Kōji Wada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kōji Wada
和田 光司 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | January 29, 1974 Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan |
| Died | April 3, 2016 (aged 42) Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1999–2016 |
| Labels | Lantis |
Kōji Wada (born January 29, 1974 – died April 3, 2016) was a Japanese pop singer. He was famous for singing theme songs for the Digimon anime TV series. His first and most well-known song was "Butter-Fly" in 1999. This song became the theme for Digimon Adventure. Kōji Wada was part of the Lantis music label. People often called him the "Immortal Butterfly Anisong Singer."
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Kōji Wada's Life and Music Career
Kōji Wada was born in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan. In 2003, he released his first original album, All of My Mind. This album included many of his earlier songs. He also worked with Michihiko Ōta on an album called Mirai e no Message: Ōta Michihiko Self-Cover. On this album, Kōji Wada sang two songs: "Hontō no Tsuyosa" and "3 Primary Colors." He sang "3 Primary Colors" with another singer named AiM.
Later, Kōji Wada released an album called The Best Selection: Welcome Back!. It had many of his older songs and two new ones: "Pierce" and "Kimi no Keshiki." On August 1, 2008, he put out a mini-album called Ever. This album had five brand new songs. In late 2009, he sold an album called Kazakami no Oka Kara at his live concerts in Japan. This album celebrated his 10th year in music. It was released around the world on January 11, 2010.
His Work with Digimon and Other Anime
Kōji Wada sang songs for six out of seven Digimon anime series. He sang the opening themes for the first five Digimon shows. One of his older songs was even used again for the seventh series. He also performed two ending songs for Digimon Frontier: "Innocent: Mujaki na Mama de" and "an Endless Tale," which he sang with AiM.
He sang many other songs for the Digimon series. These included "Bokura no Digital World" and "Yūki o Uketsugu Kodomo-tachi e." He also sang several Christmas songs for the series. Kōji Wada also performed the theme song for Transformers: Robots in Disguise in Japan.
International Performances
In July 2007, Kōji Wada performed for the first time in Brazil. He had his own show and sang with other Japanese singers at an event called "Anime Friends." He also visited Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil in October 2007 for the Anima Weekend event. In December 2007, he performed live at the "Anime Festival XL" in Santiago, Chile.
In August 2008, he released his mini-album ever. This album had five original songs, and Kōji Wada wrote four of them himself. In December 2008, he performed at "Animeku 08." In 2010, he performed at "AniCon" in February and "Anime Friends" in July. These events were held in Brazil and Argentina. On June 5-6, 2010, he gave two concerts in Monterrey, Mexico. These concerts were part of "Dengeki Live," a J-pop and anime event.
In 2011, Kōji Wada had to cancel two planned shows in Chile and Peru. This was because his cancer had spread.
Kōji Wada's Passing
On October 4, 2011, Kōji Wada shared on his blog that he was taking a break from music. He needed to focus on his health because his cancer had returned and spread. He had first received treatment for cancer in 2003.
Kōji Wada passed away on April 3, 2016. He died from problems related to nasopharynx cancer. His very last song, "Seven〜tri. Version〜," was released just five days before he died.
Tributes to Kōji Wada
A special CD was released in Japan on July 31, 2016, to honor Kōji Wada. It was called "Digimon Song Best of Koji Wada." This CD included eleven songs by the singer. The cover of the CD featured Angemon, which was Kōji Wada's favorite character from the Digimon series. Another collection of his songs, "Koji Wada Digimon Memorial Best," was released on January 25, 2017.
In the video game Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory, a new Digimon character was created to honor Kōji Wada. This Digimon is called Hudiemon. It is a butterfly Digimon, and one of its attacks, "Infinity Dream," is a reference to Kōji Wada's famous song "Butter-Fly." "Hudie" means butterfly in Chinese. The hacker group in the game is also named Hudie, which is another tribute to him.
