Princess Tenko was born Mariko Itakura in Arai, Niigata on June 29,1959.
15 Facts About Princess Tenko
1.
2.
Princess Tenko received treatment at the children's hospital in the United States and had recovered since then.
3.
Princess Tenko debuted as a singer-magician under the stage name of Mari Asakaze in 1978.
4.
The older Princess Tenko died of heart disease on December 31,1979 at the age of 45.
5.
Princess Tenko guest-starred as herself in two Metal Hero Series: episode 29 of Uchuu Keiji Gavan and episode 24 of Choujinki Metalder.
6.
Princess Tenko debuted in North America at the Radio City Music Hall in 1994, and subsequently achieved worldwide fame.
7.
Princess Tenko was famous to the extent that Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic, an American magical girl-inspired cartoon series based on her character, was created and Mattel produced a line of fashion dolls named after her.
8.
Princess Tenko was the subject of controversy after visiting North Korea in April 1998 where she reportedly met the former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but she would deny this in interviews out of fear of having serious consequences.
9.
Princess Tenko noted that Kim was very interested in Japan.
10.
Princess Tenko was later delayed from leaving but was released only when she promised to return to visit soon.
11.
Princess Tenko would visit North Korea again in 2000 and performed for Kim Jong Il.
12.
Princess Tenko was asked to stay in North Korea but she refused.
13.
Princess Tenko met Kim Jong Il for the last time at a 2009 dinner party where he reportedly drank several glasses of whisky and later joked around with her.
14.
Princess Tenko was one of the selected foreigners invited to attend the funeral of Kim Jong Il in December 2011, but she declined.
15.
Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic, the cartoon series based on her by Saban, is centered on Princess Tenko leading a team of warriors called the Guardians who tried to amass the scattered and stolen magical Starfire Gems, each of which had a special power.