Kohei Tanaka (composer)

Kohei Tanaka (Japanese: 田中 公平, Hepburn: Tanaka Kōhei, born February 14, 1954) is a Japanese composer, arranger, conductor and singer-songwriter. He is affiliated with the music production company Imagine. He has created numerous musical scores for anime television series, OVAs, films, video games and tokusatsu series including Gunbuster, Sakura Wars and One Piece.

Kohei Tanaka
Born (1954-02-14) February 14, 1954
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Alma materTokyo University of the Arts
Berklee College of Music
Occupations
  • composer
  • arranger
  • singer-songwriter
  • conductor
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • vocals
  • piano
Years active1982–present
Labels

Biography

Tanaka was a student at Berklee College of Music.[1] While employed playing the piano in a hotel lounge, he was requested to arrange a song in Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX, a 1982 TV anime, and it became his first work as a composer. Afterwards, he produced some songs and arrangements for the Super Sentai series and his first work as a lead composer was for the television anime Konpora Kids in 1985.

Notably, the background music in Gunbuster made his name and talent very famous among anime fans and is recognized as one of his most important works.[2] He also handled the composition of Diebuster, a sequel series of Gunbuster, and showed a peculiar arrangement to his own work 17 years ago.

He hosted the Dai Anime Hakurankai radio show on Tokai Radio together with the voice actress Konami Yoshida from April 1993 to September 1994. His discussions with Toshio Okada and Hiroshi Yamamoto about anime, originally published in the hm3 voice acting magazine, have been republished in book form.

On February 14, 2008, he opened an official website and announced his intention to work also as a singer in the future. On July 4, he released his first solo album called Kokorone song 1st.

Works

Anime
Year Title Crew role Notes Source[3]
1985–86Button NoseMusic
1986Dragon BallTheme song arrangement"Makafushigi Adventure!", "Romantic Ageru yo"[1][4]
1986DoteramanMusic
1987Esper MamiMusic
1987MapsMusicOVA
1987The Three MusketeersMusic
1987–89Lady!! seriesMusicAlso Hello! Lady Lynn
1988–89GunbusterMusic[1][5]
1988PatlaborMusicOAVs[1]
1989–92The Laughing SalesmanMusic
1989Wataru MajinzanMusicOVA
1990–91Brave ExkaiserMusic
1990ObatarianMusic
1990 Madō King Granzort: The Final Magical BattleMusicOVA
1991–93Matchless Raijin-OhMusicAlso OVA in 1992
1991Honō no TenkōseiMusicOVA
1991Otaku no VideoMusic[1]
1992Bastard!!Music[1]
1992 Spirit of Wonder: Miss China's RingMusic[1]
1993Dragon HalfMusicOVA[1]
1993YaibaMusic
1994Mobile Fighter G GundamMusic
1995Gulliver BoyMusic
1996Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS TeamMusicOVA[1]
1996Brave Command DagwonMusic
1996Violinist of HamelnMusic, Composer[1]
1997The King of Braves GaoGaiGarMusic, Composer
1999Pokémon The Movie 2000ComposerInsert song 1
1999–presentOne PieceMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi[1][5][6]
1999–2000Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry BlossomsMusicOVA
2000–2003The King of Braves GaoGaiGar FinalMusic ComposerOVA
2000Gate KeepersMusic[1]
2000Sakura TaisenMusicTV series[1]
2001Angelic LayerMusic
2001Gundam EvolveMusicwith others
2002Tenchi Muyo! GXPMusic[1]
2002Gate Keepers 21MusicOVA
2002–03Overman King GainerMusic
2002Monkey TyphoonMusic
2003Sakura Taisen: Ecole de ParisMusic
2003Gad Guard seriesMusic
2004–07Kaiketsu Zorori seriesMusic[7]
2004Desert PunkMusic
2004Sakura Taisen: Le Nouveau ParisMusicOVA
2004DiebusterMusicOVA
2006Buso RenkinMusic
2007Sakura Taisen: New York, New YorkMusicOVA
2007–08Let's Go! TamagotchiMusic
2007Tamagotchi: The MovieMusic
2008Rosario + Vampire seriesMusic2 seasons, with Shiro Hamaguchi
2009Hayate the Combat ButlerComposer, Arranger
2010–11Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan seriesMusicDemon Capital with Kazuhiko Sawaguchi and Keiji Iuchi
2012HyoukaMusic[8]
2012JoJo's Bizarre AdventureTheme song composition"JoJo (Sono Chi no Sadame)"
2013Gaist CrusherMusicwith Takayuki Negishi
2015Assassination ClassroomTheme song arrangement[9]
2017The Laughing Salesman NewMusic
2018Planet WithComposer, Arranger
2020Sakura Wars: The AnimationMusic[10]
2020Princess Connect Re:DiveTheme song arrangement
2020Motto! Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu ZororiMusic[11]
2021Back ArrowMusic
2021D_Cide Traumerei the AnimationMusic[12]
2024Grendizer UMusic[13]

