Azumi Inoue (井上 あずみ or 井上杏美, Inoue Azumi; born February 10, 1965) is a Japanese singer. She graduated from Yugakkan…
Azumi Inoue (井上 あずみ or 井上杏美, Inoue Azumi; born February 10, 1965) is a Japanese singer. She graduated from Yugakkan High School in Kanazawa. She is best known for singing the opening and ending theme songs for the Hayao Miyazaki film My Neighbor Totoro: "Sanpo" and "My Neighbor Totoro". She is known for having a clear, light voice. Inoue is managed by the talent management firm Doremi. She is married and has one child. In 2011, she appeared in 7 out of 19 performances of "Sound Horizon Live Tour 2011 First Territorial Reconstruction Expedition". On November 11 of the same year, she performed with Kumiko and actress Chieko Baisho at the "38th Japan Singers Association Song Festival" held at Yu-Port in Gotanda, Tokyo. On November 26, she held a mini concert at Takaodai Junior High School in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, at the 30th Anniversary Ceremony Lecture.
Famous Japanese People: Singer・Vocalist
Singer・Vocalist: 1,169 people
Yukiko Haneda (羽根田 征子, Haneda Yukiko; born January 11, 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese singer.
Reimi Horikawa (堀川 麗美, Horikawa Reimi; born January 6, 1965, in Ginowan, Okinawa), better known by her stage name REIMY…
Reimi Horikawa (堀川 麗美, Horikawa Reimi; born January 6, 1965, in Ginowan, Okinawa), better known by her stage name REIMY (stylized in all caps), is a Japanese singer-songwriter and composer. She has released 11 solo albums, and through the musical project Remedios, has produced and composed multiple anime and film scores.
Shingo Tsurumi (鶴見 辰吾, Tsurumi Shingo; born December 29, 1964 in Tokyo) is a Japanese actor.
Katsunori Takahashi (高橋 克典, Takahashi Katsunori; born December 15, 1964, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a…
Katsunori Takahashi (高橋 克典, Takahashi Katsunori; born December 15, 1964, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese singer and actor who is represented by the talent agency, K-Dash.
Hideto Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本 秀人, Hepburn: Matsumoto Hideto; December 13, 1964 – May 2, 1998), known professionally as…
Hideto Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本 秀人, Hepburn: Matsumoto Hideto; December 13, 1964 – May 2, 1998), known professionally as Hide, was a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band X Japan from 1987 to 1997 and rose to prominence in Asia as a solo artist from 1993 to 1998, until his death. He also formed the United States–based rock supergroup Zilch in 1996. Hide sold millions of records, both solo and as a member of X Japan. X Japan rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, credited as founders of the Japanese visual kei movement. When they disbanded in 1997, he focused on his solo career which started four years prior and went on to enjoy significant popularity. At the height of his fame, while recording his third studio album and about to launch an international career with the newly formed Zilch, he died in 1998 of what was ruled a suicide by hanging. He was seen as an icon for Japanese youth rebelling against their country's conformist society, and his death was labeled "the end of an era".
Michihiko Ohta (太田 美知彦, Ōta Michihiko; November 23, 1964) is a Japanese singer, composer, and arranger who has worked…
Michihiko Ohta (太田 美知彦, Ōta Michihiko; November 23, 1964) is a Japanese singer, composer, and arranger who has worked for several anime series such as Bubblegum Crash, Captain Tsubasa J, and Digimon.
Keizo Nakanishi (中西 圭三, Nakanishi Keizō; born 11 November 1964, in Nadasaki, Kojima District (now Minami-ku, Okayama)…
Keizo Nakanishi (中西 圭三, Nakanishi Keizō; born 11 November 1964, in Nadasaki, Kojima District (now Minami-ku, Okayama), Okayama Prefecture) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and composer. He graduated from Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Amagi High School and Nihon University College of Economics. In 2017, Nakanishi participated as a guest artist at the annual touring ice show Fantasy on Ice in Makuhari. He performed in the show opening to the song "Choo Choo Train" amongst others.
