View source for Kenji Kawai

{{short description|Japanese music composer and arranger (born 1957)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2016|reason=He's got 61 entries in MADB, so his discography should be sourceable. Also the biography needs to be sourced.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image             = Kenji Kawai 20071028 Manga Expo 06.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Kawai in 2007
| name              = Kenji Kawai
| background        = non_performing_personnel
| native_name       = 川井 憲次|
| birth_name        =
| alias             = {{nihongo|Kaai|かーいさん|Kāi-san}}
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1957|4|23}}
| birth_place       = [[Shinagawa]], Japan
| origin            =
| instrument        = {{hlist|Guitar|keyboard|drums}}
| genre             = [[Film score]]<br />[[Electronic rock]]<br />[[Instrumental rock]]
| occupation        = {{hlist|Composer|arranger}}
| years_active      = 1980–present
| label             =
| associated_acts   = [[Mamoru Oshii]]
| website           = {{official URL}}
}}

{{nihongo|'''Kenji Kawai'''|川井 憲次|Kawai Kenji|born April 23, 1957}} is a Japanese [[composer|music composer]] and arranger. Known as one of the biggest names in the soundtrack world, he has worked on a wide range of mixed media productions, including anime, TV shows, films, video games and ice shows.<ref name="MPC-object" /> Among his credits are Toei's ''[[Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever]]'', [[Tsui Hark]]'s ''[[Seven Swords]]'' and ''[[Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon]]''; [[Wilson Yip]]'s ''[[Ip Man (film)|Ip Man]]''; [[Mamoru Oshii]]'s films ''[[The Red Spectacles]]'', ''[[StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops]]'', [[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|''Ghost in the Shell'']], ''[[Patlabor|Mobile Police Patlabor]]'', and ''[[Assault Girls]]''. He also worked on the OVA and TV anime adaptations of ''[[Vampire Princess Miyu]]'', [[The Sky Crawlers (film)|''The Sky Crawlers'']] and [[Avalon (2001 film)|''Avalon'']]; the anime adaptations of [[Rumiko Takahashi]]'s ''[[Ranma ½]]'' and ''[[Maison Ikkoku]]''; the live-action adaptation of ''[[Gantz (film)|Gantz]]'' and [[Hideo Nakata]]'s films [[Ring (film)|''Ring'']], ''[[Ring 2]]'', ''[[Chaos (2000 film)|Chaos]]'', [[Dark Water (2002 film)|''Dark Water'']] and [[Kaidan (2007 film)|''Kaidan'']].

His nephew, Hidehiro Kawai, is a bassist in Fox Capture Plan, an instrumental band.

== Career ==
After dropping out of a [[nuclear engineering]] program at [[Tokai University]], Kawai began studying music at Shobi Music Academy. However, he dropped out after half a year. With a few friends, he created the band Muse, playing [[fusion (music)|fusion rock]] and participating in music competitions. Through competing in such contests, the band members became technically competent to enter the [[music industry]] and decided to part ways.<ref>{{cite web|title=Profile|url=http://www.kenjikawai.com/intro.html|access-date=2017-06-01|language=ja}}</ref>

After leaving Muse, Kawai began [[Musical composition|composing]] music for [[Television advertisement|commercials]] in his home studio. While recording music for radio actor and voice actor [[Yūji Mitsuya]], he met music director Naoko Asari, who advised him to compose anime soundtracks. Some of his work for anime soundtracks can be found in ''[[Ranma ½]]'' and [[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|''Ghost in the Shell'']]. According to Kawai, he is not good at creating music from nothing, as he draws sounds from the visuals of the works. In the majority of cases, the images of the anime are not yet created, so he creates music when referencing storyboard visuals.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20130517-kk/2 |title= 作曲家・川井憲次「「トワイライトQ」が僕の感性のターニングポイント」 (2) 押井守監督との出会い |newspaper= マイナビニュース |date= 2013-05-17 |access-date= 2020-05-19 }}</ref>

Following his success as an [[anime|anime movies]] music composer, he became involved in live action movies. He contributed music to [[horror film]]s: [[Ring (film)|''Ring'']], ''[[Ring 2]]'', [[Dark Water (2002 film)|''Dark Water'']], Japanese-Polish science-fiction film [[Avalon (2001 film)|''Avalon'']], the Hong Kong film ''[[Seven Swords]]'' and in the 2006 live action film ''[[Death Note (2006 film)|Death Note]]''.

