Ai Kago
|
---|
|
Ai Kago in November 2009
|
Born
| (
1988-02-07
)
February 7, 1988
(age 36)
[1]
|
---|
Occupations
| |
---|
Height
| 155
[1]
cm (5 ft 1 in)
|
---|
Spouse
|
Haruhiko Ando
(
m.
2011;
div.
2015)
|
---|
Children
| 2
|
---|
Musical career
|
Genres
| J-pop
|
---|
Years active
| |
---|
Labels
| |
---|
Formerly of
| |
---|
Website
| http://ameblo.jp
|
---|
Musical artist
|
Ai Kago
(
加護 ?依
,
Kago Ai
, born February 7, 1988)
[2]
is a Japanese actress and singer. In 2000, Kago debuted as a 4th generation member of the
idol
girl group
Morning Musume
. During her time in the group, she was also part of
Mini-Moni
and other
Hello! Project
sub-groups. In 2004, Kago departed from Morning Musume and became part of the duo
W
with
Nozomi Tsuji
.
In 2006, Kago was suspended from her agency for underage smoking and subsequently dismissed in 2007, forcing her to leave W and Hello! Project. In 2008, she returned to entertainment as an actress, appearing in
Kung Fu Chefs
(2009),
Ju-On: Black Ghost
(2009), and
Battle of Demons
(2009). In 2009, Kago returned to music as well, releasing her debut solo single, "No Hesitation" (2009), followed by her jazz album,
Ai Kago Meets Jazz
(2010). She also formed her own girl group, Girls Beat!!, in 2013, of which she remained a member until 2016.
Career
[
edit
]
2000?2004: Morning Musume and Mini-Moni
[
edit
]
At age 12, Kago won the 4th National Audition of
Morning Musume
held by the
Up-Front Works
in 2000. On April 15, she, along with
Rika Ishikawa
,
Hitomi Yoshizawa
, and
Nozomi Tsuji
, were inducted into the idol group Morning Musume as its fourth generation. Their recording debut was in the group's ninth single "
Happy Summer Wedding
".
Kago and Tsuji's addition to the group received positive critical response.
[3]
With an increasing fan base, they, along with Morning Musume member
Mari Yaguchi
and
Coconuts Musume
member
Mika Todd
, formed a new subgroup named
Mini-Moni
. In addition to this, Kago was also admitted into established subgroup
Tanpopo
as a second generation member. From 2001 to 2004 Kago participated in the annual
Hello! Project shuffle units
(3-nin Matsuri in 2001, Happy 7 in 2002, Salt5 in 2003, and H.P. All Stars in 2004).
2004?2007: W
[
edit
]
In August 2004, Kago and Tsuji graduated from Morning Musume together after Minimoni began their indefinite hiatus.
[4]
[3]
Under the arrangement of their agency, Kago and Tsuji formed a new pop duo,
W
,
[3]
releasing two albums and six singles together.
Before the release of their seventh single and their third album,
W3: Faithful
, on February 9, 2006,
Friday
published photos showing Kago smoking. She was 15 at the time the photos were taken. The following day, her agency issued a press statement saying that she and W's activities had been suspended "indefinitely."
[5]
Kago spent the remainder of the year under house arrest at her family's residence in Nara. During this time, she was not allowed to have contact with Tsuji or any of the other members from her agency, and she was caught smoking again during her probation period.
[6]
In 2007 Up-Front Works reported that they were working on her comeback.
[7]
[8]
In late March 2007, photos of Kago going to an
onsen
with a man 18 years her senior and smoking for a third time circulated in the media, further tarnishing her reputation.
[9]
Not long after, Yuukichi Kawaguchi, the director of Up-Front Works, issued a statement announcing that she had been dismissed from the agency.
[6]
[4]
2008?2010: Return to entertainment
[
edit
]
After Kago departed from Up-Front Agency, her mother attempted to sign her to a new talent agency in her hometown, Nara.
