Seiji Takeda (竹田 菁滋, Takeda Seiji; born 1960 in Nara Prefecture) is the deputy director of Mainichi Broadcasting…Seiji Takeda (竹田 菁滋, Takeda Seiji; born 1960 in Nara Prefecture) is the deputy director of Mainichi Broadcasting System's Tokyo office. Since beginning the network's 6:00 pm Saturday timeblock, he has been involved in the planning and production of numerous anime, including various series from the Gundam universe, Code Geass, Blood+, Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven, Terra e... and Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha.
Hoppy Kamiyama (ホッピー 神山, Hoppī Kamiyama; born 1960) is a Japanese keyboardist and music producer who has worked with…Hoppy Kamiyama (ホッピー 神山, Hoppī Kamiyama; born 1960) is a Japanese keyboardist and music producer who has worked with artists such as eX-Girl, The Pugs, Bradford Reed, Bill Laswell, Jan Linton, Marc Ribot, Hugh Hopper/Elton Dean and Damo Suzuki.
Hirokazu Ogura (小倉博和, Hirokazu Ogura; born January 28, 1960) musician from Takamatsu. His interest in playing the…Hirokazu Ogura (小倉博和, Hirokazu Ogura; born January 28, 1960) musician from Takamatsu. His interest in playing the guitar started in High School. He has worked as a professional artist since 1982 as a guitarist and as a sound producer. His list of contacts includes Fujii Fumiya, UA, Rie Eto, Keisuke Kuwata, Taeko Onuki, Hiroshi Matsuda, Misia, Salyu, KinKi Kids, Mr.Children, Shikao Suga, among others In 2006 he was part of a special group called Kokua, formed to sing the theme song to an NHK documentary. In 2016, the members of Kokua reunited to celebrate the release of that original single, Progress, and worked on the official 1st album for the group and a Nationwide tour, both named Progress.
Yang Bang-ean (Korean: 양방언; Hanja: 梁邦彦; born January 1, 1960) is a Zainichi Korean composer, arranger, record producer…Yang Bang-ean (Korean: 양방언; Hanja: 梁邦彦; born January 1, 1960) is a Zainichi Korean composer, arranger, record producer, and pianist. His Japanese name is Kunihiko Ryo.
Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也, Ishii Tatsuya), also known as Tatuya Ishii (born September 22, 1959) is a Japanese…Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也, Ishii Tatsuya), also known as Tatuya Ishii (born September 22, 1959) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, artist, and industrial designer from Ibaraki Prefecture.
Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英, Ōtomo Yoshihide; born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He…Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英, Ōtomo Yoshihide; born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He mainly plays guitar, turntables and electronics. He first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the experimental rock group Ground Zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary classical. He is also a pioneering figure in the EAI-scene, and is featured on important records on labels like Erstwhile Records. He has composed music for many films, television dramas, and commercials. In 2017, Otomo became the 2nd Guest Artistic Director of The Sapporo International Art Festival 2017.
Takeshi Kobayashi (小林 武史, Kobayashi Takeshi; born June 7, 1959), is a Japanese keyboardist, lyricist, composer…Takeshi Kobayashi (小林 武史, Kobayashi Takeshi; born June 7, 1959), is a Japanese keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger, and record producer.
Satoshi Kadokura (門倉 聡, Kadokura Satoshi; born May 25, 1959), is a Japanese composer, arranger, producer and…Satoshi Kadokura (門倉 聡, Kadokura Satoshi; born May 25, 1959), is a Japanese composer, arranger, producer and keyboardist. He graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts. He was a producer of Wink, Noriyuki Makihara, Southern All Stars and many other artists. He also composes scores for video game series Metal Max.
Shirō Sasaki (佐々木 史朗, Sasaki Shirō; born December 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and music producer. Formerly…Shirō Sasaki (佐々木 史朗, Sasaki Shirō; born December 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and music producer. Formerly an employee of Victor Entertainment, he founded and has been the representative director of its sublabel, Flying Dog, since its inception in 2007. In his time working as a music producer and project developer he's helped launch the careers of musicians Yoko Kanno, Yuki Kajiura, May'n and singer and voice actress Maaya Sakamoto.
