Interest
Yoko Kanno to Be Guest Judge on New Year's Kohaku
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Yoko Kanno, the acclaimed musical composer of Cowboy Bebop, Macross Frontier, Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and other anime, will appear as a guest judge for this year's Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle) event on New Year's Eve. Kanno had penned the opening theme song "11231" for last year's program.
Other guest judges include actress Haruka Ayase, Olympic swimmer Ryōsuke Irie, critic Naoki Ogi, rakugo storyteller Bunshi Katsura, actress Kirin Kiki, soccer player Homare Sawa, kabuki actor Kankurō Nakamura, sumo wrestler Kōhei Harumafuji, and Olympic wrestler Saori Yoshida.
Kōhaku Uta Gassen is the highest rated musical television program of the year in Japan. This year's event will include performances by Ayaka, AKB48, Kumi Koda, Ayumi Hamasaki, YUI, YUKI, Arashi, EXILE, SMAP, TOKIO, AAA, Momoiro Clover Z, and more.
The NHK-General channel will run the program from 7:15 to 11:45 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
[Via Jam Guru]
