# Rino Sashihara

Rino Sashihara (指原 莉乃, Sashihara Rino, born November 21, 1992) is a Japanese tarento, singer, producer and actress. She is best known as a former member of idol groups HKT48, AKB48 and STU48, and was the theater manager for HKT48 and STU48. She was also a member of AKB48's unit Not Yet and is the producer of the idol groups =Love, ≠Me and ≒Joy.

## Career
### 2007–2012: AKB48

In October 2007, she auditioned and was chosen 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", in October of that year. She placed 27th in the popularity-driven 2009 General Election, where she was grouped with the "Under Girls", the ones who would perform on the first B-side singles. She remained in that position on the follow-up single releases until the following year, the 2010 General Election, where she placed 19th and was grouped with the main girls who sing on 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 "Although You Are Sashiko (This Program Is Totally Unrelated to AKB)" (さしこのくせに〜この番組はAKBとは全く関係ありません〜, Sashiko no Kuseni (Kono Bangumi wa AKB to wa Mattaku Kankei Arimasen)), broadcast by TBS, which features her hetare (ヘタレ, means somewhat cowardly, incompetent, impatient) character. The program was subtitled "A variety program to train Sashiko" (さしこ育成バラエティ, Sashiko Ikusei Variety).
Sashihara starred as the lead character in the NTV4 drama "Muse no Kagami" starting on January 14, 2012. She sings the theme song titled "Soredemo Suki Da yo", which was released as her debut solo single on May 2, on the major record label Avex Trax.
In April 2012, it was announced that Sashihara would produce Yubi Matsuri, an idol festival to be held at Nippon Budokan on June 25, 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

On June 16, 2012, Sashihara was demoted and transferred to HKT48, due to her involvement in a dating/sex scandal: the tabloid Shukan Bunshun published an interview with a man who allegedly dated and slept with Sashihara. She replied by saying that the man was "just a friend", and the story was completely false. On June 20, 2012, Sashihara had a panic attack onstage, and hyperventilated due to the stress. Sashihara debuted at the HKT48 Theater as a member of HKT48 Team H on July 5, 2012.
Sashihara released her second single, "Ikujinashi Masquerade", on October 17, 2012. The single reached number one on the Oricon Weekly chart, only the third solo single by an AKB48 member ever to do so.
In 2013 she assumed the position of HKT48 co-manager and theater manager, while continuing to be a member of HKT48 Team H. Sashihara's promotion was also seen by some as a confirmation of Yasushi Akimoto's wish to grant her a role in the management of the group because of her production skills, something he's been hinting at since as early as 2010.
In 2013 she would produce SKE48 member Kaori Matsumura's first solo single "Matsumurabu". Sashihara was given free reins over costume design, lyrics writing, PV direction, as well as choice of music and instrumental arrangement.
Sashihara received the most votes in AKB48's annual general election in 2013: with 150,570 votes she beat out Yuko Oshima, who received 136,503 votes.
In the wake of her mainstream popularity, on August 11, 2014, Sashihara's first autobiography, "Gyakuten-ryoku ~ Pinchi o Mate ~", was published by Koudansha, selling over 20,000 copies in its first week of release 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. The book was widely advertised by press as a self-improvement volume, whose reading was recommended to salarymen and OL, as well.
In 2015, Sashihara won AKB48's general election with a total of 194,049 votes, returning to the center position. In 2016, Sashihara won AKB48's general election with a total of 243,011 votes. In 2017, Sashihara won AKB48's general election with a total of 246,376 votes.
In 2017, she started the audition for voice actress idol competition on April 29. In the same year, she started producing Japanese idol group =LOVE (Equal Love). and that same year became member and theater manager of the newly founded STU48. She resigned from STU48 on November 25 to focus on HKT48.

### 2017–present

On December 15, 2018, she announced her graduation from HKT48. Her concert was then held on April 28, 2019, titled "Sashihara Rino Graduation Concert ~Sayonara, Sashihara Rino~". On February 12, 2019, she announced her second idol group ≠ME (Not Equal Me), a sister group to =LOVE.

