Marina Watanabe (渡辺満里奈) born November 18, 1970, is a Japanese actress, sing… Read Full Bio ↴Marina Watanabe (渡辺満里奈) born November 18, 1970, is a Japanese actress, singer, and TV personality. She was born in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan and is currently married to Japanese comedian Jun Nagura. She is a former Japanese idol who is now particularly famous in her country for her books and TV shows that express her widely-regarded sophisticated sense for fashion, travel, and personal health.

Watanabe was born and raised within the Tokyo area. It is said that her father named her daughter "Marina", a rather unusual name for Japanese girls at the time, because he enjoyed yachting.

In 1986, she was discovered by star agents, and subsequently passed her audition tests to become an idol in the same year. Soon after, she became a member of the now-legendary idol group Onyanko Club (Onyanko Club). It was during her time within the group that she made her debut. Her solo debut song "Shinkokyuu Shite" became a number one song on the Oricon charts, and later got her in the record books for setting the record for the youngest singer to have a number 1 Oricon hit (a record that stood for 15 years until it was broken by a member of Morning Musume in 2001). She was 15 years old at the time.

After the group was disbanded, Watanabe continued to participate in various variety shows as a singer. Initially she used mainstream idol clothing in her performances, however, because she decided to purchase her own clothes and design her performance style while abandoning traditional idol styles, she became even more popular. Later, she was found to have talent as a comedian, and thus she decided to take on more diverse roles such as that of a variety show announcer with a comedic yet sophisticated touch. It was from this period on that others started to notice that she was trying to hide or down-play the fact that she once was a member of an idol group.

Throughout the 1990s she continued to build broad networks within the subculture genre of Japan as both an announcer and celebrity, which eventually led to her rising popularity.

Currently, she is famous in Japan for her essays and books concerning her hobbies of fashion, travel, and personal health. She is known widely as a "Taiwan-know-all".

After marriage to her husband in 2005, her official name was changed to Nagura Marina, as she adopted her husband's surname. However, she continues to work under her maiden name.

My Song
渡辺満里奈 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

星座が空にちらかる真夜中
流れ星を待ってみるの
枝が抱いてる桜の花束
降り注いで季節は移る
誰ものせつない想いが
そっとわかる人になりたい
私の瞳夢に満ちてる
こんな広い空の下きっと逢える

星の片隅飾らないまま
見つめ合ってふたりして
歩いていける
悲しい気持ちどこか遠くまで
風にのせて運んでいって
どれだけナミダをためても
いつかそれを強さにしたい
幾千の星追いかけながら
大事な夢瞳に映して生きる
散る花びらにふるえる心
君以外にきっと誰も
わからないの

幾千の星追いかけながら
大事な夢瞳に映して生きる
君のもとへと伝わるように

私はそう私になる
明日のために

Overall Meaning

In the lyrics of 渡辺満里奈's song "My Song," the artist paints a vivid picture of a midnight scene where constellations are scattered across the sky, creating a serene and magical atmosphere. Amidst this setting, the singer waits for a shooting star, symbolizing hope and dreams. The mention of a bouquet of cherry blossoms held by branches implies a sense of beauty and transience, as the seasons change with the blossoms cascading down like a gentle rain. This imagery sets the stage for introspection and a longing for deeper connections with others.

The lyrics convey a desire to become someone who can empathize with and understand the subtle and melancholic feelings of others, to be a compassionate and perceptive individual. The singer's eyes are described as being filled with dreams, suggesting a sense of optimism and a belief in the possibility of encountering someone special beneath the vast sky. The mention of not adorning the corner of the stars signifies a raw and unfiltered connection, where two individuals can gaze into each other's eyes and walk forward together, united by their shared experiences and emotions.

As the song progresses, the theme of resilience and emotional strength emerges, as the singer expresses a willingness to let their sadness be carried away by the wind to distant places. The idea of transforming tears into a source of fortitude reflects a sense of hope and determination to overcome hardships. By chasing after thousands of stars and living with their precious dreams reflected in their eyes, the singer embraces a path of living authentically and cherishing the beauty of fleeting moments, symbolized by trembling hearts amidst falling cherry blossom petals.

The lyrics culminate in a poignant declaration of dedicating oneself to living out important dreams while chasing after countless stars. The desire to convey one's feelings to a significant other and to become the best version of oneself for the future signifies a journey of growth, self-discovery, and love. The song encapsulates themes of longing, resilience, empathy, and self-realization, inviting listeners to reflect on their own dreams and aspirations as they navigate the complexities of life's ever-changing seasons.

Line by Line Meaning

星座が空にちらかる真夜中
In the middle of the night when constellations scatter across the sky

流れ星を待ってみるの
I'll try waiting for shooting stars

枝が抱いてる桜の花束
The branches holding a bouquet of cherry blossoms

降り注いで季節は移る
The seasons change as the rain pours down

誰ものせつない想いが
Everyone's painful feelings

そっとわかる人になりたい
I wish to become someone who understands them quietly

私の瞳夢に満ちてる
My eyes are filled with dreams

こんな広い空の下きっと逢える
Under this vast sky, we will surely meet

星の片隅飾らないまま
Without embellishment, in the corner of a star

見つめ合ってふたりして
Gazing at each other, the two of us

歩いていける
We can keep walking forward