Yuki Kajiura

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Yuki Kajiura
梶浦 由記
Yuki Kajiura at Anime Expo 2012
Yuki Kajiura at Anime Expo 2012
Background information
Born (1965-08-06) August 6, 1965 (age 56)
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresAnison, baroque pop, contemporary classical music, world music, electronic, folk music, orchestral, new-age music, ambient music, electronica, dark ambient, progressive rock, progressive metal, operatic pop, progressive pop, chamber pop, gregorian chant, experimental
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, record producer
InstrumentsKeyboard/piano
Years active1992–present
Labels
  • Space Craft Produce (1993 - 2018)
  • FictionJunction Music (2018-present)
Associated acts
Websitewww.fictionjunction.com

Yuki Kajiura (梶浦 由記, Kajiura Yuki, born August 6, 1965) is a Japanese musician, composer and record producer. She has provided the music for several popular anime series, such as the final Kimagure Orange Road movie, Noir, .hack//Sign, Aquarian Age, Madlax, My-HiME, My-Otome, Pandora Hearts, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the Kara no Kyoukai movies (amongst others). She also assisted Toshihiko Sahashi with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. Kajiura has also composed for video games, including the cutscene music for Xenosaga II and the entire Xenosaga III game soundtrack. She composed the music for NHK's April 2014 morning drama (asadora) Hanako to Anne.[1]

Biography[]

She was born on August 6, 1965, in Tokyo, Japan. She has been into music since 1972 and accompanying her father on the piano. Her family later moved to West Germany because of her father's work. Kajiura wrote her first composition when she was seven years old titled " Thank you, Good-bye" as a farewell for her grandmother before leaving Japan.

Kajiura moved back to Japan when she was in middle school and later graduated from college. She began working as a systems engineering programming until 1992 that she decided to focus more on music.[2]

In 2002, See-Saw participated in another Mashimo's project, .hack//Sign During the production of the series, Kajiura met Emily Bindiger and impressed by her vocals, offered her to perform over 10 of the series' insert songs. She has also jokingly called Bindiger "her English teacher" at Anime Expo 2003.[3]

One of Kajiura's solo projects includes FictionJunction. The project involves collaboration with artists such as Yuuka Nanri, Asuka Kato, and Kaori Oda. FictionJunction Yuuka, with Nanri as the vocalist, is the most prolific of these collaborations. In 2004, the duo produced the opening and ending songs for Kōichi Mashimo's Madlax and in the next year, published their first collaborative album, Destination.

In October 2007, it was announced that Yuki Kajiura would be attending the performances of the Eminence Orchestra's concert, 'A Night in Fantasia 2007 – Symphonic Anime Edition', as a special guest.[4]

The 2014 series Aldnoah.Zero's opening theme "Heavenly Blue" was composed by Kajiura and was performed by Kalafina.[5]

In July 2016, Aniplex of America announced that the “Yuki Kajiura LIVE ~featuring SWORD ART ONLINE~” concert that took place in March 2016 in Japan would be having an additional date on January 14, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, but was later canceled due to visa issues.[6]

In December 2017, a source reported to a news site, Sponchi Annex that Kajiura was planning to leave her agency, Spacecraft Produce, over contract disputes. In February 2018, Kajiura herself confirmed via her Twitter that she has officially left her agency.[7][8][9]

Kajiura has performed internationally at various anime conventions including Anime Expo 2003, Anime Boston 2009 (with Kalafina), Anime Expo 2012 (with FictionJunction), and Anime Expo 2018 (as part of Anisong World Matsuri).[10]

On February 22, 2018, her contract ended with SpaceCraft Produce after being a talent for 25 years.[11] She is now represented by FictionJunction Music, a talent agency she founded herself.

Discography[]

Anime soundtracks[]

