A masterpiece by Yoko Kanno. Recommended songs.

Tank!Kanno Yōko

Cowboy Bebop OST 1 – Tank!

“Tank!” is the theme song of the TV anime Cowboy Bebop, which began airing in 1998.

Composed by Yoko Kanno, who has worked on many anime songs such as Aquarion and Macross, the track has also been used as background music on various TV programs.

Using jazz for a theme song or BGM was very innovative at the time, and this anime may have been what got some people into listening to jazz.

The ‘bebop’ in the title is a style of jazz performance—rooted not in live concerts but in after-hours sessions where jazz musicians focus on improvisation—which matches the hard-boiled, unorthodox feel of this space western anime and makes for a perfectly fitting theme.

Trifle SongKanno Yōko

Try Full Song (Acapella Version) – Yoko Kanno

Yoko Kanno has a voice that feels like it purifies the heart.

She’s a singer known for famous anime songs such as those from Macross Frontier, but she also performs healing-style pieces like this.

It’s the kind of music you’ll want to listen to slowly late at night.

Green BirdKanno Yōko

GREEN BIRD | Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts (Cowboy Bebop OST)

How about an anime song with a solemn atmosphere? It’s an insert song from the anime Cowboy Bebop.

It sounds like folk music from overseas, but it’s a piece born in Japan, created by composer Yoko Kanno.

Its beautiful piano melody will add a touch of elegance to a wedding.

TorukiaKanno Yōko

Ghost in the Shell OST – Torukia

This is a work by Yoko Kanno, whose talent sprouted from game and anime music and who has now become a world-renowned composer.

She reportedly doesn’t prefer to use sequencing, but when it’s requested or suits the concept of a piece, her ability to create such magnificent music is truly awe-inspiring.

On top of that, the mystical melody carried by the chorus lingers in the ears.

Our Days with the Sea and MagicKanno Yōko

Sea, Magic, and Our Days – Honey and Clover O.S.T.

Yoko Kanno is also well known as the composer of the song “Flowers Will Bloom,” created to support recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

By the way, while this piece is background music for Honey and Clover, it’s soothing to listen to as driving music when you feel like going somewhere alone.

How about it with a beautiful sunset?

Flowers will bloom.Kanno Yōko

Momoyama Kindergarten, senior class, ensemble, 'Flowers Will Bloom'

Hana wa Saku (Flowers Will Bloom) is a charity song created to support the disaster-stricken areas and people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011.

Its simple, nostalgic sound and lyrics—depicting people who, while remembering the hometowns they lost, are striving to move forward—resonate deeply.

Although it is an event that took place before our children were born, it is also something that no Japanese person should ever forget.

Through choral singing, it may be important to convey both the terror of natural disasters and the preciousness of life.

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yuri

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Kanno Yōko

Yoko Kanno – Yōko Kanno – Ray of Water – Suite

Yoko Kanno is a music producer from Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

She made her debut in 1986 as the keyboardist for the rock band Tetsu 100%, and also played in the backing band for Onyanko Club, showcasing her considerable skill.

After becoming a composer, she wrote and produced songs for artists such as Miki Imai, Kyoko Koizumi, and SMAP, and in the 1990s composed numerous commercial jingles.

From 1994, she began working on anime soundtracks, composing pieces including Tank!, the opening theme of the anime Cowboy Bebop, and received the Japan Gold Disc Award.

She is a renowned producer who commands a wide range of sounds—from classical and folk music to rock, techno, and jazz.

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Hamada Takuya

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