Mari Hoshino

Mari Hoshino (星野 真里 Hoshino Mari, born July 27, 1981 in Kamifukuoka, Saitama) is a Japanese actress and singer. She graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University with a degree in Franch Literature. Most well-known for her lead role as Otome Sakamoto in T.B.S. drama, Kinpachi-sensei, Hoshino has starred in several dramas in recent years. Her main role in Platonic Sex was some-what controversial as it was rather contrary to her image as one possessing pure values. She has also published two photographic books as well as about six C.D.s. Of the Japanese dramas shown in Los Angeles, a substantial fraction of them has Mari in the cast.

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Infection (2004)

Infection takes place in a dark, isolated hospital, where one doctors mistake has led to dire consequences for a patient. In a hospital death is just a breath away.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masayuki Ochiai
CAST:  Michiko Hada  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Tae Kimura  •  Yoko Maki

Infection takes place in a dark, isolated hospital, where one doctors mistake has led to dire consequences for a patient. In a hospital death is just a breath away.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masayuki Ochiai
CAST:  Michiko Hada  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Tae Kimura  •  Yoko Maki

Sayonara Midori-chan (2005)

Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomoyuki Furumaya
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Sayuri Oyamada  •  Hidetoshi Nishijima  •  Mayuko Iwasa

Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomoyuki Furumaya
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Sayuri Oyamada  •  Hidetoshi Nishijima  •  Mayuko Iwasa

The Negotiator: The Movie (2010)

¥ 260,000,000 is stolen from armored vehicle. The criminals escape into a crowded shopping mall and take over 50 hostages. Reiko Usagi (Ryoko Yonekura) and the SIT members are called in to break the stand-off. When Reiko goes into the shopping mall to negotiate, an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hidetomo Matsuda
CAST:  Ryoko Yonekura  •  Toshio Kakei  •  Takashi Sasano  •  Takashi Sorimachi

¥ 260,000,000 is stolen from armored vehicle. The criminals escape into a crowded shopping mall and take over 50 hostages. Reiko Usagi (Ryoko Yonekura) and the SIT members are called in to break the stand-off. When Reiko goes into the shopping mall to negotiate, an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hidetomo Matsuda
CAST:  Ryoko Yonekura  •  Toshio Kakei  •  Takashi Sasano  •  Takashi Sorimachi

Deadball (2011)

Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball and became a criminal and now, at 17, has ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yudai Yamaguchi
CAST:  Mickey Curtis  •  Koichi Yamadera  •  Takamasa Suga  •  Miho Harita

Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball and became a criminal and now, at 17, has ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yudai Yamaguchi
CAST:  Mickey Curtis  •  Koichi Yamadera  •  Takamasa Suga  •  Miho Harita

Air Doll (2009)

A life-size, inflatable sex doll suddenly comes to life one day. Without her owner knowing, she goes for a walk around town and falls in love with Junichi. She starts to date Junichi and gets a job at the same store where he works. Everything seems to be going ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hirokazu Kore-eda
CAST:  Bae Doona  •  Arata Iura  •  Joe Odagiri  •  Mari Hoshino

A life-size, inflatable sex doll suddenly comes to life one day. Without her owner knowing, she goes for a walk around town and falls in love with Junichi. She starts to date Junichi and gets a job at the same store where he works. Everything seems to be going ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hirokazu Kore-eda
CAST:  Bae Doona  •  Arata Iura  •  Joe Odagiri  •  Mari Hoshino

Justice is Blind: The Moving Tale of a Vision-Impaired Lawyer (2014)

Based on the writings of a true life, vision-impaired lawyer comes a story about a blind man who manages to pass the extremely difficult bar exam and earn his lawyer’s license. Long desiring to help the weak, Kensuke Okochi gets a job at an attorney’s office while ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kosuke Suzuki
CAST:  Tori Matsuzaka  •  Nao Minamisawa  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Taiga Nakano

Based on the writings of a true life, vision-impaired lawyer comes a story about a blind man who manages to pass the extremely difficult bar exam and earn his lawyer’s license. Long desiring to help the weak, Kensuke Okochi gets a job at an attorney’s office while ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kosuke Suzuki
CAST:  Tori Matsuzaka  •  Nao Minamisawa  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Taiga Nakano

Lost Love Murder (2010)

Shuichi Minamida lives comfortably on the proceeds of his father's legacy, but he struggles with the idea that his beautiful wife, Moyako, no longer loves him. One day he confesses his worries to Kotoura, his dentist. Kotoura summons the Akechi detective agency and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shoji Kubota
CAST:  Mao Miyaji  •  Ryuichi Ohura  •  Yûrei Yanagi  •  Kinuo Yamada