[
citation needed
]
Later that year,
Josei Seven
published an interview with her mother, revealing that Kago left Japan and started residing in New York City.
[10]
[
self-published source?
]
[11]
[
self-published source?
]
Kago herself later revealed that she had actually not gone to New York, but rather to Los Angeles for three months because she felt like a criminal in Japan. During her stay, she met people who encouraged her, including
Winona Ryder
,
[12]
and was able to reflect on her situation. She also considered suicide and cut her wrists.
[13]
[
better source needed
]
Kago made a well-publicized return to the entertainment industry in 2008
[14]
with plans of pursuing an acting career.
[9]
She began appearing in multiple Hong Kong movies, including
Kung Fu Chefs
. On August 25, 2008, Kago released a book entitled
Kago Ai Live?Miseinen Hakusho
(
LIVE?未成年白書
)
. On her blog, she described the book as "a book where I talk to young teens about their various troubles and dreams."
[15]
[
better source needed
]
During 2009, Kago also focused on rebuilding her music career. On June 24, 2009, she released her first solo single "No HesitAtIon" [sic] on
independent record label
In Da Groove.
[16]
On February 16, 2010, she held her first jazz concert at bar JZ Brat in Tokyo.
[17]
Kago's first jazz album,
Ai Kago meets Jazz: The First Door
, was released on March 31, 2010 through
P-Vine Records
and
Avex Marketing
.
[18]
In August 2010 she was invited to perform at music festival
Summer Sonic
.
[19]
2011?present: Personal struggles and Girls Beat!!
[
edit
]
Throughout the second half of 2010, Kago became unhappy with the direction of her work. Around the same time, she began dating restaurant owner Haruhiko Ando, who acted as an in-between for her agency and herself. Since beginning a relationship with Ando, Kago cancelled several jobs at the last minute, causing her agency to suspend her activities. Despite this, she participated in a live performance and opened a separate blog without permission.
[20]
Kago parted ways with R&A Promotions in November 2010 despite her contract ending in March 2013. As a response, in 2011, Kazuyuki Ito, president of Mainstream (an associate of R&A Promotions), declared that the agency planned on suing for
¥100 million
in damages for contract violations.
[21]
During that time, Kago's career was also derailed by her personal life.
After spending 2012 out of the public eye with the birth of her daughter, Minami, Kago transferred to a new agency in 2013. Planning to revive her music career, she formed an idol group, which was later named Girls Beat!! The group would be crowd-sourced using lyrics, music, and costume ideas submitted by fans.
[22]
Remi Kita and Ryona Himeno were recruited as the other two members after passing the auditions.
Girls Beat!! released their first single, "Sekai Seifuku" on July 22, 2014. Their activities were abruptly put on hold when an arrest warrant was put out for Ando in October on suspicions of loaning money at illegal interest rates.
[23]
Kago later filed for divorce, planning to continue activities once the divorce was finalized.
[24]
Although Kago was eventually successful in doing so,
[25]
in August 2015, her contract with her agency expired,
[26]
though she continued activities with Girls Beat!! in November. On February 29, 2016, she graduated from the group.
[27]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Public image
[
edit
]
During Kago's years in Mini-Moni, she was known for keeping her hair in curled twin tails. Manga artist
Arina Tanemura
used her hairstyle as inspiration for Mitsuki Koyama, the main character of
Full Moon o Sagashite
.
[28]
[29]
Her official nickname in Hello! Project was "Aibon."
[30]
[3]
Kago and Tsuji shared the world record for the largest
hula hoop
spun at 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) in diameter.
[31]
They set their record on January 1, 2004, during a live New Year's Day television special at
Nippon Television Network
, Tokyo, Japan. The record appeared in the 2005 and 2006 editions of the
Guinness Book of World Records
before it was broken by
Ashrita Furman
in September 2005.
Relationships and family
[
edit
]
During Kago's house arrest in 2006, her parents divorced.
