Rino Sashihara

is a Japanese music producer, television personality, and entrepreneur. She is best known as the producer of the girl groups =Love, ≠Me, and ≒Joy, and as a former member of girl groups HKT48, AKB48, and STU48. She holds the record for winning the annual AKB48 Group General Elections four times. She was also chairperson of the Tokyo Idol Festival from 2017 to 2021.

Sashihara joined AKB48 in 2007, and in 2011 became a member of its subgroup Not Yet, which released several singles as a separate unit. She was transferred to HKT48 in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 2012, where she became theater manager in 2013. 2017 marked several major milestones of her career, as she became a founding member and theater manager of STU48; won the AKB48 Group General Elections for the fourth time; and became chairperson of the Tokyo Idol Festival. She left HKT48 in 2019, and has since produced two sister groups to =Love: ≠Me (Not Equal Me) in 2019 and ≒Joy (Nearly Equal Joy) in 2022.

Aside from music production, Sashihara is a prominent variety television personality, as well as co-founder and producer of the cosmetic brand and the contact lens brand Topards.

Career 2007–2012: AKB48 In October 2007, Sashihara was accepted as a trainee for the 5th generation of AKB48. She was promoted to a regular member of Team B in August 2008. Her first title track single was "Ōgoe Diamond", released in October of that year. She placed 27th in the 2009 AKB48 Group General Elections, where fans voted for the members to be included in the singer lineups for the next AKB48 single, and was assigned to the "Under Girls" lineup, who would perform on the first B-side singles. She remained in that position for subsequent single releases until the 2010 General Elections, where she placed 19th and was assigned to the primary group, known as , who perform the title track. In August 2009, AKB48 announced that she would transfer to Team A, although the transfer did not occur until July 2010.

On December 4, 2010, Sashihara attempted to upload 100 articles in a day on her official blog, with the number of page views reaching 35 million on the same day.

In January 2011, Sashihara starred in a half-hour television program titled , broadcast by TBS, which features her persona. The program was subtitled .

Sashihara starred in the NTV4 drama Muse no Kagami starting on January 14, 2012. She sang the theme song, "Soredemo Suki Da yo", which was released as her debut solo single on May 2 on the major record label Avex Trax.

Sashihara produced the idol festival Yubi Matsuri, held at Nippon Budokan on June 25 and featuring girl groups such as Momoiro Clover Z, Idoling!!!, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, Super Girls, Tokyo Girls' Style, Passpo and Watarirouka Hashiritai 7.

2012–2017: Transition to HKT48, four-time AKB48 Group General Elections winner On June 16, 2012, Sashihara was transferred to HKT48 after the tabloid Shukan Bunshun published an interview with a man who claimed to have had an intimate relationship with her. She stated in response that the man was "just a friend" and that the story was completely false. Four days later, she had a panic attack onstage, and hyperventilated due to the stress. She debuted at the HKT48 Theater as a member of HKT48 Team H on July 5, 2012.

Sashihara released her second solo single, "Ikujinashi Masquerade", on October 17, 2012. The single reached number one on the Oricon Weekly chart, becoming the third solo single by an AKB48 member to reach that milestone.

In 2013, Sashihara assumed the position of HKT48 co-manager and theater manager, while continuing to be a member of HKT48 Team H. Her promotion was seen by some in the media as a confirmation of producer Yasushi Akimoto's intention to grant her a role in the management of the group due to her production skills, something he had been hinting at since as early as 2010. She produced SKE48 member Kaori Matsumura's first solo single "Matsumurabu", with free rein over costume design, lyrics writing, music video direction, as well as choice of music and instrumental arrangement.

Also in 2013, Sashihara won the annual AKB48 Group General Elections for the first time with 150,570 votes, beating previous year winner Yuko Oshima's 136,503 votes and prompting a number of subsequent reprints. The book was based on a series of interviews with Sashihara and recollects various periods of her life and career. It was widely advertised by the media as a self-improvement volume recommended for working adults.