Yūko Mizutani (水谷 優子, Mizutani Yūko; November 4, 1964 – May 17, 2016) was a Japanese actress, voice actress, narrator…
Yūko Mizutani (水谷 優子, Mizutani Yūko; November 4, 1964 – May 17, 2016) was a Japanese actress, voice actress, narrator and singer from Ama District, Aichi. Throughout her career, she worked with Production Baobab, and was working with Aoni Production at the time of her death. Mizutani was best known for her anime voice roles of Sakiko Sakura in Chibi Maruko-chan, Mihoshi Kuramitsu in Tenchi Muyo! and Pinoko in Black Jack. She also portrayed Excellen Browning in Super Robot Wars, Sora Takenouchi in Digimon Adventure, Leina Stol in Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos, and Sarah Zabiarov and Cheimin Noa in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Mizutani was the official Japanese voice actress for Minnie Mouse, and voiced her in the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Since her death, Aya Endō took over as the Japanese voice of Minnie Mouse and Machiko Toyoshima took over as Sakiko Sakura in Chibi Maruko-chan.
Nobuo Ariga (Japanese: 有賀 啓雄; 14 October 1964 – 27 February 2023), also known as Hiroo Ariga (Japanese: 有賀 啓夫) in his…
Nobuo Ariga (Japanese: 有賀 啓雄; 14 October 1964 – 27 February 2023), also known as Hiroo Ariga (Japanese: 有賀 啓夫) in his early years of career, was a Japanese singer-songwriter, bassist, arranger and record producer.
Koshi Inaba (Japanese: 稲葉浩志, Hepburn: Inaba Kōshi; born September 23, 1964) is a Japanese singer, songwriter and…
Koshi Inaba (Japanese: 稲葉浩志, Hepburn: Inaba Kōshi; born September 23, 1964) is a Japanese singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock duo B'z, the best-selling music act in their native Japan. He also has a successful solo career, with six studio albums and five singles topping the Japanese music charts. Inaba collaborated with Slash on the latter's 2009 single "Sahara", and with Stevie Salas on the albums Chubby Groove (2017) and Maximum Huavo (2020).
Junko Mihara (三原 じゅん子, Mihara Junko; born 13 September 1964) is a Japanese politician and former singer, actress, and…
Junko Mihara (三原 じゅん子, Mihara Junko; born 13 September 1964) is a Japanese politician and former singer, actress, and racing driver. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Masahiko Kondō (近藤 真彦, Kondō Masahiko; born July 19, 1964), or Matchy, is a Japanese singer, lyricist, actor, racing…
Masahiko Kondō (近藤 真彦, Kondō Masahiko; born July 19, 1964), or Matchy, is a Japanese singer, lyricist, actor, racing car manager and former semi-professional racing driver. He was a member of the Tanokin Trio. Kondō is also a semi-professional racing driver and a racing team owner. He founded the racing team Kondo Racing in 2000, which currently competes in both Super Formula and Super GT.
Hiroko Yakushimaru (薬師丸 ひろ子, Yakushimaru Hiroko; born June 9, 1964) is a Japanese actress and singer.
Kaoru Akimoto (秋元薫, born June 5, 1964 in Tokyo) is a Japanese J-pop singer who performed during the 80s and 90s. She is…
Kaoru Akimoto (秋元薫, born June 5, 1964 in Tokyo) is a Japanese J-pop singer who performed during the 80s and 90s. She is most known for her 1986 album Cologne and the song "Dress Down", which became popular in the 2010s and 2020s due to the city pop music boom. Since its release, it has been remastered as Cologne + 1. Akimoto is also known for providing lyrics, composition and backup vocals for other singers and music groups.
Daisuke Shima (嶋 大輔, Shima Daisuke; born May 22, 1964, in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese singer and…
Daisuke Shima (嶋 大輔, Shima Daisuke; born May 22, 1964, in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese singer and actor. He is best known for appearing on television in tokusatsu and other dramas, such as Yuusuke Amamiya (Red Falcon) in the series Choujuu Sentai Liveman, as Shuji Koboku in Tokyo Elevator Girl, as Captain Harumitsu Hiura in Ultraman Cosmos, and as the cafe owner in Kisarazu Cat's Eye.
