Arai Akino

Arai Akino (2009)

Arai Akino (新居昭乃) is a Japanese musician widely known among anime fans for doing the themes of Outlaw Star, Tokyo Underground, KURAU Phantom Memory, and several more. She has collaborated frequently with artists in composition, lyrics, and vocals, including ZABADAK. She is also part of the indies unit marsh-mallow.

Arai is often compared with Sakamoto Maaya for their prominence in anime and easy-listening music, although Arai has been around longer than Sakamoto. At the age of 50 she is still touring and releasing new original music.

Profile

• Name: Arai Akino (新居昭乃)
• Birthdate: August 21st, 1959
• Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
• Blood Type O

Information

As a child, Arai Akino learned how to play the organ in kindergarten, and her parents bought her a piano in order for her to sing and make music. She would listen to classical music collections her parents had, along with works by Daniel Vidar. She was also exposed to Led Zeppelin from her younger brother and Pink Floyd from a friend. In addition, she loved reading The Diary of Anne Frank after graduating elementary school.

Arai debuted in July 1986 with the single Yakusoku, which was used as the theme for Windaria. She began working with many artists, including Tane Tomoko (who would become her best friend) and the band PSY-S. Arai continued to compose, write, and sometimes sing the themes for anime, commercials, and other artists. She was also the vocalist of the unit Goddess In the Morning.

After nearly five years of no releases under her own name, Arai returned to singing and releasing her own music in 1997 with the best-of album Sora no Mori. The albums to follow in 2000 and 2001 ranked high on the Oricon. She also had her own radio show, Viridian House, from 1997 to 2005.

Dicography

Albums

• [1986.10.21] Natsukashii Mirai (懐かしい未来; Nostalgic Future)
• [1997.10.22] Sora no Niwa (そらの庭; Sky Garden)
• [2000.05.24] Furu Platinum (降るプラチナ; Falling Platinum)
• [2001.05.23] Kouseki Radio (鉱石ラジオ; Crystal Radio)
• [2004.09.08] Eden (エデン)
• [2009.04.29] Sora no Sphere (ソラノスフィア; Sphere of the Sky)

Best Albums

• [1997.08.21] Sora no Mori (空の森; Forest of the Sky)
• [2002.04.24] RGB
• [2005.11.23] sora no uta (Song of the Sky)

Other Albums

• [2005.05.20] VHmusic
• [2006.07.16] VHmusic 2 the first euro tour

Singles

• [1986.07.05] Yakusoku (約束; Promise)
• [1986.09.21] Chizu wo Yuku Kumo (地図を行く雲; A Cloud Which Passes Through the Map)
• [1992.01.21] Kaze to Tori to Sora ~reincarnation~ (風と鳥と空; The Wind, the Birds, and the Sky)
• [1992.11.21] Kooru Suna (凍る砂; Frozen Sand)
• [1996.04.24] Shounen no Hane (少年の羽; Wings of Youth)
• [1998.xx.xx] Reincarnation / Ucraine
• [1998.01.21] Hiru no Tsuki (昼の月; The Moon at Noon)
• [1998.01.21] Tsuki no Ie (月の家; House of the Moon)
• [1999.11.20] Kanaete (叶えて; Grant My Wish)
• [2001.02.21] Hana no Katachi (花のかたち; Shape of a Flower)
• [2002.02.13] PALME Songs
• [2002.05.22] Kakusei Toshi (覚醒都市; The City of Awakenings)
• [2004.08.04] Natsukashii Umi (懐かしい宇宙(うみ); Nostalgic Universe)
• [2006.05.24] Kimi e Mukau Hikari (キミヘ ムカウ ヒカリ; The Light That Faces You)
• [2008.01.23] Kin no Nami Sen no Nami (金の波 千の波; Golden Waves A Thousand Waves)
• [2009.08.05] Mitsu no Yoake (蜜の夜明け; Dawn of Honey)

DVDs

• [2009.12.13] Sora no Sphere Arai Akino ~Live 2009~ (新居昭乃 LIVE 2009 ソラノスフィア)

