Minako Honda - Solo Career

Solo Career

Kudo changed her name as she pursued a professional career in singing. Supposedly, she chose Honda because she liked Honda cars and in imitation of another popular singer, Seiko Matsuda (Matsuda is how Mazda is known in Japan).

In 1985, Honda appeared on the music scene with her debut EP Satsui No Vacance. She was known for appearing in revealing outfits and for exposing her belly.

Her career discography included:

• M' Syndrome 1985

M' / Temptation / Sanbika Wa Utaenai (I Can't Sing Hymns) / November Snow / Aperitif / Doubt / Charlie / Hard To Say "I Love You" / Mahattan No Hotaru (= The Light Of Manhattan)

• Minako The Virgin Concert In Budokan Live 1986
• Lips 1986

Sold Out / Ribbon Ga Hodokenai (I Can't Untie The Ribbon) / 1986Nen No Marilyn (Marilyn Of 1986) / Schedule / Joe / Bathroom Angel / Marionette No Yuutsu (Marionette Blue) / Dramatic Escape / Yokosuka Rule / Ai Ga Sugiyukumamani (= As Love Goes By)

• Cancel 1986

Cancel / Tomaranai Railway (Non-Stop Railway) / Lovesong For Somebody / Shikashi (However) / Bond Street / 24Jikan No Hankou (=The 24-Hour Rebellion) / Roulette / Feel Like I'm Running / No Problem / Namida Wo F.O. Shite (=Fade Out The Tears)

• Oversea 1987

Sneak Away / Playboy / Plaything / That's The Way I Want / Let's Start Again / Heart Break / You Can Do It / Take It Or Leave It / Girl Talk

• Passenger Original Soundtrack 1987

One Shot / Passenger / Kodoku Na Hurricane (The Solitary Hurricane) and 9 other music tracks

• Midnight Swing 1987

One Shot / Do You Remember? / Yumemigokochi (Dreams Come True) / About – Adult / Hajimeteiukedo (Although It Is Said The First Time) / Kanashimi Swing (Sadness Swing) / Konya Wa Beat Ni Noranai (I Can't Follow The Beat Tonight) / Destiny / Kodoku Na Hurricane (The Solitary Hurricane) / Eye Kodoba Wa Lonely (The Message In My Eyes Is Lonely)

• DISPA 1987 (the short form of Disco Party) 1988
• Wildcats 1988 (Released under the band name Minako With Wild Cats)

We Are Wild Cats / Let It Burn / Virginity / Bang Bang / Kiri No Viel (The Misty Veil) / Because You're Mine / Full Metal Armor /School Girl Blues / Kasis No Kajitsu (The Fruit Of Kasis) / Anata To Nettai (The Tropic And You)

• The Target Of Leopard 1989

Katte Ni Sasete (=Let Me Follow My Way) / Hearts On Fire / Walk Away / Helter Skelter / Slow Walk / Ai Ga Kikoeru (The Call For Love) / Heat Me Up / Asamade (Until Dawn) / Surrender / Kill me

After her J-pop career, Honda briefly recorded anime songs, including:

• Lullaby ~Yasashiku Dakasete~ (Lullaby – Embrace Me Gently), the ending of the Magic Knight Rayearth second series (1995).
• Kaze No Uta (Song Of The Wind), the first Hunter × Hunter series ending theme (1999).
• Nadja!, the Ashita No Nadja opening theme (2003).
• Que será, será, the Ashita No Nadja ending theme (2003).

By the 1990s, Honda became a musical singer, with appearances as Kim in the Japanese production of Miss Saigon, supra. She also starred in Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, and The King and I. According to Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam by Robert Templer, Honda was fined and expelled from Vietnam after being photographed in the Cu Chi tunnels draped only in a Vietnamese flag.

Honda has recorded with a number of non-Japanese artists, including:

• Brian May of Queen, who wrote, composed, played guitar for, and produced "Crazy Nights"/"Golden Days" for her.
• Gary Moore ("The Cross")
• [John "Sly" Wilson of Sly Slick & Wicked was in-house producer for Joe Jackson of the Jackson 5 produced the Oversea album. John Wilson wrote and produced ("Heart Break" & Sneakaway). Minako recorded this song in two languages: an English recorded in Los Angeles version which was included on her English album "Oversea", and a Japanese mix which was released as a single.
• John Deacon, the bassist for Queen, offered a number of songs to Minako which were included in the album "Cancel"