Munetaka Higuchi (樋口 宗孝, Higuchi Munetaka) (December 24, 1958 – November 30, 2008) was a Japanese musician and record…Munetaka Higuchi (樋口 宗孝, Higuchi Munetaka) (December 24, 1958 – November 30, 2008) was a Japanese musician and record producer. He is best known as the original drummer of the heavy metal band Loudness, but first rose to prominence as a member of Lazy in the 1970s. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted Higuchi the second best drummer in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election".
Tetsuya Komuro (小室 哲哉, Komuro Tetsuya; born November 27, 1958) is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer.…Tetsuya Komuro (小室 哲哉, Komuro Tetsuya; born November 27, 1958) is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is recognized as the most successful producer in Japanese music history and has introduced contemporary electronic dance music to the Japanese mainstream. He was also a former owner of the disco Velfarre located in Roppongi, Tokyo. In the Oricon singles chart of April 1996, he monopolized all the top 5 positions as the songwriter and producer, a world record. In 1995, he monopolized all top 3 positions of the copyright distribution rankings for the JASRAC Award, a record in Japan's music history. At his peak as a record producer the artists he predominantly produced for came to be known as TK Family and at one time included Namie Amuro, hitomi, TRF, Tomomi Kahara and Ami Suzuki amongst others. As of 2008, records produced by him had sold more than 170 million copies, primarily in Japan. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 42 million copies, making him the fourth best-selling lyricist in Japan.
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well…Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well as the co-founder and current chairman of the anime studio Production I.G.
Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record…Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record producer. He is a member of the J-pop band Dreams Come True, which was formed in 1988 and went on to sell over 50 million CDs. He also composed the soundtracks for the video games Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992).
Tomoki Hasegawa (Japanese: 長谷川 智樹, Hepburn: Hasegawa Tomoki; born 19 July 1957) is a Japanese composer and arranger of…Tomoki Hasegawa (Japanese: 長谷川 智樹, Hepburn: Hasegawa Tomoki; born 19 July 1957) is a Japanese composer and arranger of music from Osaka Prefecture, Japan, best known for his work on anime soundtracks. He has also done sound production work on albums for Mayumi Iizuka.
Tetsurō Oda (織田 哲郎, Oda Tetsurō; born March 11, 1958) is a Japanese composer, record producer, and singer-songwriter.…Tetsurō Oda (織田 哲郎, Oda Tetsurō; born March 11, 1958) is a Japanese composer, record producer, and singer-songwriter. Oda is the third best-selling composer in the history of the Japanese singles chart, with over 40 million units being sold.
Jun Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 純 Hepburn: Miyake Jun, January 7, 1958, in Kyoto) is a Japanese composer. His music (e.g., the…Jun Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 純 Hepburn: Miyake Jun, January 7, 1958, in Kyoto) is a Japanese composer. His music (e.g., the songs "Lilies in the Valley" and "The Here and After") was used in the film Pina, nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature in January 2012. He has also been awarded by the German critic's award, Der Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, as Best Album of the Year for his last three albums, Stolen from Strangers, Lost Memory Theatre act-1, and Lost Memory Theatre act-2. Miyake has now released 17 solo albums, and has worked on films, documentaries, dances, advertisement, and theatre pieces. His main instruments include the trumpet, flugelhorn, melodica, piano, keyboard, fender rhodes, and programming.
Tsunekazu Ishihara (Japanese: 石原 恒和, Hepburn: Ishihara Tsunekazu; born November 27, 1957) is a Japanese video game…Tsunekazu Ishihara (Japanese: 石原 恒和, Hepburn: Ishihara Tsunekazu; born November 27, 1957) is a Japanese video game designer, director, producer and businessman who is the president and Chief executive officer of The Pokémon Company. Prior to working with the Pokémon franchise, Ishihara was part of Ape Inc. and worked on titles such as EarthBound, and then years later he founded Creatures Inc. Ishihara's work with Pokémon, in which he was involved since early development stages during the 1990s, had him as a producer from Creatures while he also heavily focused on licensed and spin-off products such as the Pokémon Trading Card Game, with him founding The Pokémon Company to handle such business activities. He was also crucial in the development of Pokémon Go, having supported the concept of a location-based Pokémon game.
