Yoko Kanno

Yoko Kanno (菅野 よう子, Kanno Yōko) is a Japanese composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks of anime films, television series, live-action films, video games, and advertisements. She was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. She has written scores for Cowboy Bebop, Darker than Black, Macross Plus, Turn A Gundam, The Vision of Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf's Rain, Kids on the Slope, Genesis of Aquarion and Terror in Resonance, and has worked with the directors Hirokazu Kore-eda, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Shinichirō Watanabe and Shōji Kawamori.[3] Kanno has also composed music for pop artists Maaya Sakamoto and Kyōko Koizumi. She is also a keyboardist, and is the frontwoman for the Seatbelts, who perform many of Kanno's compositions and soundtracks.

Yoko Kanno
菅野 よう子
Kanno in 1999
Background information
Birth name菅野 洋子
Also known asGabriela Robin
Born (1963-03-18) March 18, 1963[1][2]
Sendai, Japan
GenresJazz, classical, orchestral, electronic, new age, blues, folk, pop, art rock, ambient, post-rock, bossa nova
Occupation(s)Composer, musician, conductor, producer
InstrumentsKeyboard, piano, accordion
Years active1986–present
LabelsVictor Entertainment (flying DOG)
Associated actsMaaya Sakamoto, Megumi Nakajima, May'n TETSU100%, Seatbelts, Samply Red, ORIGA

Biography

Early life

Yoko Kanno was born March 18, 1963 in Sendai, Japan. Her earliest experiences with music came from attending church with her parents.[4] She studied keyboard from a young age on both the piano in her home and the organ at her kindergarten. In elementary school, she began participating in composition contests, but in high school, Kanno began to take more of an interest in literature than in music.[4]

Kanno attended Waseda University, where she majored in literature, but she transcribed music for various student groups at Waseda in her free time. During this time, Kanno—whose parents had only allowed her to listen to classical music—was introduced to rhythm by a friend who played drums in a school band.[4] She spoke of this experience in an interview with Akihiro Tomita:[4]

I thought my friend was a genius. I had heard drums on the radio before, but it was like I had never really noticed them. Then I see drums performed live, and was able to experience a beat for the first time. I started to take heavy interest in music that wasn’t classical and joined the band elective.

While with this band, she studied the composition and style of popular music.

While at Waseda, Koei, a Japanese video game company, asked Kanno to compose the soundtrack to Nobunaga's Ambition. The game turned out to be a hit, and Kanno's music career was launched.[4]

Professional life

Yoko Kanno's soundtrack themes include "Kiseki no Umi" (Lodoss War), "Voices" (Macross Plus), "Tank!" (Cowboy Bebop), "Yakusoku wa Iranai" (Escaflowne), "Gravity" (Wolf's Rain), "Inner Universe" (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. In regards to making the Stand Alone Complex soundtrack she said:

I had this image of a formal and rigid 'manly' world for the original comic. So I tried to think of ways to destroy that world. The theme I had in mind was, 'be human.' It represented the sentiment of 'why don't we take it easy and be more like a human being?'—instead of being a workaholic salaried man working for his company. Or be it Tachikoma wishing to become human. I wanted to express these 'tangible fuzziness,' sort of. For the opening theme song called 'inner universe,' I had an image of digital bits and composed a score consisting of recurrent quick beats.[5]

Having composed in various genres, including blues, classical, jazz, techno, and J-pop, she was once asked if she favored a particular genre:

Ah ... I hear everyone talk about how many genres [I work in] like classical, jazz and others, but personally, I don't divide music by genre when creating. I don't create by saying, 'I must create a classical piece here,' or 'I must create a jazz piece here.' When I create music, I don't consider at all which genre I like best, but what the scene or the anime calls for, like a love [theme] or a mood. There isn't one genre I like more than the others. I find all of them satisfying and all inspire me in different ways.[6]

Since she works in the animation industry, she only receives instructions and storyboards from directors which helps her with composing. However, it is uncertain if all of her works are to be included in the finished project. She once said that this is a way she likes to work, for she does not have to deal with rules during composing.[7] In reference to this, she once stated:

In my case, the creators talk to me and ask me to do a soundtrack a year or two before the animation is finished. At that time, I think of the plot in my brain, when the characters' names—everything about the characters—has not been decided yet. This is even when the title has not be decided yet.[6]

She was the lead member of the project band called Seatbelts, which regrouped in the year of 2004 to compose the soundtrack of the PlayStation 2 Cowboy Bebop video game, released in Japan in 2005.

She has composed for Koei games released during the late 1980s to early 1990s and for Napple Tale, a Dreamcast game. Due to her close involvement in the Cowboy Bebop anime, the game released by Bandai also features her work.

