
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Sound
Biography
Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本 龍一, Sakamoto Ryūichi, January 17, 1952 - March 28, 2023) was a Japanese composer, record producer, and actor who had pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres.
Born: January 17, 1952
Place of Birth: Tokyo, Japan
Known For

Marisa Monte: Mais
The documentary follows the genesis of Marisa Monte's album Mais in New York City and the subsequent tour that supported the album from 1991 to 1992.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022
On December 11, 2022, Ryuichi Sakamoto's solo piano performance will be streamed in the form of a concert. However, what we will experience that day is carefully recorded footage of Sakamoto performing a few pieces of music each day over the course of a week, that was then thoughtfully edited together. This is last performance.

Ryuichi Sakamoto's Last Days
Ryuichi Sakamoto shocked the world with his techno music as a member of YMO and continued to capture the hearts of many with his unique music. In his diary in his final years, he wrote about the anguish of his life fighting the disease, thinking, "It's a death sentence" and "Should I choose euthanasia?" and "Music may be the only way to stay sane," and "Music to leave behind, music to leave behind." His true feelings were engraved, including words that made him think deeply—his interaction with unknown members of YMO and the unreleased song that ended up touching his heart.

Thirteen Talks

Femme Fatale: Dream Within a Dream
A documentary about Brian de Palma's "Femme Fatale."

A Y.M.O. Film: Propaganda
Starring Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Brooks Palmer, YMO Propaganda is 1984 Musical film directed by Shin Saito. Originally premiered theatrically throughout Japan in 1984 and is considered by some to be the best visual work from 'Y.M.O.'

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Playing the Orchestra 2014
Ryuichi Sakamoto sadly passed away at the age of 71 on March 28, 2023. His music never stops and continues to leave a lasting impression on people living in the present. Playing the Orchestra 2013" was the first time in 16 years that Ryuichi Sakamoto performed with a full orchestra in Japan and created a sensation. This film is an updated version of the 2014 Tokyo performance, which he conducted himself. In this film, Sakamoto conducts all the pieces while playing the piano, The film features Sakamoto playing the piano and conducting all the pieces, and a variety of music from YMO's masterpieces such as "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and "The Last Emperor" to his own film music, all performed by the magnificent Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

NHK Special
An NHK flagship program, centered around a diverse range of documentaries, delves into the dynamic shifts of society, politics and history, as well as the breathtaking wonders of the natural world.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
"Ars longa, vita brevis" – art is long, life is short. This is one of Japanese music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto's favorite quotes, and the message that he leaves for viewers at the end of his final concert film, shot before he succumbed to cancer in March 2023. Consisting of only Sakamoto and his piano, Opus features the final live performances of 20 songs that Sakamoto meticulously curated to encapsulate his distinguished 40-year career.

The Last Emperor
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.
Filmography
as Self (archive footage)
as Self
as Self
as Self (archive footage)
as Himself
as Self
as Self
as himself
as Director (segment "Rain")
as Self
as Hosaka Executive
as Self
as self
as Self
as Self
as Self
as Amakasu
as Self
as Self
as Self
as Self
as Self - Keyboards
as Yonoi
as Self
as Self (archive footage)