Ryoko Hirosue

Japanese pop singer and actress Ryoko Hirosue was first recruited at the age of 14 as a cosmetics model and, as with most Japanese "idols," was quickly rushed into a singing and acting career as well. Hirosue's 1997 debut single "Maji de Koi Suru 5-Byou Mae" and its follow-up, "Daisuki," were high-energy, summery pop tunes that saw the then 16-year-old catapulted into immediate stardom. The accompanying album, Arigatou, was also a hit, with its naive and unpretentious pop stylings forming a refreshing contrast to the synth-heavy, Eurobeat-influenced sound of Tetsuya Komuro th...