After taking second place to Mayu Watanabe in 2014, Sashihara won the AKB48 Group General Elections three years in a row with a total of 194,049 votes in 2015, 243,011 votes in 2016, and 246,376 votes in 2017. She opted out of the 2018 Elections, which would be the last such event to be held.

In 2017, Sashihara announced the audition for voice actress idols on April 29 and started producing the idol group =Love (Equal Love), consisting of voice actresses from the Yoyogi Animation Academy. In February, she became member and theater manager of the newly founded STU48, and resigned on November 25 to focus on HKT48. She also became chairperson of the annual Tokyo Idol Festival, she would hold this position until she was succeeded by Neru Nagahama in 2021.

2017–present: Idol production and other business ventures On December 15, 2018, Sashihara announced that she would depart from HKT48. Her "graduation" concert, titled "Sashihara Rino Graduation Concert ~Sayonara, Sashihara Rino~", was held on April 28, 2019, three days before Japan's transition to the Reiwa era; she commented that she wanted to "do [her] best as an idol" until the very end of the Heisei era.

Sashihara launched ≠Me (Not Equal Me) in 2019 and ≒Joy (Nearly Equal Joy) in 2022 as sister groups to =Love. She won the Lyrics Award in the 67th Japan Record Awards for the =Love song "Tokubechu, Shite" in 2025.

Sashihara is co-founder and producer of the cosmetic brand , founded in 2022 in collaboration with talent agency Twin Planet and cosmetics manufacturer Koji Honpo, and the contact lens brand Topards. and @cosme in 2025.

AKB48 General Election placements

Sashihara's placements in AKB48's annual general election: Edition Year Final rank Number of votes Position on single Single Ref. 1 2009 27 1,170 Undergirls "Tobenai Agehachou (B-side on "Iiwake Maybe") 2 2010 19 6,704 Senbatsu "Heavy Rotation" 3 2011 9 45,227 Media Senbatsu "Flying Get" 4 2012 4 67,339 Senbatsu "Gingham Check" 5 2013 1 150,570 Center "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" 6 2014 2 141,954 Senbatsu "Kokoro no Placard" 7 2015 1 194,049 Center "Halloween Night" 8 2016 1 243,011 Center "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" 9 2017 1 246,376 Center "#SukiNanda"

Discography

Solo singles Year Title Chart position Oricon sales BillboardJapanHot100* RIAJDigitalTrackChart* Firstweek Total 2012 "Soredemo Suki Da yo" 2 1 6 124,483 151,724 "Ikujinashi Masquerade" 1 4 68,403 85,798 with Anrire (Rina Kawaei, Rena Katō, Anna Iriyama)

RIAJ Digital Track Chart was established in April 2009 and discontinued in July 2012.

Singles with HKT48

Year Title Role Notes 2013 "Suki! Suki! Skip!" A-side Also sang on "Onegai Valentine", "Ima ga Ichiban" and "Seifuku no Bambi" "Melon Juice" A-side Also sang on "Doro no Metronome" and "Namioto no Orugoru" 2014 "Sakura, Minnade Tabeta" A-side Also sang on "Kimi wa Doushite?", "Kidoku Suru" with Team H and "Kimino Kotoga Sukiyaken" "Hikaeme I Love You!" A-side Also sang on "Idol no Ouja" with Team H 2015 "12 Byō" A-side Also sang on "Rock Da yo, Jinsei wa..." and "Chameleon Joshikōsei" with Team H "Shekarashika!" A-side Also sang on "Tasogare no Tandem" and "Buddy" with Team H 2016 "74 Okubun no 1 no Kimi e" A-side Also sang on "Chain of love" "Saikō Kayo" A-side Also sang on "Yume Hitotsu" and "Yozora no Tsuki o Nomikomou" with Team H 2017 "Bagutte Iijan" A-side, Center Also sang on "Hitsuzenteki Koibito" and "HKT48 Family" "Kiss wa Matsushikanai no Deshōka?" A-side 2018 "Hayaokuri Calendar" A-side Also sang on "Kisetsu no Sei ni Shitaku wa nai" 2019 "Ishi" A-side, Center Graduation single. Also sang on "Dare Yori Te wo Furou" and "Itsudatte Soba ni Iru" (graduation song)

