Yūho Iwasato

Yuho Iwasato (岩里 祐穂) (Born in December 3rd, 1957, Niigata Prefecture origin) is a Japanese songwriter, for which many of her songs have been used in anime. She is also known by another pen name of Mio Iwasato. In addition, she has written lyrics for some Japanese singers including Maaya Sakamoto, Miki Imai and many others. She is known to be a close friend (in working field) of Miki Imai, Yoko Kanno, Akino Arai and also Maaya Sakamoto.



Biography
A classical and yet now modern lyrical writer, she started her lyrical works officially in the mid-1980s. She is well contact with Yoko Kanno and always travelled the Anime world along with her. Her latest work is in theme and insert songs from Sousei no Aquarion anime. Most of her songs were sung by Akino from bless4 ; one song Tori ni natte (Change into birds) was sung by Aoi.

She writes for Miki Imai as early from late 80's time. Miki Imai is considered as one of her best friends; she is also friends with Yoko Kanno. Iwasato Yuho is also considered as a secretive person on her whereabouts nor biological details, but she never keeps her thoughts to herself and always kept them written in songs for people around the world to discover her through it. Piece of my Wish which was sung in 1991 by Miki Imai has given a mark in history to one of her works. A beautiful song of friendship in between lovers whom were far apart.

Maaya Sakamoto songs were simply moved by her writings started around year 1996 with the release of "Yakusoku wa Iranai" (I don't need a Promise), a simply lovely song sang by a lovely person, composed by Yoko Kanno and written by her. There is many more songs written in most of Maaya Sakamoto songs by her. Her writings are mostly nice to listen again and again. Her writings strengthen more onto hope and a nice peaceful life. There is a few quotes, from her writings which images what she generally wanted to tell to all of her listeners. She also has published a book which that concerns interior designs in collaboration with her husband.

Miki Imai
Here is some songs which she wrote. The songs dated as far back as the early 80's. She wrote a lot of classical songs and some songs also became a Hit in the Japanese songs records. (A good preference for Japanese classical lovers)

English Titles
 * After all
 * A place in the Sun
 * Bluebird
 * Blue Moon Blue
 * Miss you
 * The days I spent with you
 * Piece of My Wish (1991)
 * Presents for you
 * Pray
 * Ruby
 * Satellite Hour

Japanese Titles
 * Ame ni kissu no hanataba wo	雨にキッスの花束を
 * Atarashii machi de		新しい街で
 * Chijou ni oriru made no yoru	地上に降りるまでの夜
 * Kiiroi tiibui 		黄色いTV
 * Kare ha mou ko nai desho u	彼はもう来ないでしょう
 * Kyuu tsuki hantou		9月半島
 * motto motto motto 		もっと もっと もっと
 * Hitomi ga Hohoemu kara	瞳がほほえむから
 * Hatsukoi no you ni		初恋のように
 * HaNsode			半袖
 * Suteki na uwasa (Piece Clips)	素敵なうわさ
 * Tomodachi			友だち
 * Umibe nite			海辺にて
 * Omoide ni sasagu (2004)
 * Ai no uta (2005)             愛の詩
 * Luna (2006)
 * Usuki kurenai moyou (2006)	薄紅模様

2006 songs are from Milestone album (Miki Imai) couple with Ai no uta as its opening, and Piece of My wish as its ending

Yasuko Yamano
Kokoro Library Original Soundtrack
 * Beagle (A puppy)
 * Tsuki wa Miteiru (Look at the moon)

Maaya Sakamoto

 * I & I
 * Grapefruit
 * Pocket o kara ni shite (Empty the pocket)
 * Aoi Hitomi (Blue Eyes)
 * Yakusoku wa Iranai
 * Tomodachi
 * Kaze ga fuku hi
 * Hashiru
 * Dive
 * Getsuyo no asa
 * Bokura no rekishi
 * Gift
 * Kimi ni ai niikou
 * Hikari no naka e
 * Light of Love
 * Kiseki no umi
 * Active Heart
 * Platina (Purachina)
 * Kinobori to Akai Skirt
 * Kuuki to hoshi
 * Rule ~ Iro asenai hibi
 * Yubiwa (Ring)
 * Yuuca (Yukka: noun of a white flower)
 * Kodokou (Loneliness)
 * Sukurappu ~ Wakare no Shi
 * Mahiru ga Yuki
 * Yoru
 * Bike (ED from Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna)
 * Tune the Rainbow (ED from RahXephon Movie)
 * Hemisphere
 * Ongaku
 * Cloud 9

Yuunagi Loop (2005)
 * Yunizon Unison
 * Paprika

Aya Ueto

 * MESSAGE

Sousei ni Aquarion OST

 * GO TIGHT! The Show Time!
 * Sousei no Aquarion (Genesis of Aquarion)
 * Kouya no Heath
 * Pride ~ Nageki no Tabi
 * Onni sama to (Opening Theme 01)
 * Toori ni Natte (Become birds) -song by Aoi
 * Nike Juugo-sai (Lost in time - Collection Album)
 * Chance to Shine (Lost in time - Collection Album)
 * Suashi (Lost in time - Collection Album)

Aya Hisakawa
[Decade - Character Song Collection 1989-1998]
 * Mangetsu no shiwaza    (Full Moon Light)

Yuuko Sasaki

 * Sajou No Yume (The Third OP Theme 2006)

Buono!

