Yoko Kanno Database

• DISCOGRAPHY / Genesis of Aquarion
• DISCOGRAPHY / Genesis of Aquarion 2

Each contains a page of cd credits. Is there anything else you'd like to see in a disco page?

International fans now have another chance to get Maaya Sakamoto goodies. The time frame to register to the fanclub is between October 1 to 23h59 on November 30, 2005 (in Japan time, I assume). If you join by October 10, you will get a chance to join in fan club events.

• Sign up here: http://www.ids-maaya.com/ -> 新規入会 (right column, first row)
• If you no speak Japan-go, roxfan saved the pages of the registration process so you can feed it to a translator: http://users.skynet.be/roxfan/maaya/fc/
  And another fan translated the fields to fill out: http://horurito.cafe24.com/joining_fc.htm
• Discussions: http://maayas.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2

International fans now have another chance to get Maaya Sakamoto goodies. The time frame to register to the fanclub is between October 1 to 23h59 on November 30, 2005 (in Japan time, I assume). If you join by October 10, you will get a chance to join in fan club events.

• Sign up here: http://www.ids-maaya.com/ -> 新規入会 (right column, first row)
• If you no speak Japan-go, roxfan saved the pages of the registration process so you can feed it to a translator: http://users.skynet.be/roxfan/maaya/fc/
  And another fan translated the fields to fill out: http://horurito.cafe24.com/joining_fc.htm
• Discussions: http://maayas.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2

Gravity Co., Korea's online game company of Ragnarok Online, released a PR today announcing a new acquirement for their upcoming Ragnarok Online 2 game:

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Gravity Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRVY), an online game developer and distributor, announced that Japanese music maestro, Yoko Kanno, has agreed to compose 90 songs for Ragnarok Online 2. Ms. Kanno will meet her fans on September 16th at the Tokyo Game Show 2005 (TGS 2005), when the official announcement is made at the Ragnarok Online 2 showcase in Gravity's Booth.

Kanno Yoko has released approximately 40 original animation and movie sound tracks, including the well-known Japanese animation ‘Ghost in the Shell’, ‘Cowboy Bebop’, and the movie ‘Momoco’ [Shimotsuma Monogatari]. She also produced more than 30 songs of various genres such as Enca [enka], an omnibus album and jazz while also composing background music for PC games including ‘Ambition of Nobunaga’ and ‘Age of navigation’ [Uncharted Waters].

David Yoon, CEO of Gravity stated “It is a great pleasure to work with Kanno Yoko on Ragnarok Online 2. We continue to strive to provide gamers with excellent content and a great gaming experience. Compelling music can make a great title extraordinary. Kanno's background music has been effective in animations and games with strong fantasy elements. Therefore, her music which will express the medieval European fantasy world in Ragnarok Online 2 is expected to appeal not only to the game users but also to the general public.”

Kanno Yoko stated “I am proud to be participating in the making of Ragnarok Online 2 and accepted the offer due to the attractive characters of Ragnarok and the sincerity of the title's producers. Ragnarok Online is a very popular game in Japan and I will do my best to produce quality music and hope it brings joy to the people.”

- http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY;=/www/story/09-13-2005/0004106080&EDATE;=

Genesis of Aquarion Original Sound Track 2
VICL-61649 / Sep 22 2005

http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/m-serve/-/Discography/-/VICL-61649.html

Thanks to EarlSneak. Go to the forum for more.

First found this news at maayasakamoto.net:
Sakamoto's fifth album is officially 「夕凪 LOOP」 (Yunagi Loop), set for an October 26, 2005 release date. There is a limited edition version that comes with an additional disc containing a PV (and maybe more stuff?). To those with priority, the release is as soon as in late September. More details will be announced later at Sakamoto's website.

坂本真綾 - 夕凪 LOOP
Sakamoto Maaya - Yunagi LOOP
VICL-61755, VIZL-155 (Limited Edition)
Oct 26 2005

Another singer having an October release is Origa:

Origa - Aurora
RSCR-1006 / Oct 05 2005

1. Aurora
2. Chance
3. Promise
4. Kalinka
5. Polyushko-pole
6. 朝に満ちて
   Asa ni michite
7. Don't let me go
8. Aney, unborn child
9. Shine, my star
10. Mona Lisa

Her site at r-s.co.jp/origa was redesigned in August. It announced that a September 25th broadcast of a music program on TV Asahi will show her in a 40th anniversary celebration of some sort involving Russian music performing alongside composer 千住明 (Akira Senju) and violinist Anastasia Chebotareva. Discuss this in the forum.

