[Full Text] I’ve Always Felt Something Was Off About “Mariko-sama”… Mariko Shinoda: The Struggles and Conflicts of Her “God 7” Era Behind Her Breakthrough

Struggling with the Discrepancy

“During my time with AKB48, being called ‘Mariko-sama’ was a mixed feeling for me. I actually wanted to be a classic idol and had hoped for a cute nickname like ‘Mayuyu.’But for better or worse, ‘Mariko-sama’ really stuck, so I started saying things like ‘My favorite food is yakiniku’ to play up that character. At first, I felt really uncomfortable with that version of myself (laughs).”

Mariko Shinoda (40), who joined AKB48 in 2006, placed third in the first General Election and was a core member of the group known as the “God 7” until her graduation in 2013, harbored inner conflicts behind her glamorous career.

“Since I was older than the other members, I often played the teacher in music videos. I really wanted to play a student alongside everyone else. I used to worry, ‘Why just me?’ Nowadays, I’d think, ‘That’s actually a great role,’ but when I was younger, the disconnect with those around me was painful.”

After finishing her role as “Mariko-sama” in the nationally beloved idol group, Shinoda went on to make a name for herself as an actress following her graduation.In the currently airing drama series *Revenge of the Betrayed: Wives United* (TV Tokyo), she delivers a compelling performance as a woman driven to obsession by her desire for revenge against her cheating husband.

In the July drama “If You Fall, It’s Over” (Chukyo TV/Nippon TV), she plays a celebrity wife—a villain—living on the top floor of a skyscraper.

“‘Revenge of the Betrayed’ is a dark story where ‘betrayed wives’ form an alliance for revenge, but the atmosphere on set is actually really friendly and harmonious. ‘If You Fall, It’s Over’ is also a pretty heavy role, so until it airs, I’m half excited and half anxious.I’ve co-hosted a radio show with the lead actress, Misato Ugaki (35). At the time, she was an active TBS announcer, so I never imagined we’d reunite in a TV drama series (laughs). Since I know Uga-chan’s personality well, it was really easy to fit in on set.”

Shinoda, who transitioned from being a member of a popular idol group to an actress receiving a steady stream of offers to play distinctive “villain” roles. She says the turning point was the “burnout syndrome” she experienced after graduating from the group at age 27.

Post-Graduation Burnout

“When I was in AKB48, my schedule was packed solid two years in advance. But after I graduated, I didn’t even have a single plan for the following week. I had absolutely no idea what to do. I had the energy and wanted to work, but I kept asking myself, ‘What exactly is my dream from here on out?’
One day, I decided on a whim, ‘I’m going abroad,’ and went to New York for about two weeks. Watching a Broadway show, I was deeply moved, thinking, ‘The people standing on this stage must have put in an incredible amount of effort.’ And finally, I was able to pick myself up and say, ‘I’m going to give it my all again.’”

Although Shinoda was making a fresh start as an actress, she actually harbored insecurities about this line of work. It stemmed from an incident that occurred on the set of a video production before AKB48 had broken through.

“My line was just one word, but I messed it up. Everyone around me must have been thinking, ‘What’s wrong with her?’ On top of that, during a break, I even heard someone whisper, ‘Is this line even necessary?’… I remember feeling so frustrated on the way home that I thought, ‘I never want to do acting work again!’
After graduating from the group, I had more time and peace of mind. So I thought, ‘If I’m going to embarrass myself anyway, I’d rather do it during practice than on camera,’ and I started attending acting workshops.
In particular, encountering director Takashi Miike’s workshop was a major turning point for me. He praised my acting when I was screaming or fighting, and I realized, ‘This is my strength!’I was invited to appear in several of Mr. Miike’s works, such as the movie *Terra Formars* and the stage play *Drunken Angels*. Even so, when it comes to acting, I’m still just an “amateur with a professional mindset” (laughs).

The breakthrough role that Shinoda, who was still searching for her path as an actress, landed was Ayaka Okaya in the 2024 TV drama *The Man Who Won’t Divorce: The Cheating Husband and the Wicked Wife’s Deceptive Love* (TV Asahi).In this series, written by Osamu Suzuki, she threw herself into the role of Ayaka, a wife caught cheating by her husband, and gave her all in the explicit love scenes that appeared in nearly every episode. The series garnered a huge response, surpassing the first-episode viewership records for all TV Asahi programs on catch-up streaming services like TVer.

“Those were days of constant struggle”—My 20s

“When I got the offer, I thought, ‘If I take this role, I’m sure to get a lot of attention,’ but at the same time, I was terrified that I might ‘fall to the very bottom.’ I couldn’t give an immediate answer, of course, but I also knew that if I saw another actress playing this role, I would definitely regret it.The fact that it was a personal offer from hit-maker Osamu Suzuki also gave me the push I needed. So, I made up my mind, thinking, ‘This chance might never come again.’”

It is precisely because of those hardships that the steep path ahead now seems smooth. Her success as an actress has been a natural continuation of her days with AKB48.

“When I was in AKB, my days were filled with nonstop work from early morning until late at night. On top of filming, recording, live broadcasts, and media interviews, there were theater performances and handshake events. There were times when I only got a few hours of sleep in a week. Even now, shoots sometimes run late into the night, but I find myself thinking, ‘It’s so much better compared to back then.’”

She describes her 20s, spent racing alongside AKB48, as “days of constant struggle.”

“I think everyone was fighting—both against those around them and against themselves. The other day, I asked Jurina (Matsui, 29), ‘Back then, you used to say things like, “I’ll only sleep when I die,” right?’ and she replied, ‘No, you should definitely sleep’ (laughs).In the midst of that battle against the fear of not knowing when I might be dropped from the selection, I was constantly thinking about how to best showcase my strengths. The result of that was the ‘Mariko-sama’ persona. I can understand that now.”

Looking back on her 30s—a decade marked by marriage, childbirth, and rapid changes in her personal life—she describes it as “a decade of self-discovery.”

“In my 20s, I was constantly strict with myself, and I ended up demanding the same from those around me. Gradually, that mindset shifted to ‘rather than striving for perfection, how can I make up for my imperfections?’I think it was precisely because I was working so hard that I was able to power through my 20s, and I have absolutely no regrets. But once I entered my 30s, I gradually came to realize, ‘I’m no longer fighting in this fiercely competitive society.’”

Shinoda turned 40 this past March. Having reached this milestone after her “struggles” and “search for self,” what are her thoughts?

“Peace, and health. I won’t set goals that are too high and push myself to the limit anymore. I’ll set goals that I know I can achieve and move toward them one step at a time. That’s how I want to grow from here on out.Lately, I’ve had many opportunities to interact with young idols, and it feels less like watching juniors and more like watching my own children (laughs). I think they’re fighting just as desperately as I once did. I’m watching over them from the sidelines, hoping they’ll keep striving, believing that their efforts and hardships will definitely bear fruit someday.”

It is precisely because there was a time known as the “Mariko Era” that she is who she is today—someone who sincerely wishes for peace for herself and those around her. Having deepened her understanding of acting, Shinoda has begun to walk a fulfilling path in her 40s.

From the June 19, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*