Yoichiro Yoshikawa (吉川洋一郎, Yoshikawa Yōichirō; October 8, 1957 – January 16, 2026) was a Japanese composer, music…Yoichiro Yoshikawa (吉川洋一郎, Yoshikawa Yōichirō; October 8, 1957 – January 16, 2026) was a Japanese composer, music arranger and film producer. He also collaborated with singer and actress Jun Togawa.
The Gainax employee Yasuhiro Takeda should not be confused with the professor of the same name at National Defense…The Gainax employee Yasuhiro Takeda should not be confused with the professor of the same name at National Defense Academy of Japan. Yasuhiro Takeda (武田 康廣, Takeda Yasuhiro; born 12 September 1957 in Tadaoka, Osaka) is a Japanese anime director and founding member of Gainax; for most of his career, he was General Manager. He is also a two-time chair of the Nihon SF Taikai (DAICON III and the 1988 Mig.Con). In April 1976, he enrolled in Kinki University for nuclear engineering, but began neglecting studies (repeating his sophomore year) when he joined the sci-fi club in April 1977 and became active in organizing clubs, founding the "Confederation of Kansai Student Sci-Fi Clubs". It was through these early activities that Takeda met many other fans, some who would become more involved: at his first convention, Seto-Con ("Sci-Fi Festival 78"), Takeda met Toshio Okada. In November 1990, he married the Japanese writer Hiroe Suga. In 2002, he published a memoir/autobiography about his life (particularly focusing on his college life, involvement in science fiction conventions, and his subsequent career) named The Notenki Memoirs; the name Notenki is an old nickname of Takeda's, derived from his part in Kaiketsu Noutenki. He is portrayed by actor Gitaro in the 2014 TV Drama Aoi Honō based on the autobiographical manga by Kazuhiko Shimamoto, which follows the college years of the future Gainax team.
Shirō Sagisu (鷺巣 詩郎, Sagisu Shirō; born August 29, 1957) is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer. With a…Shirō Sagisu (鷺巣 詩郎, Sagisu Shirō; born August 29, 1957) is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer. With a career spanning over 40 years (beginning in the late 1970s), he is best known for his works as a record producer for acts including various choir members Mike Wyzgowski, Misia, Satoshi Tomiie, and Ken Hirai. Sagisu has also worked as a film composer for several anime and films, being well known for his collaborations with Gainax, especially in the soundtrack of Hideaki Anno's series Neon Genesis Evangelion. Sagisu's career in music started in 1977, when he became one of the members of jazz fusion band T-Square. He made three albums with the group before becoming a full-time composer and writer in 1979. By 1997, he had composed over 2,000 songs, advertising jingles and TV and movie pieces. Sagisu won the Tokyo Anime Award for "Best Music" in 2010 for Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. Sagisu arranged a rendition of the Japanese national anthem, "Kimigayo", performed at the 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony by Misia.
Kaizo Hayashi (林 海象, Hayashi Kaizō; born July 15, 1957) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He made his…Kaizo Hayashi (林 海象, Hayashi Kaizō; born July 15, 1957) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with To Sleep so as to Dream (1986). He is best known for his neo-noir Maiku Hama trilogy, The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1994), Stairway to the Distant Past (1995) and The Trap (1996). In addition to film, Hayashi served as creative director on the 2000 Konami video game 7 Blades for the PlayStation 2, and was director for two episodes of Power Rangers: Time Force.
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a…Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a Japanese businessman and professional wrestling promoter. He is the founder and the current head booker of Dream Star Fighting Marigold. He is one of the three founders and former executive producer of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. Ogawa is often regarded as being instrumental in the modern popularization of women's pro wrestling in Japan.
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father…Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father was a jazz critic, whose name was also Toshiyuki Honda. As a jazz musician, he learned flute and saxophone, and worked in the late 1970s with George Otsuka and the Burning Waves ensemble. In the 1980s he worked with Chick Corea, Tatsuya Takahashi, and Kazumi Watanabe, as well as leading his own ensemble, Super Quartet. He was also a member of the ensemble Native Son. Starting in the late 1980s, Honda turned increasingly toward composing for film and television, as well as working in record producing. He composed the soundtrack for the Juzo Itami film A Taxing Woman in 1987, which raised his prominence as a film scorer. He went on to compose the score for all but one of the rest of Itami's films.
