is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the biggest names in the soundtrack world, he has worked on a wide range of mixed media productions, including anime, TV shows, films, video games and ice shows. Among his credits are Toei's: Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever, Tsui Hark's Seven Swords and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon; Wilson Yip's Ip Man; Mamoru Oshii's films: The Red Spectacles, StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, Ghost in the Shell, Mobile Police Patlabor and Assault Girls. He also worked on the OVA and TV anime adaptations of: Vampire Princess Miyu, The Sky Crawlers and Avalon; the anime adaptations of Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½ and Maison Ikkoku; the live-action adaptation of Gantz and Hideo Nakata's films: Ring, Ring 2, Chaos, Dark Water and Kaidan.
His nephew, Hidehiro Kawai, is a bassist in Fox Capture Plan, an instrumental band.
Career After dropping out of a nuclear engineering program at Tokai University, Kawai began studying music at Shobi Music Academy. However, he dropped out after half a year. With a few friends, he created the band Muse, playing fusion rock and participating in music competitions. Through competing in such contests, the band members became technically competent to enter the music industry and decided to part ways.
After leaving Muse, Kawai began composing music for commercials in his home studio. While recording music for radio actor and voice actor Yūji Mitsuya, he met music director Naoko Asari, who advised him to compose anime soundtracks. Some of his work for anime soundtracks can be found in Ranma ½ and Ghost in the Shell. According to Kawai, he is not good at creating music from nothing, as he draws sounds from the visuals of the works. In the majority of cases, the images of the anime are not yet created, so he creates music when referencing storyboard visuals.
Following his success as an anime movies music composer, he became involved in live action movies. He contributed music to horror films: Ring, Ring 2, Dark Water, Japanese-Polish science-fiction film Avalon, the Hong Kong film Seven Swords and in the 2006 live action film Death Note.
Kawai has worked on several projects with director Mamoru Oshii (both Headgear members) and has written scores for all of Hideo Nakata's films. Kawai's music has received the Annie Award and Hong Kong Film Award. In 2005, Ghost in The Shell 2: Innocence he was nominated for an Annie Award.
For the music found in Seven Swords and A Battle of Wits he was nominated for Best Original Film Score Awards at both the 25th and 26th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2006 and 2007.
In 2019 he composed the music for the storytelling ice show Hyoen – Like the moonlight, which was based on the novel The Tale of Genji, starring Japanese figure skater, Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion Daisuke Takahashi in the title role.
Works Anime/television Year Title Notes1986Cosmos Pink ShockTV MovieMaison Ikkoku1987Devilman – The BirthOVA1988Mobile Police PatlaborVampire Princess Miyu1989Patlabor: The TV SeriesRanma 1/2Patlabor: The MovieMovieGosenzo-sama Banbanzai!OVARanma 1/2: Nettohen1990Devilman – The Demon BirdOVAProject A-koKarakuri Kengō Den Musashi LordKyatto Ninden TeyandeeMAROKO1991Burn Up!OVARanma 1/2: Big Trouble in Nekonron, ChinaMermaid ForestDemon Warrior Luna Varga1992Zetsuai 1989Hime-chan's Ribbon1993Ranma ½ OVAOVAThe Irresponsible Captain TylorOVA, TV SeriesPatlabor 2: The MovieMovie1994Blue SeedIczer Girl IczelionOVA1995Princess Minerva Ghost in The ShellMovie1996Sorcerer HuntersBaby and Me1997Hyper PoliceVampire Princess Miyu1999You're Under Arrest THE MOVIEDai-GuardMovie2001Geisters – Fractions of EarthZaion: I Wish You Were HereOVARave Master2002WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 32003Gunparade March2004Ghost in The Shell 2: INNOCENCEMovieUltraman NexusWindy Tales2005Starship Operators2006Fate/Stay NightTV seriesTachiguishi-RetsudenMusic and ActorHigurashi no Naku Koro ni2007Seirei no MoribitoHigurashi no Naku Koro ni KaiMobile Suit Gundam 002008The Sky Crawlers2009Eden of the East2010Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade WorksMobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer2011Towa no QuonBusou Chuugakusei Basket Army2012009 Re:CyborgUnofficial Sentai Akibaranger2014BarakamonWorld TriggerThe Perfect Insider2015Hana MoyuTaiga dramaWakaba GirlSubete ga F ni Naru2016Mobile Police Patlabor: RebootONA, serve as extra episode of Japan Animator ExpoJoker GameMob Psycho 100ServampTouken Ranbu: Hanamaru2017Ultraman GeedKamen Rider Build2018The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done!ManpukuAsadora2019AfterlostNo Guns Life2020Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou2021Vlad LoveONAHigurashi: When They Cry – Sotsu2023The Fire HunterMy Home HeroŌoku: The Inner ChambersONA2024Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture2025Umamusume: Cinderella Gray2026Patlabor EZYOVA
Film Year Title1987The Red Spectacles1991Mikadroid: Robokill Beneath Disco Club LaylaStrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops1992Talking Head1998Ring1999Ring 22000Sadistic and MasochisticSleeping BrideChaos2001AvalonUnlovedThe Princess Blade2002Dark WaterSamouraisBloody Mallory2004Kibakichi: Bakko yokaidenKibakichi: Bakko yokaiden 22005Open Your MindAntarctic JournalSeven SwordsRinneKidan ()2006Death NoteRunning Wild Dragon Tiger GateTrapped AshesDeath Note 2: The Last NameA Battle of Wits2007Kaidan2008Ip Man2009Assault GirlsThe Hovering Blade2010Ip Man 2The Incite MillUltraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial2011GANTZGANTZ: Perfect AnswerTormented2013Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon2014Garm Wars: The Last Druid2015Ip Man 3Gamera2016Re:Born2017Biohazard Vendetta 2018 Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms2019 Ip Man 4Blood Friends ()2020 The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity2021 Limbo2024 Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
Video games Year Title Platform 1990Sansara NagaFamicomBloody Warriors: Shangō no Gyakushū 1992SorcerianPC Engine1994Team Innocent: The Point of No ReturnPC-FXSansara Naga 2Super Famicom1998Deep Fear Sega Saturn2003Nobunaga's Ambition Online (Chapter of Hiryu)PlayStation 22007FolksSoulPlayStation 32007–2010Sangokushi OnlineWindows
Documentary Year Title2009Apocalypse: The Second World War
Ice shows Year Title2019Hyoen – Like the moonlight2024Hyoen – Miracle of the Cross
Others Year Title2015GAMERA
Awards and honors Asteroid 117582 Kenjikawai, discovered by Roy A. Tucker in 2005, was named in his honor. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on January 9, 2020 ().
See also Anime Cinema of Japan Hideo Nakata Japanese horror Mamoru Oshii
References
External links
Kenji Kawai at Media Arts Database