| Yuki Kajiura | |
| Native Name: | 梶浦 由記 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja_ |
| Background: | non_performing_personnel |
| Birth Date: | August 6, 1965 |
| Origin: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Years Active: | 1992–present |
is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer. She has provided the music for several popular anime series, such as Sword Art Online, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, The Garden of Sinners, Pandora Hearts and .
As a composer, Kajiura is known for her unique and distinctive musical motifs and leitmotifs, as well as for her distinctive fusion of contemporary classical music and electronic music.
Kajiura was born on August 6, 1965, in Tokyo, Japan. She has been into music since 1972 and accompanying her father on the piano. Her family later moved to West Germany because of her father's work. Kajiura wrote her first composition when she was seven years old titled " Thank you, Good-bye" as a farewell for her grandmother before leaving Japan.
Kajiura moved back to Japan when she was in middle school and later graduated from college. She began working as a systems engineering programmer until 1992 that she decided to focus more on music.[1]
In 2002, See-Saw participated in another Mashimo's project, .hack//Sign During the production of the series, Kajiura met Emily Bindiger and impressed by her vocals, offered her to perform over 10 of the series' insert songs. She has also jokingly called Bindiger "her English teacher" at Anime Expo 2003.[2]
One of Kajiura's solo projects includes FictionJunction. The project involves collaboration with artists such as Yuuka Nanri, Asuka Kato, and Kaori Oda. FictionJunction Yuuka, with Nanri as the vocalist, is the most prolific of these collaborations. In 2004, the duo produced the opening and ending songs for Kōichi Mashimo's Madlax and in the next year, published their first collaborative album, Destination.
In October 2007, it was announced that Yuki Kajiura would be attending the performances of the Eminence Orchestra's concert, 'A Night in Fantasia 2007 – Symphonic Anime Edition', as a special guest.[3]
The 2014 series Aldnoah.Zero's opening theme "Heavenly Blue" was composed by Kajiura and was performed by Kalafina.[4]
In July 2016, Aniplex of America announced that the “Yuki Kajiura LIVE ~featuring SWORD ART ONLINE~” concert that took place in March 2016 in Japan would be having an additional date on January 14, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, but was later canceled due to visa issues.[5]
In December 2017, a source reported to a news site, Sponchi Annex that Kajiura was planning to leave her agency, Spacecraft Produce, over contract disputes. In February 2018, Kajiura herself confirmed via her Twitter that she has officially left her agency.[6] [7]
Kajiura has performed internationally at various anime conventions including Anime Expo 2003, Anime Boston 2009 (with Kalafina), Anime Expo 2012 (with FictionJunction), and Anime Expo 2018 (as part of Anisong World Matsuri).[8]
On February 22, 2018, her contract ended with SpaceCraft Produce after being a talent for 25 years.[9] She is now represented by FictionJunction Music, a talent agency she founded herself.
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Fiction | |
| 2011 | Fiction II |
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Works for Soundtrack | |
| 2023 | The Works for Soundtrack 2 |
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | I Have a Dream | Studio | ||
| 1994 | See-Saw | See-Saw | Studio | |
| 1995 | Mata Aeru Kara | See-Saw | Single | |
| 2003 | Early Best | See-Saw | Greatest Hits | |
| 2003 | Dream Field | See-Saw | Studio | |
| 2005 | Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru | See-Saw | Single | |
| 2020 | See-Saw Complete Best | See-Saw | Greatest Hits | |
| 2004 | Destination | Studio | ||
| 2005 | Everlasting Song | FictionJunction Asuka | Single | |
| 2007 | Circus | FictionJunction Yuuka | Studio | |
| 2008 | Dream Port | Revo & Yuki Kajiura | CD & DVD | |
| 2008 | Yuki Kajiura Live 2008.07.31 | FictionJunction | Live DVD | |
| 2009 | Everlasting Songs | FictionJunction | Studio | |
| 2009 | Yuki Kajiura Live Vol.#4 Part I ~ Everlasting Songs Tour 2009 | FictionJunction Yuuka | Live DVD | |
| 2009 | Yuki Kajiura Live Vol.#4 PART II ~ Everlasting Songs Tour 2009 | FictionJunction | Live DVD | |
| 2010 | FictionJunction 2008-2010 The Best of Yuki Kajiura Live | FictionJunction | Live | |