Masao Akashi (明石昌夫, Akashi Masao; March 25, 1957 – May 19, 2025) was a Japanese music arranger in distributors Being…Masao Akashi (明石昌夫, Akashi Masao; March 25, 1957 – May 19, 2025) was a Japanese music arranger in distributors Being Inc., mainly in their label B-Gram Records. In 1988, he debuted as arranger in debut single Dakara Sono Te wo Hanashite by Japanese hard-rock band B'z. By 1998, his arrangement work had been involved with many Being artists including Manish, Wands and Zard. Although Akashi was no longer working for Being Inc., he sometimes provided producing jobs for various artists such as Naomi Tamura, Maria, Color Bottle and Sonoda Band. Akashi died on May 19, 2025, at the age of 68.
Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record…Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record producer, and business executive. Originally working for a funk band at a US military base, she formed the band ASOCA and won the EastWest '76 Best Keyboardist award, and she performed as a keyboardist for other musicians and bands. Working for CBS/Sony, she released several solo albums, either with the Mimie-Chan Super Band and its later iteration Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band or solely with her own name. She also worked as a composer for Japanese media, including "Lum's Love Song" (the theme song for the Urusei Yatsura anime), and hosted TV Tokyo late-night show Rock in Japan. She later moved to London in 1985 and worked as a record producer and industry executive in Europe, serving as president of Cisco Records London.
Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist…Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist of the jazz fusion band Casiopea and producer of the Train Simulator series of Japanese video games. Mukaiya joined Casiopea during its formation in 1977 (with guitarist Issei Noro, drummer Takashi Sasaki and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai) and remained in the group until their hiatus in 2006. Since leaving the band he has created his own musical production team, "Mukaiya Club." He also serves as the president and CEO of the company Ongakukan, which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public. Mukaiya has also appeared in the event of Nico Nico Douga. Mukaiya has composed around 200 distinct melodies for over 110 subway stations in Japan. In 2019, British television presenter James May interviewed Mukaiya for episode 3 of James May: Our Man in Japan, discussing Mukaiya's involvement in composing melodies for train stations. In episode 11 of Great Japanese Railway Journeys, broadcast in April 2026, Mukaiya was interviewed by Michael Portillo and a figure of about 300 melodies was given by Mukaiya.
Daisuke Hinata (born July 2, 1956) is a Japanese music producer, composer, keyboardist, synthesist, synthesizer…Daisuke Hinata (born July 2, 1956) is a Japanese music producer, composer, keyboardist, synthesist, synthesizer programmer, recording engineer, and studio designer. He is the owner/producer of VSA Studio, a recording studio located in California, US. He is also the owner of the record label “Hyperdisc” and "Global Disc". His older brother is Toshifumi Hinata, also a music composer and producer.
Kyoji Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 恭司, Hepburn: Yamamoto Kyōji; born March 23, 1956, in Matsue, Shimane, Japan) is a Japanese…Kyoji Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 恭司, Hepburn: Yamamoto Kyōji; born March 23, 1956, in Matsue, Shimane, Japan) is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer who is the leader of the hard rock/heavy metal bands Bow Wow (known as Vow Wow for a period of time) and Wild Flag. He is known for his skillful guitar playing, with former bandmate Neil Murray calling him one of the top Japanese guitarists, and was one of the first hard rock guitarists to use the tapping technique. Yamamoto often uses 24-fret Yamaha HR guitars.
Takashi Nagasaki (長崎尚志; born January 14, 1956) is a Japanese author, manga writer and former editor of manga. He…Takashi Nagasaki (長崎尚志; born January 14, 1956) is a Japanese author, manga writer and former editor of manga. He started his professional career at Shogakukan in 1980 and worked as an editor on the publisher's various manga magazines, including as editor-in-chief of Big Comic Spirits from July 1999 to 2001. Since becoming freelance, Nagasaki has worked as an author under various pen names, such as Keishi Edogawa (江戸川啓視), Garaku Toshusai (東周斎雅楽), Big O (ビッグ・オー) and Richard Woo (リチャード・ウー). He is best known for his collaborations with Naoki Urasawa, such as Pluto (2003–2009) and Billy Bat (2008–2016). The Kobe Shimbun wrote that Nagasaki brought the concept of a producer into the manga industry, and in doing so "established a new relationship with manga artists." Brian Ruh of Anime News Network described Nagasaki as the only editor who "has risen to the level of co-creator alongside the artist."