[9]
In 2009, Kago was involved in a relationship with actor Hidejiro Mizumoto. Mizumoto's wife, Asato, sued them both, stating that she had proof of the affair and that it was the cause for her pending divorce.
[32]
On May 24, 2009, a family court found in Asato's favor and ordered Mizumoto to hand over his home in Kumamoto and his car to Asato as well as
¥300,000
in child support every month for his three children.
[33]
Shukan Josei
reported in 2010 that Kago was romantically linked to model Takeshi Mikawai. Her agency released a statement claiming that while they dated, they were not a couple.
[34]
Kago began dating Haruhiko Ando, a restaurant owner in
Roppongi
, in August 2010,
[35]
who acted as an in-between between her agency and herself.
[20]
In September 2011, Ando was arrested for alleged extortion and claiming to have connections with the
yakuza
.
[35]
[36]
[37]
Kago had been taken in for questioning.
[38]
In the same month, Kago was rushed to a nearby hospital after agency officials found her on the floor of her apartment with cuts to her wrists.
[39]
Her life was reported to be not in danger, though there were speculations that it was a planned suicide.
[40]
[41]
Following the incident, she and Ando registered their marriage, and Kago became pregnant.
[42]
[4]
[43]
and he took on her family name, Kago.
[44]
From their marriage, Kago gave birth to her first child, Minami, on June 22, 2012.
[45]
The police issued an arrest warrant for Ando in October 2014 on suspicion of loaning money at illegal interest rates. This affected both Kago's career and image.
[23]
In 2015, Kago announced through her official blog that they were living separately and were in the process of working towards a divorce.
[24]
She attempted to file for divorce in April, but dropped charges due to insufficient funds. On June 9, Ando was arrested on domestic violence charges stemming from an incident on May 12 where he allegedly shoved and kicked Kago in their home in Roppongi, leaving her with injuries that took ten days to heal.
[44]
Kago agreed to drop all charges in exchange for divorce,
[46]
which was finalized later that month.
[25]
On August 8, 2016, Kago announced that she had married a 38-year-old beautician whose name was not disclosed to the public.
[47]
On September 23, 2016, she announced that she was pregnant with her second child.
[48]
On February 23, 2017, she announced on her blog that she gave birth her second child,
[49]
a boy named Yoshitsugu.
[50]
Discography
[
edit
]
Singles
Release date
|
Title
|
Oricon Singles Charts
|
Album
|
Peak Positions
|
Sales
|
Daily
|
Weekly
|
Yearly
|
Debut
|
Overall
|
June 24, 2009
|
"no hesitAtIon"
[51]
|
26
|
52
|
?
|
1757
|
?
|
?
|
Albums
- AI KAGO meets JAZZ (March 31, 2010
P-Vine
)
Compilations
- Kirakira Majocco Cluv
(
キラキラ 魔女ッ娘 Cluv
)
(Various Artists, February 10, 2010
P-Vine
)
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
2001
|
Mini-Moni Yaru no da Pyon!
|
Aibon
|
Voice in anime
[4]
|
2002
|
Angel Hearts
|
|
|
Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho
(
こちら本池上署
)
|
Yumi Shiina
|
|
2003
|
Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho 2
(
こちら本池上署
)
|
Yumi Shiina
|
|
Mini-Moni the TV
|
Aibon
|
Voice in anime
[4]
|
2004
|
Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho 3
(
こちら本池上署
)
|
Yumi Shiina
|
|
Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho 4
(
こちら本池上署
)
|
Yumi Shiina
|
|
Mini Moni
's
Town Musicians of Bremen
(
ミニモニ。でブレ?メンの音?隊
)
|
Hinako Niwa
|
|
2005
|
Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho 5
(
こちら本池上署
)
|
Yumi Shiina
|
|
2008
|
Tonsure
(
トンスラ
)
|
Mai Kurume
|
ep3,6,11?12
|
Nihonshi Suspence Gekij?
