[Song Review #207] "Itsumademo ai-sesou" by Emi Wakui
Hi. Today's song is "Itsumademo ai-sesou" (I know I love you forever) by "Emi Wakui".
This is a little dramatic, and mellow pop song, which reminds us of a climax scene of a romantic drama, like a long separated lovers are finally seeing their loved ones after years...
The singer "Emi Wakui" is now one of the most popular & prominent actor.
She is keep acting key roles in various major TV drama series, or movies at the moment.
But in the '90s, or in her 20s, "Wakui" was also releasing fine Pop albums constantly. And that fact is surprisingly not widely known. (Of course it is just a matter of comparison to her high profile as an actor.)
Anyway, If you like, please listen to.
Links to the music shops, offering song samples, are located on the bottom of this page.
Some contents have been put away in tabs with "▶" mark in each section, so please click it to see.
We are now working on improving appearances of our posts.
If you find anything odd, please kindly let us know.
Thank you.
Cover art today
Song data
| Title | Itsumademo ai-sesou |
|---|---|
| Artist | Emi Wakui |
| Album Title | Itoshisa-no aru basho |
| Catalog Number | PSCR-5330 |
| Track No. | 9 |
| Duration | 5:01 |
| Released | 1994 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Masami Tozawa Lyricist
"Masami Tozawa" was a popular professional lyricist active from the mid '80s to 2012.
She wrote quite a few lyrics mainly for female idol stars, or artists in Girl's-Pop category. (Those artists usually create songs by themselves though.)
Not only for female singers, but "Tozawa" also provided many lyrics for male idol groups like, "Arashi", "Kinki Kids", or "SMAP".
About Masami Tozawa
As usual, there are very little information o the internet, regarding a professional lyricist like "Masami Tozawa".
As long as we know, the name of "Masami Tozawa" began to be recognized as a talented lyricist in the mid '80s.
Since then, "Tozawa" quickly became popular through writing hundreds of excellent songs mainly for female singers, or idol stars, like, "Misato Watanabe, "Yōko Minamino", "Miki Imai", "Chieri Itoh", "Yumi Tanimura" or "Miyoko Yoshimoto".
For Male Idol groups
Not just for female artists, but "Masami Tozawa" also provided quite a few songs for a little limited range of male idol groups, like "Shōnen-tai", "SMAP", "Kinki Kids", or "Arashi", in other word, the groups of "Johnny & Associates" mainly.
References
For more details, please check the references linked below.
And we would like to update this section if we found any information about the lyricist.
-
(Ref: www.tozawazaidan.com,
message)🇯🇵
Yōsuke Okada Composer
"Yōsuke Okada" is a guitarist, and composer active since 1979.
"Okada" is known as a former guitarist of a popular rock band, "Haruo Chikada & Vibra-Tones" in the early '80s.
He is also known as a leader of a comic pop group, "MEN'S 5", but he uses "Tarō Konda" name as an alias at this group.
Short Bio.
According to Wikipedia, "Yōsuke Okada" started his music career in 1979 by forming a rock group "Jinshu-netsu" with 4 other members.
In 1981, a popular singer "Haruo Chikada" joined the group. and the band restarted as "Haruo Chikada & Vibra-tones".
And the group lasted until 1997, by changing band name, members and its music direction, sometime drastically.
MEN'S 5
Simultaneously in 1989, "Yōsuke Okada" teamed up a new Pop group, "MEN'S 5" with 4 other members.
The band was good at performing comic songs, and soon became popular.
In 1996, one of their song, "Tottemo Umanami" (Fabulously, horse sized) was selected as an ending theme for a popular anime series, "Midori-no Makiba-oh" (Lit, Green Meadow King. Actually, "Makiba-oh" is the name of the main character.), and became a big hit.
In 2014, "MEN'S 5" celebrated their 25th anniversary.
As a composer
As a composer, "Yōsuke Okada" has composed songs for various artists until now.
For more details, please check with the references linked below.
Satoshi Kadokura Arranger
"Satoshi Kadokura" is a composer, arranger, music producer, and keyboardist active since around the mid '80s.
He has participated in hundreds of songs of various artists, like "Taeko Ōnuki", or "Southern all stars", to date.
"Kadokura" is also active in screen music, anime music, and game music scene.
Short bio.
There isn't much information about "Kadokura"'s profile, but according to Wikipedia, he started his professional career in the mid '80s, after graduating from a music college.