Yasuhiro Abe (安部 恭弘, Abe Yasuhiro) is a male Japanese popular music artist and composer. He made his debut on 1…Yasuhiro Abe (安部 恭弘, Abe Yasuhiro) is a male Japanese popular music artist and composer. He made his debut on 1 November 1982 with the single We Got It!.
Hiroshi Sugawara (菅原 浩志; 1955 – 12 November 2025) was a Japanese film director, producer and screenwriter. He died from…Hiroshi Sugawara (菅原 浩志; 1955 – 12 November 2025) was a Japanese film director, producer and screenwriter. He died from pancreatic cancer on 12 November 2025, at the age of 70.
Hisato Takenaka (竹中 尚人; born on June 16, 1955 in Togoshi, Shinagawa), known professionally as Char, is a Japanese…Hisato Takenaka (竹中 尚人; born on June 16, 1955 in Togoshi, Shinagawa), known professionally as Char, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is considered one of Japan's greatest guitar players. In 2003, Char was ranked by HMV at number 38 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. Rolling Stone Japan ranked his album Psyche number 36 on their 2007 list of the greatest Japanese rock albums of all time. Char came in third in a 2011 goo poll on who the Japanese people thought was the best guitarist to represent the country. Char was named the greatest Japanese guitarist in a 2017 list by Guitar Magazine, as voted on by professional musicians, and in a 2019 public poll held by goo. His song "A Fair Wind" was named the 34th best guitar instrumental by Young Guitar Magazine in 2019. Char endorses Fender, with whom he has signature model guitars. He also has signature models with ESP.
Seishirō Nishida (西田 聖志郎, Nishida Seishirō; born May 3, 1955, in Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese…Seishirō Nishida (西田 聖志郎, Nishida Seishirō; born May 3, 1955, in Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor.
Mariya Takeuchi (竹内 まりや, Takeuchi Mariya; born 20 March 1955) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer.…Mariya Takeuchi (竹内 まりや, Takeuchi Mariya; born 20 March 1955) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as the "Queen of City Pop", Takeuchi is one of the best-selling music artists in Japan with over 16 million records sold. Internationally, her 1985 song "Plastic Love" became a sleeper hit and the catalyst of the 21st century revival of city pop. Takeuchi was born in Taisha, Hikawa district, now the city of Izumo, Shimane, and attended Keio University. She signed with RCA in 1978, releasing five albums under the label which appeared on the Oricon Charts, including her chart-topping third effort Love Songs (1980). She terminated her contract with RCA in 1981 and announced a temporary hiatus. In 1982, she married singer and songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita. She signed with Moon Records in 1984, and internationally released her sixth studio album Variety that same year to commercial success. She has since released seven more studio albums and one live album. All of her works have continued to appear on the Oricon Charts, and since 2001, each one of her albums have topped it. Takeuchi has stayed with the Moon record label, working with the different branches since signing in 1984; since 1998, she has also been signed with Warner Music Japan. Her single "Inochi no Uta" (いのちの歌; Song of Life), when re-recorded in 2020, made her the oldest Japanese singer to have a single top the Oricon Charts.
Toshiyuki "Toshi" Watanabe (渡辺 俊幸 Watanabe Toshiyuki; born February 3, 1955) is a Japanese musician and composer, known…Toshiyuki "Toshi" Watanabe (渡辺 俊幸 Watanabe Toshiyuki; born February 3, 1955) is a Japanese musician and composer, known for writing film scores.
Yasuaki Shimizu (清水靖晃, Shimizu Yasuaki) (born 9 August 1954) is a Japanese composer, saxophonist and producer. He is…Yasuaki Shimizu (清水靖晃, Shimizu Yasuaki) (born 9 August 1954) is a Japanese composer, saxophonist and producer. He is known for his interpretations of the music of J.S. Bach, in particular the "Cello Suites 1-6" re-arranged for and performed on tenor saxophone. Since 1981 he has composed, produced or arranged for artists as diverse as jazz vocalist Helen Merrill, composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, and DJ Towa Tei. During this time he has lived in London, Paris and Tokyo.
