, real name is a J-Pop

J-pop

, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...

 singer from Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. She is a talent of the Fit One management company and part of the artists' roster of Rhythm Zone

Rhythm Zone

is a record label in the Avex Records Group which releases all kinds of urban contemporary Japanese music.-History:The label was founded in 1999 by Max Matsuura to address the need for a new urban music label, signing M-Flo as its first artist, then followed by Exile.In 2000, Koda Kumi was signed...

 owned by Avex Entertainment Inc. She originally debuted as "Ruppina". As Ruppina, she recorded the song "Free Will" which was used as the 9th ending theme of the Japanese anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 series One Piece

One Piece

is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...

.

History

• December 2002: Released her first single as Ruppina: Free Will (One Piece 9th ending theme)
• January 2003: Officially debuts as Ruppina.
• August 2004: Released final single as Ruppina: in the name of love
• December 2005: Her music video
  Music video
  A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
  
   for "Reborn" is used for the closing theme song of the Japanese TV show Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ beginning with the December 5 episode. She is in the nude throughout the music video. The song is also used as the theme song for the Xbox 360
  Xbox 360
  The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
  
   game "eM" by From Software
  From Software
  is a Japanese video game company founded in November 1986 known primarily for being the developers of the Armored Core, Demon's Souls, King's Field, Otogi and Tenchu series.-Games:...
  
  . Heavy promotion by Avex continues throughout the month prior to her single debut as Mai at the end of the month.
• April 2006: Her second single "Eyes", released on April 12, 2006, seems to continue the "au naturel" theme from the first single, which is reflected in its video.
• August 2006: Her third single, Princess ∞ Candy is released.

Singles

• Reborn / Squair (December 28, 2005)
• Eyes / Rainbow (April 12, 2006)
• Princess Candy / Moon Tears (August 16, 2006)

Albums

• Maiself (September 6, 2006)

Singles

• Reborn / Squair (December 28, 2005)
• Eyes / Rainbow (April 12, 2006)
• Princess Candy / Moon Tears (August 16, 2006)

Sites in English

• ThePPN:Mai