There is a lot to like about "intelligent idol" Chisato Moritaka. Unlike most idols, she writes many of her own songs, and plays drums, guitar, accordion and piano, as well as producing her own records. Her favorite artist is the Beatles, and her melodic songs often have a Beatles-esque flavor to them, making them popular choice for karaoke. Add to these attributes the fact that she is utterly gorgeous, in a sexy yet very wholesome sort of way, and you have something approaching the...

There is a lot to like about "intelligent idol" Chisato Moritaka. Unlike most idols, she writes many of her own songs, and plays drums, guitar, accordion and piano, as well as producing her own records. Her favorite artist is the Beatles, and her melodic songs often have a Beatles-esque flavor to them, making them popular choice for karaoke. Add to these attributes the fact that she is utterly gorgeous, in a sexy yet very wholesome sort of way, and you have something approaching the perfect star. Moritaka was born April 11, 1969 in Osaka, but largely raised in Kumamoto, one of the larger cities on the southern island of Kyushu. Besides learning musical instruments from an early age, she was also very athletic, and is said to be a strong runner and swimmer. Her first break into the entertainment world came in 1986 as a model, when she was chosen to serve as the "image girl" for the popular beverage Pocari Sweat. She made her singing debut in May, 1987 with the album New Season. The title track was used as the theme to the Taku Shinjo directed movie Aitsu ni Koi Shite. In 1988 she released two albums Miha and Miteand the mini-album Romantic, and also made her first national tour, dubbed the Get Smile tour. The track "Miha" was the first song she had written on her own. In 1989 she released the album Hi-Jitsuryokusha Sengen and had one of her biggest hit singles, entitled "17 sai" (seventeen years old), a cover of a song by 70s idol Minami Saori, which has now become something of standard in Japanese pop music. 1989 was also the year of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation, along with a new quasi-military look. Perhaps influenced by this, Moritaka was often photographed around this time in a brocade-adorned military jacket, complemented with a pleated mini-skirt and high heels - a look which has become a standard cosplay template. This was perhaps the peak of her sexy idol days. A Chisato Moritaka doll, sporting this look, became a best seller. With interest in the leggy singer booming, a long line of advertisers formed, and the companies that have used Moritaka and/or her music in their advertising include many of the biggest names in consumer products including Pioneer, Asahi Breweries, ANA, Suntory, Meiji, Glico, Kanebo, Kirin, Kanebo and Toyota. Her leggy good looks also help make her videos popular, and she has released at least 15 DVDs, most of them documenting her tours. Her first greatest hits CD collection The Best Selection of First Moritaka was released in 1999. While perhaps destined to always be thought of as an idol, Moritaka has downplayed her legs and looks since the 90s, and seems to want to be taken more seriously as an artist, while still retaining her sense of humor. One of her more popular 90s songs was 1992's "Watashi ga Obasan ni Nattemo", which lyrically resembles the Beatles "When I'm Sixty-Four", and is likewise popular at weddings. She later did a cover version of the rarely covered the Beatles track "Everybody's Got Something To hide Except Me and My Monkey". In 1992 and 1993, Moritaka toured heavily and successfully. However she developed problems with her jaw, impacting her ability to sing, and as a result she cancelled plans for a tour in 1994. She came back in August, 1995 to attend a charity event for the Hanshin earthquake victims, where she met her future husband, actor Eguchi Yosuke. They wed in 1999, and remain happily married with two children. Since getting married and having children, Moritaka has gone into semi-retirement, but has not dropped out of show business completely, recently appearing in a TV commercial for curry with her husband.