Kazuyoshi Sekine (関根和美 Sekine Kazuyoshi), also known as Kazumi Sekine, was a Japanese film director, a dramatist, and a…Kazuyoshi Sekine (関根和美 Sekine Kazuyoshi), also known as Kazumi Sekine, was a Japanese film director, a dramatist, and a movie producer and the president of Sekine Production production company (関根プロ). He was born in Tokyo in 1954, and died in 2019. He mainly directs films produced by independent studios. He is married to the actress Izumi Aki, who has appeared in his films. Many of his films are urban love stories.
Susumu Hirasawa (平沢進, Hirasawa Susumu; born April 2, 1954) is a Japanese musician and composer. He is well known for…Susumu Hirasawa (平沢進, Hirasawa Susumu; born April 2, 1954) is a Japanese musician and composer. He is well known for his work for the films of director Satoshi Kon and the animated adaptations of the Berserk manga series, alongside his work as a solo artist and as the lead member of P-Model.
Osao Chosei Funahara (born December 10, 1953) is a musician and film director and producer. Born in Hyōgo Prefecture of…Osao Chosei Funahara (born December 10, 1953) is a musician and film director and producer. Born in Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan, Chosei Funahara was educated in both the United States and Japan. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Nihon University College of Art's Cinema department in Tokyo. While pursuing New York University's NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science (Cinema Studies), he performed as bassist and founding member of the cult punk rock group the Plasmatics.
Akira Inoue (井上鑑) (born 8 September 1953), is a Japanese keyboard player, composer, arranger and producer. He was the…Akira Inoue (井上鑑) (born 8 September 1953), is a Japanese keyboard player, composer, arranger and producer. He was the recipient of the 23rd Japan Record Awards arranger award.
Kenji Uchida (内田 健二, Uchida Kenji) is a Japanese anime producer. He is a noted anime studio Sunrise's president.…Kenji Uchida (内田 健二, Uchida Kenji) is a Japanese anime producer. He is a noted anime studio Sunrise's president. Debuting in 1980, with Muteki Robo Trider G7, among Sunrise's first works in the 1980s, Uchida has gone on to produce numerous of Sunrise's works, such as various iterations of the Gundam universe and other Sunrise anime productions. In April 2008, Uchida was promoted to being Sunrise's president, previously having been the studio's managing director.
Masayoshi Takanaka (born March 27, 1953) is a Japanese musician and record producer. Known for his virtuosic guitar…Masayoshi Takanaka (born March 27, 1953) is a Japanese musician and record producer. Known for his virtuosic guitar playing and skilled musicianship, Takanaka rose to fame and achieved commercial success during the 1970s and 1980s. He composes and performs across various different music genres. In a career spanning over 50 years, Takanaka has released more than 20 albums and continues to perform.
Shigeru Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本 茂, Hepburn: Miyamoto Shigeru; born November 16, 1952) is a Japanese video game designer…Shigeru Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本 茂, Hepburn: Miyamoto Shigeru; born November 16, 1952) is a Japanese video game designer, producer, game director and filmmaker at Nintendo, where he has served as one of its representative directors as an executive since 2002. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in video games, he is the creator of some of the most acclaimed and best-selling game franchises of all time, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and Pikmin. More than 1 billion copies of games featuring franchises created by Miyamoto have been sold. Born in Sonobe, Kyoto, Miyamoto graduated from Kanazawa Municipal College of Industrial Arts. He originally sought a career as a manga artist, until developing an interest in video games. With the help of his father, he joined Nintendo in 1977 after impressing the president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, with his toys. He helped create art for the arcade game Sheriff, and was later tasked with designing a new arcade game, leading to the 1981 game Donkey Kong. Miyamoto's games Super Mario Bros. (1985) and The Legend of Zelda (1986) helped the Nintendo Entertainment System dominate the console game market. His games have been flagships of every Nintendo video game console, from the arcade machines of the late 1970s to the present day. He managed Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development software division, which developed many Nintendo games, and he played an important role in the creation of other influential games such as Pokémon Red and Blue (1996) and Metroid Prime (2002). Following the death of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in July 2015, Miyamoto became acting president alongside Genyo Takeda until he was formally appointed "Creative Fellow" a few months later.
Masami Tsuchiya (Japanese: 土屋 昌巳, Hepburn: Tsuchiya Masami) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record…Masami Tsuchiya (Japanese: 土屋 昌巳, Hepburn: Tsuchiya Masami) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Ippu-Do. Following their disbandment in 1984, Tsuchiya focused on his solo career and formed several short-lived bands with well-known musicians. He has also participated in various collaborations and produced recordings for acts such as Glay, Blankey Jet City, and The Willard.