Kawai has worked on several projects with director [[Mamoru Oshii]] (both [[Headgear (artist group)|Headgear]] members) and has written scores for all of [[Hideo Nakata]]'s films. Kawai's music has received the [[Annie Award]] and [[Hong Kong Film Award]]. In 2005, [[Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence|''Ghost in The Shell 2: Innocence'']] he was nominated for an [[Annie Award]].

For the music found in ''Seven Swords'' and [[A Battle of Wits (2006 film)|''A Battle of Wits'']] he was nominated for Best Original Film Score Awards at both the [[25th Hong Kong Film Awards|25th]] and [[26th Hong Kong Film Awards]] in 2006 and 2007.

In 2019 he composed the music for the storytelling ice show [https://hyoen.jp/2019/index.html Hyoen – Like the moonlight],<ref>{{Cite web |title=氷艶hyoen2019－月光かりの如く－ |url=https://hyoen.jp/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=hyoen.jp |language=ja}}</ref> which was based on the novel [[The Tale of Genji]], starring Japanese figure skater, Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion [[Daisuke Takahashi]] in the title role.

== Works ==
=== Anime/television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Notes
|-
|1986
|''[[Cosmos Pink Shock]]''
|TV Movie
|-
|1986
|''[[Maison Ikkoku]]''
|
|-
|1987
|[[Devilman|''Devilman – The Birth'']]
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1988
|''[[Patlabor|Mobile Police Patlabor]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1988
|''[[Vampire Princess Miyu]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1989
|''[[Patlabor: The TV Series]]''
|
|-
|1989
|[[Ranma ½|''Ranma 1/2'']]
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Patlabor: The Movie]]''
|Movie
|-
|1989
|''[[Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai!]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1989
|[[Ranma ½|''Ranma 1/2: Nettohen'']]
|
|-
|1990
|[[Devilman|''Devilman – The Demon Bird'']]
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1990
|''[[Project A-ko]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
| 1990
|''[[Musashi, the Samurai Lord|Karakuri Kengō Den Musashi Lord]]''
|
|-
| 1990
|''[[Kyatto Ninden Teyandee]]''
|
|-
| 1990
|''[[Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai!|MAROKO]]''
|
|-
|1991
|''[[Burn Up!]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1991
|[[Ranma ½|''Ranma 1/2: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China'']]
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1991
|''[[Mermaid Saga|Mermaid Forest]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1991
|''[[Demon Warrior Luna Varga]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1992
|''[[Zetsuai 1989]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1992
|''[[Hime-chan's Ribbon]]''
|
|-
|1993
|[[Ranma ½|''Ranma ½ OVA'']]
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1993
|''[[The Irresponsible Captain Tylor]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]], TV Series
|-
|1993
|''[[Patlabor 2: The Movie]]''
|Movie
|-
|1994
|''[[Blue Seed]]''
|
|-
|1994
|''[[Iczer Girl Iczelion]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1995
|''[[Princess Minerva]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|1995
| [[Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)|''Ghost in The Shell'']]
|Movie
|-
|1996
|''[[Sorcerer Hunters]]''
|
|-
|1996
|''[[Baby and Me]]''
|
|-
|1997
|''[[Hyper Police]]''
|
|-
|1997
|''[[Vampire Princess Miyu]]''
|
|-
|1999
|[[You're Under Arrest (manga)|''You're Under Arrest THE MOVIE'']]
|
|-
|1999
|''[[Dai-Guard]]''
|Movie
|-
|2001
|[[Geisters|''Geisters – Fractions of Earth'']]
|
|-
|2001
|''[[Zaion: I Wish You Were Here]]''
|[[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|2001
|''[[Rave Master]]''
|
|-
|2002
|''[[WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3]]''
|
|-
|2003
|''[[Gunparade March]]''
|
|-
|2004
|[[Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence|''Ghost in The Shell 2: INNOCENCE'']]
|Movie
|-
|2004
|''[[Ultraman Nexus]]''<ref name="Second">{{cite web|script-title=ja:「ジーッとしてても、ドーにもならねぇ!」ウルトラマンシリーズ最新作「ウルトラマンジード」メインキャスト発表!|url=http://m-78.jp/news/n-4760/|publisher=m-78.jp|access-date=2017-06-01|language=ja|date=2017-06-01}}</ref>
|
|-