Luke Takamura (Japanese: ルーク篁, Hepburn: Rūku Takamura; born April 12, 1964) is a Japanese musician, singer, and…
Luke Takamura (Japanese: ルーク篁, Hepburn: Rūku Takamura; born April 12, 1964) is a Japanese musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as guitarist of the heavy metal band Seikima-II from 1987 to 1999, and for various temporary reunions since. From 2002 to 2020, he was the lead singer and guitarist of the rock trio Canta. Luke was voted the tenth greatest Japanese guitarist in a 2019 poll held by goo. He has cited Yuji Adachi, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen and Kazumi Watanabe as guitar influences. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted Takamura the fifth best guitarist in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election".
Motoyuki Ōtsuka (Japanese: 大塚基之, Hepburn: Ōtsuka Motoyuki; born March 4, 1964, in Tatsuno, Hyōgo), known mononymously…
Motoyuki Ōtsuka (Japanese: 大塚基之, Hepburn: Ōtsuka Motoyuki; born March 4, 1964, in Tatsuno, Hyōgo), known mononymously as Morrie, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the influential heavy metal band Dead End, active from 1984 to 1990, and Morrie's distinctive visual appearance and rough vocal style inspired many later prominent musicians in Japan's visual kei movement. When they disbanded, he began a solo career for five years, before moving to New York City and going into hiatus. He reemerged in 2005 with the solo project Creature Creature, which utilizes several well-known Japanese musicians, reunited with Dead End four years later, and released his first solo album in twenty years in 2015.
Eizo Sakamoto (坂本 英三, Sakamoto Eizō; also credited as さかもと えいぞう Sakamoto Eizō, born February 23, 1964) is a Japanese…
Eizo Sakamoto (坂本 英三, Sakamoto Eizō; also credited as さかもと えいぞう Sakamoto Eizō, born February 23, 1964) is a Japanese musician, singer and songwriter who was born in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture. He is most famous for being the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Anthem. In the 1990s he started up the band Animetal which performed heavy metal covers of anime and tokusatsu opening and closing themes. He also was involved with the Anison band JAM Project before reuniting with Anthem. Sakamoto then began a new project called Eizo Japan which is similar to Animetal: more heavy metal covers of theme songs post-disbanding, along with original material.
Mimori Yusa (遊佐 未森, Yusa Mimori), (born February 20, 1964, in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture), is a Japanese…
Mimori Yusa (遊佐 未森, Yusa Mimori), (born February 20, 1964, in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture), is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She made her nationwide debut at the age of 6 on the TV program Chibikko Nodojiman, which she recited the Takibi nursery rhyme. Shortly after graduating college, she recorded a demo, and signed to Epic/Sony Records in 1987, which officially began her music career. Although she has since had a very prolific career, Yusa became popular for her song "Kuro", which was featured on the NHK television program Minna no Uta from December 2005 until January 2006. She was also in the mid-1990s supergroup Love, Peace & Trance, which also featured Mishio Ogawa, Miyako Koda from Dip in the Pool and Haruomi Hosono as the producer, composer and songwriter.
Masaki Yamada (山田 雅樹, Yamada Masaki; born 1964) is a Japanese singer, guitarist and bassist known for being the…
Masaki Yamada (山田 雅樹, Yamada Masaki; born 1964) is a Japanese singer, guitarist and bassist known for being the frontman of EZO from 1986 to 1991 and Loudness from 1992 to 2000. He currently plays bass and sings duet and backing vocals, with occasional guitar in the New York City-based band FiRESiGN. He was vocally trained by Donald Lawrence, and moved to New York City in 1986. He has a daughter, born in 1992.
Aiso Haruhi (相曽 晴日, Aiso Haruhi; born February 13, 1964 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) is a female Japanese…
Aiso Haruhi (相曽 晴日, Aiso Haruhi; born February 13, 1964 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) is a female Japanese popular music artist. She has also written songs for Iwao Junko and Iwasaki Hiromi.