Apart from anime and games, Kanno also composes for live-action films and television commercials. Some popular brands she has composed for are Canon, DoCoMo, Fuji Xerox, Seven-Eleven, Microsoft, Nissan, Toyota, Shiseido, Avon, and MasterCard to name a few. Grand Funk Inc. is her recording studio of choice in producing for these two media. Contributions to films started in the 1990s but only since 2002 has there been a trend towards the medium. Most of the latter were shown in international film festivals.

She attended Otakon and Anime Expo in 1999, as well as Anime Expo New York in 2002. In 2010, she made a surprise appearance at Anime Expo. Yoko Kanno performed her solo PianoMe concert at Otakon 2013.[8]

She composed a three-movement suite, entitled "Ray of Water," for the ascension of Emperor Naruhito. It was performed for him and Empress Masako at the enthronement celebration on November 9, 2019. Yoshikazu Okada wrote the lyrics for the vocal portion, which was performed at the celebration by the idol group, Arashi.[9][10][11]

Connection to Gabriela Robin

On many of Kanno's tracks, a woman named "Gabriela Robin" was credited as a lyricist and vocalist, but whenever these songs were performed in concert, either Maaya Sakamoto or Origa would perform them instead. In a 2009 written interview, Robin proclaimed that she would perform for the first time live at Kanno's 2009 Tanabata Sonic concert, but at the end of the concert, which featured Kanno directing the Warsaw Philharmonic, Kanno turned to the audience and sang "Moon", a song previously attributed to Robin from the Turn A Gundam soundtrack, revealing that "Gabriela Robin" was simply a pseudonym Kanno used to write songs mixing English and Japanese freely. In a later interview, Kanno said she had picked the name because the first orchestral recording she had heard was the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and at the time Yitzhak Rabin served as Israel's Prime Minister.[12][13]

Personal life

In addition to Japanese, she speaks a little English and some French, but claims that her English is "poor" and she needs translation help to converse in French.[6] In regards to spirituality and religion, she said:

I'm not religious at all. But Japanese don't believe in one God, but in gods everywhere in plants and animals. That's right. In Japan, Christianity has a wonderful image. People enjoy the image of Christ and Christianity in picture books, but not as a religion.[14]

Besides music, Kanno also enjoys photography and writing. She has written a number of journals for Newtype magazine of which photos for illustrations are done by Kanno herself as well,[15] and a selection of photos taken by Kanno of her protégé and former production partner Maaya Sakamoto were featured in the special event program for Sakamoto's 2010 thirtieth birthday concert at Nippon Budokan.

In 2011, Kanno expressed her support and wishes to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, composing a song titled "Kimi de Ite, Buji de Ite". Later, she composed NHK's official support song on the occasion of the first anniversary of the earthquake entitled "Hana wa Saku" ("Flowers Will Bloom") featuring lyrics by Sendai film director Shunji Iwai. The song features notable natives from the affected areas of Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate.

Discography

Solo studio albums

DateTitleNotes
January 1, 1998 Song to Fly All songs composed and conducted by Yoko Kanno; track 8 performed by Yoko Kanno.
(Tracks 1–7, 9–11 performed by Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra,
Warsaw Chorus, Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch, Franco Sansalone, Krzysztof Ciupinsky,
Steve Conte, Jadwiga Rappé and Gabriela Robin.)
May 22, 2002 23-Ji no Ongaku All songs composed and conducted by Yoko Kanno. Vocals performed by Maaya Sakamoto. Album released by Victor Entertainment.
The title translates as "11:00 pm music".
May 2, 2008 CM Yoko Compilation album of music for commercials done by Yoko Kanno over the years. All songs composed by Yoko Kanno.
April 22, 2009 CM Yoko 2 Compilation album of music for commercials done by Yoko Kanno over the years. All songs composed and/or arranged by Yoko Kanno.
May 27, 2009 Space Bio Charge Compilation album of Yoko Kanno with the Seatbelts.
June 8, 2011 Yoko Kanno produce Cyber Bicci Compilation album of previous works with Ilaria Graziano, along with new materials.

Anime works

Anime TitleYearKanno's Role(s)
Porco Rosso 1992Arranger for the ending theme:
"Once in a While, Talk of the Old Days"
Please Save My Earth 1994Composer
(other tracks by Hajime Mizoguchi)
Macross Plus 1994Composer
Memories: Magnetic Rose 1995Composer
The Vision of Escaflowne 1996Composer
(other tracks by Hajime Mizoguchi)
X Clamp Characters File Vol. 1–4 1996Composer
(one track for each album)
Clamp School Detectives 1997Second ending theme
Noiseman Sound Insect 1997Composer
Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight 1998Composer for Opening theme
Macross Dynamite 7 1998Composer for "Angel Voice"
Cowboy Bebop 1998Composer
See also: Music of Cowboy Bebop
Cardcaptor Sakura 1998Composer for Opening 3 "Purachina"
Brain Powerd 1998Composer
Turn A Gundam 1999Composer
Jin-Roh 1999Pianist
Escaflowne 2000Composer
(other tracks by Hajime Mizoguchi)
Earth Maiden Arjuna 2001Composer
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door 2001Composer
Pianist for the Seatbelts
RahXephon 2002Composer for Opening theme for TV & OVA
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2002Composer
Wolf's Rain 2003Composer for TV & OVA
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG 2004Composer
Genesis of Aquarion 2005Composer
(other tracks by/in collaboration with Hogari Hisaaki)
Ōban Star-Racers 2006Composer for Opening and Ending theme songs
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society 2006Composer
Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha 2007Composer
Genius Party 2007Composer for "Baby Blue"
Genesis of Aquarion 2007Composer
Macross Frontier 2008–2011Composer
Ring of Gundam 2009Composer
Aquarion Evol 2012Composer
Code Geass: Akito the Exiled 2012Theme song composer
Kids on the Slope 2012Composer
Space☆Dandy 2014Composer
(ending theme and 4 tracks)
Terror in Resonance 2014Composer
Aquarion Logos 2015Composer for Opening theme songs

Video games

Game Title First Released Original System(s) Kanno's Role(s)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 1985 PC-8801, Sharp X1, FM-7 Composer
Nobunaga's Ambition Zenkokuban 1986 PC-8801, PC-9801, etc. Composer
Genghis Khan 1987 PC-8801, PC-9801 Composer
Nobunaga's Ambition Sengoku Gunyūden 1988 PC-8801, PC-9801 Composer
Ishin No Arashi 1989 PC-9801 Composer
Uncharted Waters 1990 PC-8801, PC-9801 Composer
Nobunaga's Ambition Bushō Fuunroku 1990 PC-9801 Composer
Nobunaga's Ambition Haōden 1992 PC-9801 Composer
Uncharted Waters 2: New Horizons 1993 PC-9801 Composer
Nobunaga's Ambition Tenshōki 1994 PC-9801 Composer
Napple Tale: Arsia in Daydream 2000 Dreamcast Composer
Cowboy Bebop 2001 PlayStation Composer
Cowboy Bebop: Tsuitou no Yakyoku 2005 PlayStation 2 Composer
Ragnarok Online 2 2007 MS Windows Composer
Continent of the Ninth 2011 MS Windows Theme song Composer
Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of the Second 2012 MS Windows Composer
Starwing Paradox 2018 Arcade Theme song Composer

Movie works

Film TitleYearKanno's Role(s)
Yamato Takeru 1994Composer
Asalto 1996Composer
Boku wa benkyo ga dekinai (I Can't Study) 1996Composer
Natsu jikan no otonatachi 1997Composer
Tokyo.sora 2002Composer
Mizu no onna 2002Composer
03 + 2003Composer
Shimotsuma monogatari (Kamikaze Girls) 2004Composer
Ashurajo No Hitomi (Blood Gets in Your Eyes) 2005Composer
Su-ki-da 2005Composer
Honey and Clover 2006Composer
Elegant World (The Show Must Go On) 2007Composer
Say Hello! 2007Composer
Surely Someday 2010Composer
Petal Dance 2013Composer
Our Little Sister 2015Composer

TV work

TV ShowYearKanno's Role(s)
Yo ni mo Kimyou na Monogatari – Mama Shinhatsubai 2001Composer
Mayonaka Betsu no Kao (The Other Side of Midnight) 2002Composer
X'smap~Tora to Raion to Gojin no Otoko~ 2004Composer
Chichi ni Kanaderu Merodi 2006Composer
Camouflage 2008Composer
Kaze ni Mai Agaru Vinyl Sheet 2009Composer
Gochisōsan 2013Composer
Naotora: The Lady Warlord 2017Composer

Works for associated acts

BandAlbumYearKanno's Role(s)
Tetsu 100% Tokyo Taco Blues1986Composer for one track
Tetsu 100%1987Composer for four tracks
Ato3cm1987Composer for five tracks
Jack in the Box1988Composer for three tracks
Manatsu no Santa Claus1988Composer for one track
Sunao1989Composition credited to band
Samply Red Perfect Rouge1996Composition credited to band
Ah-ra ii Kimochi1996Composition credited to band
(with Riyu Konaka) Kiseki to Taitsuku1996Composition credited to band
Happy Go Lucky OST1997Composer for 8 tracks
Kemeko no Uta (Happy Go Lucky)1997Arrangement credited to band
It's for my Ego1997Composition credited to band
Perfect Rouge I, II, III2002Composition credited to band

Works for pop albums

(Artists ordered by year of first collaboration)

ArtistAlbumYearKanno's Role(s)
Chiyono Yoshino Montage1988Composer for two tracks
Song Bird1989Composer for three tracks,
arranger for two tracks
Melanger1990Composer for one track,
performer on two tracks
Keiko Nakajima Keiko Nakajima1990Composer for all tracks
Kyoko Endo Renai1990Arranger for seven tracks
Kobitori ni Naritai1993Arranger for all tracks
Fuyu no Miwa1993Arranger for all tracks
Hashire Hashire1999Arranger for two tracks
Aki Okui Lost Melodies1994Arranger for two tracks
Straw Color1997Arranger for one track
Tsuki no Mayu2000Composer for all tracks
Hitomi Mieno Hajimari no Boukenshya-tachi
~Hikari no Chizu~
1995Composer for two tracks
Miki Imai Love of my Life1995Arranger for four tracks
Thank You1996Arranger for four tracks
IMAI.MIKI from 19861998Arranger for one track
Blooming Ivory2000Arranger for one track
Yuri Shiratori Atarashii Kutsu1995Composer for two tracks,
Lyricist for one track
Caramel Pop1995Composer and lyricist for two tracks
Kyōko Koizumi Otokonoko, Onnanoko1996Composer for eight tracks,
arranger for all tracks except 9 by Samply Red
For my Life (Single)1999Composer for two tracks
Maaya Sakamoto Grapefruit1997Composer for all tracks
DIVE1998Composer for all tracks
Single Collection+ Hotchpotch1999Composer for all tracks
Lucy2001Composer for all tracks
Easy Listening2001Composer for all tracks
Single Collection+ Nikopachi2003Composer for all tracks
Shōnen Alice2003Composer for all tracks
Kazeyomi2009Composer for two tracks
You Can't Catch Me2011Composer for one track
Akino Arai Sora No Mori1997Composer for five tracks
Sora No Miwa1997Composer for two tracks
Hiru No Tsuki1998Arranger for two tracks
RGB2002Composer for one track
Yasui Inoue Kyuu Dan1998Composer for one track
Crystal Kay Eternal Memories1999Composer for two tracks
Komichi no Hana1999Composer for one track
C.C.L. Crystal Lover Light2000Composer for one track,
Arranger for one track
Kei Kobayashi Nagashime Play2003Composer for all tracks
SMAP Say What You Will2005Composer for two tracks
super.modern.artistic.performance2008Composer for one track
Yukawa Shione Yuki No Waltz2007Composer for one track
AKINO from bless4 Lost in Time2007Composer for all tracks
Chitose Hajime Cassini2008Composer for one track
Origa The Songwreath2008Composer for one track
Yoshika World2008Composer for one track
May'n May'n☆Street2009Composer for two tracks
Natsumi Kiyoura Juuku Iro2010Composer for one track
Megumi Nakajima Be with You2012Composer for one track
Clammbon yet2015String arranger for one track

Works on Imperial commission

Monarch Occasion Title Year Kanno's Role(s)
Naruhito Enthronement "Ray of Water" 2019 Composer

Commercial music

Companies that have commissioned Kanno for commercial music.[16]

Hired vocalists

References

  1. "TETSU100% member profiles". TETSU100%. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  2. Masako Furukawa (2013-10-21). "Modern Portrait: Composer Yoko Kanno". Asahi Shimbun Weekly Aera. Asahi Shimbun Publications: 56–60.
  3. "Production IG Interview with Yoko Kanno for Ghost in the Shell: SAC". Productionig.com. March 20, 1966. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  4. "Red Bull Music Academy Daily". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  5. "Production I.G [WORK LIST[Details]]". Productionig.com. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  6. "Interview with Kanno Yoko". Ex.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  7. "Yôko Kanno". IMDb.
  8. "Composer Yoko Kanno to Perform Concert at Otakon - News - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  9. "奉祝曲、天皇陛下のライフワーク「水」をテーマに : ニュース : 令和・新時代 : ニュース". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  10. "Pop and pomp: Arashi to sing at throne-accession festival in Tokyo:The Asahi Shimbun". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  11. 【フルバージョン】国民祭典 奉祝曲Ray of Water 雅子さま涙ぐまれる, retrieved 2019-11-18
  12. "PLAZA インタビュー「菅野よう子さん」 - : PLAZA INTERVIEW - CPRA 公益社団法人日本芸能実演家団体協議会 実演家著作隣接権センター". Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  13. "New Yoko Kanno releases announced". animenewsnetwork.com.
  14. "Interview with Kanno Yoko". Ex.org. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  15. "Pokkarishita Translation Project". Cybird.fr. May 1, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  16. "Grand Funk Inc. Official Website". Grandfunk.net. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  17. "Ben del Maestro". IMDB. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
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