Shuichi Minamida lives comfortably on the proceeds of his father's legacy, but he struggles with the idea that his beautiful wife, Moyako, no longer loves him. One day he confesses his worries to Kotoura, his dentist. Kotoura summons the Akechi detective agency and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shoji Kubota
CAST:  Mao Miyaji  •  Ryuichi Ohura  •  Yûrei Yanagi  •  Kinuo Yamada

Cellular Boyfriend (2009)

High school student Ayumi kills herself and leaves behind a cryptic message that says "will be killed by boyfriend." Ayumi's classmates Satomi and Yuka investigate her suicide and quickly links her death to a popular cellphone dating simulation game called Keitai ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinju Funabiki
CAST:  Umika Kawashima  •  Nozomi Maeda  •  Hideo Ishiguro  •  Yuka Ônishi

High school student Ayumi kills herself and leaves behind a cryptic message that says "will be killed by boyfriend." Ayumi's classmates Satomi and Yuka investigate her suicide and quickly links her death to a popular cellphone dating simulation game called Keitai ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinju Funabiki
CAST:  Umika Kawashima  •  Nozomi Maeda  •  Hideo Ishiguro  •  Yuka Ônishi

Kyo Kara Hitman (2009)

An ordinary salaryman named Tokichi Inaba who inadvertently becomes involved in the death of a legendary hitman. Facing bankruptcy and saddled with a 35-year mortgage, Inaba is coerced into becoming a hitman himself by the mysterious and beautiful troublemaker ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Yokoi
CAST:  Shinji Takeda  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Yuri Morishita  •  Tomohisa Yuge

An ordinary salaryman named Tokichi Inaba who inadvertently becomes involved in the death of a legendary hitman. Facing bankruptcy and saddled with a 35-year mortgage, Inaba is coerced into becoming a hitman himself by the mysterious and beautiful troublemaker ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Yokoi
CAST:  Shinji Takeda  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Yuri Morishita  •  Tomohisa Yuge

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DIRECTION:  Kazuo Ikehiro
CAST:  Tsurutaro Kataoka  •  Maki Mizuno  •  Kumiko Okae  •  Minoru Tanaka

Crime Mystery by Kosaku Asahina: Tragedy of Hanasaki Village (2016)

Mystery writer Kosaku Asahina scores yet another scoop in a case that occurred in the streets. He even personally conducts investigations and frequently makes these cases the basis for his own novels. It maybe because his late father was a scholar that he is cool, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Manabu Asô
CAST:  Kotaro Koizumi  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Kenji Anan  •  Sō Yamanaka

Mystery writer Kosaku Asahina scores yet another scoop in a case that occurred in the streets. He even personally conducts investigations and frequently makes these cases the basis for his own novels. It maybe because his late father was a scholar that he is cool, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Manabu Asô
CAST:  Kotaro Koizumi  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Kenji Anan  •  Sō Yamanaka

Why did the girl have to lose her memory? (2014)

When the suspect of an arson case refuses to cooperate with the investigation, the detectives search his house and find a locked-up little girl. She doesn't talk and there are no clues to her identity, so assistant psychology professor Narumi Saku is asked to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunsuke Morita  •  Masahiro Ishida
CAST:  Tomohisa Yamashita  •  Yosuke Asari  •  Fumino Kimura  •  Konomi Watanabe

When the suspect of an arson case refuses to cooperate with the investigation, the detectives search his house and find a locked-up little girl. She doesn't talk and there are no clues to her identity, so assistant psychology professor Narumi Saku is asked to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shunsuke Morita  •  Masahiro Ishida
CAST:  Tomohisa Yamashita  •  Yosuke Asari  •  Fumino Kimura  •  Konomi Watanabe

Love in Parallel (2019)

An insensitive man whom nobody takes seriously. A girl who is too sensitive to what others think to live freely. When the paths of the two crossed unexpectedly. The serendipity brings their life into unusual directions. Will they find a true love?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yusuke Inaba
CAST:  Toshiyuki Someya  •  Haruka Imou  •  Yuki Izawa  •  Hinako Tanaka

An insensitive man whom nobody takes seriously. A girl who is too sensitive to what others think to live freely. When the paths of the two crossed unexpectedly. The serendipity brings their life into unusual directions. Will they find a true love?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yusuke Inaba
CAST:  Toshiyuki Someya  •  Haruka Imou  •  Yuki Izawa  •  Hinako Tanaka

