I've been wanting to send my condolence to the friends and family of Mana since i heard of her passing, she was an inspiration to me as i know she was to many, i had the great fortune of meeting Mana in japan in 1997 while on tour with my band The Misfits, i remember the fun we had and telling her the importance of taping her sore little fingers up before playing, i'm glad she took my advice as i see in later photos, since then i would talk about her and her band (DROOP) to everyone i knew, I would even mention her in many interviews i would do, it's been a year since her passing and i still can't believe she's gone. WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU MANA! R.I.P.
I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU! The Abominable Dr. Chud
"China", (her stage name - which she enjoyed) was the support drummer for Shonen Knife from Year 2001 through 2004, and was with them on their North American Tour in 2003. She was a tremendous talent - a session drummer in Japan who performed with many bands there, and she was much respected and in demand for her drumming skills and ability to play many styles. Her great energy and vitality in the live shows she played with Shonen Knife made her an instant favorite with all their fans, wherever they performed. Mana was also a strong person with a kindly free spirit who made friends with everyone she met. She was previously drummer for "Droop", on the All-girl band Benten Label in Tokyo, and for the respected Japanese fusion band of Seiichi Yamamoto, Rashinban. She joined the Japanese metal band, DMBQ in 2004, when they offered her an opportunity to be part of their first American tour.They are a powerful metal band, whose punk theatrical style is radically different from Shonen Knife. But, Mana's work with them was a driving force in the success of their stage shows. Mana was a huge baseball fan, (her favorite team was the Hanshu Tigers), and she enjoyed a continuing dialogue with friend Mamiko Nakagawa about baseball in Japan. Mamiko Nakagawa is the webmaster for Mana's China-Mana Personal Homepage in Japan and a longtime fan, and friend, of Shonen Knife.
