Who's the best anime singer out there?
 

Must be Megumi or Mayaa Sakamoto!!

kuribayashi minami - the singer accounted for kimi ga nozomu eien's OST

hmmm... My vote goes for Kuribayashi Minami, Sakamoto Maaya and Mikuni Shimokawa

Mayaa Sakamoto :D

Yui Horie. I really liked the songs that she did for Love Hina.

My vote goes to Maaya Sakamoto-sensei :D

Okui Masami is good too, she's a veteran and has a pretty unique voice. :)

Obvious picks, but Mikuna Shimokawa and Minami Kuribayashi, but then they must be obvious for a reason right? :)

Of course Maaya Sakamoto is probably the most popular, and I think she has a lovely voice, though I find myself quickly tiring of her songs, whereas I could listen to the FMP OP/ED singles every day, all day, and I've been known to do so.

I can't figure out why Chiba Saeko slipped my mind... Oh well at least I cought myself right away.

1. MAAYA SAKAMOTO!!! she is just fantabulous!!

so far i think maaya sakamoto is in the lead:D ^__^

Even though she's not technically an anime singer (e-games more like)....
Kotoko!!

She did sing the OP song to "Onegai Teacher" and did the duet OP with Saito Yumi in "Onegai Twins."

BTW, she will be making a "major debut" (meaning, from the dark alleys of ero-games to light arena of anime) from Geneon in February.


As for my favorite singer, as an anime fan since I was two, my memories are lodging in the legendary anime singers:

Horie Mieko and Mizuki Ichiro

I'm aware of that, and I plan to import the album.
Now, if only I could get my hands on a credit card...

Hmm... I have some favourites that had probably retired from singing. They are Hiroko Moriguichi (Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, Gundam F91), Wada Kanako (Orange Road) and Miho Morikawa (Nadia, Ranma). Unfortunately, I have only heard that few songs from them and there isn't alot of their info on the net that's in English.

Are they famous and legendary in Japan too?

Can you recommend to me the good anime songs from the two singers that you have named?

Thanks. :D

They are famous, but not in the realms of "legendary."

By "legendary," I mean the two people that I have mentioned were singing anime/tokusatsu OP songs from the late 1960s to today.
Just to mention a few of Horie Mitsuko and Mizuki Ichiro's profiles (at least that I know from the top of my head) are:

Horie Mitsuko http://www.micchi.net/
A. Won the "National Children's Singing Contest Show" in 1961 (I take it something comparable in the US would be "American Idol")
B. Debuted in 1969 by singing the OP to the anime "Kurenai Sanshiro"
C. Some of her OP anime/tokusatsu songs works include:
"Hakushon Daimaoh," "Mahou no Makochan," "Suki! Suki! Majosensei," "Sazae-san," "Susume~ Go-ranger!" "Magne Robo Gakin," "Candy Candy," "Chodenji Machine Voltes V" "Hananoko RunRun," "Dr. Slump Arare-chan," "Doraemon," and more....totaling over 900 OP songs for anime, tokusatsu, movies, and special programs.
D. Known in Japan as the "godmother of shoujo anime songs."
E. Her most recent work is a collaboration project with the Angel Troupe, doing a special OP in the "mahou shoujo episode" in "Galaxy Angel 3rd Season."

Mizuki Ichiro http://www.mizuki-spirits.com/index.htm
A. Debuted in 1968 from Nippon Columbia Records as a children's song skit (something like your "Sesame Street")
B. Some of his OP anime/tokusatsu song works include:
"Mazinger Z," "Great Mazinger," "Choudenji Robo Combattler V," "Babel 2sei," "Captain Harlock," "Kamen Rider/Masked Rider," "Lupin 3rd," etc. totaling over 1000 songs in his career, and counting
C. The only person in Japanese musical history to be awarded the prestigious annual Columbia Music Golden Disk Award for 10 times
D. Made music legend in 1999 on a special 24-hour TV show in which he sang all of his 1000+ OP anime/tokusatsu songs in 24 hours. Which also happened to receive one of the highest viewer ratings in Japanese TV history.
E. Known in Japan as the "godfather of shounen anime songs."
F. His most recent work is creating a band called JAM Project along with Matsumoto Rika, Kageyama Hironobu, Endo Masaaki, and Sakamoto Eizou (whom all are great anime singers as well) and doing the OP theme to "Soultaker"

In the realms of how prolific, how long they have been in the anime industry, and how they have made an impact to the anime/tokusatsu music industry, these two singers are indeed, legendary.

The singers that you have asked me about, and the other singers that are listed on this thread are all indeed very great singers. But in a sense, their career as an anime singer would not exist without the groundwork laid upon by Horie Mitsuko and Mizuki Ichiro. All anime singers in Japan pay dear respects to these two.

To anime (and perhaps even non-anime) singers, these two ARE gods. And to anime otakus in Japan, these two are what we have known to grow up with - in almost every anime that we have seen as a child (and even children today watch current children's anime show with these two still singing the OP songs to, as well!).

An analogous comparison would be comparing, oh...let's say.... "Britney Spears" to "Diana Ross." or "Blink 182" to "Deep Purple." (bad pun, I understand. I don't know too many English singers....)

So, I stand firm on my selection of anime singers: Horie Mitsuko and Mizuki Ichiro hands down.

Oh... Mizuki Ichiro... no wonder I find the name familiar. Heard a couple of songs that he collaborated with Kageyama Hironobu. The 24hrs show is really amazing, if only I have the chance to watch it.

Thanks for the info. :D

yoko kanno for piano she has some amzing music
as of now i'll agree with most people with maaya sakamoto

My favorites are KOTOKO (of Onegai Teacher/Twins fame) and Tanaka Rie, who did all the vocal songs for Chobits. Her voice really appeals to me.

--Cless

Utada hikaru!!!

second that one.. she's real good... :)

I would say Mayaa Sakamoto cuz she works with Yoko Kanno so alot of her songs are great

but my all time favorite is Tomoe Shinohara!!