Maaya Sakamoto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2007) (Find sources: Maaya Sakamoto – news, books, scholar)

Maaya Sakamoto 坂本 真綾
Born	March 31, 1980 (1980-03-31) (age 29)
Origin	Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
Genre(s)	Japanese Pop
Occupation(s)	Seiyū, singer, lyricist, actress
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1996 ~ present
Label(s)	Victor Entertainment (1996~2006) flying DOG (2007~ present)
Associated acts	Yoko Kanno (1996~2004), (2008~)
Website	Official Site

Maaya Sakamoto (坂本真綾, Sakamoto Maaya^?, born March 31, 1980 in Itabashi, Tokyo) is a Japanese seiyū and singer-songwriter who made her debut in 1996 as the voice of Hitomi Kanzaki^[1] in the hit anime series The Vision of Escaflowne. She sings songs in both Japanese and English.

She is set to voice Alphard, alongside Miyuki Sawashiro who voices the main character Canaan, in the anime Canaan.^[2] She also does the voice of Padmé Amidala in the Japanese dub of Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III. She reprised the role in the current ongoing American 3D CGI animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.^[3]

Her latest single Ame ga Furu was released on October 29, 2008.

Contents 1 About 2 Collaborations 3 Awards 3.1 Nominations 4 Participation in CLAMP's works 5 Discography 5.1 Albums 5.2 Singles 6 Soundtracks 7 Filmography 7.1 TV drama 7.2 Short films 7.3 Documentary films 8 Voice roles 8.1 TV animation 8.2 OVA 8.3 Theatre animation 8.4 Web animation 8.5 DVD 8.6 Drama CD 8.7 Games 8.8 Dubbing 9 Musicals 10 Radio 11 Publications 11.1 Serialization 11.2 Books 12 References 13 External links

[edit] About

Maaya is a graduate from Toyo University (Bachelor in Sociology). Her favorite colors are pink and brown, while her hobbies are performing, reading and singing. Her blood type is A.^{[citation needed]}

She was one half of the seiyū duo "Whoops!!", alongside Chieko Higuchi. She has been called お姉さま(Onee-sama), a respectful way of saying "older sister" by her Ouran co-host Ayaka Saitō.

Nothing much is known about her family except that her father, Yoshimi Sakamoto, is an expert in stage lighting. When she was at AnimeFest in 2005, she said that her favorite Western bands are Oasis and Maroon 5. She also has had at least one song, that appeared on the NHK program, Minna no Uta.

[edit] Collaborations

Maaya first teamed up with composer Yoko Kanno in her debut single, Yakusoku wa Iranai in 1996. Kanno collaborated with Maaya up until her fifth album, Yūnagi LOOP, which has no songs composed by Kanno. Maaya also performed three songs for the anime Wolf's Rain, for which Kanno was the composer: "Gravity", "Tell Me What The Rain Knows" (with lyrics by Chris Mosdell), and "Cloud 9". More recently, Maaya and Kanno collaborated again for Triangler, the opening theme song for the anime Macross Frontier. She performed "The Garden of Everything" for the anime RahXephon with Steve Conte.^[4] She also performed the song "cream" with HIDE, which was featured in Ghost in the Shell's mini album, be Human.

Maaya typically writes her own lyrics but occasionally uses lyrics written by or in collaboration with others. Frequent collaborators include Yūho Iwasato for Japanese songs and Tim Jensen for English songs. She also wrote lyrics with Gabriela Robin for two of Megumi Nakajima's songs. Lyricist Chris Mosdell, well known in Japan particularly for his association with Yellow Magic Orchestra, has also written lyrics for her, including "Kingfisher Girl" on Shōnen Alice and "Another Grey Day in the Big Blue World" on Easy Listening.

She also worked with composer, h-wonder in a few occasions, with certain songs such as Loop and action!. She covered the Beatles song Here, There and Everywhere, but this cover does not appear in any of her albums or singles to date.

[edit] Awards

She won the Anime Grand Prix in year 1999 under the song category, for Cardcaptor Sakura’s opening theme Purachina. She won the award for two consecutive years.^[5]

[edit] Nominations

In the first Seiyū Awards, she was nominated for "Best Actress in a leading role" for her protrayal of Haruhi Fujioka in Ouran High School Host Club as well as "Best Musical Performance" for Tsubasa Chronicle’s ending theme Kazemachi Jet.

[edit] Participation in CLAMP's works

Her first participation in anime and OVAs adapted from works by CLAMP was in CLAMP School Detectives. She sang Bokura no Rekishi, which was the theme song to its radio drama. She also provided the anime's second ending theme song, Gift.

Later, Purachina was used as an opening song for Cardcaptor Sakura and she lent her voice to a Clow Card (the Nothing) in the second Cardcaptor Sakura movie. She also voiced Sū in Clover's OVA.

