Keisuke Kuwata

Artist

A singer-songwriter best known as the frontman of Southern All Stars, one of Japan's leading rock bands. With wide-ranging songs that incorporate soul and R&B, and a commanding vocal presence, he has long been a driving force in the Japanese music scene. For 'Hitotarashi', the opening theme of the TV anime 'Akane-banashi', adapted from a rakugo manga, he wrote fully original music and lyrics for an anime project for the first time in his career across both solo and band work. The ethnic-flavored track, weaving classic rakugo titles into its words and driven by a minor-key guitar riff reminiscent of group sounds alongside flute and violin, vividly colors the show's world.