It's been over a week since the convention ended so I'm pretty sure some of you already know that Maaya Sakamoto paid California a visit to hold a concert. To those not in the know, I'll point to where you can read all about the event.

On July 3, the concert was held. Appearing onstage by herself with no band support, she sang the songs listed below. After every two songs follows a conversation with fans in English.

1. Yakusoku wa Iranai
2. Platinum
3. Mameshiba
4. Kiseki no Umi
5. Yubiwa
6. Gravity
7. Gift
8. Pocket wo Kara ni Shite
9. Kaze ga Fuku Hi (encore)

On July 4 was the focus panel followed by interviews with individual reporters.

• AnimeOnDVD focus panel report : http://www.animeondvd.com/conitem.php?item=227
• AnimeOnDVD interview : http://www.animeondvd.com/conitem.php?item=229
• A Fan's View interview : http://www.fansview.com/2005/animeexpo/070405a.htm
• Photos of the concert and focus panel (no flash were allowed) :
  http://www.geocities.jp/bunkaex/maaya.html
  http://www.geocities.jp/bunkaex/maaya2.html
• And of course, you should really hit these fansites for other reporting :
  http://maayas.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
  http://maayasakamoto.net/

From the AnimeOnDVD interview, we learn that Sakamoto is working on a new album that does not involve Yoko Kanno. I think it's good to stretch one's legs for awhile.

From Fantasia 2005 updated

The following films and err, anime series will make their premiere (Canadian, North American, what have you) at the film festival: Mind Game, Kamikaze Girls, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG, and Ashura (original title 阿修羅城の瞳 / Ashura-jo no Hitomi).

More selections from Japan are listed here: http://www.fantasiafestival.com/en/films/spotlight.php?id=5

From Anime Expo 2005

Bandai: Near future domestic releases include the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2ND GIG title. (At Sakura Con 2005, the panel stated a July release.)

“Bandai will also translate and publish the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log, a 128-page hardbound book of cast and staff interviews, storyboards and other content related to the series. The book will be accompanied by a 40-minute-long DVD containing various documentaries and extras.”

Production I.G.: “There are no plans to produce any more episodes of the Stand Alone Complex TV series.”

VIZ Media: Re-statement of this post.

It's nice to know that Kanno's soundtracks aren't just licensed by Americans. Goliath from the forum revealed that a German record company, Anime Records, is releasing the Wolf's Rain OST to Europeans on July 11, 2005. They have also released the first soundtrack to Arjuna on October 25, 2004.

Anime Records is also releasing a 3 CDs collector's box, Anime Attacks, on July 11. Music is from Noir, .hack//SIGN, and Candidate for Goddess series.

Remember the WSA?

I'll re-iterate: The WSA has a Public Choice Award where folks like you and me are given the opportunity to vote for someone, namely with all purpose of this site, Yoko Kanno.

Eligible soundtrack work for films are any of those released between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005 and two fitting films that Kanno participated in are listed: 阿修羅城の瞳 (Ashura-jo no Hitomi, Blood Gets in Your Eyes) and Mind Game. To vote, go here.

One may also vote for 山本精一 (Seiichi Yamamoto) here as he contributed to 90% of the music to Mind Game.

The voting period is between July 1, 2005 and September 15, 2005. A list of all film scores (beware that some aren't even eligible) for nomination is here: http://www.worldsoundtrackawards.com/awards.cgi?type=list.

Titled, Go Tight!, it is a theme song anthology, featuring a new opening theme song, the current ending theme, and Pierre, one of the characters' theme.

The title track shows further collaboration between YK and AKINO as AKINO lends her vocals. The single is also under 牧野由依 (Yui Makino)'s name so one expects she is the singer of “オムナ マグニ” (Omuna Maguni) and that it's probably a duplicate recording from the soundtrack release. Finally, for the third track, it's not known yet if it has vocals.

