,555
"Boogie Train '03" (ブギートレイン'03)2003-02-0537,41050,737
"Okitegami" (置き手紙, lit. Leftover Letter)2008-04-235,77122,889

DVDs
TitleRelease date
Fujimoto Single M Clips 1 (藤本シングルMクリップス①)2002-10-02
Alo! Hello Fujimoto Miki (アロハロ！藤本美貴)2003-04-25
Fujimoto Miki First Live Tour 2003 Spring: Miki 1 (藤本美貴 First Live Tour 2003 Spring ～Miki①～)2003-06-18

Photobooks
TitleRelease datePublisherISBNPhotobook information
Ayaya to Mikitty (アヤヤとミキティ, Ayaya and Mikitty)2003-04-11Wani BooksISBN 4-8470-2761-2Photobook with Aya Matsuura.
Alo Hello! Fujimoto Miki (アロハロ!藤本美貴写真集)2003-04-22Kadokawa ShotenISBN 4-04-853590-0First solo photobook.
Mikitty (藤本美貴写真集 「Mikitty」)2004-01-24Wani BooksISBN 4-8470-2793-0Second solo photobook.
Real 226 (藤本美貴写真集「リアル226」)2005-02-25Wani BooksISBN 4-8470-2846-5Third solo photobook.
Cheri (藤本美貴写真集「cheri（シェリー）」)2005-12-17Wani BooksISBN 4-8470-2905-4Fourth solo photobook.
Coeur (藤本美貴写真集「COEUR」)2006-11-25Wani BooksISBN 4-8470-2972-0Fifth solo photobook.

Acting

Movies
  • 2003 – 17sai ~Tabidachi no Futari~ (17才～旅立ちのふたり～)

Dramas
  • 2002 – Tenshi no Utagoe: Shōnibyōtō no Kiseki (天使の歌声～小児病棟の奇跡～)
  • 2004 – Shinshun Wide Jidaigeki: Ryuuma ga Yuku (新春ワイド時代劇　竜馬がゆく)
  • 2009 – Daremo Mamorenai (誰も守れない)
  • 2009 – Reset Dai 6wa "Kazoku no Futatsu no Wakaremichi" (RESET第６話『家族の二つの分かれ道』)

Theater
  • 2008 – Hakana "Itoshi no Hakana" yori (HAKANA「いとしの儚」より）～)

Musicals

Radio
  • 2002–2003 – Fujimoto Miki Heart Days Radio (藤本美貴 ハート・デイズ・レディオ)
  • 2002–2007 – Fujimoto Miki no Dokimiki Night (藤本美貴のドキ♥みきNight)
  • 2004–2007 – Young Town Doyōbi (ヤングタウン土曜日)

References
  1. ラブラブ庄司＆ミキティ ノロケ全開. Kibo Shimbun (in Japanese). Daily Sports Online. 2009-07-13. Archived from the original on 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  2. 庄司＆ミキティ「朝、彼が横に寝ているだけで幸せ」. Natasha Inc (in Japanese). Natalie. 2009-11-27. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  3. "Miki Fujimoto wins defamation case". Tokyograph. August 30, 2009.
  4. "New Unit GAM Formed" (in Japanese). helloproject.com. 2006-06-20. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10.
  5. "Fujimoto Miki to release new single". hello-online.org. 2008-02-13.
  6. "Fujimoto Miki to play Rizzo in the musical, "Grease"". Hello!Online. 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  7. "幸せ♥♡ ("Happy")". Miki Fujimoto's Blog. March 27, 2012. Ameba. (in Japanese)
  8. "藤本美貴さんの「焼肉美貴亭」がいつの間にか閉店していたッ！ | ロケットニュース24". Rocketnews24.com. 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
  9. "Miki Fujimoto Announces Birth of Second Child". On January 24, 2020, she gives birth to her third child, a baby girl. Nihongogo. August 2015.
  10. "TV Guide Japan" (in Japanese). tvguide.or.jp. 2007-05-24. Archived from the original on 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  11. "Hello!Online - Fujimoto Miki 'Friday'd'". hello-online.org. 2007-05-24.
  12. "Hello!Online episode summary". hello-online.org. 2007-05-26.
  13. "Nikkan Sports News" (in Japanese). nikkansports.com. 2007-06-01. Archived from the original on 2007-06-03.
  14. "Yahoo! Japan News" (in Japanese). headlines.yahoo.co.jp. 2007-06-01.
  15. "Hello!Online - Fujimoto Miki leaves Morning Musume". hello-online.net. 2007-06-01.
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