Hiroyuki Sawano (澤野 弘之, Sawano Hiroyuki, born September 12, 1980) is a Japanese composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist, and music producer best known for his work on many anime series, video games, television dramas, and movies. His works include the musical scores for Attack on Titan, The Seven Deadly Sins, Solo Leveling, Sengoku Basara, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Blue Exorcist, Seraph of the End, Guilty Crown, Kill la Kill,^[1] and Xenoblade Chronicles X. In addition to his role on the soundtrack, Sawano also composes many opening and ending theme songs. Overall, he has already provided the music for over 100 visual media works.^[2]

Sawano was nominated for the Newtype Anime Awards 11 times, winning four of the nominations.^[3] He has also won the Tokyo Anime Award three times,^[3][4] as well as two prizes at the Anime Trending Awards.^[5] Sawano has two additional music projects. In 2014, he started a vocal project under the name "SawanoHiroyuki", with a focus on collaborating with other artists. In 2022, he formed a new group called "NAQT VANE" with Japanese singer Harukaze and design group Classic 6, focusing on creating music for overseas audiences.^[6][7][8]

Biography

1980–2004: Early life

Sawano was born in Tokyo, Japan. He started playing piano in elementary school. By this time, he was influenced by the Japanese singer-songwriter Aska, from the duo Chage and Aska, whose songs led him to vaguely dream about working in music. In junior high school, he joined a band and began learning keyboard to take charge of it in the group.^[9]

From the age of 17, Sawano studied composition, arrangement, and orchestration under the music teacher Nobuchika Tsuboi.^[10] When he was in his final years of high school, he had a desire to work on soundtrack music, so he went to a vocational school focused in composition.^[9] In this same school, he made his first public music performance.^[11] Around this period, he used to listen to the soundtrack of Studio Ghibli's movies, which led him to be influenced by the film score composer Joe Hisaishi.^[9]

2004–present: Career

Sawano's musician career started in 2004, with him initially writing songs for other artists. He was in charge of his first soundtrack works in 2006.^[1][12]

In 2010, with Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, he had his first involvement in a major work, which he mentioned having worked on it with the hope that this series would trigger an offer for many further projects.^[9]

In 2011, with his involvement in two popular anime series—Blue Exorcist and Guilty Crown—, he became more notable in the industry. In both series he also managed to build up a relationship with some vocalists, who would collaborate with him in future works.^[13]

In 2013, with his role as the composer for the anime adaptation of Hajime Isayama's manga series Attack on Titan, Sawano was pushed into acknowledgement.^[13] In this year, for his work on the series, he won the Newtype Anime Awards in the Soundtrack category.^[14]

In 2014, Sawano launched a vocal song project under the name "SawanoHiroyuki",^[6][7] producing the first album UnChild with Aimer as the vocalist under the name SawanoHiroyuki:Aimer.^[15][16] Since then his songs under this vocal song project have also been used as the opening and ending themes for various anime, including Aldnoah.Zero, Seraph of the End, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096, Re:Creators, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These. Sawano's vocal song project was moved to the Sacra Music record label under Sony Music Entertainment Japan in April 2017.^[17]

On July 2, 2017, Sawano's contract with Legendoor was terminated after approximately 12 years.^[18] He is now represented by VV-ALKLINE.^[19][20]

In 2020, Sawano started a soundtrack revival project called "Project【emU】", where he arranges a suite for the soundtrack of anime series he has been involved with.^[21] The suites are recorded and filmed in a studio, with guest musicians and vocalists, having already been released the ones for Attack on Titan, Guilty Crown, The Seven Deadly Sins, and Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.^[22] In February 2021, he made a "Project【emU】" concert event, "Sawano Hiroyuki LIVE【emU】2021", in which he performed many of the main tracks from the anime scores he was in charge.^[23]

On March 13, 2022, Sawano held the solo live "Hiroyuki Sawano LIVE 007", at Tokyo International Forum. The event featured the guest vocals Akihito Okano, Jean-Ken Johnny, ReoNa, mizuki, mpi, Benjamin, Laco, and SennaRin.^[24] Later, on April 23, the live was streamed to overseas audiences.^[25]

In April 2022, Sawano produced the debut extended play of the singer SennaRin. The EP, Dignified, was released on April 13, followed by an announcement that he will continue as a producer for her works.^[26][27]

In September 2022, Sawano announced his new musical group NAQT VANE, in which he will act as total producer and will collaborate with singer Harukaze and Classic 6 as design director. The debut single, "Break Free", was released on September 16, 2022.^[28]

Musical style and influences

Sawano cited Ryūichi Sakamoto, Joe Hisaishi, Yoko Kanno, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman as major inspirations.^[29][30][31]

His pieces tend to have exceedingly strange titles, featuring numbers, symbols, and letters from various different alphabets. He stated that he decided this so the people "is able to listen to the songs in their own way and have their own reaction. I don’t ever want to fix the image of what’s happening on-screen too much within the track title".^[21]

Most of Sawano's vocal songs feature lyrics in English, while he also makes use of German and Japanese lyrics.^[32] He often uses choruses and breaks in his pieces, aiming to expand the song and make it more intense.^[33]

When composing for series, Sawano stated that he usually writes the music before any video materials or animation is available.^[33]

Discography

As Hiroyuki Sawano

Original albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Other involvements