Your Top 10 Anime Composers

[zzeroparticle]

This thread is for a special project, one that I'm conducting for Anime Instrumentality.

Basically, I'm interested in knowing who your ten favorite anime composers are since I'm looking to begin writing an article series about that topic and showcase some of the music they've written over the years. If you guys can give me your two cents on the matter, that'd be great!

A few ground rules: when I say anime composers, any composer who’s written any music for anime (including OPs/EDs/insert songs) qualifies. That was easy, wasn’t it? Basically, the only vocalists that are permissible for this are those who actually compose music. Obviously the extent to which you enjoy their music is important and will probably be the primary criterion by which you assemble your list. You can also consider other things like their quantity of work they’ve done. But when you put together your list, do rank order them from most favorite to tenth favorite. Nothing more needs to be done, but you are welcome to add comments about why you chose X person.

Lastly, do try to come up with ten. I specifically stress the word try, because it’s perfectly OK if you aren’t able to come up with that many. If you’re stuck, it does help to look through some of your favorite shows and see who composed their music, but if all else fails, just list one, or two, or five. That’s totally fine. Do fill this out by December 31, 2010 because that's when I'll begin tabulating.

Thanks!

And for those interested, my list:

Spoiler:

1. Joe Hisaishi
2. Yoko Kanno
3. Michiru Ooshima
4. Shiro Sagisu
5. Akira Senju
6. Yasuharu Takanashi
7. Yuki Kajiura
8. Taku Iwasaki
9. Toshihiko Sahashi
10. Masumi Itou (also goes by Hikaru Nanase)

[Shiroth]

Not a bad idea. Here's my list, though it's not in any order. If you want order, i can do that.

1. Yoko Kanno
2. Kaoru Wada
3. Kenji Kawai
4. S.E.N.S.
5. Yasuharu Takanashi
6. Naoki Sato
7. Akira Senju
8. Makoto Yoshimori
9. Taku Iwasaki
10. Toshihiko Sahashi

[Elo the Blue]

I don't have a top 10 but Koh Otani and Hiroyuki Sawano are two of my favorites.

[iPonbiki]

I don't really have a top 10 either, but I am quite fond of several composers mentioned it the previous lists.

I loved all of Joe Hisaishi's music in all the Ghibli movies. I use to play his music all the time on the piano as well. Very lovely works...

Taku Iwasaki's wonderful music, in my opinion, really made (or at least heavily contributed to making) the Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X OVAs the epics they were. The soundtrack to "Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Tsuiokuhen" is by far my favorite soundtrack of all time.

S.E.N.S. wrote a lot of touching music for several Japanese dramas I've watched, and probably a few animes as well.

Yuki Kajiura is probably the only composer that I will actually search for anime that features her music. She can turn even total crap (*cough* Tsubasa Chronicle) into something truly remarkable. I think I've seen just about every anime that features her music.

Toshihiko Sahashi is another one of my favorites who I know mostly from the Gundam Seed, Full Metal Panic!, and Hunter X Hunter series

I'm only vaguely familiar with Yoko Kanno, but from what I remember her music was good in Cowboy Bebop and Wolf's Rain.

There are probably many whom I don't know by name as well...

[iPonbiki]

After further research into animes that I remembered having good music I came across these composers as well:

----------

Air, Clannad, Kanon (Key/Visual Arts Composers - Maeda Jun, Orito Shinji, Togoshi Magome)

Hikaru no Go (Wakakusa Kei)

Kannazuki no Miko, Kaleido Star (Kubota Mina)

Mushishi, Mahoromatic, Ai Yori Aoshi, Naruto (Masuda Toshio)

Nana, D.N. Angel, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Hasegawa Tomoki)

Chrono Crusade, Galaxy Angel, Noein (Nanase Hikaru)

Inuyasha, Princess Tutu (Wada Kaoru)

----------

Taking these composers into consideration my new top-10 list would probably be as follows.

1. Taku Iwasaki
2. Yuki Kajiura
3. Joe Hisaishi
4. Toshihiko Sahashi
5. Masuda Toshio
6. Maeda Jun, Orito Shinji, Togoshi Magome
7. Hasegawa Tomoki
8. Kubota Mina
9. Nanase Hikaru
10. Wada Kaoru

[GreatTeacherKen]

In no particular order:

1. Yoko Kanno
2. Yuki Kajiura
3. Taku Iwasaki
4. Kouhei Tanaka
5. Jun Maeda
6. Shiro Sagisu
7. Yasuharu Takahasi
8. Toshihiko Sahashi
9. Tsuneo Imahori
10. Yoshihisa Hirano

[Haladflire65]

So far my faves are Iwasaki Taku (his Soul Eater soundtrack was awesome) and Sato Naoki. Sato is half responsible for me falling in love very hard with Sword of the Stranger very hard, and it's a plus that he did the soundtrack for one of my favourite J-dramas, too, the music in it is indeed just as epic as SOTS's.

