If any one composer's name is synonymous with anime music, it must be Kanno Yoko, without question. While her music is renowned across the globe to millions of adoring fans, there are still many people who have never heard of her. Chances are, however, they have come across her masterful works at one time or another.

Such immense talent surely had to have been nurtured and molded through academic study, right? Wrong. With shades of Mozart, Kanno Yoko is self-taught in piano and actually went to school to become, of all things, a writer. Unlike Mozart, however, Kanno is not a social invalid, and considers meeting people across the world as one of the many perks of being an internationally-loved composer.

Born on March 19th, 1964, Kanno Yoko had begun composing at a very early age, claiming Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy as her primary classical mentors. Though mainly sought after for her anime pieces, Kanno performed the soundbytes for early Koei games (Nobunaga's Ambition) and many commercials, including an ad for Japanese Coca-Cola™. She is also credited as a songwriter for the now-defunct band Tetsu 100%.

Her debut anime came in the form of Macross Plus, a sequel to the immensely popular Macross series. Though at the time a name in the industry, she had not won the job by default and auditioned for the position. One of her works from the anime is Voices, the opening to Macross Plus and perhaps her most famous work. The unmitigated success stemming from her anime debut brought her instant name-recognition... and calls from anime directors seeking her services.

Other notable Kanno credits include Please Save My Earth, Vision of Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop. She achieved instant acclaim for her versatility in composing the works of Escaflowne, which featured numerous classical pieces, and Cowboy Bebop, which showcased her Jazz intellect and prowess. All this provided a nice counterbalance to her decidedly techno portfolio displayed in Macross Plus. Dance of Curse and Tank! are two of the most oft-requested and played songs in all of anime.

Though a tireless workaholic, Kanno Yoko doesn't follow in the reclusive artist mold that some picture her as. A free spirit by nature, she takes great enjoyment in everything she does, and can amuse herself even during the most mundane situations. A frequent attendee of anime conventions in the United States, she uses these opportunities to travel abroad and converse with fellow musicians and fans alike. She relishes in discovering new surroundings, and can often be found accompanied by a Polaroid™ camera, snapping photographs of seemingly random objects.

With her name firmly cemented in the annals of anime (and music, in general), the sky's the limit for this youthful genius. Being in high demand certainly doesn't afford her much free time to enjoy her other passions, but somehow she makes do. She manages this juggling act by keeping everything in perspective: do what you have to do, but have fun doing it.

Production Credits

Brain Powerd
Card Captor Sakura
CLAMP School Detectives
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Dai-Guard
Earth Girl Arjuna
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Hime-chan's Ribbon
Jin-Roh
Legend of Crystania
Macross 7
Macross 7 Encore
Macross Dynamite 7
Macross Plus
Memories
Mindgame
Mobile Suit Turn-A Gundam
Mobile Suit Turn-A Gundam: Earth Light
Mobile Suit Turn-A Gundam: Moonlight Butterfly
Noiseman Sound Insect
Please Save My Earth
RahXephon
RahXephon: Pluralitis Concentio
Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Sousei no Aquarion
Vision of Escaflowne
Vision of Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea
Wolf's Rain
Wolf's Rain OVA
X/1999