Ryuichi Sakamoto
Biography
Ryuichi Sakamoto, born January 17, 1952, and passing on March 28, 2023, was a Japanese composer, record producer, and actor. Throughout his career, he pursued a diverse range of styles both as a solo artist and as a member of the musical group Yellow Magic Orchestra, also known as YMO. Working alongside his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres. His work spanned both solo endeavors and his collaborative efforts within the band, establishing his prominent role in the development and advancement of electronic music styles.
Career overview
Ryuichi Sakamoto was a Japanese composer, record producer, and actor born on January 17, 1952, and passing away on March 28, 2023. Throughout his career, he pursued a diverse range of styles both as a solo artist and as a member of the musical group Yellow Magic Orchestra, also known as YMO.
Working alongside his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto played a significant role in influencing and pioneering a number of electronic music genres. His professional output spanned multiple roles within the entertainment and music industries, establishing his legacy as a prominent Japanese artist.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Zi (2026) In Memory Of
- A Flower of Forgetfulness (2026) Compositor
- Sons of the Neon Night (2025) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: Diaries (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Frammenti (2025) Original Music Composer
- Flames of a Flower (2025) Theme Song Performance
- Ryuichi Sakamoto | Playing the Orchestra 2014 (2025) as Self
- Ryuichi Sakamoto's Last Days (2024)
- Kraftwerk - Fuji Rock Festival 2024 (2024) Original Music Composer
- Black Ox (2024) Original Music Composer
- Tonovan Musician Kazuhiko Kato and His Era (2024) as Self
- Monster (2023) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023) as Self
- Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023) Music
- SUGA: Road to D-DAY (2023) as Self
- Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV (2023) Music
- Stalingrad - Stimmen aus Ruinen (2023) Music
- exception (2022) Music Arranger
- exception (2022) Music Producer
- exception (2022) Original Music Composer
- After Yang (2022) Main Title Theme Composer
- Piano Cinéma (2022) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022 (2022) as Himself
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022 (2022) Original Music Composer
- Apausalypse (2021) Music
- NHK MUSIC SPECIAL (2021)
- Beckett (2021) Original Music Composer
- Love After Love (2021) Original Music Composer
- Brilliant Trees Sessions (2021)
- Moskau 1941 - Stimmen am Abgrund (2021) Music
- Minamata (2020) Original Music Composer
- Adult Baby (2020) Musician
- Incomplete (2020) Director
- Incomplete (2020) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto Playing the Piano for the Isolated (2020)
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: Improvisation for Sonic Cure (2020)
- OKINA: Dance of Life (2020)
- Proxima (2019) Original Music Composer
- My Tyrano: Together, Forever (2019) Original Music Composer
- The Staggering Girl (2019) Original Music Composer
- Agniyogana (2019) Original Music Composer
- Paradise Next (2019) Original Music Composer
- No Smoking (2019) as Self
- Your Face (2018) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: async at the Park Avenue Armory (2018) as Self
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: async at the Park Avenue Armory (2018) Music
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA (2017) as Self
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA (2017) Original Music Composer
- The Fortress (2017) Original Music Composer
- Fullmoon (2017) Music
- async - first light (2017) Original Music Composer
- Star Sand (2017) Music
- A Gentle Glow (2017) Music
- Haiku On A Plum Tree (2017) Music
- Thirteen Talks (2016)
- The Ferryman (2016) Original Music Composer
- Rage (2016) Original Music Composer
- Rage (2016) Theme Song Performance
- Ryuichi Sakamoto + Alva Noto: The Glass House (2016) as Self
- Ryuichi Sakamoto + Alva Noto: The Glass House (2016) Music
- The Revenant (2015) Original Music Composer
- Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015) Original Music Composer
- 700 Days with Ryuichi Sakamoto (2015) as Self
- Nuclear Nation II (2014) Theme Song Performance
- Yae's Sakura (2013) Theme Song Performance
- Psychedelic Afternoon (2013) Original Music Composer
- I Have to Buy New Shoes (2012) Original Music Composer
- I Have to Buy New Shoes (2012) Music Supervisor
- Nuclear Nation (2012) Theme Song Performance
