Kaoru Wada

Kaoru Wada
和田 薫
Born (1962-05-05) May 5, 1962 (age 62)
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Genres
Occupations
Years active1988-present
Websitewww.kaoru-wada.com

Kaoru Wada (和田 薫, Wada Kaoru, born May 5, 1962) is a Japanese composer and arranger.[1] He has composed the scores for many anime series, including Inuyasha, D.Gray-man, Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas, Samurai 7 and, more recently, Tesla Note.[2][3]

He also became known to the West through his arranged works for orchestra and piano in video games like Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.[4]

Wada, along with other later-famous musicians, studied at the Tokyo College of Music under Akira Ifukube and Sei Ikeno. He is also an apprentice of the famed Godzilla composer, Akira Ifukube. He is married to Inuyasha voice actress Akiko Nakagawa, who voices Sota Higurashi in that anime.

Works

Anime

List of production work in anime
Year Title Note(s) Ref(s)[5][6]
1990 RPG Densetsu Hepoi [7]
1991 3×3 Eyes OVA [8]
Madara OVA
Hero Kaede Mosaica OVA
1992 Tekkaman Blade
1993 Shippū! Iron Leaguer
Ninja Scroll Film [9]
Battle Angel OVA
The Cockpit OVA [10]
1994 Ginga Sengoku Gun'yūden Rai
Shippū! Iron Leaguer Ginhikari no Hata no Shita ni OVA
1995 3×3 Eyes: Legend of the Divine Demon OVA
1996 GeGeGe no Kitarō (1996) 4th TV series
1997 GeGeGe no Kitarō: Obake Nighter Film [11]
Jigoku Sensei Nūbē: Kyoufu no Natsu Yasumi! Asashi no Uni no Gensetsu Film
1999 Harlock Saga OVA
2000 Strange Dawn
Inuyasha [12]
Ghost Stories
2001 Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time Film
Kikaider 01: The Animation
2002 Princess Tutu [13]
Inuyasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass Film
2003 Gilgamesh [14]
Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler Film
2004 Mars Daybreak
Samurai 7 [15]
Inuyasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island Film [16]
2005 Mushiking: The King of Beetles Film
Play Ball
2006 Play Ball 2nd
D.Gray-man [17]
2007 Kindaichi Case Files Special TV special (2 eps.)
2008 Hakaba Kitarō
Casshern Sins
2009 Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
Inuyasha: The Final Act
2016 Ace Attorney [18]
2020 Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon [19]
2021 The Journey Film [20]
Tesla Note [21]
2024 Ranma ½ [22]

Video games

List of production work in video games
Year Title Role(s) Ref(s)
2002 Kingdom Hearts Arranger [23]
2004 Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Arranger
2005 Kingdom Hearts II Arranger [24]
2010 Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Arranger [25]
2012 Asura's Wrath Arranger [26]

References

  1. ^ "♪Kaoru-Wada.com 和田薫OFFICIAL WEBSITE♪". 和田薫オフィシャルサイト. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  2. ^ "Talking about Japanese Anime". hyperjapan.co.uk. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  3. ^ Hashimoto, Kazuma (August 1, 2020). "Kaoru Wada Will Discuss His Work on Yashahime Through Upcoming Online Panel". Siliconera. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 14, 2021). "Inuyasha Composer Kaoru Wada Discharged From COVID-19 Hospitalization". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  5. ^ アニメ / メディア芸術データベース – 和田薫 [Search results for Kaoru Wada in anime]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Japan: Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "♪Kaoru-Wada.com 和田薫OFFICIAL WEBSITE♪". 和田薫オフィシャルサイト. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  7. ^ "RPG Densetsu Hepoi BGM VOL.1 | KICA-59 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "3x3 Eyes: Original Soundtrack, Vol. 2 1991 Anime Video". amazon.com. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "Madman Announcements from AVCon 2014". Anime News Network. July 20, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  10. ^ "THE COCKPIT Original Soundtrack". VGMdb. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  11. ^ "Gegege no Kitaro: Obake Nighter Gekijouban Original Soundtrack | WPC6-8287 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  12. ^ "Kaoru Wada – Inuyasha Music Collection". Discogs. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  13. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (December 19, 2018). "Magical Girl Anime Princess Tutu Gets 6-Disc Soundtrack Release". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Gilgamesh SOUND TRACK | AVCA-14885 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  15. ^ "Samurai 7 Original Soundtrack". play-asia.com. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  16. ^ "InuYasha the Movie 4 Fire on the Mystic Island Original Soundtrack - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  17. ^ "テレビ東京・あにてれ". tv-tokyo.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  18. ^ "Ace Attorney Anime's Cast, Staff Announced (Updated)". Anime News Network. December 18, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Inuyasha Anime Gets Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon TV Spinoff This Fall". Anime News Network. May 8, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  20. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Manga Productions, Toei Preview The Journey Film's Japanese Cast in Trailer". Anime News Network. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  21. ^ "Tiger & Bunny Writer Masafumi Nishida's Tesla Note Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  22. ^ "New Ranma 1/2 Anime Reveals Returning & New Cast, Staff, October 5 Debut in 1st Trailer". Anime News Network. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack | 7243-5-80453-21 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "KINGDOM HEARTS II ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK | TOCT-25871~2 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  25. ^ "KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days Original Soundtrack | SQEX-10213~5 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  26. ^ "ASURA'S WRATH Original Soundtrack | CPCA-10256~7 - VGMdb". VGMdb. Retrieved June 11, 2022.