More recently, she voiced Tomoyo in Tsubasa Chronicle, and sang several songs for the soundtracks, as well as the ending theme from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle's OVAs, Tokyo Revelations and the upcoming new OVA Tsubasa Shunraiki.

She also sings the opening theme, action! for CLAMP in Wonderland 2.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album Type	Release date	Title	Chart Position	Sales Total
Studio	April 23, 1997	Grapefruit (グレープフルーツ?)	#76	3,980
	December 14, 1998	DIVE	#44	13,400
	March 28, 2001	Lucy	#16	43,080
	December 10, 2003	Shōnen Alice (少年アリス?)	#8	51,992
	October 26, 2005	Yūnagi Loop (夕凪LOOP?)	#8	45,552
	January 14, 2009	Kazeyomi (かぜよみ?)	#3	52,549
Compilation	December 16, 1999	Single Collection+ Hotchpotch (シングルコレクション＋ ハチポチ?)	#14	60,130
	July 30, 2003	Single Collection+ Nikopachi (シングルコレクション＋ ニコパチ?)	#3	69,966

Album Type	Release date	Title	Chart Position	Sales Total
Mini albums	August 8, 2001	Easy Listening (イージーリスニング?)	#12	32,060
	March 21, 2007[6]	30minutes night flight	#19	29,219

[edit] Singles

Listed chronologically.

Release date	Title	Notes
April 24, 1996	Yakusoku wa Iranai (約束はいらない, I Don't Need Promises?)	Opening song for the anime series The Vision of Escaflowne.
March 21, 1997	Bokura no Rekishi (Mini Soundtrack) (ボクらの歴史, Our History?)	Theme song for the radio drama CLAMP School Detectives.
September 22, 1997	Gift	Ending song for the anime series CLAMP School Detectives.
April 22, 1998	Kiseki no Umi (奇跡の海, Sea of Miracles?)	Opening song for Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight.
November 21, 1998	Hashiru (走る, Run?)
October 21, 1999	Platinum (プラチナ, Purachina?)	Third opening song and the last episode ending song for the anime series Cardcaptor Sakura.
June 21, 2000	Yubiwa (指輪, Ring?)	Ending theme song for Escaflowne: The Movie.
August 23, 2000	Shippo no Uta (しっぽのうた, Tail Song?)	Theme song for the game Napple Tale
December 16, 2000	Mameshiba (マメシバ, Mameshiba?)	Ending theme song for the anime series Earth Girl Arjuna.
February 21, 2002	Hemisphere (ヘミソフィア, Hemisofia?)	Opening theme song for the anime series RahXephon.
February 21, 2003	Gravity	Ending theme song for the anime series Wolf's Rain.
April 2, 2003	Tune the Rainbow	Ending theme song for the RahXephon movie.
May 10, 2005	Loop (ループ, Rūpu?)	First ending theme song for the anime series, Tsubasa Chronicle.
June 14, 2006	Kazemachi Jet / Spica (風待ちジェット, Jet Waiting for a Good Wind?)	Second ending theme and insert song for the anime series Tsubasa Chronicle.
November 21, 2007	Saigo no Kajitsu / Mitsubashi to Kagakusha (さいごの果実／ミツバチと科学者, The Last Fruit / The Honeybee and the Scientist?)	Ending theme song for the anime OVA Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations.
April 23, 2008	Triangler (トライアングラー Toraiangurā?)	First opening theme song for the anime series Macross Frontier.
October 29, 2008	Ame ga Furu (雨が降る, Falling Rain?)	Ending theme song for the anime series Linebarrels of Iron.
	Sonic Boom	Opening theme song for the anime Tsubasa Shunraiki OVA.

[edit] Soundtracks

Sakamoto has worked, listed in alphabetical order on these soundtracks.

• 23-ji no Ongaku: NHK Renzoku Drama "Mayonaka wa Betsu no Kao"
• Arjuna: Into the Another World
• Arjuna: Onna no Minato
• Brain Powerd Original Soundtrack 2
• Cardcaptor Sakura Original Soundtrack 4
• CLAMP in Wonderland <PRECIOUS SONGS>
• DeViceReigN OST
• Dream Power: Tsubasanaki Mono-tachi e
• El-Hazard: The Alternative World Ongakuhen
• Escaflowne Movie Original Soundtrack
• Game Vocal Best: Shikura Chiyomaru Gakkyokushū Vol.1
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - be Human
• Kōya no Medarot
• Les Misérables 2003 Original Cast CD: "Purple" label recording starring Kiyotaka Imai as Valjean
• Little Lovers Soundtrack
• Macross Frontier O.S.T.1 Nyan FRO.
• Macross Frontier O.S.T.2 Nyan TRA☆
• Macross Frontier Vocal Collection Nyan Tama♀
• Mizuiro Jidai Musical CD
• Napple Tale Original Soundtrack Vol.1: Kaijū Zukan
• Napple Tale Original Soundtrack Vol.2: Yōsei Zukan
• RahXephon O.S.T. 1
• RahXephon Pluralitas Concentio O.S.T.
• Record of Lodoss War OST 1
• Risky Safety Aa! Soundtrack
• The Vision of Escaflowne Original Soundtrack 1
• The Vision of Escaflowne Original Soundtrack 3
• Tsubasa Chronicle: Future Soundscape I
• Tsubasa Chronicle: Future Soundscape III
• Tsubasa Chronicle Best Vocal Collection
• Wolf's Rain O.S.T
• Wolf's Rain O.S.T 2