In 1986, "Kadokura" participated in "Taeko Ōnuki"'s 10th album "Comin' Soon" as a keyboardist, and arranger.
And it seems this is one of his earliest big jobs.
Since then, he has been involving in a lot of recording of various artists, like "Kumiko Yamashita", "Southern all stars" or "Noriyuki Makihara", as a keyboardist &cmp; arranger.
He has also worked with many singers as music producer & arranger until now.
As a film score composer
"Kadokura" is also known as an Anime music, or game music composer
In 1986, he became a music composer for a fantasy anime series, "Windaria", and it seems it was a first such job for him.
Since then, he has participated in various Anime, or Video Game series as music director.
Among them, some anime series like "Mashin Hero Wataru", "Mobile Suit Gundam F91", or a Video Game series "Metal Max" might be the titles worth mentioning.
For more details about "Kadokura", please have a look at the references linked below.
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Dramatic & mellow
This is a bit impassioned, impressive, and mellow pop song in a middle tempo.
Touch Sensational
The drums, bass, electronic piano, string synthesizer, Brass synthesizer, and Glockenspiel play a peaceful, but little sensational introduction, just like a heroine's happy feelings are approaching the peak.
In the main part, the drums, bass, and electric piano form a simple ensemble, and support the main vocal gently.
A beautiful backing chorus accompanies a natural vocal of "Emi Wakui" from beginning to the end, and is helping "Wakui"'s vocal to be more elegant and shiny.
This excellent backing vocalist was a known professional, "Junko Hirotani".
Electronic instruments
So far, we haven't seen the list of the musician for this song.
But from what we have listened, the arranger seems to be using various synthesizer sounds.
In this song, the Strings, Brass, side guitar, wind instrument(piccolo, flute), and possibly the bass, seem to be synthesizer sound (could be wrong), though they are not so synthetic, but natural.
In addition to that, the electronic piano, and electronic organ are also in use, and making an ensemble much gorgeous.
Actually, the '90s was a period that the programming sound was getting more common.
So, this song might also follow such trend of that time.
Reference
About Google translate
About the artist
Emi WakuiSuccessful Actor
"Emi Wakui" is an actor, and a singer active since 1987.
She is one of the most popular, and busiest actors at the moment. And acting important roles in various major drama series, or movies.
As a singer, "Wakui" is little unique, since she focuses on only releasing albums, and not holding concert tours or gigs basically.
According to her discography, "Emi Wakui" launched her debut single, "My lonely good-bye club" in 1990. Since then, 13 singles, and 8 original, plus 4 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Emi Wakui)
Kureta-mono
(Things you gave me) Emi Wakui (1994, 2011) [Digital music]
Early times
According to Wikipedia, "Emi Wakui" was a high school student aged 16, and was enjoying a holiday at a popular theme park in Tokyo when she was spotted by scouts as a potential future idol star.
After a while, "Wakui" decided to start her career in show business while also attending school.
In Japan in the 1980s, "Singing", "Acting", and "Being a photo model" were still just like a set-menu of jobs provided by entertainment agencies for young women recruited as future idol stars.
Then, "Emi Wakui" also did a photo model a bit in 1987. Even so, she still received a model grand prix from a popular monthly magazine of idol stars.
As an actor
"Emi Wakui" started her career as an actor in 1988 by appearing in a TV school drama series, "Hana-no Asuka-gumi" (The Glorious Asuka Gang).
From 1989, she actively appeared in various TV drama series & films, and, surprisingly quickly, she received few of pleasing awards.
And in 1993, she played the leading role in a "Jidai-geki" style historical epic, "Niji no hashi" (Rainbow Bridge) for the first time in her life.
Luckily, "Wakui" was given a big award, titled "Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role" in 1994 for her excellent act in this film .
With these incredible achievements in just 2-3 years, "Emi Wakui" established recognition as a talented actor.
Successful actor
Actually, "Emi Wakui" was particularly charming when she was young.
She appeared many TV series, movies, and TV advertising, and attracted audience not only by her charm, but also by her impressive acting.
As a result, she quickly became a sought-after young actor.
Since then, she has been acting various roles in many different varieties of TV drama series & films almost Without a break.
Even in 2021, she acted a key role in "Taiga drama" series, which is one of the biggest, and most prestigious TV series in Japan, broadcasted by NHK.
It's been more than 30 years since "Wakui" was debuted as am actor in 1988.
"Emi Wakui" has gradually been recognized as one of the Successful actors in the scene.