Singles with AKB48

Year No. Title Role Notes 2008 10 "Oogoe Diamond" A-side Debut in Team B. 2009 11 "10nen Sakura" A-side Also sang on "Sakurairo no Sora no Shita de". 12 "Namida Surprise!" A-side Also sang on "Shonichi" as Team B. 13 "Iiwake Maybe" Under Girls Did not sing on title track. Ranked 27th in 2009 General Election. Sang on "Tobenai Agehachō". 14 "River" Under Girls Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara". 2010 15 "Sakura no Shiori" Team Young Jump Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Choose Me!" as Team Young Jump. Debut in Team A. 16 "Ponytail to Shushu" Under Girls Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nusumareta Kuchibiru" and "Majijo Teppen Blues". 17 "Heavy Rotation" A-side Ranked 19th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters" as Yasai Sisters and "Lucky Seven". 18 "Beginner" A-side 19 "Chance no Junban" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Yoyakushita Christmas", and on "Kurumi to Dialogue" as Team A. 2011 20 "Sakura no Ki ni Narou" A-side – "Dareka no Tame ni – What can I do for someone?" – Charity single 21 "Everyday, Katyusha" A-side Also sang on "Korekara Wonderland" and "Yankee Soul" 22 "Flying Get" A-side Ranked 9th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Seishun to Kizukanai Mama" and "Yasai Uranai" as Yasai Sisters. 23 "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" A-side 24 "Ue kara Mariko" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Noël no Yoru", and "Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai" as Team A. 2012 25 "Give Me Five!" A-side (Baby Blossom), Selection 6 A-side single group was called Baby Blossom, where she played trombone. She also sang on "Sweet & Bitter" as Selection 6. 26 "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" A-side Also sang on "Chōdai, Darling!" 27 "Gingham Check" A-side Ranked 4th in 2012 General Election. Participated from HKT48 Team H. 28 "Uza" A-side 29 "Eien Pressure" B-side Did not sing on title track. Sang "Hatsukoi Butterfly" as HKT48. 2013 30 "So Long!" A-side 31 "Sayonara Crawl" A-side Also sang on "Hasute to Wasute" as BKA48. 32 "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" A-side, Center Ranked 1st in 2013 General Election. Also sang on "Namida no Sei Janai" and "Saigo no Door". 33 "Heart Electric" A-side In main lineup with the nickname Rola. 34 "Suzukake no Ki no Michi de "Kimi no Hohoemi o Yume ni Miru" to Itte Shimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa Dō Kawatte Shimau no ka, Bokunari ni Nannichi ka Kangaeta Ue de no Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no Yō na Mono" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Mosh & Dive". Sang on "Wink wa Sankai" as HKT48. 2014 35 "Mae Shika Mukanee" A-side 36 "Labrador Retriever" A-side Also sang on "Kyou Made no Melody". 37 "Kokoro no Placard" A-side Ranked 2nd in AKB48 6th General Elections. 38 "Kibouteki Refrain" A-side 2015 39 "Green Flash" A-side Also sang "Hakimono to Kasa no Monogatari" and "Otona Ressha" as HKT48.. 40 "Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai" A-side Also sang "Kimi ni Dai-ni shou". 41 "Halloween Night" A-side, Center Ranked 1st in 2015 General Election.Also sang "Ippome Ondo". 42 "Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby" A-side Minami Takahashi's graduation single. Also sang "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki" and "Senaka Kotoba".2016 43 "Kimi wa Melody" A-side Also sang "Mazariau Mono", "Make Noise" as HKT48 and center. 44 "Tsubasa wa Iranai" A-side Also sang 45 "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" A-side, Center Ranked 1st in 2016 General Election. Also sang on "Hikari to Kage no Hibi". 46 "High Tension" A-side Haruka Shimazaki's graduation single.2017 47 "Shoot Sign" A-side Haruna Kojima's graduation single. Also sang on "Tomaranai Kanransha" as HKT48. 48 "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" A-side Also sang on "Ima Para" as center and "Setouchi no Koe" as STU48. 49 "Sukinanda" A-side, Center Ranked 1st in 2017 General Election. 50 "11gatsu no Anklet" A-side Mayu Watanabe's graduation single.2018 51 "Jabaja" A-side Also sang on "Buttaoreru Made" as HKT48 and WCenter with Miyawaki Sakura. 52 "Teacher Teacher" A-side Also sang on "Kimi wa Boku no Kaze" as Center Exam Senbatsu. 54 "No Way Man" A-side2019 55 "Jiwaru Days" A-side, Center Graduation single. Also sang on "Watashi Datte Idol!"(graduation song) and "Hitsuzensei" as IZ4648.2025 66 "Oh My Pumpkin!" A-side Anniversary single