Films
Year Title Crew role Notes Source[3]
1988Esper Mami: Hoshizora no Dancing DollMusic
1993Hello! Dynosis KidsMusicDoraemon short film
2001One Piece: Clockwork Island AdventureMusic
2001Sakura Wars: The MovieMusic Director
2002One Piece: Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange AnimalsMusic
2003One Piece The Movie: Dead End no BōkenMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi
2004One Piece: The Cursed Holy SwordMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi
2005One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret IslandMusic
2006Giant Mecha Soldier of Karakuri CastleMusicwith Fuminori Iwasaki
2007One Piece Movie: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in AlabastaMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi, Fuminori Iwasaki, Minoru Mauro, Kazuhiko Sawaguchi
2008 Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Cherry BlossomMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi
2008Tamagotchi: Happiest Story in the Universe!MusicFilm with Shiro Hamaguchi
2009One Piece Film: Strong WorldMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi
2012One Piece Film: ZMusicwith Shiro Hamaguchi
2012Kaiketsu Zorori Da-Da-Da-Daibouken!Music[7]
2013Kaiketsu Zorori: Mamoru ze! Kyouryuu no TamagoMusic
2015Kaiketsu Zorori: Uchū no Yūsha-tachiMusic
2019 One Piece: Stampede Music [14][15]

Video games
Year Title Crew role Notes Source
1990 Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom Music FM Towns version [16]
1992 Xardion Music [17]
Paladin's Quest Music
Just Breed Music [16]
1993 Tengai Makyo: Fuun Kabukiden Music [16]
1995 Tengai Makyō Zero Music [16]
1996 Lennus II Music [16]
Sakura Wars Music [18]
1997AlundraMusic[19][20]
1998Dragon Force II: Kamisarishi Daichi niMusicMain song[21]
Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not DieMusic[16]
1999 Alundra 2 Music [22]
2001 Sakura Wars 3: Is Paris Burning? Music [16]
2002 Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens Music [16]
2005 Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love Music [16]
2010 Resonance of Fate Music with Motoi Sakuraba [23]
2012Gravity RushMusic[24][25]
2017Gravity Rush 2Music[26][27]
2018Princess Connect! Re:DiveMusicwith others[28]
2019One Piece: World SeekerMusic[29]
2019Sakura WarsMusic[30]


See also

References
  1. "More Acen Guests". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  2. "Profile of Tanaka Kohei". TanakaKouhei.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2006.
  3. アニメ / メディア芸術データベース – 田中公平 [Anime / Media Arts Database (search results) – Kohei Tanaka]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Japan: Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  4. "ドラゴンボール -東映アニメーション-" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  5. "One Piece's Tanaka & Romancing SaGa's Itō Hold Joint Concert". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  6. Inc, Natasha. "「ONE PIECE」ワノ国編のBGM演奏は和楽器演奏集団・桜menが担当（コメントあり）". コミックナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved August 12, 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. "Megumi Hayashibara Stars in Kaiketsu Zorori Trailer". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  8. "Full Metal Panic's Gatoh Writes Kyoto Animation's Hyoka". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  9. "Assassination Classroom Anime Cast Sings Opening Theme". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  10. "New Sakura Wars Game Gets TV Anime in 2020". Anime News Network. September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  11. "New Kaiketsu Zorori Anime Reveals Cast, Theme Songs, April 5 Premiere". Anime News Network. February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  12. "Bushiroad, Sumzap, Drecom Unveil D_Cide Traumerei Project With Game, TV Anime". Anime News Network. March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  13. "Grendizer U TV Anime Revealed for Debut in 2024". Anime News Network. August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  14. "「ONE PIECE ワンピース」DVD公式サイト". Log Collection (in Japanese). Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  15. "EYCA-12666~7 | ONE PIECE STAMPEDE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  16. "Kohei Tanaka profile". imagine-music.co.jp.
  17. "Xardion for SNES (1992)". MobyGames. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  18. "Hardcore Gaming 101: Sakura Taisen". hardcoregaming101.net. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  19. "Blues Brothers 2000 - Retro Gamer". retrogamer.net. February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  20. "RPGamer > Staff Retroview > Alundra". rpgamer.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  21. "Dragon Force II: When the Gods Abandoned the Earth : Review by Chris". Square Enix Music Online. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  22. Alundra 2 - PS1 - ending, archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved March 14, 2021
  23. "桜庭統さんと田中公平さんが『エンド オブ エタニティ』の音楽について語る [Dengeki: Interview with Motoi Sakuraba and Kouhei Tanaka]". Dengeki Online. March 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  24. Hamilton, Kirk (June 14, 2012). "The Dizzy, Delightfully Grand Music of Gravity Rush". kotaku.com. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  25. Hamilton, Kirk (December 14, 2012). "The Best Video Game Music of 2012". kotaku.com. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  26. "Check Out Gravity Rush 2's Latest Footage And Mini-Concert By Composer Kohei Tanaka". siliconera.com. July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  27. "11 minutes of Gravity Rush 2 gameplay, details". gematsu.com. December 9, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  28. "Notice on Release of Anime RPG "PRINCESS CONNECT! Re:Dive"". cyberagent.co.jp. February 15, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  29. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "ONE PIECE: World Seeker - Announcement Trailer | PS4, X1, PC". YouTube.
  30. "Project Sakura Wars announced for PS4". March 30, 2019.
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