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Akino Arai

{{short description|Japanese singer, songwriter and lyricist (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Akino Arai
{{nihongo2|新居 昭乃}}

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|08|21}}

| birth_place = Tokyo, Japan

| instrument = Vocals, piano

| genre = J-pop, Anison

| occupation = Singer, songwriter, lyricist

| years_active = 1986–present

| label = Victor Entertainment, FlyingDog

| associated_acts = Marsh-Mallow

| website = {{URL|http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/akino/}}

}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2015}}{{Nihongo|Akino Arai|新居 昭乃|Arai Akino|born August 21, 1959, in Tokyo}} is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist for various anime theme songs and shows,{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/221823/profile/|title=新居昭乃のプロフィール|author=|date=March 9, 2007|work=ORICON STYLE|accessdate=July 2, 2015}} including Record of Lodoss War, Please Save My Earth, Macross Plus, Outlaw Star, Kaze no Stigma, Maoyu, and Aria The Origination.

Biography

Arai joined Victor Music Entertainment after graduating from university. She worked on collaborations with various artists there. Her first single, "Yakusoku" was released in 1986, and was used as an insert song for the anime Windaria.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-10-17/do-you-remember-love-composer-kazuhiko-kato-found-hanged|title='Do You Remember Love?' Composer Kazuhiko Katoh Found Hanged (Updated)|author=|date=|work=Anime News Network|accessdate=July 3, 2015}} She also released the album Natsukashii Mirai. In 1988 she left her agency. In 1992, she released the singles "Kaze to Tori to Sora ~reincarnation~" and "Kooru Suna" which were used as songs for the Record of Lodoss War anime and The Weathering Continent drama CD, respectively.{{cite web | title=風の大陸 (Single) |trans-title=The Weathering Continent (Single) | url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B000006UUV/ | language=Japanese | accessdate=June 18, 2011}}{{cite web | title=凍る砂(風の大陸) (Single) |trans-title=Freezing Sand (The Weathering Continent) (Single) | url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005GYG7/ | language=Japanese | accessdate=June 18, 2011}}

Her activity in anime continued with Please Save My Earth. In 1994, she sang "Voices" for the Macross Plus OVA, where she also was the singing voice for Myung Fang Lone and Sharon Apple.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-12/macross-concerts-planned-with-singers-from-3-series|title=Macross Concerts Planned with Singers from 3 Series|author=|date=|work=Anime News Network|accessdate=July 3, 2015}} She would later release her first compilation album Sora no mori in 1997. She wrote and performed the two ending songs for the 1998 anime Outlaw Star and contributed songs for Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight. In 1999, she released "Kanaete" for the Puppet Master Sakon anime. In 2001, she released "Hana no katachi" as a song for the Daichis - Earth Defense Family. "Kakusei Toshi" was released for Tokyo Underground in 2002, and "Natsukashii umi" was an opener song for Kurau: Phantom Memory.

In 2009, she performed the opening theme "Mitsu no Yoake" (蜜の夜明け) for the anime television series Spice and Wolf II in 2009, and the ending theme Unknown Vision for Maoyu in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-11-23/akino-arai-yohko-sing-maoyu-mao-yusha-themes|title=Akino Arai, Yohko Sing Maoyū Maō Yūsha Themes|author=|date=|work=Anime News Network|accessdate=July 3, 2015}} In 2012, she provided music for Shibuya International's 10th anniversary short film called Birth.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-12-28/french-birth-short-posted-with-art-by-final-fantasy-amano|title=French 'Birth' Short Posted With Art by Final Fantasy's Amano|author=|date=|work=Anime News Network|accessdate=July 3, 2015}}

Arai has performed at many conventions, music festivals, and clubs. In 2005, she celebrated her 20th anniversary in her music career with the compilation album, Sora no Uta, and went on tour to France and Germany in 2006. On March 24, 2013, she performed at Hong Kong Polytechnic University as her first live concert appearance in Asia outside Japan.{{cite web|title=Akino Arai – Live in Hong Kong|url=http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/akino-arai-in-hong-kong|work=Sound of Faeries|accessdate=July 3, 2015|archive-date=December 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204012733/http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/akino-arai-in-hong-kong|url-status=bot: unknown}} 4 December 2019

Arai has worked with many different music artists. In 1989, she joined Tomoko Tane on some of her albums. She also worked with Yuri Shiratori and composed tracks for the latter's album. In 1998, she and Yayoi Yula released the album Goddess in the morning. She joined a band called Marsh-mallow which released an eponymous album in 2001. In 2011, she worked with a new music group, releasing RuRu Chapeau.