[iPonbiki]

If we were including J-Drama composers as well I would probably have an entirely different top 10. Kono Shin would probably take my #1 spot.

Spoiler for 世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ　朔と亜紀:

This song nearly made me cry the first time I heard it in that drama.

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by iPonbiki

If we were including J-Drama composers as well I would probably have an entirely different top 10. Kono Shin would probably take my #1 spot.

Spoiler for 世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ　朔と亜紀:

This song nearly made me cry the first time I heard it in that drama.

I wasn't including J-drama composers, I was just saying Sato Naoki who is obviously an anime composer also happened to have done my favourite J-drama OST He did the epic SOTS soundtrack and it shows here in his theme for the drama Ryomaden!

Spoiler:

[zzeroparticle]

@Shiroth (and pretty much people who haven't done so)
Yeah, if you could rank it from favorite on down, that'd be good since I do have an arbitrary point system that I'll be using for some analysis.

But keep 'em coming. Always good to see people gush over some of their favorite anime composers out there and the selections are pretty varied so far!

[Thousand Mistress]

Originally Posted by GreatTeacherKen

In no particular order:

1. Yoko Kanno
2. Yuki Kajiura
3. Taku Iwasaki
4. Kouhei Tanaka
5. Jun Maeda
6. Shiro Sagisu
7. Yasuharu Takahasi
8. Toshihiko Sahashi
9. Tsuneo Imahori
10. Yoshihisa Hirano

Pretty much like GTK's list, but my 1 and 2 are

1. Yuki Kajiura
2. Akiko Shikata

Yuki Kajiura's compositions are marvelous. Especially when she made the BGMs for Pandora Hearts and TRC.

[zzeroparticle]

Originally Posted by Thousand Mistress

Pretty much like GTK's list, but my 1 and 2 are

1. Yuki Kajiura
2. Akiko Shikata

Yuki Kajiura's compositions are marvelous. Especially when she made the BGMs for Pandora Hearts and TRC.

Ha! Thanks for that reminder. I kinda forgot that Akiko Shikata does compose quite a bit of her own music. I should explore her discography more than I have been thus far.

[janfive]

I know the thread states "Top 10" but there is a consensus of the best composers and I feel like some other composers need to be recognized as well.

40 Great Anime Composers and 3 highlights:

40. Yukari Katsuki [of S.E.N.S.] (xxxHOLiC, KURAU Phantom Memory, Kimi ni Todoke)
39. Akira Senju (FMA: Brotherhood, V Gundam, Tetsujin 28th)
38. Akifumi Tada (FF: Unlimited, Ueki, Tokyo Underground)
37. Kuniaki Haishima (Blue Gender, Monster, Legend of Himiko)
36. Mina Kubota (Aria, Kaleido Star, Kannazuki no Miko)
35. Kazuhiko Tomoya (Bikkuriman, New Cutey Honey, A Wind Named Amnesia)
34. Taro Iwashiro (Samurai X Movie, Marco, H2)
33. Kentarou Haneda (Macross, Barefoot Gen, Final Yamato)
32. Masumi Itou/Hikaru Nanase (Chrono Crusade, Angel Sanctuary, Scrapped Princess)
31. Katsuhisa Hattori (Crest of the Stars, Argento Soma, Infinite Ryvius)
30. Kaoru Wada (Samurai 7, Inuyasha, Princess Tutu)
29. Tomoki Hasegawa (Nana, D.N.Angel, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
28. Yuji Ohno (Lupin III, Castle of Cagliostro, Captain Future)
27. Tenmon (5cm per sec., Ef, Voices of a Distant Star)
26. Naoki Sato (Eureka Seven, X, Heroic Age)
25. Yoshihisa Hirano (Death Note, Ouran, SRW OG: Divine Wars)
24. Shinkichi Mitsumune (Rozen Maiden, FLCL, Utena)
23. Michiru Ooshima (FMA, Nabari no Ou, Xam'd: Lost Memories)
22. Tsuneo Imahori (Gungrave, Trigun, Hajime no Ippo)
21. Yuji Nomi (Whisper of the Heart, Cat Returns, Hi no Tori)
20. Hayato Matsuo (Rayearth, Goldran, Street Fighter Alpha)
19. Susumu Hirasawa (Millennium Actress, Paprika, Paranoia Agent)
18. Masamichi Amano (Giant Robo, Stratos 4, Sin)
17. Shunsuke Kikuchi (Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Doraemon)
16. Koichi Sugiyama (Ideon, Cyborg 009, Gatchaman)
15. Koutarou Nakagawa (scryed, Planetes, Code Geass)
14. Kouhei Tanaka (Gunbuster, GaoGaiGar, Raijin-Oh)
13. Shinki Miyazaki (Pokemon, Crayon Shin-chan, Magical Girl Pretty Sammy)
12. Kow Otani (City Hunter, Gundam Wing, GPX Cyber Formula)
11. Takanori Arisawa (Sailormoon, Goldfish Warning!, Digimon)
10. Toshio Masuda (Naruto, Daa! Daa! Daa!, Ai Yori Aoshi)
9. Shiro Sagisu (Evangelion, Bleach, KareKano)
8. Shiro Hamaguchi (One Piece, Ah! My Goddess, Big Windup!)
7. Toshihiko Sahashi (Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny, HunterxHunter)
6. Shigeaki Saegusa (Zeta Gundam, Gundam ZZ, Catnapped!)
5. Yuki Kajiura (Noir, .hack//SIGN, Madlax)
4. Kenji Kawai (Blue Seed, Patlabor, Ranma 1/2)
3. Taku Iwasaki (Witch Hunter Robin, R.O.D TV, Gurren Lagann)
2. Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Laputa)
1. Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne [with Hajime Mizoguchi], Macross Plus)

