Yoko Kanno

Yoko Kanno is a very well-known composer and performer, perhaps best known for her work on soundtracks for various Japanese television shows (animated ones in particular) and films. In addition, she has composed some music for JPop stars, such as Maaya Sakamoto and Imai Miki, and is a musician in her own right with her band, The Seatbelts.

Because of her numerous contributions to the world of music, Yoko Kanno definitely deserves a file here at JaME. However, her limited solo career and tendency to take part in soundtracks has led us to present information about her in this manner as opposed to the usual artist files.

Yoko Kanno began to play piano at an early age, winning a number of competitions with the instrument before attending school in both France and Japan. She made her musical debut as keyboardist for the band TESTU100% with Tetsu Sugihara although soon went on to work as both composer and performer on a number of soundtracks, for which she is mostly known in international circles. Some of her more well-known contributions are on animated series, such as Cowboy Bebop, Vision of Escaflowne, Please Save My Earth, and Wolf's Rain. She has also worked on live action movies, such as tokyo . Sora and Shimotsuma Monogatari.

In addition to composing songs for various famous JPop artists, Yoko Kanno has also worked with a number of international talents such as Steve Conte (American) and Joyce (Brazilian). One vocalist that has caused some speculation among Yoko Kanno's fans is a singer by the name of Gabriela Robin, who is featured on some of her soundtracks but has never released an album on her own or even made a public appearance! This has led to long-standing rumors that Yoko Kanno is in fact Gabriela Robin, which she has denied.

Yoko Kanno has released only one solo album to date, 1998's Song to Fly. She is also a member of The Seatbelts, who were featured on the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. It was reported last year at Yoko Kanno will be working on, and it is assumed she is still working on at this moment, music for the on-line multiplayer role playing game Ragnarok Online 2.

She has made some American appearances, at Otakon and Anime Expo in 1999, and Anime Expo New York in 2002. Her many international fans are hoping for a repeat performance of these appearances in the future!

Brief Discography

Solo:

Song to Fly

Anime:

Macross Plus
Memories : Magnetic Rose
Please Save My Earth
Vision of Escaflowne (+ movie)
Noiseman Sound Insect
Record of Lodoss War : Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Cowboy Bebop (+ movie)
Cardcaptor Sakura
Brain Powerd
Turn-A Gundam
Dai-Guard
Jin-Roh
Earth Girl Arjuna
RahXephon
Ghost in the Shell : Stand Alone Complex
Wolf's Rain
Ghost in the Shell : Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
Genesis of Aquarion
Oban Star-Racers
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society

Film:

Yamato Takeru
Asalto
Boku wa benkyo ga dekinai
Natsu jikan no otonatachi
Tokyo.Sora
Mizu no onna
Shimotsuma monogatari
Ashura-jô no hitomi
Su-ki-da

Video Games

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Nobunaga's Ambition
Genghis Khan
Uncharted Waters
Uncharted Waters 2 : New Horizons
Napple Tale : Arsia in Daydream
Cowboy Bebop
Ragnarok Online 2