[edit] Filmography

[edit] TV drama

• Suekko Chouan Ane Sannin – Emi

[edit] Short films

• 03†^[7] – Zero Saint Cross

[edit] Documentary films

She is featured as an interview subject, alongside composer Yoko Kanno, in the 2009 documentary film about lyricist and collaborator Chris Mosdell entitled Ink Music: In the Land of the Hundred-Tongued Lyricist. The film's soundtrack also features one of Maaya Sakamoto's songs, composed by Yoko Kanno.^[8]

[edit] Voice roles

[edit] Musicals

• Angel Touch - Rin Otō
• Bangare - Nin Sasaki
• Les Misérables - Éponine
• Letter ~ Bring to Light - Ritsuko Nonomura
• Mizuiro Jidai - Natsumi Kugayama

[edit] Radio

• Sakamoto Maaya no Vitamin M (坂本真綾のビタミンーＭ^?) – Bay-FM^[12]
• Sakamoto Maaya Chizu to Tegami to Koi no Uta (坂本真綾　地図と手紙と恋のうた^?) – TBS Radio^[13]
  • Broadcast date: April 7, 2007 ~ March 28, 2009
• Konica Minolta presents NIGHT ON THE PLANET – TOKYO FM
• Yellow tail music tail – TOKYO FM
• Sapporo Beer Key of Dish – TOKYO FM
• Sakamoto Maaya no Naisho Hanashi (坂本真綾のナイショ話^?) - NACK5
• Girls' School Fantasy – NACK5
• Sakamoto Maaya I.D. (坂本真綾 I.D.^?) – NACK5, FM OSAKA, FM AICHI
• Sakamoto Maaya no WHO IS LUCY (坂本真綾のWHO IS LUCY^?, Sakamoto Maaya's WHO IS LUCY) – FM Fukuoka, SENDAI CITY-FM, FM-NIGATA, K-MIX
• Sakamoto Maaya I.D. night flight (坂本真綾 I.D. night flight^?) - NACK5, FM OSAKA, NORTH WAVE, CROSS FM
• Sakamoto Maaya no Escaflowneeyes (坂本真綾のEscaflowneeyes^?, Sakamoto Maaya's Escaflowneeyes)
• Sakamoto Maaya no Lucy's Radio Show (坂本真綾のLucy's Radio Show^?, Sakamoto Maaya's Lucy's Radio Show)

[edit] Publications

[edit] Serialization

• (坂本真綾の満腹論^?) – Currently in Newtype.

- A monthly column

[edit] Books

• Chizu to Tegami to Koi no Uta (地図と手紙と恋のうた^?) – April 18, 2008^[14]

- A photo and lyrics book compilation

[edit] References

General

• Maaya Sakamoto (people) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

[edit] External links

Official sites

• Maaya Sakamoto's Official Homepage (Japanese)
• IDLING STOP ~ Official Fansite (Japanese)

Other sites

• Maaya Sakamoto (people) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Maaya's unofficial international fanclub forum
• Nostalgic Lavender Maaya Lyrics & Translations
• maayasakamoto.net/
• Maaya Sakamoto at Oricon (Japanese)
• MS Mélodie (French)
• Maaya Sakamoto @ J-Music Italia (Italian)

v • d • e Maaya Sakamoto
Albums
Grapefruit · DIVE · Lucy · Shōnen Alice · Yūnagi Loop · Kazeyomi
Mini albums
Easy Listening · 30minutes night flight
Compilations
Single Collection+ Hotchpotch · Single Collection+ Nikopachi
Singles
Yakusoku wa Iranai · Bokura no Rekishi · Gift · Kiseki no Umi · Hashiru · Platinum · Yubiwa · Shippo no Uta · Mameshiba · Hemisphere · Gravity · Tune the Rainbow · Loop · Kazemachi Jet / Spica · Saigo no Kajitsu / Mitsubashi to Kagakusha · Triangler · Ame ga Furu
DVD
Sakamoto Maaya LIVE TOUR 2009 "WE ARE KAZEYOMI!"
Radio
Sakamoto Maaya Chizu to Tegami to Koi no Uta