Mamiko Aso (麻生 真宮子, Asō Mamiko; born February 5, 1964), whose real name is Miwa Tajima (田島 みわ, Tajima Miwa), is a…
Mamiko Aso (麻生 真宮子, Asō Mamiko; born February 5, 1964), whose real name is Miwa Tajima (田島 みわ, Tajima Miwa), is a former Japanese idol, singer and actress of the 1980s, who is currently a businesswoman.
Riki Takeuchi (Japanese: 竹内 力, Hepburn: Takeuchi Riki; born January 4, 1964) is a Japanese actor best known for his…
Riki Takeuchi (Japanese: 竹内 力, Hepburn: Takeuchi Riki; born January 4, 1964) is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in v-cinema yakuza movies. Takeuchi has starred in many yakuza films and action films, such as Dead or Alive by Takashi Miike. Takeuchi also starred in Battle Royale II: Requiem, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself. Takeuchi had also a short stint at the end of the professional wrestling promotion Hustle in 2009, posing as a villainous character based on himself called "King RIKI". The same year, Takeuchi recorded with Avex Group a version of Morning Musume's "Love Machine" for the song's tenth anniversary, appearing under his RIKI persona along with wrestlers Riki Choshu and Yoshihiro Takayama.
Mutsumi Hatano (波多野 睦美, Hatano Mutsumi) is a Japanese mezzo-soprano who has appeared mostly in concert. She is a member…
Mutsumi Hatano (波多野 睦美, Hatano Mutsumi) is a Japanese mezzo-soprano who has appeared mostly in concert. She is a member of the Bach Collegium Japan, and has appeared internationally.
The Go-Bang's were a three-piece Japanese all-female band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They broke up in…
The Go-Bang's were a three-piece Japanese all-female band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They broke up in 1994, and since then, Kaori Moriwaka (singer/songwriter) has become a solo singer/songwriter/producer/actress, while Mitsuko Saito (drums) and Misa Tanishima (bass guitar) have dropped beneath the radar, though apparently Saito has been seen drumming for a few other bands, fashion-modeling and played a drummer as an extra in the music video of J-pop singer Namie Amuro's Please Smile Again. Initially a four-piece band, Go-Bang's lost their guitarist early on, becoming popular after she left the band. At the peak of their career, the album "Greatest Venus" went straight to the top of Oricon's Japanese album chart and stayed there for two consecutive weeks. They had a somewhat unusual sound, being a punk-influenced bubblegum pop band, and lacking a lead guitarist — though this wasn't always the case — on the album Samantha, for example, the Go-Bang's worked with the King Gangs, a three-piece all-male band, who complemented their line up with the addition of electric guitars and keyboard. The album Samantha was mixed down by Michael Haas, who was a recording engineer for British techno/house band 808 State, at Revolution Studios in Manchester, England. Also, the album's title song "Samansa" was reproduced as an English language song and remixed by John Waddel from Rhythm King Productions, who produced British pop singer/rap artist Betty Boo. This remix version of the song was released as one of the songs on their remix mini album "Darrin." Making cheerful, bouncy music, with a slight punk edge, the Go-Bang's made an impact on the Japanese charts for a short while, but gradually faded into the background, and disappeared almost completely from the public conscious following their breakup. However, some bands, such as the Titan Go-Kings, have referred to them as influences on their music.
Naomi Tamura (田村 直美, Tamura Naomi) (born December 11, 1963) is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter who made her solo…
Naomi Tamura (田村 直美, Tamura Naomi) (born December 11, 1963) is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter who made her solo debut in 1994 with the song Jiyuu no Hashi. She is best known for singing theme songs for popular anime series such as Yuzurenai Negai and Hikari to Kage wo Dakishimeta Mama for Magic Knight Rayearth and Yuragu Koto Nai Ai for Get Backers. She is currently under contract with the recording label Airy Music Japan.
Chie Kobayashi (小林 千絵, Kobayashi Chie) is a Japanese actress and singer.