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Toshiyuki Nishida  •  Hidetaka Yoshioka  •  Keiko Matsuzaka  •  Kyoko Koizumi

Go-Con! Japanese Love Culture (2000)

Three friends have become masters of the "Go-Con": Japanese group dating. But after playing the game so long, they begin to wonder if their love lives are going nowhere.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuyuki Shintani
CAST:  Rina Uchiyama  •  Tae Kimura  •  Chosuke Ikariya  •  Mari Hoshino

Three friends have become masters of the "Go-Con": Japanese group dating. But after playing the game so long, they begin to wonder if their love lives are going nowhere.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuyuki Shintani
CAST:  Rina Uchiyama  •  Tae Kimura  •  Chosuke Ikariya  •  Mari Hoshino

Seicho Matsumoto Special: Fingers (2006)

Fukue Yumiko is a struggling actress who isn't afraid to lie, cheat, or exploit her own sexuality if it means her own success. But as she becomes a big star, one TV reporter decides that it's time someone uncovered her dark past and reveal just how far she was ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akimitsu Sasaki
CAST:  Maki Goto  •  Saki Takaoka  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Hisako Manda

Fukue Yumiko is a struggling actress who isn't afraid to lie, cheat, or exploit her own sexuality if it means her own success. But as she becomes a big star, one TV reporter decides that it's time someone uncovered her dark past and reveal just how far she was ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akimitsu Sasaki
CAST:  Maki Goto  •  Saki Takaoka  •  Mari Hoshino  •  Hisako Manda

Hissatsu Shigotonin 2007 (2007)

A violent fire one evening kills a husband and wife couple and burns their Kazusaya rice shop to ashes. Their daughter Sachi manages to make it out alive, but she claims the fire was set by henchmen from the rival Harimaya shop who abducted her sister. After ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigeru Ishihara
CAST:  Noriyuki Higashiyama  •  Masahiro Matsuoka  •  Tadayoshi Okura  •  Asami Mizukawa

A violent fire one evening kills a husband and wife couple and burns their Kazusaya rice shop to ashes. Their daughter Sachi manages to make it out alive, but she claims the fire was set by henchmen from the rival Harimaya shop who abducted her sister. After ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigeru Ishihara
CAST:  Noriyuki Higashiyama  •  Masahiro Matsuoka  •  Tadayoshi Okura  •  Asami Mizukawa

Tokugawa Ieyasu and his Three Ladies (2008)

With a mixture of drama, warlords, battles, love, tragedy all set with great music, this made for television movie has it all. Showing the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu as portrayed by Matsudaira Ken (Abarenbo Shogun) this stunning portrait of an exciting era shows how ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsei Saitō
CAST:  Ken Matsudaira  •  Reiko Takashima  •  Mayumi Wakamura  •  Mari Hoshino

With a mixture of drama, warlords, battles, love, tragedy all set with great music, this made for television movie has it all. Showing the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu as portrayed by Matsudaira Ken (Abarenbo Shogun) this stunning portrait of an exciting era shows how ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsei Saitō
CAST:  Ken Matsudaira  •  Reiko Takashima  •  Mayumi Wakamura  •  Mari Hoshino

Dear My Love (2009)

Too shy to speak out the word of appreciation, too busy to show that you care... Many excuses lie between each and every couple, when they look back the distance created during the long years in which they took each other for granted... Love Letters sent from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshihiro Fukagawa
CAST:  Masatoshi Nakamura  •  Mieko Harada  •  Keiko Toda  •  Issey Ogata

Too shy to speak out the word of appreciation, too busy to show that you care... Many excuses lie between each and every couple, when they look back the distance created during the long years in which they took each other for granted... Love Letters sent from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshihiro Fukagawa
CAST:  Masatoshi Nakamura  •  Mieko Harada  •  Keiko Toda  •  Issey Ogata

I’m a Cat Stalker (2009)

Haru works at a part-time job for a bookstore. Her dream is to become an illustrator and she also loves cats. One day, after a cat named Chibutomu disappears from the bookstore Haru canvasses the neighbourhood in search of Chibutomu.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takuji Suzuki
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Noriko Eguchi  •  Yuu Tokui  •  Maki Sakai

Haru works at a part-time job for a bookstore. Her dream is to become an illustrator and she also loves cats. One day, after a cat named Chibutomu disappears from the bookstore Haru canvasses the neighbourhood in search of Chibutomu.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takuji Suzuki
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Noriko Eguchi  •  Yuu Tokui  •  Maki Sakai
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