|2004
|''[[Windy Tales]]''
|
|-
|2005
|''[[Starship Operators]]''
|
|-
|2005
|''{{Interlanguage link|MAKOTO|2=ja|3=MAKOTO (映画)|preserve=1}}''
|
|-
|2006
|[[Fate/stay night|''Fate/Stay Night'']]
|TV series
|-
|2006
|''[[Tachiguishi-Retsuden]]''
|Music and Actor
|-
|2006
|''[[Higurashi When They Cry|Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]''
|
|-
|2007
|''[[Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit|Seirei no Moribito]]''
|
|-
|2007
|''[[Higurashi When They Cry|Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai]]''
|
|-
|2007
|''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00]]''
|
|-
|2008
|''[[The Sky Crawlers]]''
|
|-
|2009
|''[[Eden of the East]]''
|
|-
|2010
|''[[Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2010 film)|Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works]]''
|
|-
|2010
|''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer]]''
|
|-
|2011
|''[[Towa no Quon]]''
|
|-
|2011
|''[[Busou Chuugakusei Basket Army]]''
|
|-
|2012
|''[[Cyborg 009#2012 Movie: 009 RE:CYBORG|009 Re:Cyborg]]''
|
|-
|2012
|''[[Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger]]''
|
|-
|2014
|''[[Barakamon]]''
|
|-
|2014
|''[[World Trigger]]''
|
|-
|2014
|''[[Subete ga F ni Naru|The Perfect Insider]]''
|
|-
|2015
|''[[Hana Moyu]]''
|[[Taiga drama]]
|-
|2015
|''[[Wakaba Girl]]''
|
|-
|2015
|''[[Subete ga F ni Naru]]''
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Patlabor REBOOT|Mobile Police Patlabor: Reboot]]''
|[[Original net animation|ONA]], serve as extra episode of [[Japan Animator Expo]]
|-
|2016
|''[[Joker Game]]''
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Mob Psycho 100]]''
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Servamp]]''
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru]]''
|
|-
|2017
|''[[Ultraman Geed]]''<ref name="Second"/>
|
|-
|2017
|''[[Kamen Rider Build]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kenjikawai.com/topics.html#170903 | title=Release }}</ref>
|
|-
|2018
|''[[The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done!]]''{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
|
|-
|2018
|''[[Manpuku]]''
|[[Asadora]]
|-
|2019
|''[[Afterlost]]''
|
|-
|2019
|''[[No Guns Life]]''
|
|-
|2020
|''[[Higurashi When They Cry|Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou]]''
|
|-
|2021
|''[[Vlad Love]]''
|ONA
|-
|2021
|''[[Higurashi When They Cry|Higurashi: When They Cry – Sotsu]]''
|
|-
|2023
|''[[The Fire Hunter]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Junji Nishimura, Mamoru Oshii's Hikari no Ō Fantasy TV Anime Unveils More Staff, January Debut|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-09-21/junji-nishimura-mamoru-oshii-hikari-no-o-fantasy-tv-anime-unveils-more-staff-january-debut/.189995|website=[[Anime News Network]]|date=September 21, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2024}}</ref>
|
|-
|2023
|''[[My Home Hero]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=My Home Hero Anime's 1st Teaser Reveals Cast, Staff, April 2023 Premiere|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-09-29/my-home-hero-anime-1st-teaser-reveals-cast-staff-april-2023-premiere/.190360|website=[[Anime News Network]]|date=September 29, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2024}}</ref>
|
|-
|2023
|''[[Ōoku: The Inner Chambers]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Ōoku: The Inner Chambers Manga Gets Anime on Netflix|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-03-24/ooku-the-inner-chambers-manga-gets-anime-on-netflix/.196384|website=[[Anime News Network]]|date=March 24, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2024}}</ref>
|ONA
|-
|2024
|''[[Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture]]''
|ONA
|-
|2025
|''[[Umamusume: Pretty Derby|Umamusume: Cinderella Gray]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray Anime's 2nd Teaser Unveils More Cast, Co-Director & Composer, April Debut of 1st of 2 Parts|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-12-25/uma-musume-cinderella-gray-anime-2nd-teaser-unveils-more-cast-co-director-and-composer-april-debut-/.219495|website=[[Anime News Network]]|date=December 25, 2024|access-date=December 25, 2024}}</ref>
|
|-
|}

