Tsunku facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tsunku
つんく♂
Tsunku in 2013
Born	Mitsuo Terada (1968-10-29) October 29, 1968 (age 56) Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
Occupation	Songwriter vocalist talent manager record producer musician actor television presenter
Spouse(s)	Kanako Idemitsu ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	3
Musical career
Origin	Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Various forms of pop (electronica, synthpop, R&B, big band, video game music, disco, etc.) and rock (hard rock, funk rock, pop rock, etc.)
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Zetima Piccolo Town hachama

Mitsuo Terada (寺田 光男, Terada Mitsuo, born October 29, 1968), known professionally as Tsunku (つんく♂), is a famous Japanese singer, music producer, and songwriter. He was the lead singer of a rock band called Sharam Q.

Tsunku is well-known for producing music for many Japanese idol groups, especially Morning Musume and other groups from Hello! Project. He also created music for video games like the Rhythm Heaven series. His songs have sold over 37.9 million copies, making him one of Japan's top lyricists.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Tsunku started his music career in 1988. He became the lead singer of the rock band Sharam Q. The band became very popular in Japan.

After his time with Sharam Q, Tsunku began to focus more on producing music for other artists. This is where he made a huge impact on the Japanese music scene.

Creating Music for Idol Groups

Tsunku became the main producer for Morning Musume, a very famous Japanese idol group. He wrote most of their songs and helped them become one of the most successful groups in Japan.

He also worked with many other popular groups and singers from Hello! Project. These include Coconuts Musume, Berryz Kobo, Cute, V-u-den, Aya Matsuura, and Maki Goto. He even produced music for artists outside of Hello! Project, like EE Jump and Sonim.

Tsunku's songs often have catchy tunes and lyrics that are romantic, hopeful, or even funny. He often writes songs that appeal to young people.

Music for Video Games and Anime

Tsunku has also created music for popular video games and anime shows. One of his most famous works is the music for the Rhythm Heaven series of music video games.

He worked with Nintendo to create Rhythm Tengoku (released as Rhythm Heaven in some countries) for the Game Boy Advance in 2006. He also worked on later games in the series, including Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS, Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii, and Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the Nintendo 3DS.

In March 2025, it was announced that Tsunku would return as the composer for a new Rhythm Heaven game called Rhythm Heaven: Groove, which is set to be released for the Nintendo Switch in 2026.

Personal Life and Health

In June 2006, Tsunku married Kanako Idemitsu, who was a model. They have three children: twins (a boy and a girl) born in 2008, and another daughter born in 2011.

In March 2014, Tsunku shared that he had laryngeal cancer. As part of his treatment, he had his vocal cords removed in April 2015. This meant he could no longer sing.

In his memoir, Dakara, Ikiru, published in September 2015, he explained that he stepped down as the General Manager of Hello! Project. However, he still works with Morning Musume as their Sound Producer, continuing to create their music.

In May 2020, Tsunku joined many other Japanese celebrities in a special online event to support frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Musical Influences

Tsunku has shared that he was inspired by many different artists and music styles. Some of his influences include The Beatles, Japanese popular music (called kayōkyoku), and American and European hit songs he heard on the radio when he was young. He also liked disco bands like Chic, Kool & the Gang, and Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as bands like Duran Duran.

Discography

Tsunku has released several albums and singles throughout his career.

Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Tsunku para niños