As a singer
On the other hand, "Emi Wakui" also started her career as a singer in 1990, with her first single, "My lonely good-bye club".
At that time, the entertainment agency which "Wakui" belonged to, was quite keen to promote her also as a singer.
They spent a bit of money, and produced a gorgeous, and beautiful music video of her debut single.
They also created a TV advertising of the debut song, and on-aired it intensively.
Thanks to their efforts, her debut single achieved quite satisfactory result.
An idol star, partly
At the point of 1990, "Wakui" was perhaps not yet a dedicated actor, nor a singer, but in an idol star like position but with high potential.
That was why the agent she belonged to provided a promotion mix for idol stars to "Wakui", namely, acting, singing, being a photo model, or TV advertising model.
"Wakui" filled those assignment quite smartly as a newbie.
And steadily gained popularity as a talent.
Light rock, Pops, and light & mellow
From 1990 to 1997, "Wakui" constantly released 8 full albums, in almost once a year pace.
It is just our impression, but dare to say, "Wakui" was singing more challenging & edgy type songs in the earlier albums.
And from around the 3rd album, orthodox & typical idol pops began to appear.
And from about 5th album, the tone of album became more moist & mellow.
Then in the 7th album "dearest", "Wakui" changed the style again, but has sung many of light, bright & cheerful tunes. (Actually, quite nice.)
The above feature of her albums are expressions we dared to.
So as a whole, we think "Wakui"s albums are light, stylish & mellow high quality albums, and therefore if you are a light &mellow fans, any albums of "Wakui" would be quite listenable.
Support from talented sound creators
According to Wikipedia, a talented lyricist "Chinfa Kang" took the initiative to design the basic music style of "Wakui" from the beginning.
And other two expert musicians, namely "Haruo Mizuhashi" & "Satoshi Kadokura" joined the support team as "Music producer", and "Arranger" respectively.
"Chinfa Kang" is a prominent lyricist in idol pop scene. So, he might be one of the most suitable persons for the role.
An experienced music director "Haruo Mizuhashi", and a skilled music arranger "Satoshi Kadokura" once worked together on produce of a popular female duo "Wink" short time before.
And all of them supported "Wakui"'smusic creation for a long time.
Thanks to the works by those professionals, "Wakui" established her music style,
And her music kept its character and unity through out her active period as a singer.
Only albums, No concert
A unique fact of "Wakui" as a singer was she only released albums, but almost never hold concerts, or gigs during her active period in the '90s.
Actually, it is not particularly a rare case, in case if the singer is also an actor. But still not so many.
So, we guess this might be one of the reasons, why people often does not know that "Emi Wakui" is also a singer.
Music background
According to some references, "Emi Wakui" was a member of Brass Band team in her Junior high school, and playing the rare instrument faggot.
And they also say, "Wakui" was doing a bit of band activity when she was a high school student.
So, music is at least a favourite activity for "Wakui", we imagine.
And that was perhaps one of the reasons why "Wakui" continued to release music albums in the '90s, even she was having incredibly busy days as a sought-after actor in that period.
References
For more details, please check the references linked below.
-
(Ref: idolpopdatabase.com,
Emi Wakui)🇯🇵 -
(Ref: ameblo.jp/cherrycreekjp,
My lonely good-bye club)🇯🇵 -
(Ref: alpha-agency.com,
wakui)🇯🇵 -
(Ref: idol.ne.jp,
wakuiemi)🇯🇵
Video clip
On youtube site, a music clip of today's song seems to have been uploaded by someone.
(We think You can also quickly find out if you search the song title and the name of the singer at there.)
But due to copyright concerns, we would like to hold back from linking to it. Sorry about that.
Instead of that, we would like to post a link to the song in Spotify site.
Please just click the Play button (⯈) under cover art at the destination site.
Even not logged in, you can listen the song for 30 seconds.
If you logged in with free account, it would be full chorus.
(We would like to recommend you to click stop button once the song finished. Otherwise, the site will continue to play unrelated songs endlessly.)
Lastly, this is a small video clip of interviewing with "Emi Wakui"
(About a theater "Dialogue with Holowitz", which she acted in 2013.)
If you like, please have a look.
Music Samples
9
(試聴する)
AD: Listening samples (Free)
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
music.apple.com (Track No.9)
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | いつまでも愛せそう(Itsumademo ai-sesou) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 和久井映見(Emi Wakui) |
| Album Title | 愛しさのある場所(Itoshisa-no aru basho) |
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