- Future Past Perfect Pt. 02 (Cité Radieuse) (2012) Music
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - YMONHK (2012) as Self
- Black Mirror (2011) Original Music Composer
- Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011) Original Music Composer
- Tripitaka Koreana Special ‘Dharma’ (2011) Music
- Utau Live in Tokyo 2010 - A Project of Taeko Onuki & Ryuichi Sakamoto (2011) Music
- Dhobi Ghat (2010) Songs
- Burning Ice (2010) as Self
- Women Without Men (2009) Original Music Composer
- POSTYMO / Yellow Magic Orchestra (2009) as himself
- Ink Music: In the Land of the Hundred-Tongued Lyricist (2009) as Self
- Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto with Ensemble Modern: utp_ (2008)
- Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto with Ensemble Modern: utp_ (2008) Original Music Composer
- 100年インタビュー (2007) as ゲスト
- Silk (2007) Original Music Composer
- Babel (2006) Songs
- Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto: Insen Live (2006) as Self
- Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto: Insen Live (2006) Musical
- Shining Boy and Little Randy (2005) Original Music Composer
- Zarin (2005) Original Music Composer
- Appleseed (2004) Music
- Tony Takitani (2004) Original Music Composer
- The Blonds (2003) Music
- Femme Fatale: Dream Within a Dream (2003) as Self
- Life Is Journey (2003) Original Music Composer
- VisualYMO:the Best (2003)
- Femme Fatale (2002) Original Music Composer
- Derrida (2002) Original Music Composer
- My Daughter (2002) Sound
- Alexei and the Spring (2002) Original Music Composer
- Miki Nakatani: AIR POCKET (2002) Original Music Composer
- To the Backstreet: The Films Kenji Nakagami Left Out (2001) Music
- Ryuichi Sakamoto Trio World Tour 1996 - Complete Version (2000)
- Miki Nakatani: BROKEN HEART (2000) Sound
- Taboo (1999) Original Music Composer
- New Rose Hotel (1999) as Hosaka Executive
- Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 (1999) as Director (segment "Rain")
- Complete Hurrah (1999) as Self
- Snake Eyes (1998) Original Music Composer
- Jounetsu Tairiku (1998)
- Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998) Original Music Composer
- Wild Side (1996) Original Music Composer
- Today's Close-Up (1993)
- Wild Palms (1993) Original Music Composer
- Little Buddha (1993) Original Music Composer
- TV-YMO (1993) as Self
- YMO – Live At Budokan 1980 (1993) as self
- Tokyo Decadence (1992) Original Music Composer
- Wuthering Heights (1992) Original Music Composer
- YMO – Hi-Tech Video Crime (1992) as Self
- Hurrah: Yellow Magic Orchestra (1992)
- High Heels (1991) Original Music Composer
- Peachboy (1991) Original Music Composer
- Marisa Monte: Mais (1991) as Self
- The Handmaid's Tale (1990) Original Music Composer
- Infinite Escher (1990) Original Music Composer
- The Sheltering Sky (1990) Original Music Composer
- NHK Special (1989) as Self
- SAKAMOTO PLAYS SAKAMOTO (1988)
- The Last Emperor (1987) as Amakasu
- The Last Emperor (1987) Original Music Composer
- Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise (1987) Original Music Composer
- Brand New Day (1987) as Self
- NEO GEO ~1987.7.19 NHKホール~ (1987)
- The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986) Original Music Composer
- Adelic Penguins (1986)
- Adelic Penguins (1986) Original Music Composer
- TV WAR (1986) as Self
- TV WAR (1986) Original Music Composer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – Media Bahn Live (1986)
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – Media Bahn Live (1986) Producer
- Bye Bye Kipling (1986) as Self
- On the Beach (1985) Music Arranger
- All Star Video (1985) as Self
- All Star Video (1985) Music
- All Star Video (1985) Director
- Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto (1985) as Self
- Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto (1985) Original Music Composer
- A Human Tube (1985)
- Steel Cathedrals (1985) as Self - Piano/strings
- A Y.M.O. Film: Propaganda (1984) as Self
- Preparations For A Journey (1984)
- Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) as Yonoi
- Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) Original Music Composer
- YMO JAPAN TOUR at Nippon Budokan (1983) as Self - Keyboards
- YMO JAPAN TOUR at Nippon Budokan (1983) Music
- YMO: Winter Live '81 (1983) as Self
- YMO: Winter Live '81 (1983) Music
- Where the Toys Come From (1983) Music Arranger
- It's All Right, My Friend (1983) Original Music Composer
- The Oshima Gang (1983) as Self
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - Winter Live 1981 (1981) as Self
- Technodon in Tokyo Dome
- Ryuichi Sakamoto - Ars longa, vita brevis as Self (archive footage)