One of Japan's most popular entertainers during the 1980s and 1990s, Noriko
Sakai cracked the Top 10 with her first 16 singles, all while pursuing an
equally popular career as a television actress. She was born in Fukuoka, Japan,
on February 14, 1971. Her debut single "Otoko no Ko ni Naritai" was released in
early 1987 and reached number 6 on the Japanese charts, giving Sakai a genuine
hit at 17 years old. By the time 1987 drew to a close, she'd released the debut
album Fantasia: Noriko Part I and reached number 4 with the follow-up singles
"Nagisa no Fantasy," "No-re-na-i Teen-a...