Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本龍一, born January 17, 1952 in Nakano, Japan) was a Japanese musician, composer, keyboardist, record producer, singer, and actor whose work ranged across ambient, art pop, classical, and electronic music. While studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, he began working as a studio musician. From 1975 he was active as a solo artist and as a member of the KYLYN band. In the late 1970s he joined Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. The group's success in Japan and abroad made him a major figure in synth-based pop and electronic music. Alongside his work with YMO, Sakamoto developed a solo career that moved across contemporary composition, pop, acoustic works, and later ambient and electronica. He also worked extensively as a producer and arranger for other artists. As a film composer, he wrote the score for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. He later won an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and two Golden Globe Awards for his film work, including The Last Emperor. His later releases included the million-selling "ウラBTTB" and "Out of Noise" (2009). In anime he performed "a life," the OP of "Nihon Chinbotsu".