Arai hosted a weekly hour-long radio show called Viridian House and has also named her website after that.

Discography

Older albums and singles were released by Victor (VDR, VICL, VIDL) label, later re-released under FlyingDog (VTCL) on April 25, 2012.

=Studio albums=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title{{cite web|url=http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/flyingdog/-/Discographylist/A000278.html|title=新居 昭乃｜ディスコグラフィー｜FlyingDog|author=|date=|work=jvcmusic.co.jp|accessdate=July 2, 2015}}

! rowspan=2; | Catalogue
Number
(Japan)

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;"| Oricon{{cite web | title=新居昭乃のアルバム作品 | trans-title=Album works of Akino Arai | url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/221823/products/album/ |language=Japanese | work=Oricon | accessdate=June 2, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/discography|title=Akino Arai – Discography|work=Sound of Faeries|accessdate=July 3, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924103944/http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/discography|url-status=dead}}

style="width:6em;"| Peak
position

! style="width:6em;"| Weeks
charted

{{dts|1986|08|21|format=y}}

| align=left | Natsukashii Mirai

| VDR-1284

| 97

|  

{{dts|1997|10|22|format=y}}

| align=left | Sora no Niwa

| VICL-60043
VTCL-60152

| 71

|  

{{dts|2000|05|24|format=y}}

| align=left | Furu Platinum

| VICL-60549
VTCL-60153

| 32

|  

{{dts|2004|09|08|format=y}}

| align=left | Eden
(エデン)

| VICL-61214
VTCL-60156

| 35

|  

{{dts|2009|04|29|format=y}}

| align=left | Sora no Sphere
(ソラノスフィア)

| VIDL-30073
VTCL-60107

| 30

| 4

{{dts|2012|04|25|format=y}}

| align=left | Red Planet

| VTCL-60301

| 39

| 3

{{dts|2012|04|25|format=y}}

| align=left | Blue Planet

| VTCL-60302

| 38

| 3

{{dts|2016|08|21|format=y}}

|align=left | Little Piano Plus (30th anniversary)

|VTCL-60430

|

|

=Compilation albums=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions

rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title

! rowspan=2; | Catalogue
Number
(Japan)

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;"| Oricon

style="width:6em;"| Peak
position

! style="width:6em;"| Weeks
charted

{{dts|1997|08|21|format=y}}

| align=left | Sora no Mori: Arai Akino Best Album

| VICL-60042
VTCL-60151

| –

| –

{{dts|2002|04|25|format=y}}

| align=left | RGB

| VICL-60869
VTCL-60155

| 35

|  

{{dts|2005|11|23|format=y}}

| align=left | Sora no Uta
20th Anniversary Album

| VICL-61797
VIZL-57
VTCL-60157

| 35

| 3

=Concept album=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of concept albums, with selected chart positions

rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title

! rowspan=2; | Catalogue
Number
(Japan)

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;"| Oricon

style="width:6em;"| Peak
position

! style="width:6em;"| Weeks
charted

{{dts|2001|05|23|format=y}}

| align=left| Kouseki Radio
(鉱石ラジオ, Crystal Radio)

| VICL-60721
VTCL-60154

| 45

|  

=Live albums=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of live albums, with selected chart positions

rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title

! rowspan=2; | Catalogue
Number
(Japan)

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;"| Oricon

style="width:6em;"| Peak
position

! style="width:6em;"| Weeks
charted

{{dts|2005|05|20|format=y}}

| align=left | VHMusic

|  

|  

|  

{{dts|2006|07|18|format=y}}

| align=left | VHMusic2: the first euro tour

|  

|  

|  

=Singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions

rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;" | Oricon{{cite web | title=新居昭乃のシングル作品 | trans-title=Single releases of Akino Arai | url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/221823/products/single/ |language=Japanese | work=Oricon | accessdate=June 2, 2015}}

