Mari Iijima, an L.A. resident for more than 20 years, has released 21 pop albums, in both Japanese and English. She's worked with famed musicians Ryûichi Sakamoto and Van Dyke Parks. Yet in her native Japan, and to an extent in Los Angeles, she's still best known as the voice of Lynn Minmay in the 1982 anime series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, a role that propelled her to superstardom when she was just out of high school.
When Iijima first signed with a record label, she was meeting with the A&R rep who signed her when they found out about Macross auditions. Though Iijima had little acting experience, she got the part, and the sci-fi saga went on to become a monumental global hit.
Just as Minmay became a pop star on Macross, Iijima became one in real life. To this day, she doesn't consider herself an actor; Minmay was her only major role.
Regardless, Macross, in some ways, dictated how people saw her. "Once you do some anime stuff, people tend to take that person a little bit lightly. They don't take you seriously as a musician," Iijima explains. "So I struggled with that, the typecast issue."
In 1989, after releasing several successful albums in Japan (her sophomore effort, Blanche, is a must-listen), she moved to L.A. and started a family. She never stopped recording.
"I really thought I could be a musical star here, too," she recalls. But it wasn't until 10 years later that she released her first English-language album, No Limit, which she premiered at Anime Expo, then held at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The irony of Iijima's career arc is that, while she may have felt typecast as a result of Macross in Japan, the anime helped introduce her to U.S. audiences.
Unbeknownst to Iijima at the time she moved to Los Angeles, Macross was a hit in the United States as well. Part of the series had been adapted as Robotech, which was a hit show in the 1980s, but hard-core fans delved into a subtitled version of the Japanese source material.
"I think when I first started going to conventions in the United States, the most amazing thing was that [when] people came to talk to me, they all kind of understood the struggle that I had been through, and they were all really sensitive about talking about Minmay and Macross," Iijima says. "I was very surprised."
Iijima occasionally makes appearances at conventions like MacrossWorld in L.A., but you're more likely to find her at clubs. She plays most often at Ghengis Cohen in Hollywood. Inside the tiny venue, Iijima tends to play songs off her last album, Echo. Maybe she'll throw in a few pieces she has yet to release, and, if you're lucky, you'll hear her exquisite cover of the Oasis tune "Stop Crying Your Heart Out." You might not hear those Macross songs, though. There's a lot more to Iijima than just Lynn Minmay.
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本人が気にするのも無理はない。確かにスタートはミンメイではあるが、その後の活動について書かないのはフェアではありません。 彼女の言動に批判もあるのは調査済みですが、公平な機会は与えるべきでしょう？
I'm no wonder that MS.Mari Iijima herself minds it.
The start is Linn-Minmei (Robotech or Pinyin), Lynn Minmay (Japon Macross-Serers,later), but what I do not write about the later activity is not surely fair.
I've been investigated that her behavior includes the criticism, but should give it at a fair opportunity?
Sorry, but this is an ABOMINABLE article. It makes ZERO mention of Mari as a singer and musician. Her role as seiyuu for Minmay role was her only role as a voice-actor. And furthermore, only idiots mention robotech. Whatever, it seems this liz-whoever person is just another drooling round-eyed moron who apes an interest in Japanese audio-visual culture. LAME. But then again, what do you expect from la weakly?
I have been a big fan of Mari for years. She is so much more than an Anime Idol. I know that is how I found out about her in begining but after so many years of her own work I know her now as Mari the Artist. Everyone should check out her new music as well as the music she did after Macross.If not you are missing out on some very good music. Minmay could only wish to have the talent of Mari. .
This is an absolutely lovely article. Mari is one of the most beautiful, talented, and friendly women you will ever meet. We all love you very much, Mari! <3
１日遅くなりましたが、お誕生日おめでとうございます。ネットではご活躍を拝見しております。２８年前の様に（原宿ビクター・日音など）、追っかけられたら良いのですが。。。２８年前ファンクラブ会員番号１３番のものより。
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