| 2010 | Animelo Summer Live 2009 RE:BRIDGE 8.23 | FictionJunction/FictionJunction Yuuka | Live DVD | |
| 2012 | Mobile Suite Gundam SEED Remastered Soundtrack Re track "Anna ni Issho Datta no ni" | Yuki Kajiura/See-Saw | Single | |
| 2012 | Mobile Suite Gundam SEED Remastered Soundtrack Re track "Akatsuki no Kuruma" | Yuki Kajiura/FictionJunction Yuuka | Single | |
| 2012 | Sing a Song/Silent Moon | FictionJunction | Limited Single | |
| 2013 | Mobile Suite Gundam SEED Remastered Soundtrack Re track "Quiet Night" | Yuki Kajiura/Rie Tanaka | Single | |
| 2013 | Mobile Suite Gundam SEED Destiny Remastered Soundtrack Re Mix "Tears"/"Kimi ha Boku ni Niteiru"/"Life Goes On" | Yuki Kajiura/Lisa Komine/See-Saw/Mika Arisaka | Single | |
| 2013 | Yuki Kajiura Live Vol.#4 Part 1&2 Everlasting Songs Tour 2009 | FictionJunction/FictionJunction Yuuka | Live Blu-Ray | |
| 2013 | Yuki Kajiura ive Vol.#9 “Shibukou Special" | FictionJunction | Live DVD | |
| 2014 | Elemental | FictionJunction | Studio | |
| 2014 | Yuki Kajiura Live Vol.#11 FictionJunction Yuuka 2Days Special | FictionJunction Yuuka | Live Blu-Ray | |
| 2014 | Yuki Kajiura Live Vol.#11 Elemental Tour 2014.4.20 @ NHK Hall + Making of Elemental Tour 2014 | FictionJunction | Live Blu-Ray | |
| 2015 | FictionJunction 2010-2013 The Best of Yuki Kajiura Live 2 | FictionJunction | Live | |
| 2020 | Yuki Kajiura Live Tour Vol.#15 “Soundtrack Special at the Amphitheater” | Yuki Kajiura/FictionJunction | Live | |
| 2020 | Princess Principal The Live Yuki Kajiura×Void_Chords | Yuki Kajiura×Void_Chords | Live CD/Live Blu-Ray | |
| 2023 | Parade | FictionJunction | Studio |
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Melody | Studio | |
| 2004 | Everything | Studio | |
| 2008 | Re/oblivious | EP | |
| 2009 | Seventh Heaven | Studio | |
| 2010 | Red Moon | Studio | |
| 2011 | After Eden | Studio | |
| 2013 | Consolation | Studio | |
| 2013 | Kalafina 5th Anniversary Live Selection 2009-2012 | Live | |
| 2014 | The Best "Blue" | Greatest Hits | |
| 2014 | The Best "Red" | Greatest Hits | |
| 2015 | Far on the Water | Studio | |
| 2016 | Kalafina 8th Anniversary Special products The Live Album "Kalafina Live Tour 2014" at Tokyo International Forum Hall A | Live | |
| 2016 | Winter Acoustic "Kalafina with Strings" | Studio, Christmas music | |
| 2018 | Kalafina All Time Best 2008-2018 | Greatest Hits |
| Genre | Project | Involvement | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anime | Jura Tripper | Ending theme "Sunday Island" by Mariko Kouda [10] | 1995 | |
| Anime | Mobile Suit Gundam Seed | Closing theme & insert songs | 2002 | |
| Anime | Chrono Crusade | Closing theme song (Sayonara Solitaire) | 2003 | |
| Game | .hack//Quarantine | Song "Yasashii Yoake" (also used in .hack//Sign) | 2003 | |
| Anime | The World of Narue | Closing theme | 2003 | |
| Anime | Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny | Closing theme & insert songs | 2004 | |
| Anime | .hack//Legend of the Twilight | Closing theme | 2004 | |
| Anime | Loveless | Theme song | 2005 | |
| Anime | Shōnen Onmyōji | Opening theme song | 2006 | |
| Anime | .hack//Roots | Opening theme song | 2006 | |
| Anime | Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto | Opening theme song | 2006 | |
| Anime | My-Otome Zwei | Ending theme songs 2–3 | 2007 | |
| Anime | Baccano! | Ending Theme song "Calling" featuring Kaori Oda [11] | 2007 | |
| Anime | Amatsuki | Ending Theme song | 2008 | |
| TV drama | Negima (Live Action) | Ending Theme song | 2008 | |
| Anime | Kuroshitsuji | Ending Theme Song "Lacrimosa" by Kalafina [12] | 2008 | |
| Documentary | Unknown Episodes of History – Historia | Soundtrack[13] | 2009 | |
| Anime | So Ra No Wo To | Opening Theme song | 2010 | |
| Anime | Ōkami Kakushi | Theme song | 2010 | |
| Anime | Eve no Jikan | Ending Theme Song | 2010 | |
| Game | Nobunaga's Ambition | Theme song | 2010 | |
| Anime | Kuroshitsuji II | Insert theme song | 2010 | |
| Game | .hack//Link | Previously written songs contributed: Edge, (from .hack//Liminality Volume 1: In the Case of Mai Minase) Obsession from .hack//Sign and Silly-Go-Round. (from .hack//Roots) | 2010 | |
| Documentary | Unknown Episodes of History – Historia 2 | Soundtrack | 2011 | |
| Anime | Sacred Seven | Opening theme song | 2011 | |
| Game | Senritsu no Stratus | Opening theme song | 2011 | |
| Anime | Fate/Zero | Opening theme song, Ending theme song | 2011 | |
| Anime | Aldnoah.Zero | Opening theme song | 2014 | |