(
日本史サスペンス劇場
)
|
Princess Sen
|
|
2009
|
Ikemen Shin Sobaya Tantei
(
イケ?新そば屋探偵
)
|
Masuyo Urami
|
ep3
|
Publications
[
edit
]
Books
[
edit
]
Title
|
Release date
|
Publisher
ISBN
|
Notes
|
Kago Ai Live?Miseinen Hakusho
(
LIVE?未成年白書
)
[53]
|
August 25, 2008
|
Media Kreis
ISBN
978-4-7788-0338-4
|
Photobooks
[
edit
]
DVDs
[
edit
]
Title
|
Release date
|
Publisher
|
Notes
|
Kago Channel (DVD) (Vol.1)
[54]
|
November 28, 2008
|
avex trax
|
|
Kago Channel (DVD) (Vol.2)
[55]
|
December 19, 2008
|
avex trax
|
|
Gekkan Kago Ai ? marionnette
[56]
|
February 20, 2009
|
E-net Frontier
|
|
Micchaku Kago Ai
[57]
|
February 20, 2009
|
E-net Frontier
|
Originally released exclusively to
Lawson convenience stores
,
Nationwide release July 30, 2009
|
Kago Ai VS. FRIDAY (DVD)
(
加護?依 VS. FRIDAY
)
|
October 25, 2009
|
GP Museum Soft
|
|
LOS ANGELES
|
March 25, 2010
|
Air Control
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
"加護?依のプロフィ?ル"
[Ai Kago's profile].
Oricon
(in Japanese).
Archived
from the original on February 7, 2022
. Retrieved
January 20,
2020
.
- ^
"加護?依 ORICON STYLE"
(in Japanese). Oricon.
Archived
from the original on January 13, 2023
. Retrieved
June 17,
2017
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Campion, Chris (August 21, 2005).
"J-Pop's dream factory"
.
The Guardian
.
Archived
from the original on June 14, 2013
. Retrieved
August 23,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Loo, Egan (December 20, 2011).
"Former Morning Musume Ai Kago Reveals Marriage, Pregnancy"
.
Anime News Network
.
Archived
from the original on August 23, 2019
. Retrieved
August 23,
2019
.
- ^
Hello! Project (February 10, 2006).
『W 加護?依』についてのお知らせとお?び
(in Japanese). Up-Front Agency. Archived from
the original
on February 20, 2006.
- ^
a
b
Yuukichi Kawaguchi (March 26, 2007).
加護?依 一部報道記事について
(in Japanese). Up-Front Agency. Archived from
the original
on April 3, 2007.
- ^
"Official Friday Magazine website"
(in Japanese). Archived from
the original
on February 25, 2007.
- ^
"Kago Ai is back! Friday interview"
. Hello!Online. February 22, 2007. Archived from
the original
on August 10, 2007.
- ^
a
b
c
O'Connell, Ryan (April 22, 2008).
"Ex-Morning Musume star Ai Kago blazing a trail back to top (using a cigarette lighter)"
.
Mainichi Shimbun
. Archived from
the original
on April 21, 2008.
- ^
"Aibon, What Would Your Mother Say?"
. August 25, 2007. Archived from
the original
on September 29, 2007
. Retrieved
August 27,
2007
.
- ^
"
Josei Seven
interview with Ai Kago's mother"
(in Japanese).
Archived
from the original on August 24, 2007
. Retrieved
August 27,
2007
.
- ^
"Kago Ai Official Blog: Translations 2008.04.25 ? 2008.04.27 ? Hello!Online"
. Hello-online.org.
Archived
from the original on February 15, 2012
. Retrieved
January 2,
2012
.
- ^
"Kago Ai new video interview!"
. Hello!Online. April 6, 2008. Archived from
the original
on April 9, 2008
. Retrieved
April 8,
2008
.