Albums with AKB48 Kamikyokutachi "Kimi to Niji to Taiyō to" Koko ni Ita Koto "Shōjotachi yo" "Overtake" "Kaze no Yukue" "Koko ni Ita Koto" 1830m "First Rabbit" "Ren'ai Sōsenkyo" "Abogado Ja nē Shi..." "Itterasshai" "Aozora yo Sabishikunai Ka?" Tsugi no Ashiato "After Rain" "Boy Hunt no Houhou Oshiemasu" Koko ga Rhodes da, Koko de Tobe! "Setsunai Reply" "Ai no Sonzai" 0 to 1 no Aida "Yasashiku Aritai"

Performance groups Team B 3rd Stage (after Ayaka Kikuchi's graduation) Team K 4th Stage Team A 4th Stage "Faint" Kenkyūsei "Faint" Team B 4th Stage

Team Kenkyūsei

Theatre G-Posso "Confession" Team A 6th Stage

Team H 1st Stage "Glory Days"

Team H Waiting Stage

Himawari-gumi

Team H 2nd Stage

Team H 3rd Stage

Appearances

Music videos Title Director Notes "Soredemo Suki Da yo" "Ikujinashi Masquerade" (Kawaei Rina Center ver.) "Ikujinashi Masquerade" (Theater Edition Muse's Mirror ver.)

Films Muse no Kagami (2012), Maki Mukouda Kodomo Keisatsu (2013), Rino Makihara I'll Give It My All... Tomorrow (2013), Aya Unami Barairo no Būko (2014), Sachiko (Būko) Crayon Shin-Chan: My Moving Story! Cactus Large Attack! (2015), Sumaho-chan (voice) One Piece: Stampede (2019), Anne (voice) Goodbye, Don Glees! (2022), Mako Kamogawa (voice)

Dubbing Hop (2011), Pink Berets

TV dramas Majisuka Gakuen (TV Tokyo, 2010), Wota Dr.Irabu Ichirō (TV Asahi, 2011), herself Majisuka Gakuen 2 (TV Tokyo, 2011), Wota Muse no Kagami (NTV, 2012), Maki Mukouda Fukuoka Renai Hakusho (KBC, 2012), Kaori Kodomo Keisatsu Episode 6 (MBS, 2012), Rino Makihara Megutantte Mahō Tsukaeru no? Episode 6 (NTV, 2012), Maki Mukouda Yūsha Yoshihiko to Akuryō no Kagi Episode 9 (TV Tokyo, 2012), Eliza Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi Natsu no Tokubetsuhen 2013 "Ugomeku Ningyō" (Fuji TV, 2013), Rina Sonoda Tenmasan ga Yuku Episode 5 (TBS, 2013), Miyoko Oshimizu Majisuka Gakuen 4 Episode 1 (Nippon TV, 2015), Scandal Koinaka Episode 9 (Fuji TV, 2015) Majisuka Gakuen 0: Kisarazu Rantōhen Episode 1 (Nippon Television, 2015), Ageman AKB Horror Night: Adrenaline's Night Ep.31 – Another Meeting Person (TV Asashi, 2016), Sayaka AKB Love Night: Love Factory Ep.19 – Italian String (TV Asashi, 2016), Akiko