| Anime | Guest Composer, Ending theme song | 2014 | ||
| Anime | The Heroic Legend of Arslan | Ending theme song | 2015 | |
| Anime | Erased | Ending theme song | 2016 | |
| Anime | The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance | Ending theme song | 2016 | |
| Anime | Theme song | 2017 | ||
| Anime | Theme song | 2019 | ||
| Music | JAM Project song “To the Next Era” | Composition and arrangement | 2020 | |
| Anime | Theme song composition, arrangement and lyrics | 2022 |
| Title | Year | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning | 1996 | Osamu Kobayashi | |
| Eat-Man | 1997 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| Noir | 2001 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| Aquarian Age | 2002 | Yoshimitsu Ohashi | |
| .hack//Sign | 2002 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| .hack//Liminality | 2002 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| Le Portrait de Petit Cossette | 2004 | Akiyuki Shinbo | |
| Madlax | 2004 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| My-HiME | 2004 | Masakazu Obara | |
| My-Otome | 2005 | Masakazu Obara | |
| 2005–2006 | Kōichi Mashimo Hiroshi Morioka | ||
| Elemental Gelade | 2005 | Shigeru Ueda | |
| My-Otome Zwei | 2006 | Masakazu Obara | |
| 2007 | Toyoo Ashida | ||
| El Cazador de la Bruja | 2007 | Kōichi Mashimo | |
| Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations | 2007–2008 | Shunsuke Tada | |
| Tsubasa Shunraiki | 2009 | Shunsuke Tada | |
| Pandora Hearts | 2009 | Takao Kato | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica | 2011 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto | |
| Fate/Zero | 2011–2012 | Ei Aoki | |
| Sword Art Online | 2012 | Tomohiko Itō | |
| Sword Art Online II | 2014 | Tomohiko Itō | |
| Erased | 2016 | Tomohiko Itō | |
| Zaregoto | 2016–2017 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yuki Yase | |
| Princess Principal | 2017 | Masaki Tachibana | |
| 2018–2020 | Manabu Ono | ||
| 2019 | Haruo Sotozaki | ||
| The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note | 2019 | Makoto Katō | |
| The Case Study of Vanitas | 2021 | Tomoyuki Itamura | |
| 2021 | Kazuto Nakazawa | ||
| Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Entertainment District Arc | 2021 | Haruo Sotozaki | |
| Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc | 2023 | Haruo Sotozaki |
| Title | Year | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Movie: Princess in Birdcage Kingdom | 2005 | Itsuro Kawasaki | |
| The Garden of Sinners | 2007–2009, 2013 | Ei Aoki Takuya Nonaka Mitsuru Oburai Tomonori Sudō | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part I: Beginnings | 2012 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part II: Eternal | 2012 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion | 2013 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto | |
| Sword Art Online: Extra Edition | 2013 | Tomohiko Itō | |
| 2016 | Guo Jingming | ||
| 2017 | Tomohiko Itō | ||
| 2017 | Tomonori Sudō | ||
| 2019 | Tomonori Sudō | ||
| 2020 | Tomonori Sudō | ||
| 2020 | Haruo Sotozaki | ||
| 2021 | Masaki Tachibana | ||
| 2021 | Ayako Kōno | ||
| Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night | 2022 | Ayako Kōno | |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising | 2025 | Akiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto | |
| Eisen Flügel | TBA | Seiji Mizushima Daizen Komatsuda |
| Title | Platform | Year | Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Cast | 1998 | Sony Computer Entertainment | ||
| Meguri-aishite | 1999 | SME | ||
| 2000 | Sony Computer Entertainment | |||
| (movie scenes) | 2004 | Namco | ||
| 2006 | Namco |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Sai no Shiganhei | 2010 | |
| Hanako to Anne | 2014[14] | |
| Eien no Nispa | 2019 | |
| Anti-Hero | 2024 |
| Title | Year | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo-Kyodai | 1995 | Jun Ichikawa | |
| Ruby Fruit | 1995 | Takumi Kimiduka | |
| Rainbow | 1999 | Naoto Kumazawa | |
| Boogiepop and Others | 2000 | Ryu Kaneda | |
| Moon | 2000 | Takumi Kimiduka | |
| Achilles and the Tortoise | 2008 | Takeshi Kitano[15] |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Sakura-Wars | 1998 | |
| Fine | 1998 | |
| Funk-a-Step | 1998 | |
| Funk-a-Step II | 1999 | |
| Christmas Juliette | 1999–2000 | |
| High-School Revolution | 2000 | |
| Christmas Juliette | 2000 | |
| Shooting-Star Lullaby | 2001 | |
| Love's Labour's Lost/Set | 2002 | |
| Angel Gate | 2006 |