- ^
"Ai Kago and entertainment activities to resume"
(in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. April 6, 2008. Archived from
the original
on April 10, 2008
. Retrieved
April 8,
2008
.
- ^
"Kago Ai Official Blog: Translations 2008.07.11 ? 2008.07.14 ? Hello!Online"
. Hello-online.org.
Archived
from the original on February 15, 2012
. Retrieved
January 2,
2012
.
- ^
"あいぼん待望のソロシングル「no hesitAtIon」??"
. Natalie.mu. June 2, 2009.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
July 14,
2013
.
- ^
"加護?依ジャズライブ、?を浮かべ熱唱"
. Nikkansports.com. February 17, 2010.
Archived
from the original on January 13, 2023
. Retrieved
July 14,
2013
.
- ^
"?天ブックス: AI KAGO meets JAZZ -The first door- ? 加護?依 ? 4995879510292 : CD"
. Rakuten.co.jp.
Archived
from the original on October 29, 2013
. Retrieved
July 14,
2013
.
- ^
"ナタリ? ? サマソニ第14?は星野源、おおはた雄一、加護?依ら"
.
Natalie
. June 25, 2010.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
July 14,
2013
.
- ^
a
b
熱愛&移籍宣言の加護?依に事務所は困惑
.
Nittere News 24
(in Japanese). June 7, 2011. Archived from
the original
on August 22, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
Casey Lee (December 7, 2011).
"Kago Ai sued by agency"
.
Yahoo! News Singapore
.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
August 5,
2016
.
- ^
加護?依、ユニット結成。再スタ?トしたい
.
Nittere News 24
(in Japanese). October 7, 2013. Archived from
the original
on August 22, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
"Girls Beat!! Suspends Activities After Police Issue Arrest Warrant For Group Member's Husband"
.
Jpopasia.com
. October 27, 2014.
Archived
from the original on April 9, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
元モ?娘。加護?依が離婚へ 夫と別居で協議中
.
Oricon
(in Japanese). April 3, 2015.
Archived
from the original on April 2, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
加護?依、ブログで離婚を報告「ゆっくり前へ」
.
Oricon
(in Japanese). August 9, 2015.
Archived
from the original on June 30, 2022
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
加護?依、フリ?に…事務所との契約?了
.
Nittere News 24
(in Japanese). August 6, 2015. Archived from
the original
on August 22, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
加護?依、アイドルユニットを卒業 ?退理由には年?も
.
Oricon
(in Japanese). October 5, 2016.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
October 6,
2016
.
- ^
Carlo Santos (August 5, 2007).
"Interview: Arina Tanemura"
. Anime News Network.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
February 15,
2008
.
- ^
Tanemura, Arina
(July 5, 2005). "Mitsuki's Case: Character Introduction sidebar".
Full Moon, Volume 1
. Full Moon O Sagashite. San Francisco:
Viz Media
. p. 27.
ISBN
978-1-59116-928-4
.
Mitsuki Koyama: Her hairstyle was taken from Ai Kago of Morning Musume.
- ^
加護?依、?希美&矢口?里でのミニモニ。特別復活に言及
.
Model Press
(in Japanese). February 15, 2018.
Archived
from the original on August 30, 2018
. Retrieved
August 29,
2018
.
- ^
Guinness World Records 2005
. 2004. p. 108.
- ^
加護?依"不倫相手"前妻から慰謝料請求
.
Sports Nippon
(in Japanese). March 9, 2009. Archived from
the original
on March 9, 2009.
- ^
加護との浮?の代償…元妻に"高額授業料"
.
Sports Nippon
(in Japanese). May 25, 2010. Archived from
the original
on May 27, 2009.
- ^
"Ex-Morning Musume member, Kago Ai's new boyfriend is a MEN's NON-NO model?"
. Tokyohive. October 31, 2010.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
August 5,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Rheus Wai Soh See (September 7, 2011).
"The Yakuza Connection?"
.