! rowspan=2; style="width:10em;" | Album

style="width:6em;" | Peak
position

! style="width:6em;" | Weeks
charted

{{dts|1986|07|05|format=y}}

| align=left | "Yakusoku"
(約束, Promise)

| 97

|  

| Natsukashii Mirai

{{dts|1986|10|21|format=y}}

| align=left | "Chizu wo Yuku Kumo"
( 地図をゆく雲, A cloud which passes through the map)

| 68

|  

| Natsukashii Mirai

{{dts|1991|01|21|format=y}}

| align=left | "Kaze to Tori to Sora ~reincarnation~"
(風と鳥と空, Wind and birds and sky)
Record of Lodoss War OVA image song

| 64

|  

| Sora no Mori

{{dts|1992|11|21|format=y}}

| align=left | "Kōru suna" (凍る砂, Frozen Sand)

|  

|  

| Sora no Mori

{{dts|1996|04|24|format=y}}

| align=left | "Shounen no hane"
(少年の羽, Feather boy)
Dragon Quest Retsuden: Roto no Monshō theme song

|  

|  

|  

{{dts|1998|01|21|format=y}}

| align=left | "Hiru no Tsuki"
(昼の月, Moon at Noon)
Outlaw Star first ending theme

| –

| –

| RGB

{{dts|1998|04|22|format=y}}

| align=left | "Tsuki no Ie"
(月の家, House of the Moon)
Outlaw Star second ending theme

| –

| –

| RGB

{{dts|1999|11|20|format=y}}

| align=left | "Kanaete"
(叶えて, Grant)
Ayatsuri Sakon ending theme

| 39

|  

| RGB

{{dts|2001|02|21|format=y}}

| align=left | "Hana no katachi"
(花のかたち, Shape of flower)

| 34

|  

| RGB

{{dts|2002|05|22|format=y}}

| align=left| "Kakusei Toshi"
(覚醒都市, Awakening City)
Tokyo Underground ending theme

| 51

|  

| Sora no Uta

{{dts|2004|08|04|format=y}}

| align=left | "Natsukashii Umi"
(懐かしい宇宙, Nostalgic Sea)
Kurau Phantom Memory opening theme

| 19

|  

| Sora no Uta

{{dts|2006|05|24|format=y}}

| align=left | "Kimi e Mukau Hikari"
(キミヘ ムカウ ヒカリ)
Zegapain opening theme

| 31

| 5

| Blue Planet

{{dts|2008|01|23|format=y}}

| align=left | "Kin no Nami, Sen no Nami"
(金の波 千の波)
ARIA the Origination closing theme

| 26

| 7

| Red Planet

{{dts|2009|08|05|format=y}}

| align=left | "Mitsu no Yoake"
(蜜の夜明け)
Spice and Wolf II opening theme

| 41

| 4

| Blue Planet

{{dts|2013|01|30|format=y}}

| align=left | "Unknown Vision"
Maoyū Maō Yūsha ending theme

| 44

| 3

|  

=Collaborations=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of collaboration albums, with selected chart positions

rowspan=2; style="width:2em;" |Year

! rowspan=2; style="width:20em;" | Title

! rowspan=2; | Catalogue
Number
(Japan)

! colspan=2; style="width:16em;"| Oricon

style="width:6em;"| Peak
position

! style="width:6em;"| Weeks
charted

{{dts|1998|11|26|format=y}}

| align=left| Goddess in the Morning
(with Yayoi Yura)

| –

| –

{{dts|2001|02|28|format=y}}

| align=left | Marsh-mallow (with Yoko Ueno, Tamao Fujii, Megumi Maruo and Reichi)

| –

| –

{{dts|2011|11|23|format=y}}

| align=left| RuRu Chapeau
(with kiro, Hisaaki Hokari, and Takashi Iwato)

| VICL-63825

|  

|  

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web|url=http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/biography|title=Akino Arai – Biography|work=Sound of Faeries|accessdate=July 2, 2015|archive-date=March 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317015013/http://www.soundoffaeries.com/info/index.php/en/past-events/akino-arai-2/biography|url-status=dead}}

}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://www.araiakino.com/}}
  • {{Official website|http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/akino/}} (Victor Entertainment)
  • French fan-website : https://www.akinoarai-fr.com/
  • {{anime News Network|people|4538}}
  • {{IMDb name|id=1568628}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arai, Akino}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Anime musicians

Category:Japanese women singer-songwriters

Category:Living people

Category:Singers from Tokyo

Category:Outlaw Star

Category:20th-century Japanese women singers

Category:20th-century Japanese singers

Category:21st-century Japanese women singers

Category:21st-century Japanese singer-songwriters