If you have the time, please post your Top 10 Anime Songs for the year 2010 at the Greatest Anime Songs thread. I would like to have your inputs for my year-end list. Thanks!

[Ottocycle]

Woah, the above list makes me a newfag already. :3

[zzeroparticle]

Originally Posted by janfive

If you have the time, please post your Top 10 Anime Songs for the year 2010 at the Greatest Anime Songs thread. I would like to have your inputs for my year-end list. Thanks!

Jeebus, that's quite the list! And I actually recognize all but 4 :3

But yeah, I'll probably be doing a post related to my top 10 anison too, so I'll probably toss that in soonish. Well, I'll be focusing on more BGM-y goodness since that's more my kinda thing, but there are quite a few strong OP/EDs even if there aren't killer killer OP/EDs...

[Kotohono]

My top 10 in order:
1. Maeda Jun
2. Yuki Kajiura
3. Kousaki Satoru (Bakemonogatari, Kannagi, Lucky Star, Ore no Imouto, Star Driver, Haruhi Suzumiya)
4. Koutarou Nakagawa
5. Yoshino Yuuji (Spice and Wolf, .hack//Legend of the Twilight)
6. Iuchi Maiko (Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, Toaru Majutsu no Index)
7. Shiro Sagisu
8. Yoshihisa Hirano
9. Kubota Mina
10. Iizuka Masaaki (Needless)

[Varaxis]

My personal favs:
Kenji Kawai (Gundam 00, Seirei no Moribito, Eden of the East, many many more)
Yuki Kajiura (too many to list)

Honorable mentions:
Hibino Norihiko (BLASSREITER)
Kotaro Nakagawa & Hitomi Kuroishi (Code Geass)
Hitoshi Sakamoto (Valkyria Chronicles)

They just happen to suit my taste in music--high tempo with percussion, strings, and piano/keyboard.


These guys made a few tracks that I like:
Nanase Hikaru (Phantom - Requiem for the Phantom -- Haste and pursuit version; Discover)
Yoshikazu Suo (Air - Ame no Chi Kumori no Chi Love)
Yoshihisa Hirano (Death Note - Light's Theme; L's Theme)
Asakura Daisuke (Koukaku no Regios - Heia Lyia -Violent Battle-)

I don't like Yoko Kanno and Shiro Sagisu since I'm not into their western influenced music--not into Jazz, Blues from Yoko Kanno; not impressed at all with Eva OST, a few tracks were epic but overplayed and much of the rest was too simple and cartoony and the country music bits seemed out of place.

[Larthak]

It's true that I haven't heard as much as janfive, but I have to say that not a lot of artists have amazed me enough to peak my interest in them. Therefore, my list is incredibly short...

01. Kenji Kawai
02. Joe Hisaishi

...those are the only two that really influenced my opinion on anime music and it's qualities. Especially Kawai's dark atmospheric melodies in Patlabor and Ghost in the Shell. Other than that, I really loved Nakawaga Koutarou's OST for Hayate no Gotoku. Sure, Kotoko did a good job with the OP/ED, but it's just generic J-Pop stuff, not really interested in that. And of course, Hasegawa Tomoki made a few very nice melodies for Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. But neither is as notable as the two aforementioned composers.

[Z3120]

1.) Toshihiko Sahashi
2.) Yoshihisa Hirano
3.) Michiru Oshima
4.) Kohei Tanaka
5.) Shiro Sagisu
6.) Yuki Kajiura
7.) Mina Kubota
8.) Naoki Sato
9.) Ko Otani
10.) Taku Iwasaki

[Marlan35]

i can only name 1...
Mami Kawada with Prophecy from shakugan no shana S

Spoiler for awesome song: