Yoko Kanno

Birth place: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Birth name: Yoko Kanno (菅野 洋子)

Yoko Kanno is best known as a composer and arranger whose soundtracks have defined some of anime's most iconic series and films. She's worked across games, TV, live-action movies, and commercials—basically anywhere music needs to do serious heavy lifting.

Her most recognizable work includes "Tank!" from Cowboy Bebop (probably her most famous theme), "Inner Universe" from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and standout tracks like "Voices" from Macross Plus, "Gravity" from Wolf's Rain, and the Escaflowne theme "Yakusoku wa Iranai." Earlier in her career, she composed "Kiseki no umi" for Lodoss War. Fans often note how seamlessly she moves between different genres and styles—she's equally comfortable with orchestral arrangements, electronic work, and everything in between.

She speaks minimal English and some French. Despite her international profile, she's kept a relatively private presence outside her work.

Kanno is married to Hajime Mizoguchi.