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Anime North 2006 is proud to announce KOTOKO, as our special Japanese music Guest of Honor....

Establishing a dominant presence at the forefront of J-Pop and techno/trance music, newcomer KOTOKO is the hot, vocalist/songwriter associated with IVE, a music artists group based in Sapporo, Japan. IVE has been producing musical arrangements for various visual novels and dating sims for years and had launched into the anime music world with their premier artist, KOTOKO.

2004 became KOTOKO’s breakout year, as her full-length debut album, “-hane-“ (the music from which was used as the ending theme for the Japanese entertainment news show, “Anime TV”) was released in April by Geneon
Entertainment (Japan). Her clear and originative voice, coupled with her creative musical lyrics that fuse elements of J-Rock, techno/trance and J-Pop, as well as an immensely captivating stage presence, has attracted legions of fans.

KOTOKO’s melodic talents are showcased on her first maxi CD single,“Oboetete iiyo” (“You can keep remembering”) which includes“DuDiDUWa*lalala,” the ending theme for the anime series, “Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu” (Tweeny Witches) released in Japan in summer 2004. In November, her second maxi CD single, “Re-sublimity” (featuring “agony,” the opening theme song to the anime series Kannazuki No Miko) shot up to #8 on ORICON’s weekly singles chart. (Note: ORICON is Japan’s equivalent of the BILLBOARD charts). U.S. anime fans will already be acquainted with KOTOKO through her theme songs to Please Teacher! (“Shooting Star”) and Please Twins! (“Second Flight”).

Her ending theme song, “Chi ni Kaeru ~on the Earth~” can be heard on the anime series Starship Operators, while theme song “agony” is featured on Kannazuki No Miko, both of which are available on DVD from Geneon Entertainment. With a meteoric rise in popularity, KOTOKO followed up her hot streak with a second album, “GARASU NO KAZE” (Waving wind of glass), which was released in Japan last summer.

With her first album, “-hane-“ scheduled for domestic release in June from Geneon Entertainment, KOTOKO continues to earn her status as one of the foremost music artists to watch on the anime scene, both in Japan and
in the U.S.

KOTOKO OFFICIAL WEBSITE (Japanese language only)

http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp/rondorobe/music/kotoko/

KOTOKO
Anime North 2006
26-28 May 2006
Toronto Congress Centre
650 Dixon Road
Toronto, Ontario
M9W 1J1