Title Year of release Director
Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning 1996 Osamu Kobayashi
Eat-Man 1997 Kōichi Mashimo
Noir 2001 Kōichi Mashimo
Aquarian Age 2002 Yoshimitsu Ohashi
.hack//Sign 2002 Kōichi Mashimo
.hack//Liminality 2002 Kōichi Mashimo
Le Portrait de Petit Cossette 2004 Akiyuki Shinbo
Madlax 2004 Kōichi Mashimo
My-HiME 2004 Masakazu Obara
My-Otome 2005 Masakazu Obara
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle 2005–2006 Kōichi Mashimo
Hiroshi Morioka
Elemental Gelade 2005 Shigeru Ueda
My-Otome Zwei 2006 Masakazu Obara
Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior 2007 Toyoo Ashida
El Cazador de la Bruja 2007 Kōichi Mashimo
Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations 2007–2008 Shunsuke Tada
Tsubasa Shunraiki 2009 Shunsuke Tada
Pandora Hearts 2009 Takao Kato
Puella Magi Madoka Magica 2011 Akiyuki Shinbo
Yukihiro Miyamoto
Fate/Zero 2011–2012 Ei Aoki
Sword Art Online 2012 Tomohiko Itō
Sword Art Online II 2014 Tomohiko Itō
Erased 2016 Tomohiko Itō
Zaregoto series 2016–2017 Akiyuki Shinbo
Yuki Yase
Princess Principal 2017 Masaki Tachibana
Sword Art Online: Alicization 2018–2020 Manabu Ono
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 2019 Haruo Sotozaki
The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note 2019 Makoto Katō
The Case Study of Vanitas 2021 Tomoyuki Itamura
Fena: Pirate Princess 2021 Kazuto Nakazawa
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Entertainment District Arc 2021 Haruo Sotozaki

Movie soundtracks[]

Title Year of release Director
Tokyo-Kyodai 1995 Jun Ichikawa
Ruby Fruit 1995 Takumi Kimiduka
Rainbow 1999 Naoto Kumazawa
Boogiepop and others 2000 Ryu Kaneda
Moon 2000 Takumi Kimiduka
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Movie: Princess in Birdcage Kingdom 2005 Itsuro Kawasaki
Kara no Kyoukai series 2007–2009, 2013 Ei Aoki
Takuya Nonaka
Mitsuru Oburai
Tomonori Sudō
Achilles and the Tortoise 2008 Takeshi Kitano[12]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part I: Beginnings 2012 Akiyuki Shinbo
Yukihiro Miyamoto
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part II: Eternal 2012 Akiyuki Shinbo
Yukihiro Miyamoto
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion 2013 Akiyuki Shinbo
Yukihiro Miyamoto
Sword Art Online: Extra Edition 2013 Tomohiko Itō
L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties 2016 Guo Jingming
Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale 2017 Tomohiko Itō
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower 2017 Tomonori Sudō
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. lost butterfly 2019 Tomonori Sudō
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. spring song 2020 Tomonori Sudō
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train 2020 Haruo Sotozaki
Princess Principal: Crown Handler 2021 Masaki Tachibana
Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night 2021 Ayako Kawano
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Turning the Tide of Walpurgis N/A Akiyuki Shinbo
Yukihiro Miyamoto


Game soundtracks[]

Title Game platform Year of release Company
Double Cast (ダブルキャスト, Daburukyasuto) PlayStation 1998 Sony Computer Entertainment
Meguri-aishite (めぐり愛して) PlayStation 1999 SME
Blood: The Last Vampire PlayStation 2 2000 Sony Computer Entertainment
Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse (Movie scenes) PlayStation 2 2004 Namco
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra PlayStation 2 2006 Namco

Musicals[]

Title Year of release
Sakura-Wars 1998
Fine 1998
Funk-a-Step 1998
Funk-a-Step II 1999
Christmas Juliette 1999–2000
High-School Revolution 2000
Christmas Juliette 2000
Shooting-Star Lullaby 2001
Love's Labour's Lost/Set 2002
Angel Gate 2006

Solo albums[]

Title Year of release
Fiction 2003
Fiction II 2011

Produced albums[]

Title Artist Year of release
I have a dream See-Saw 1993
See-Saw See-Saw 1994
Early Best See-Saw 2003
Dream Field See-Saw 2003
melody Saeko Chiba 2003
everything Saeko Chiba 2004
Destination FictionJunction Yuuka 2004
Circus FictionJunction Yuuka 2007
Re/oblivious Kalafina 2008
Everlasting Songs FictionJunction 2009
Seventh Heaven Kalafina 2009
Red Moon Kalafina 2010
After Eden Kalafina 2011
Consolation Kalafina 2013
Elemental FictionJunction 2014
far on the water Kalafina 2015

Compilation albums[]

Title Year of release
The Works for Soundtrack 2011

Other involvements[]