Eri Itō (伊東恵里, Itō Eri; born November 16) is a Japanese vocalist. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, she started…
Eri Itō (伊東恵里, Itō Eri; born November 16) is a Japanese vocalist. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, she started singing from the age of two under her mother's lead, also studying modern ballet. She is a graduate of the Musashino Academia Musicae (武蔵野音楽大学 Musasiho Ongaku Daigaku). Her voice has been heard in 'Sona Mi Areru Ec Sancitu' of Panzer Dragoon Saga, 'Anu Orta Veniya' of Panzer Dragoon Orta, and several tracks in Tsubasa Chronicle Future Soundscape I – IV as a collaboration with Yuki Kajiura. Her most recent performances are Godsibb and Hepatica ~KOS-MOS~ for Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra. In Disney movies, she voiced Belle in the Japanese dub of Beauty and the Beast, a role she reprised in Kingdom Hearts II, and provided the singing voice of the title character in Mulan. She sang in the premiere performance of the Toho musical "Miss Saigon" as the lead female character Kim.
Nokko (born November 4, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She was the lead singer of the popular band Rebecca, which had a…
Nokko (born November 4, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She was the lead singer of the popular band Rebecca, which had a string of hits in Japan in the 1980s. Nokko was born in Urawa, Saitama, as Nobuko Yamada (山田 信子, Yamada Nobuko). Under her stage name Nokko, she also had multiple hits in Japan throughout her solo career in the 1990s, and released an English-language album in the US produced and mixed by Goh Hotoda and Francois Kevorkian.
Masashi Fujimoto (藤本 政志, Fujimoto Masashi; born 1963) is a Japanese actor, singer, musician, and entertainer who lives…
Masashi Fujimoto (藤本 政志, Fujimoto Masashi; born 1963) is a Japanese actor, singer, musician, and entertainer who lives in London, UK. He was born in Hiroshima in 1963, and graduated in music from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo in 1985. He joined Nikikai Opera in 1988. He moved to Italy in 1992, then to the UK in 1995. Fujimoto's most high-profile role was as the MC, Mr Banzai, in the Channel 4 and Fox show Banzai. In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Two comedy series Roman's Empire as Mr Hokkasawa. He is the voice of Mr Okatami in the game Party Game: Mr. Okatami's Winning Post released in November 2007 for the PlayStation 2. He appeared in the music video for the song "Watch Out" by Alex Gaudino feat. Shena as a referee. In 2020 he appeared in the episode "Fish" (Series 1, Episode 4) of Diane Morgan's short comedy Mandy.
Yoshiki Fukuyama (福山 芳樹, Fukuyama Yoshiki; born September 14, 1963) is a Japanese musician, singer and songwriter. In…
Yoshiki Fukuyama (福山 芳樹, Fukuyama Yoshiki; born September 14, 1963) is a Japanese musician, singer and songwriter. In the anime Macross 7 he was the singing voice and guitar of the show's main character, Basara Nekki. He joined the band JAM Project in 2003.
Rolly Teranishi (ローリー 寺西, Rōrī Teranishi) more commonly known as Rolly, is a Japanese musician and music producer.
Aoyama Yōichi (青山 陽一) is a male Japanese popular music artist who started his career as a member of GRANDFATHERS. His…
Aoyama Yōichi (青山 陽一) is a male Japanese popular music artist who started his career as a member of GRANDFATHERS. His album Blues for Tomato reached #255 in the Oricon charts on 31 October 2011.
Satoko Yamano (山野 さと子, Yamano Satoko; born August 2, 1963) is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Higashiōsaka…
Satoko Yamano (山野 さと子, Yamano Satoko; born August 2, 1963) is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Higashiōsaka, Osaka, Japan. She is known for having performed over 1,000 songs, famously the second opening rendition of Doraemon no Uta that was used as the opening theme song for the Doraemon television series from 1992 to 2002 and for the Doraemon films from 1989 to 2004.
Naoko Kawai (河合奈保子) (born 24 July 1963) is a Japanese former pop idol, singer-songwriter, and composer who was active…
Naoko Kawai (河合奈保子) (born 24 July 1963) is a Japanese former pop idol, singer-songwriter, and composer who was active in the 1980s. Kawai was from the same generation as Seiko Matsuda, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Junko Mihara and Yoshie Kashiwabara, who all debuted in 1980. After her marriage in 1996, she changed her maiden surname to Naoko Kanehara (金原奈保子) and completely suspended music activities. Since then, Kawai has resided in Australia.