=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
|-
|1987
|''[[The Red Spectacles]]''
|-
|1991
|[[Mikadroid|''Mikadroid: Robokill Beneath Disco Club Layla'']]
|-
|1991
|''[[StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops]]''
|-
|1992
|[[Talking Head (film)|''Talking Head'']]
|-
|1998
|[[Ring (film)|''Ring'']]
|-
|1999
|''[[Ring 2]]''
|-
|2000
|''[[Sadistic and Masochistic]]''
|-
|2000
|''[[Sleeping Bride]]''
|-
|2000
|[[Chaos (2000 film)|''Chaos'']]
|-
|2001
|[[Avalon (2001 film)|''Avalon'']]
|-
|2001
|''[[Unloved]]''
|-
|2001
|''[[The Princess Blade]]''
|-
|2002
|[[Dark Water (2002 film)|''Dark Water'']]
|-
|2002
|''[[Samourais]]''
|-
|2002
|''[[Bloody Mallory]]''
|-
|2004
|[[Kibakichi|''Kibakichi: Bakko yokaiden'']]
|-
|2004
|[[Kibakichi|''Kibakichi: Bakko yokaiden 2'']]
|-
|2005
|''[[Mezame No Hakobune|Open Your Mind]]''
|-
|2005
|''[[Antarctic Journal]]''
|-
|2005
|''[[Seven Swords]]''
|-
|2005
|''[[Reincarnation (film)|Rinne]]''
|-
|2005
|''Kidan'' ({{lang|zh|奇谈}})
|-
|2006
|[[Death Note (2006 film)|''Death Note'']]
|-
|2006
|[[Running Wild (2006 film)|''Running Wild'']]
|-
|2006 || ''[[Dragon Tiger Gate]]''
|-
|2006
|''[[Trapped Ashes]]''
|-
|2006
|''[[Death Note 2: The Last Name]]''
|-
|2006
|[[A Battle of Wits (2006 film)|''A Battle of Wits'']]
|-
|2007
|''[[Kaidan (2007 film)|Kaidan]]''
|-
|2008
|''[[Ip Man (film)|Ip Man]]''
|-
|2009
|''[[Assault Girls]]''
|-
|2009
|''[[Samayou Yaiba|The Hovering Blade]]''
|-
|2010
|''[[Ip Man 2]]''
|-
|2010
|''[[The Incite Mill]]''
|-
|2010
|''[[Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial]]''<ref name="Second"/>
|-
|2011
|''[[Gantz (film)|GANTZ]]''
|-
|2011
|''[[Gantz (film)|GANTZ: Perfect Answer]]''
|-
|2011
|''[[Tormented (2011 film)|Tormented]]''
|-
|2013
|''[[Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon]]''
|-
|2014
|''[[Garm Wars: The Last Druid]]''
|-
|2015
|''[[Ip Man 3]]''
|-
|2015
|''Gamera''
|-
|2016
|[[Re:Born (film)|''Re:Born'']]
|-
|2017
|''[[Resident Evil: Vendetta|Biohazard Vendetta]]''
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings]]''
|-
|2018
| ''[[Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms]]''
|-
|2019
| ''[[Ip Man 4]]''
|-
|2019
|''Blood Friends'' ({{lang|ja|血ぃともだち}})<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/96474/|title= 血ぃともだち|access-date= June 17, 2022|work= eiga.com}}</ref>
|-
|2020
| ''[[The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity]]''
|-
|2021
| ''[[Limbo (2021 film)|Limbo]]''
|-
|2024
| ''[[Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In]]''
|-
|}