Genre Project Involvement Year
Anime Jura Tripper Ending theme "Sunday Island" by Mariko Kouda [13] 1995
Anime Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Closing theme & insert songs 2002
Anime Chrono Crusade Closing theme song (Sayonara Solitaire) 2003
Game .hack//Quarantine Song "Yasashii Yoake" (also used in .hack//Sign) 2003
Anime The World of Narue Closing theme 2003
Anime Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Closing theme & insert songs 2004
Anime .hack//Legend of the Twilight Closing theme 2004
Anime Loveless Theme song 2005
Anime Shōnen Onmyōji Opening theme song 2006
Anime .hack//Roots Opening theme song 2006
Anime Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto Opening theme song 2006
Anime My-Otome Zwei Ending theme songs 2–3 2007
Anime Baccano! Ending Theme song "Calling" featuring Kaori Oda [14] 2007
Anime Amatsuki Ending Theme song 2008
TV Drama Negima (Live Action) Ending Theme song 2008
Anime Kuroshitsuji Ending Theme Song "Lacrimosa" by Kalafina [15] 2008
Documentary Unknown Episodes of History – Historia Soundtrack[16] 2009
Anime So Ra No Wo To Opening Theme song 2010
Anime Ōkami Kakushi Theme song 2010
Anime Eve no Jikan Ending Theme Song 2010
Game Nobunaga's Ambition Theme song 2010
Anime Kuroshitsuji II Insert theme song 2010
TV Drama 15 Sai no Shiganhei Music 2010
Game .hack//Link Previously written songs contributed: Edge, (from .hack//Liminality Volume 1: In the Case of Mai Minase) Obsession from .hack//Sign and Silly-Go-Round. (from .hack//Roots) 2010
Documentary Unknown Episodes of History – Historia 2 Soundtrack 2011
Anime Sacred Seven Opening theme song 2011
Game Senritsu no Stratus Opening theme song 2011
Anime Fate/Zero Opening theme song, Ending theme song 2011
TV Drama Hanako to Anne Music 2014
Anime Aldnoah.Zero Opening theme song 2014
Anime Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Guest Composer, Ending theme song 2014
Anime The Heroic Legend of Arslan Ending theme song 2015
Anime Erased Ending theme song 2016
Anime The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance Ending theme song 2016
Anime Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower Theme song 2017
Anime Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. lost butterfly Theme song 2019
TV Drama Eien no Nispa Music 2019
Music JAM Project song “To the Next Era” Composition and arrangement 2020

References[]

  1. ^ 連続テレビ小説 (in Japanese). NHK, Japanese Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  2. ^ "Yuki Kajiura Biography". Biography. Canta-Per-Me.net. January 26, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. ^ "Yuki Kajiura Concert". Anime Source. Anime-Source.Com. September 25, 2003. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
  4. ^ "AU: Eminence Orchestra Returns to Sydney!". IGN Music. IGN Entertainment, Inc. October 10, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
  5. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY|Kalafina OFFICIAL WEBSITE". www.sonymusic.co.jp. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  6. ^ "Yuki Kajiura to Hold Sword Art Online-Themed Concert in Hollywood in January". Anime News Network. July 2, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  7. ^ "Anime Music Composer Yuki Kajiura Leaves Agency After 25 Years". Anime News Network. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  8. ^ "アニメ業界で事務所トラブル 梶浦由記氏退社、カラフィナも活動休止へ 20億円超の打撃". sponichi.co.jp. December 23, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  9. ^ "アニメ音楽界のカリスマ・梶浦由記氏事務所退社、「カラフィナ」活動は白紙". sponichi.co.jp. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  10. ^ "Yuki Kajiura". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  11. ^ "Anime Music Composer Yuki Kajiura Leaves Agency After 25 Years". animenewsnetwork.com. February 21, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Berra, John, ed. (2010). Directory of World Cinema: Japan. Intellect Books. p. 10. ISBN 9781841503356.
  13. ^ "Yuki Kajiura". Sunday Island. Canta-Per-Me.net,Yuki Kajiura Discograpy. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  14. ^ "Yuki Kajiura". Calling performed by Kaori Oda. Canta-Per-Me.net,Yuki Kajiura Discograpy. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  15. ^ "Yuki Kajiura". Lacrimosa performed by Kalafina (in Japanese). FictionJunction.com, Yuki Kajiura Official Website. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  16. ^ "Yuki Kajiura". Casting Profile (in Japanese). NHK, Japanese Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 4, 2012.

External links[]

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