Mari Iijima (飯島 真理, Iijima Mari; born May 18, 1963) is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of…
Mari Iijima (飯島 真理, Iijima Mari; born May 18, 1963) is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime Macross. Her debut original album, Rosé, was released in 1983, which was produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Emi Fujita (藤田恵美, Fujita Emi; born May 15, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She debuted as a singer with her husband Ryuji…
Emi Fujita (藤田恵美, Fujita Emi; born May 15, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She debuted as a singer with her husband Ryuji Fujita as the duo Le Couple. Their first album was released in 1994. Fujita made her solo debut in 2001. Her series of Camomile CDs are covers of popular western songs. Rembrandt Sky is her first original album, a collaboration with music producers Toshiyuki Mori, Seiji Kameda and Yoshiyuki Sahashi. Several of her solo albums have charted in Japan, including Camomile Best Audio, which reached number 27 on the Oricon chart. She has also found some success in Southeast Asia. Emi and Ryuji divorced in February 2007.
Masatoshi Hamada (浜田 雅功), nicknamed Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the…
Masatoshi Hamada (浜田 雅功), nicknamed Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the owarai duo Downtown alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto. Hamada is married to Natsumi Ogawa, with whom he has two children.
Hiromasa Ijichi (伊秩 弘将, Ijichi Hiromasa; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese composer and music producer. Most of his…
Hiromasa Ijichi (伊秩 弘将, Ijichi Hiromasa; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese composer and music producer. Most of his compositions are sung by the Japanese girl group Speed.
Miki Imai (今井 美樹, Imai Miki; born 14 April 1963) is a female Japanese pop singer and actress. She won the award for…
Miki Imai (今井 美樹, Imai Miki; born 14 April 1963) is a female Japanese pop singer and actress. She won the award for best newcomer at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Inuji ni Seshi Mono.
Hiroto Kōmoto (甲本 ヒロト, Kōmoto Hiroto; born 17 March 1963) is a Japanese rock singer who has fronted bands such as The…
Hiroto Kōmoto (甲本 ヒロト, Kōmoto Hiroto; born 17 March 1963) is a Japanese rock singer who has fronted bands such as The Blue Hearts, The High-Lows and The Cro-Magnons.
Miwako Okamura (岡村 美和子, Okamura Miwako; born March 10, 1963, in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. She was married to…
Miwako Okamura (岡村 美和子, Okamura Miwako; born March 10, 1963, in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. She was married to Shunichi Okamura in December 2005. She won the award for Best Supporting Actress at the 17th Hochi Film Awards for The Oil-Hell Murder and Netorare Sosuke in 1992. In 1994, Okamura, then known under her maiden name Miwako Fujitani, released her first single containing the duet song "Ai ga Umareta Hi" (愛が生まれた日; "The Day Love Was Born"), an insert song from the TV drama Sonouchi Kekkon Suru Kimi e (そのうち結婚する君へ) starring herself that she sang with Yoshiaki Ohuchi (大内義昭). The single sold over 2 million copies.
Mayo Kawasaki (川﨑麻世, Kawasaki Mayo; born 1 March 1963, in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese actor and singer. He…
Mayo Kawasaki (川﨑麻世, Kawasaki Mayo; born 1 March 1963, in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese actor and singer. He grew up in Hirakata, Osaka. His father is former actor Jo Azumi. His wife is Carolyn Kawasaki.
Naomi Akimoto (秋本 奈緒美, Akimoto Naomi; born January 13, 1963 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture) is a Japanese actress and…
Naomi Akimoto (秋本 奈緒美, Akimoto Naomi; born January 13, 1963 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture) is a Japanese actress and singer, who has been active since 1982. She is represented by Staff-up Group. Her real name is Yumi Hirasawa (平沢 優美, Hirasawa Yumi), but she is also known as Yumi Harada (原田 優美, Harada Yumi) after her marriage with actor Atsushi Harada in 2003.