=== Video games ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Platform
|-
| 1990
|''[[Sansara Naga (series)|Sansara Naga]]''
|[[Famicom]]
|-
| 1990
|''Bloody Warriors: Shangō no Gyakushū''
|[[Famicom]]
|-
| 1992
|''[[Sorcerian]]''
|[[TurboGrafx-16|PC Engine]]
|-
|1994
|''[[:ja:TEAM INNOCENT -The Point of No Return-|Team Innocent: The Point of No Return]]''
|[[PC-FX]]
|-
|1994
|''[[Sansara Naga (series)|Sansara Naga 2]]''
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]]
|-
|1998
|''[[Deep Fear]]'' || [[Sega Saturn]]
|-
|2003
|''[[Nobunaga's Ambition#Online games|Nobunaga's Ambition Online]]'' <small>(Chapter of Hiryu)</small>
|[[PlayStation 2]]
|-
|2007
|''[[Folklore (video game)|FolksSoul]]''
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|-
|2007–2010
|''[[Sangokushi Online]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
|}

=== Documentary ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
|-
|2009
|[[Apocalypse: The Second World War]]
|}

=== Ice shows ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
|-
|2019
|[https://hyoen.jp/2019/index.html Hyoen – Like the moonlight]<ref>{{Cite web |title=氷艶hyoen2019－月光かりの如く－ |url=https://hyoen.jp/ |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=hyoen.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
|-
|2024
|[https://hyoen.jp/2024/index.html Hyoen – Miracle of the Cross]<ref>{{Cite web |title=氷艶 |url=https://hyoen.jp/ |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=hyoen.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
|}

=== Others ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
|-
|2015
|[[Gamera|GAMERA]]<ref name=CGWORLD>{{Cite web |title=『GAMERA』石井克人監督 インタビュー（続報）最新のVFX技法を取り入れ、" 新世代の特撮"を実現させる |url=https://cgworld.jp/interview/201511-gamera.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=[[:ja:CGWORLD|CGWORLD]] |language=ja}}</ref>
|}

== Awards and honors ==
* Asteroid [[117582 Kenjikawai]], discovered by [[Roy A. Tucker]] in 2005, was named in his honor.<ref name="MPC-object" /> The official {{MoMP|117582|naming citation}} was published by the [[Minor Planet Center]] on January 9, 2020 ({{small|[[Minor Planet Circulars|M.P.C.]] 120069}}).<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" />

== See also ==
* [[Anime]]
* [[Cinema of Japan]]
* [[Hideo Nakata]]
* [[Japanese horror]]
* [[Mamoru Oshii]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web
  |title      = (117582) Kenjikawai
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=117582
  |access-date = 1 February 2020}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web
  |title      = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
  |access-date = 1 February 2020}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
* {{Official website|http://www.kenjikawai.com}} {{in lang|ja}}
* {{IMDb name|0442766}}
* [http://mediaarts-db.jp/an/anime_series?utf8=✓&asf%5Bkeyword%5D=川井+憲次&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=tv_a&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=tv_sp&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=movie&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=ova&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=event&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=personal&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=etc&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=blank Kenji Kawai]{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} at Media Arts Database {{in lang|ja}}
* {{YouTube|puIsASh5P2U}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawai, Kenji}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese conductors (music)]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese conductors (music)]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese male musicians]]
[[Category:Anime composers]]
[[Category:Japanese male conductors (music)]]
[[Category:Japanese film score composers]]
[[Category:Japanese guitarists]]
[[Category:Japanese male film score composers]]
[[Category:Japanese video game composers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New-age composers]]
[[Category:People from Shinagawa]]