Yahoo! News Singapore
.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
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2016
.
- ^
加護の「?人」と報じられた男が恐喝未遂
.
Sankei Sports
(in Japanese). September 7, 2011. Archived from
the original
on September 26, 2011.
- ^
暴力?名で恐喝未遂の疑い 逮捕の男否認
.
Nikkei.com
(in Japanese). September 7, 2011.
Archived
from the original on March 19, 2012
. Retrieved
January 2,
2012
.
- ^
[1]
Archived
September 4, 2023, at the
Wayback Machine
TV Asahi
ANN News, September 8, 2011
- ^
Brian Ashcraft (September 12, 2011).
"For This Idol, Life Sounds More Like Rhythm Hell"
.
Kotaku
.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
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加護?依さんが自殺未遂? 自宅で手首切る
.
MSN Sankei News
(in Japanese). September 11, 2011. Archived from
the original
on September 11, 2011.
- ^
自殺?った加護さん、都?の病院を退院
.
Nittere News 24
(in Japanese). September 17, 2011.
Archived
from the original on August 3, 2018
. Retrieved
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加護?依電?!結婚&妊娠報告「見守って」
.
Nittere News 24
(in Japanese). December 21, 2011. Archived from
the original
on August 22, 2016
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
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"Ai Kago Official Blog (in Japanese)"
. Diamondblog.jp. December 21, 2011.
Archived
from the original on January 7, 2012
. Retrieved
January 2,
2012
.
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a
b
"Husband of former J-pop singer Ai Kago arrested for alleged domestic violence"
.
Japan Times
. June 10, 2015.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
August 6,
2016
.
- ^
"Ai Kago Official Blog (in Japanese)"
. Diamondblog.jp. June 22, 2012.
Archived
from the original on June 24, 2012
. Retrieved
June 22,
2012
.
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"Ai Kago Drops Domestic Violence Charges Against Husband in Exchange For Divorce"
. Jpopasia. July 1, 2015.
Archived
from the original on August 11, 2015
. Retrieved
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.
- ^
加護?依、38?一般男性と再婚 美容?係の?社??者
(in Japanese).
Oricon
. August 8, 2016.
Archived
from the original on January 13, 2023
. Retrieved
September 13,
2016
.
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加護?依、再婚後初ライブで妊娠報告「しばらくは妊婦さんです」
(in Japanese).
Oricon
. September 23, 2016.
Archived
from the original on November 24, 2016
. Retrieved
September 25,
2016
.
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"Kago Ai gives birth to healthy baby boy"
. Tokyohive. February 23, 2017.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2023
. Retrieved
February 27,
2021
.
- ^
Ai Kago (February 27, 2017).
息子の名前
(in Japanese). Ameba Blogs.
Archived
from the original on March 1, 2017
. Retrieved
August 22,
2017
.
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"no hesitAtIon"
(in Japanese). In da Groove.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2016
. Retrieved
May 21,
2009
.
- ^
"加護?依、調子にのるイケメン俳優を「バッカじゃないの!」とバッサリ!"
.
Cinema Today
(in Japanese). December 5, 2009.
Archived
from the original on September 9, 2021
. Retrieved
September 9,
2021
.
- ^
Kago Ai LIVE ~Kago Ai no Miseinen Hakusho
Archived
February 3, 2016, at the
Wayback Machine
Listing on Amazon.co.jp
- ^
Kago Channel (DVD) (Vol.1)
Archived
February 3, 2016, at the
Wayback Machine
Listing on Amazon.co.jp
- ^
Kago Channel (DVD) (Vol.2)
Archived
February 3, 2016, at the
Wayback Machine
Listing on Amazon.co.jp
- ^
Gekkan Kago Ai ? marionnette
Archived
February 3, 2016, at the
Wayback Machine
Listing on Amazon.co.jp
- ^
Micchaku Kago Ai
Archived
June 4, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
Listing on Amazon.co.jp
External links
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]
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