Mariko Shinoda – The Latest Senbatsu Member To Fall Ill

As I reported last week, Tomochin and Acchan had to withdraw from a handshake event due to overwork and exhaustion.  Now, yet another senbatsu member has fallen ill. Mariko Shinoda today pulled out in the middle of the AKB48 x Serend collaboration launch event due to not feeling too well. You’ve got to wonder how many more members are going to drop down ill. I hope this is a wake up call to AKB48 management not to push them too much or are they too obsessed about making money to care for the girls’ welfare. They’re so overworked right now – promoting their new single and filming for Majisuka Gakuen 2.

Note to AKB48 management – none of the members will be any good to you if they’re constantly ill.

EDIT: Mariko revealed on Twitter that it was food poisoning that was behind her leaving the event early. She had been suffering from stomach ache since the morning. After going to hospital for treatment, she recovered quickly.

Also at the same event, Tomochin and Acchan apologised for being ill last week.

Mariko Shinoda To Star In New Monday Night Drama

AKB48 member Mariko Shinoda will have a recurring role in Fuji TV’s new Monday night drama series, “Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta” which starts in January.

Mariko will play a wedding planner called Sayaka alongside the main stars Erika Toda and Haruma Miura. The plot is about two teachers who are engaged to marry but the man starts getting involved with one of his pupils. Mariko’s character knows both of the main characters from her university days and she once dated the man but now she lives in an apartment with his fiancee. However it seems there could be a love triangle scenario as Sayaka’s feelings for her former boyfriend have not entirely disappeared.

Mariko Shinoda Set To Make Movie Debut In January 2011

It’s not only Sae and Yuka Masuda that are going to be seen on Japanese cinema screens early in 2011, Mariko Shinoda is set to make her big screen debut in a movie called “”Inu to Anata no Monogatari: Inu no Eiga”. Mariko has appeared in a couple of TV dramas in a supporting role but this will be the first time for her to take a leading role. The movie is a sequel to the 2005 movie which told various stories about people and their dogs. Mariko’s story will be a comedy one and she’ll be playing a character named Sudo who appears on TV when her dog is featured as a “genius” who can answer her questions!

The movie will be released on January 22 2011.

AKB48 Member Mariko Visiting Homes In Nurse’s Outfit!!

It’s times like these I wish I lived in Tokyo especially when I heard about this piece of news about Mariko Shinoda who will shortly be visiting Japanese homes as part of a campaign for internet provider So-Net Hikari. She’ll be telling those lucky enough to get a call from her all about their service and how to use the internet. Take a look at her yellow outfit below. If she came knocking on my house like that I’d get a big nose bleed!!