 * Honto no Jibun (My real self ~ "Honto no Jibun" Singles)
 * Renai Rider (Love Rider ~ "Renai Rider" Singles)
 * Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
 * Gachinko de Ikou! ("Let's Compete Earnestly!" Singles)
 * Rottara Rottara ("Lotta Love Lotta Love" Singles)
 * My Love


 * Café Buono! 1st Album (Compilation of some songs above, a singles collection)

Other Note BUONO, a three all-girls band has been making singles after singles with Iwasato Yuho, and is seen as her main group band in which she is working now. The writing style are independent from the songs she wrote for her previous singers, as BUONO is a form of band alike morning mosume, cheerful and easygoing.

May'N

 * INFINITY (Macross Frontier OST 1 & 2)
 * Northern Cross (Macross Frontier OST 1 & 2)

Other Note INFINITY is said to have a continuation of the legacy work she has made, it was completely different from Northern Cross due to a collaboration work with Gabriela Robin. In fact INFINITY is said to be the core understanding of the limitless possibilities theory that she once said during in PLATINA, still the way on how she wrote the song, as if the heathen story has never really ended, but only has begun. Iwasato Yuho really have made this song well.

Novels
Iwasato Yuho wrote a Japanese Novel entitled 小説「恋の記録 or 'memoire d'amour' or 'Memories of love', sources tells that this book is about a story of a lonely woman. That woman was describe as "the hateful woman", which in other words means that no ones likes her. That woman smokes and desires for a strong monopolistic life. She is the type of woman who will cause trouble to someone else but failing to notice that she was doing such. The story went on and later she found a man whom she wanted to love. The everyday life later becomes mixed up until comes to a point where she accidentally fell in love with that person. In response to her confession of love, that person did not return a good response. As the story progress, she finally noticed about her life in the past and unintentionally felt sympathy for herself. This Novel is viewed on a person who feels like leaving oneself, being sensitive and can be called as pitiful. Conclusion of the story is that the woman lived on with her life, but with a content and calm heart to start with. She has kept her hopes and wishes close within her heart even as it means for the rest of her life, which is to live lone.

In simple words, Iwasato Yuho is a song lyricist and a writer whom writes directly from her own philosophy which imposes a directive heart to heart relationship from the writer to the reader. She also have given new hope and dreams for her readers to discover in life, that includes love, and maintaining distance relationship, understanding space and time through poetry and many more.

Story Writing, As a Legacy
Iwasato Yuho have sought to write of a single link in between most of her written songs, that assumes as a hidden legacy. This legacy is seen like a sort her signature, and what she has been fighting for. She is said to be a mysterious person when it comes to writing, that travels from understanding dreams, time traveling, space and time, the Universe and many more. It was coexistence of a protagonist in her writing, telling a tale of a person. That person's identity is being told little by little and scattered all over her writings, (which was in Japanese language, as the songs were written in her native language).

Over the time, her best friend has countered this event because is has been over going over more than 20 years, with the release of "Junior Sailor", a song telling about the need to end her current legacy as to give it to the younger generation, which is mostly expected to be Maaya Sakamoto, or another keen writer in which she herself has wanted for him to be, "The Protagonist". The words of "Junior Sailor" has been the mark (starting point) of when the legacy's story starts to slow down, as she slowed down her release of writings which is connected with this legacy. It is said that many people, mostly did not notice of this songs connection, that it was too much to learn from it or just seems to weird, and better off not being looked at.

The original contents of the legacy starts from "Hansode", that couple with "Piece of My Wish", it was a story about a connection in between two souls, and their beliefs in the Creator as the background in which the story oversees. She mentions that words are not needed in order to communicate as she believed that emotions, feelings and pride is what is important. The pride as a writer, a listener, and also a believer.

Maaya's writings were also influenced by this legacy, as she is seen as the most closest person to Iwasato Yuho, during their working time. Her best friend, instead suggested that she is too old to still continue the journey, and that it will haunt her for a very long time, that it was unhealthy as she has a family to take care for now. This is the assumptive approach from the lyrics written by her friend in "Junior Sailor", which how singers usually portray their feelings through their songs.

The legacy has an objective, which is probably still superficial up until this very day. That during the early phases, it mostly concerns more about 'Aiming for the Heavens', and during the middle phases were about understanding 'life and hardships' are but like 'two faces of a coin', and the final phase is mostly about being fully prepared for the hereafter, the day where everything shall return back to the Almighty Creator. This clearly shows how strong a believer she was, and she was very honest in her writings to all of her readers.