## AKB48 General Election placements

Sashihara's placements in AKB48's annual general election:
| Edition | Year | Final rank | Number of votes | Position on single | Single |
| 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 | Chart position | Chart position | Oricon sales | Oricon sales | Notes |
| Year | Title | Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | Billboard Japan Hot 100* | RIAJ Digital Track Chart* | First week | Total | Notes |
| 2012 | "Soredemo Suki Da yo" | 2 | 1 | 6 | 124,483 | 151,724 | |
| 2012 | "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" |
| 2013 | "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" |
| 2014 | "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 |
| 2015 | "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" |
| 2016 | "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" |
| 2017 | "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". |
| 2009 | 12 | "Namida Surprise!" | A-side | Also sang on "Shonichi" as Team B. |
| 2009 | 13 | "Iiwake Maybe" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Ranked 27th in 2009 General Election. Sang on "Tobenai Agehachō". |
| 2009 | 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. |
| 2010 | 16 | "Ponytail to Shushu" | Under Girls | Did not sing on title track. Sang on "Nusumareta Kuchibiru" and "Majijo Teppen Blues". |
| 2010 | 17 | "Heavy Rotation" | A-side | Ranked 19th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters" as Yasai Sisters and "Lucky Seven". |
| 2010 | 18 | "Beginner" | A-side | |
| 2010 | 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 | |
| 2011 | – | "Dareka no Tame ni – What can I do for someone?" | – | Charity single |
| 2011 | 21 | "Everyday, Katyusha" | A-side | Also sang on "Korekara Wonderland" and "Yankee Soul" |
| 2011 | 22 | "Flying Get" | A-side | Ranked 9th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Seishun to Kizukanai Mama" and "Yasai Uranai" as Yasai Sisters. |
| 2011 | 23 | "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" | A-side | |
| 2011 | 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. |
| 2012 | 26 | "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" | A-side | Also sang on "Chōdai, Darling!" |
| 2012 | 27 | "Gingham Check" | A-side | Ranked 4th in 2012 General Election. Participated from HKT48 Team H. |
| 2012 | 28 | "Uza" | A-side | |
| 2012 | 29 | "Eien Pressure" | B-side | Did not sing on title track. Sang "Hatsukoi Butterfly" as HKT48. |
| 2013 | 30 | "So Long!" | A-side | |
| 2013 | 31 | "Sayonara Crawl" | A-side | Also sang on "Hasute to Wasute" as BKA48. |
| 2013 | 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". |
| 2013 | 33 | "Heart Electric" | A-side | In main lineup with the nickname Rola. |
| 2013 | 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 | |
| 2014 | 36 | "Labrador Retriever" | A-side | Also sang on "Kyou Made no Melody". |
| 2014 | 37 | "Kokoro no Placard" | A-side | Ranked 2nd in AKB48 6th General Elections. |
| 2014 | 38 | "Kibouteki Refrain" | A-side | |
| 2015 | 39 | "Green Flash" | A-side | Also sang "Hakimono to Kasa no Monogatari" and "Otona Ressha" as HKT48.. |
| 2015 | 40 | "Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai" | A-side | Also sang "Kimi ni Dai-ni shou". |
| 2015 | 41 | "Halloween Night" | A-side, Center | Ranked 1st in 2015 General Election. Also sang "Ippome Ondo". |
| 2015 | 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. |
| 2016 | 44 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | A-side | Also sang |
| 2016 | 45 | "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" | A-side, Center | Ranked 1st in 2016 General Election. Also sang on "Hikari to Kage no Hibi". |
| 2016 | 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. |
| 2017 | 48 | "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" | A-side | Also sang on "Ima Para" as center and "Setouchi no Koe" as STU48. |
| 2017 | 49 | "Sukinanda" | A-side, Center | Ranked 1st in 2017 General Election. |
| 2017 | 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. |
| 2018 | 52 | "Teacher Teacher" | A-side | Also sang on "Kimi wa Boku no Kaze" as Center Exam Senbatsu. |
| 2018 | 54 | "No Way Man" | A-side | |
| 2019 | 55 | "Jiwaru Days" | A-side, Center | Graduation single. Also sang on "Watashi Datte Idol!"(graduation song) and "Hitsuzensei" as IZ4648. |

### 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 Pajama Drive (パジャマドライブ)

* "Kagami no Naka no Jean D'Arc" (鏡の中のジャンヌ・ダルク) (after Ayaka Kikuchi's graduation)

### Team A 4th Stage Tadaima Renaichū (ただいま恋愛中)

* "Faint"

### Kenkyūsei Tadaima Renaichū (ただいま恋愛中)

* "Faint"

### Team B 4th Stage Idol no Yoake (アイドルの夜明け)

* "Itoshiki Natasha" (愛しきナターシャ)

### Team Kenkyūsei Idol no Yoake (アイドルの夜明け)

* "Zannen Shōjo" (残念少女)
* "Itoshiki Natasha" (愛しきナターシャ)

### Theatre G-Posso Yume o Shinaseru Wake ni wa Ikanai (夢を死なせるわけにいかない)

* "Confession"

### Team A 6th Stage Mokugekisha (目撃者)

* "Enjou Rosen" (炎上路線)
* "Saboten to Goldrush" (サボテンとゴールドラッシュ)

### Team H 1st Stage Te o Tsunagi Nagara (手をつなぎながら)

* "Glory Days"
* "Kono Mune no Barcode" (この胸のバーコード)

### Team H Waiting Stage Hakata Legend (博多レジェンド)

* "Seifuku Resistance" (制服レジスタンス)
* "Seifuku no Bambi" (制服のバンビ)

### Himawari-gumi Pajama Drive (パジャマドライブ)

* "Kagami no Naka no Jean D'Arc" (鏡の中のジャンヌ・ダルク)

### Team H 2nd Stage Seishun Girls (青春ガールズ)

* "Blue Rose"
* "Fushidara na Natsu" (ふしだらな夏)

### Team H 3rd Stage Saishuu Bell ga naru (最終ベルが鳴る)

* "Oshibe to Meshibe to Yoru no Chouchou" (おしべとめしべと夜の蝶々)

## Appearances
### Music videos

* Title
* "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 (TV Tokyo, 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