Compilations / Other

• [1989.08.21] The Vocal From Ys (#1 Lilia, #3 Lilia - English version)
• [1989.10.25] Otanjoubi Omedetou SAA-chan~Tondetta BANANA (#1 HAPPII BAASUDI TU YUU)
• [1991.06.21] Akai HAYATE Original Soundtrack (#10 10. Silent Night -Shiroi yuki no naka de-)
• [1991.10.21] Falcom Vocal Collection II (#1 Hoshizora no Lullaby, #2 Kaze no Monologue, #5 Sennen Loving, #6 Kanashimi no Avenue, #9 Eien no Inori)
• [1992.03.21] MIDI Singles 1985-6 (#6 DIGI-VOO)
• [1992.07.22] Video Girl Ai 2nd Image Soundtrack ~Memories~ (#4 Banka no furu niwa)
• [1992.09.18] Tsure-chan no Yuuutsu (#4 Nocturne, #7 Tsuki ni inori o, #10 Tsure-chan no yuuutsu)
• [1992.12.21] Falcom Special Box '92 (#4 Voyage De Roi)
• [1993.03.19] Jewelry Box Shoujo Comic Original Album (#5 Shingetsu yoru)
• [1993.03.19] Vampire Princess Miyu Seiyoujinmahen Drama Album 1 (#2 Hiiro no hanabira ~Haha no TEEMA~)
• [1993.05.25] Jinrou Soushi Original Album (#3 Futari - Taichi to Sayuri,#6 Komoriuta)
• [1993.06.18] SHA RION (#2 Campos Neutros)
• [1993.07.26] Fushigi Yuugi CD Book 1 (#8 Mahiru ni hiraku tobira)
• [1993.08.01] Akuryou no Iru Kyoushitsu (#1 Reincarnation ~Tanjou~, #9 REJISUTANSU)
• [1993.09.22] Ningyo no Kizu Original Soundtrack (#5 Eien no namida)
• [1993.12.22] Koei Soundware Vocal Collections Vol. 2 (#5 Inishie no hitomi, #7 Katawara ni iru kara, #9 Kisetsu ga kawaru goro)
• [1994.04.21] Boku no Chikyuu o Mamotte (Please Save My Earth) Image Soundtrack vol. 2 (#1 Haruka na RONDO, #20 The Moonlit Song)
• [1994.12.19] Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshouki (#13 Tooi aoiro)
• [1995.02.22] Macross Plus The Cream P.U.F. / Sharon Apple (#2 Idol Talk, #3 The Borderline)
• [1995.03.24] G Gundam - Gundam Fight Round 5 (#12 In My Dreams)
• [1995.07.21] Macross Plus Original Soundtrack II (#1 Idol Talk, #9 VOICES (acoustic version))
• [1995.09.27] XAZSA Your Own Personal Number (#3 Silent Stream, #4Gin no shounen, #5 Tenshitachi no koushin)
• [1995.11.22] Macross Plus Original Soundtrack Plus ~for fans only~ (#3 Idol Talk, #9 WANNA BE AN ANGEL, #13 VOICES (a capella version))
• [1995.11.25] Koei Soundware Vocal Collections Vol. 1 (#4 Houkiboshi, #6 Toki no Shirabe)
• [1995.12.01] Kishin Douji Zenki Best Selection (#7 Yokubou to tomo ni sare! ~Jashi KARUMA no yogen~)
• [1996.04.19] Tsuji Jinsei and Beat Musik - New Wall (#6 MERUSHII BOUKU)
• [1996.06.21] Samply Red - Aara Ii Kimochi (#1 Aara ii kimochi (epicurean. Type I), #2 Aara ii kimochi (TV version),#4 Aara ii kimochi (epicurean. Type II), #99 Aara ii kimochi (hidden track))
• [1996.07.19] Tsuki no Umareru Yoru (#9 Tsuki no umareru yoru)
• [1996.10.14] ZabadaK - Hikari furu asa (#4 Riddle Linda)
• [1997.xx.xx] Biosphere Label Sampler (#5 Hana no kanmuri (sky high mix))
• [1997.06.21] Shamanic Princess Original Soundtrack 2 (#15 Maternal Love)
• [1998.01.21] Railway Story Original Soundtrack (#17 Nukumori ga koishikute)
• [1998.11.26] Goddess in the Morning - Goddess in the Morning (#1 Reincarnation, #2 Ucraine,#4 Flower Crown,#5 Tribute of Jungle)
• [1999.09.15] ZabadaK - Stories (#7 Aoi sora ni)
• [2000.01.20] ZabadaK - iKon (#4 Shiro)
• [2004.04.07] Gungrave OST 2 "lefthead" (#4 pieta)
• [2004.09.25] ZabadaK - Oto (#6 14 no oto)
• [2005.03.24] CLAMPAZAR 15TH Anniversary CD & DVD Box (#1 Koi wa suteki na Musical wa nai)
• [2005.06.01] Koro-chan Pack Sanrio Character Series 4 (#4 Watashi wa MARON)
• [2009.10.21] Curly Giraffe - Thank You For Being A Friend (#3 Water On)

External Links

• Official Website
• a new Eden (fansite)