Kōji Wada's Discography
All of My Mind Album
- Starting Over
- Butter-Fly (April 23, 1999) (Digimon Adventure theme)
- Seven (April 23, 1999)
- Target: Akai Shōgeki (ターゲット～赤い衝撃～) (Target ~Red Crash~) (April 26, 2000) (Digimon Adventure 02 theme)
- The Biggest Dreamer (April 2, 2001) (Digimon Tamers theme)
- Kaze (風)
- Egao (笑顔)
- Boku wa Boku Datte (僕は僕だって) (B-side of "Target ~Akai Shōgeki~")
- Modern Love
- Kimi-iro no Mirai -Yume- (君色の未来-ゆめ-) (B-side of Honō no Overdrive)
- Kimi no Keshiki
Kazakami no Oka Kara Album
- billow
- Hikari Sasu Basho e (光り射す場所へ) (Towards the Place Where Light Shines)
- Ai no Kishi (愛の騎士) (Knight of Love)
- Dai・Jou・Bu (ダイ・ジョウ・ブ☆) (It's Alright)
- cogito, ergo sum ~Aishuu~ (cogito.ergo sum ~哀愁~) (I Think, Therefore, I am ~Sorrow~)
- cogito, ergo sum (I Think, Therefore, I am)
- Kimi ga Ita Kara (君がいたから) (Because You Were Here)
- Anata no Soba de (あなたの傍で) (By Your Side)
- Kakusei (覚醒) (Awakening)
- Natsu no Kaze ni Hukarete (夏の風に吹かれて) (Blowing In the Summer Wind)
- Sem Barreiras: Kegarenaki Jidai e ( SEM BARREIRAS ~汚れなき時代へ~) (Without Barriers: Towards an Era Without Dishonor) (with Ricardo Cruz)
- Always
- Eien no Takaramono II (永遠の宝物 II) (Eternal Treasure II)
- Kazakami no Oka Kara (風上の丘から) (From the Windward Hill)
Other Songs by Kōji Wada
- Butter-Fly (strong version)
- Eien no Takaramono (永遠の宝物) (Eternal Treasure) (September 2006)
- Grace
- Pierce
- Shōjo no mama de (少女のままで) (Remaining a Girl)
- Starting Over / Say Again (November 7, 2001)
- bravery (August 1, 2008)
- sketch (August 1, 2008)
- Hanabi Jack (ハナビジャック) (August 1, 2008) (Fireworks Jack)
- Kami Hikōki (紙飛コウキ) (August 1, 2008) (Paper Airplane)
- Kimi to Kisetsu to Hidamari to (キミと季節と陽だまりと) (August 1, 2008) (You, the Seasons, and the Sunshine)
- Honō no Overdrive ~Car Robot Cybertron~ (炎のオーバードライブ～カーロボットサイバトロン～) (Transformers: Car Robots Opening Theme) (May 24, 2000)
- Fire!! / With the Will (April 24, 2002) (Digimon Frontier theme)
- Innocent: Mujaki na mama de (イノセント～無邪気なままで～) (May 22, 2002)
- An Endless tale (November 22, 2002) (featuring AiM)
- Hirari (ヒラリ) (November 5, 2006) (Digimon Savers theme)
- Miracle Maker (February 2003) (feat. AiM & Takayoshi Tanimoto as "Spirit of Adventure")
- Daybreak (B-side of "Innocent ~Mujaki na Mama de~")
- for the future (B-side of "Hirari")
- Haruka na Okurimono (遥かな贈りもの) (A Faraway Gift) (B-side of "an Endless tale") (featuring AiM)
- Yūki o Uketsugu Kodomo-tachi e (勇気を受け継ぐ子供達へ) (with AiM, Michihiko Ohta, Ayumi Miyazaki, Takayoshi Tanimoto, Sammy, and Hassy)
- Mirai e no Tobira ~Ano Natsu no Hi Kara~ (未来への扉～あの夏の日から～) (with AiM, Michihiko Oota, Takayoshi Tanimoto, Sammy, and Hassy)
- Days (with Hassy, AiM, Kanako Ito, and Sammy)
- We are Xros Heart (August 1, 2010) (Digimon Xros Wars theme)
- The Hero who Dances in the Sky! X5! (December 1, 2010) (Digimon Xros Wars theme)
- Evolution & DigiXros/We are Xros Heart ver. X7 (June 9, 2011) (Digimon Xros Wars theme)
- Butter-Fly〜tri. Version〜 (November 25, 2015) (Digimon Adventure tri. theme)
- Seven〜tri. Version〜 (March 30, 2016) (Digimon Adventure tri. theme)
See also
In Spanish: Kōji Wada para niños
