GEISAI #12 JUROR YASUSHI AKIMOTO

YASUSHI AKIMOTO 

A lyricist who made his debut as a scriptwriter while still in high school, Akimoto has been involved in the planning of several television series, including The Best Ten. Since 1983, his work as a songwriter has produced a series of hit songs, beginning with Kawa no nagare no yō ni for Hibari Misora, WILL for Mika Nakashima, and EXIT for the group EXILE. In November of 2008, he became the 41^st recipient of the Best Lyricist Award from the Japanese Lyricists Association for the Jero song, Umiyuki.

In 1991, he made his debut as a film director with Good-bye Mama, starring Keiko Matsuzaka and Ken Ogata.

He also produced and wrote the original story for the movies, Densen Uta, and the One Missed Call series.

In April of 2005, he accepted a job as a professor at Kyoto University of Art & Design. He was later appointed the university’s vice-president in 2007.

Akimoto’s current work in television includes the shows, Utaban, Hiroshi Kume no Terebitte Yatsu Wa!?, and Tunnels no Minnasan no Okage Deshita. With the addition of a radio show on Tokyo FM, Yasushi Akimoto’s Mature Style, and regular contributions to various newspapers and magazines, his activities have come to cover a wide variety of fields. He also acts as a producer for the idol groups, AKB48 and SKE48.

Among his many writings are the books, Isshou wo Takuseru “Kachi Aru Otoko” no Mikiwamekata (Kodanasha +αBunko), “Erabareru Josei” ni wa riyū ga aru (Seishun Publishing), and Ojisan Tsushinbo (Kadokawa Shoten). His novel, Zou no Senaka, was adapted into a film in 2007 and was also made into a picture book called Zou no Senaka – Tabidatsu Hi, the second episode of which, Zoku・Zou no Senaka – Baton Touch, is due to be published in December of 2008.