Yukihiro Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋 幸宏, Hepburn: Takahashi Yukihiro; June 6, 1952 – January 11, 2023) was a Japanese…Yukihiro Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋 幸宏, Hepburn: Takahashi Yukihiro; June 6, 1952 – January 11, 2023) was a Japanese musician, singer, record producer, fashion designer, and actor, who was best known internationally as the drummer, lead vocalist, & co-composer of Yellow Magic Orchestra, as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band, and as the drummer and backing vocalist of the Sadistics. He was also a member of the groups: the Beatniks (with Keiichi Suzuki), Sketch Show (with Haruomi Hosono), & Metafive (with Towa Tei etc.).
Shōgo Tomiyama (富山 省吾, Tomiyama Shōgo) is a Japanese former film producer. He is best known for his long tenure at…Shōgo Tomiyama (富山 省吾, Tomiyama Shōgo) is a Japanese former film producer. He is best known for his long tenure at Toho, where oversaw the production of the Godzilla film series during its Heisei and Millennium eras.
Tsugutoshi Gotō (後藤 次利, Gotō Tsugutoshi), born February 5, 1952, is a Japanese songwriter, bassist and music producer.…Tsugutoshi Gotō (後藤 次利, Gotō Tsugutoshi), born February 5, 1952, is a Japanese songwriter, bassist and music producer. Gotō broke into the Japanese music industry playing bass on tour for artists like Sadistic Mika Band, Bread & Butter and Shiro Kishibe. He went on to write and produce songs for other artists including Kenji Sawada, Miyuki Nakajima, Shizuka Kudō, and various idol singers. In 1980, Gotō won Song of the Year at the Japan Record Award for his work on Kenji Sawada's song "Tokio". In 1983, Gotō married former idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. The pair divorced four years later. In 1987, he contributed the soundtrack for the Famicom/NES version of the video game Ultima III: Exodus. In 1994, he married former Onyanko Club member Sonoko Kawai. Gotō also joined several musical units like Draw4 in 1990, gym in 2003, Non-Chords in 2004 and WAIP in 2006.
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese…Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese musician, composer, keyboardist, record producer, singer and actor. He pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the synth-based band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his YMO bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres. As a film score composer, Sakamoto won an Academy Award (Oscar), BAFTA, Grammy and two Golden Globe Awards. Sakamoto began his career as a session musician, producer, and arranger while he was at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in the mid 1970s. His first major success came in 1978 as co-founder of YMO. He pursued a solo career at the same time, releasing the experimental electronic fusion album Thousand Knives in that year, and the album B-2 Unit in 1980. B-2 Unit includes the track "Riot in Lagos", which had a significant influence on the development of electro, hip hop and dance music. He went on to produce more solo records, and collaborate with many international artists, including David Sylvian, DJ Spooky, Carsten Nicolai, Youssou N'Dour, and Fennesz. Sakamoto composed music for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, and his composition "Energy Flow" (1999) was the first instrumental number-one single in Japan's Oricon charts history. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) marked his debut as both an actor and a film score composer; its main theme was adapted into the single "Forbidden Colours", which became an international hit. His most successful work as a film composer was his original score for The Last Emperor (1987), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, making him the first Japanese composer to win an Academy Award. He continued earning accolades composing for films such as The Sheltering Sky (1990), Little Buddha (1993), and The Revenant (2015). On occasion, Sakamoto also worked as a composer and a scenario writer on anime and video games. He was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture in 2009 for his contributions to music. Sakamoto died on March 28, 2023, from colorectal cancer at the age of 71.
Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷 正隆, Matsutōya Masataka; born November 19, 1951) is a Japanese arranger, composer, music…Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷 正隆, Matsutōya Masataka; born November 19, 1951) is a Japanese arranger, composer, music producer, and motor journalist. He currently resides in Setagaya, Tokyo. He is a graduate of Keio Senior High School and Keio University (literature department). His wife is singer-songwriter, composer, and lyricist Yumi Matsutoya (née Arai). His mother, Kazuko, is the auditor of Kirarasha, the firm Masataka established after his marriage to Arai.