AKINO/牧野由依 - Go Tight!
AKINO/Yui Makino - Go Tight!
VICL-35887 / Aug 24 2005

1. Go Tight!
2. オムナ　マグニ
   Omuna Maguni
   Omna Magni
3. エスペランサ！
   Esperanza!

Source: http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/m-serve/-/Information2/O0416.html

• PEOPLE / Ilaria Graziano : A few corrected informa— Have you ever wondered what she looks like in colour, not just in red-tint?
• PEOPLE / Scott Matthew : That cooning voice, coons to non-Yoko Kanno listeners also.
• PEOPLE / Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch : If you think her name is long, you should check out how long it really is! And check out a 1999 release...
• PEOPLE / ? : Who will be next? Tune in... Brought to you by Grey_Archangel.
• DISCOGRAPHY / Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex OST 3 : This page isn't really done yet. (That note for track 16 is rumoured.) I'm testing the design for others like it.
• And finally, do you all know what RSS feeds are and what they're used for? In one sentence, utilizing it means you can grab news postings (usually) from many different sites without having to go to them, wait for pages to load, etc. ykDB now has an RSS feed. Get the XML here. For more information on how to ease your browsing experience, read about it on Wikipedia. Firefox users, check out Live Bookmarks if you haven't already.

I'm amazed how eager Viz Media is in bringing Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語, Shimotsuma Monogatari) to US audiences. Not only are they translating the novel (release in Feb 2006) that the film is based on, but they already have the film showing in theatres! So far, the number of screenings is limited, but at least they're not sending it directly to DVD (release in Jan 2006).

kamikazegirls.net lists the following theatre appearances:

• Los Angeles Film Festival: June 18, 20 Sorry for the late report :(
• New York Asian Film Festival: June 23, July 1
• Fantasia Film Festival, Montréal: July 14, 16 updated
• Village East Cinemas, NY: September 9 - ?
• Nuart Theatre, LA: September 16-23
• Varsity Theatre, Seattle: October 14-21

The website also has some researched interesting info, linking to external information sources such as Wikipedia — cheers to the webmaster! Viz also knows how to draw certain crowds and giving nods to a certain composer... because if you look here, they have a translated interview with Yoko Kanno on how she contributed in the film!

As for the soundtrack, Viz hasn't made a mention of releasing that.

As I said, I went right to work reworking and adding the following things:

• PEOPLE / Ilaria Graziano : I must mention this again here — without Crispain, there wouldn't be such a thorough collection of information as what's presented in this update. Thanks to Ila herself for helping out and for her kind words.
• PEOPLE / Raj Ramayya : A few more disco additions. I've literally sifted through the Metropolis website (with Google's help) and found all the articles they have on Ramayya and his band. I think they like him ;)
  
  Also, for Canadians and whoever has CBC Newsworld, his brother's documentary will be shown on June 29 and July 2.
• RESOURCES / images / others / 保刈久明 (Hisaaki Hogari) : Lookie, this is what Hisaaki Hogari looks like. The photo is a screenshot from 新居昭乃 (Akino Arai)'s live performance this year broadcasted over the web.
• DISCOGRAPHY / lyrics / Flow : It seems no one has ever published a transliteration of this song from the Brain Powerd OST and that's a real wonder. Prompted by a request in the forum, here it is.
• DISCOGRAPHY / lyrics / プライド～嘆きの旅 (Pride~nageki no tabi) : Transliterated for selfish reasons. I like this song.

One more item: I've been reading old emails sent to ykdb@shaw and I must say, “Why did I ever stop updating this site?” Thank you all from the past who sent thanks and encouragement. I hope this update will make up for those dormant months and suffices until the next update. Don't forget there's also the forum :)

“updat*” word count in post: 6

Stolen from Pulseczar and NTV:

1. the end of all you'll know

   words: Chris Mosdell
   vocal: Scott Matthew

2. トルキア
   turkey

   words/vocal: Gabriela Robin

3. know your enemy
4. レーザーシーカー
   laser seeker
5. break through
6. flying low
7. エウロペ
   europe
8. 半島の東
   hantou no higashi
   east of the peninsula
9. 未完成ラブストーリー
   mikansei love story
   incomplete love story
10. Christmas in the Silent Forest

    words: Shanti Snyder
    vocal: Ilaria Graziano

11. access all areas
12. sacred terrorist
13. dear john

    words: Tim Jensen
    vocal: Scott Matthew

14. 35.7℃
15. スマイル
    smile
16. flashback memory stick

    words: Gabriela Robin/Shanti Snyder/Origa
    vocal: Origa/Benedict Delmaestro

17. dew

    words/vocal: Ilaria Graziano

Too indifferent to revamp the whole site, I'll just focus on the front page and itty bitty other parts (time will tell exactly what those are).

New things:

• Colour coding! This is an example of how multi-language sites should look.
• Uh, new design?
• Best viewed in any browser