Mitsue Minamikawa (南川 光江) (née Matsuda (松田); born 27 November 1962), known by her stage name Marumi Shiraishi (白石 マル美…
Mitsue Minamikawa (南川 光江) (née Matsuda (松田); born 27 November 1962), known by her stage name Marumi Shiraishi (白石 マル美, formerly 白石 まるみ), is an actress and media personality from Tokyo, Japan. In 1978, Shiraishi auditioned for the part of leading man Hiromi Go's sweetheart on the TBS TV drama, Mū ichozoku and debuted as the girl in "Izakaya Hiromi." Shiraishi worked as a singer, television and movie actress, and radio personality. Later, in 2002, she changed the spelling of her stage name from "まるみ" to the identically pronounced "マル美" and has been hosting a TV shopping program, living frugally on Ikinari! Ōgon densetsu, and appearing as a TV travelogue reporter. As a hobby, she plays in a badminton club.
Kan Kimura (木村 和, Kimura Kan; September 24, 1962 – November 12, 2023), known by his stage name Kan (commonly stylized…
Kan Kimura (木村 和, Kimura Kan; September 24, 1962 – November 12, 2023), known by his stage name Kan (commonly stylized as KAN), was a Japanese singer-songwriter. In 1983, he joined his first band, which was called Annette, before going solo in 1984. Kan wrote the background music for a 1986 film directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, and started his major recording career the following year. He is best known for the chart-topping hit "Ai wa Katsu", released as a single in 1990. It sold over 2 million copies and won the 33rd Japan Record Award, bringing the artist into prominence. Subsequently, he spawned five top-ten singles and four top-ten albums on the Japanese record chart during the first half of the 1990s. As of 2010, Kan had released 33 singles and 15 studio albums. According to the Oricon, he sold over 4.6 million copies of albums and singles in his home country. Kan died of Meckel's diverticulum cancer on November 12, 2023, at the age of 61.
Toshinobu "Toshi" Kubota (久保田 利伸, Kubota Toshinobu; born 24 July 1962) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician…
Toshinobu "Toshi" Kubota (久保田 利伸, Kubota Toshinobu; born 24 July 1962) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician, music producer, and radio personality. He has produced six million-seller records and thirty-three Top 40 singles during his career. Kubota is currently part of Sony Music Japan. In addition, he has composed and written songs for many singers including Hiromi Iwasaki, Misia, Toshinori Yonekura, Kyōko Koizumi, and many other recording artists. Kubota's musical genre has varied throughout his career including R&B, Go-go, soul, funk, blues, reggae, old skool, psychedelia, jazz, and pop. His artistic influences include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Sly Stone. Kubota has pioneered in the sound "Japanese hip hop" and "Japanese soul", an amalgam of funk, pop, R&B and go that has influenced many other musicians. Kubota has a tenor and falsetto vocal range and is known for his signature songs "Dance If You Want It", "Missing", "Love Rain (Koi no Ame)", "You Were Mine", "Give You My Love", and "La La La Love Song", which was the theme song of the television drama Long Vacation. Kubota has a total of seventeen studio albums and ten compilation albums. He is among the all-time best-selling Japanese music artists, having sold over 16 million records worldwide to date.
Hiroshi Mikami (三上 博史, Mikami Hiroshi; born 23 July 1962) is a Japanese actor.
Katsuhiko Nakagawa (中川 勝彦, Nakagawa Katsuhiko; July 20, 1962 – September 17, 1994) was a Japanese actor and musician…
Katsuhiko Nakagawa (中川 勝彦, Nakagawa Katsuhiko; July 20, 1962 – September 17, 1994) was a Japanese actor and musician from Tokyo. He is the father of the multi-tarento Shoko Nakagawa. He appeared in the 1986 adaptation of Toki o Kakeru Shōjo, voiced the lead character of Superpowered Robo Garat, and released 10 singles and 9 albums before his death in 1994, with two albums released posthumously. After his debut appearance as a musician in NHK's Young Music Festival, he started to become known after appearing in the movies Narawareta Gakuen (1981) and Tenkōsei (1982). On February 22, 1984, he released simultaneously his debut album and single entitled Shite Mitai through Warner Pioneer. In September 1992 he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. He passed 9 months fighting against the disease and managed to make a comeback to Japanese entertainment, but his leukemia reappeared in August 1994, leading to his death on September 17, 1994.