Masaaki Endoh

Masaaki Endoh
Masaaki Endoh in the background performing as part of JAM Project during their 10th anniversary tour.
Background information
Born	August 28, 1967 (1967-08-28) (age 44)
Origin	Japan
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals (Tenor), Guitar
Labels	SOLID VOX, Lantis
Associated acts	Metal Brothers, JAM Project
Website	http://www.endoh-masaaki.com/

Masaaki Endoh (遠藤 正明, Endoh Masaaki^?) (born 1967-08-28) is a Japanese singer/songwriter who is prominent in the area of soundtracks for anime and tokusatsu productions. He is one of the founders of the anison supergroup JAM Project and has been a regular member ever since its inception in 2000. The group recently celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a world tour known as MAXIMIZER -Decade of Evolution-. His nickname is the "Young Lion of Anison." ^[1]

He is characterized by his powerful tenor voice, with consistent vocal technique that gives him a top-ranked mix register and beyond, as well has his humorous laugh and his ever-graceful white hair. He is not particularly religious, but he is a Christian, like many of his colleagues in JAM Project.

In 2008, he recorded his Enson cover album. On this album, Masaaki Endoh recorded many covers of opening themes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including Uninstall by Chiaki Ishikawa from Bokurano to Sousei no Aquarion by Akino. After hearing about an American version of Gosei Sentai Dairanger (season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), he included its theme song "Go Go Power Rangers" as one of the tracks. He later released Enson2 in July of the same year. Shortly before its release, Lantis organized a concert to promote ENSON.

In late 2010, he recorded his Christmas Acoustic Night ~Present of the Voice~ where he performed acoustic versions of many of his songs from his albums, in addition to a Metal Brothers song, and two covers.

Career

Early Years

Masaaki Endoh was known to be an anison artist ever since the mid-1990s. He sang few covers for anime until a few years later, he and Hironobu Kageyama joined together to form the Metal Brothers. This duo only lasted from 1997 to 1998, when the two disbanded due to unknown reasons. During this time, he released an album as a solo artist, and paired up with two musicians to form the musical act "Blind Pig". The group released two rock albums before they disbanded.

JAM Project

In 2000, the "Aniki" (big brother) of Anison, Ichirou Mizuki gathered four artists to form JAM Project. These included Masaaki Endoh, Eizo Sakamoto, Rica Matsumoto, and Hironobu Kageyama. The group released their debut studio album "First Process" in 2001. After the group's second live concert, Ichirou Mizuki announced he would no longer be a regular in the group. At this time, Hironobu Kageyama took position as the group's new leader. As a member who can sing very high notes, alongside Kitadani and Fukuyama, he is known to be active in handling tough notes that the other members cannot sing, and also to usually sing second in a track, after the leader.

Although being a very versatile vocalist and is considered a core member, Masaaki Endoh has rarely participated in writing songs for the group. He has shown a particular favor to a special outfit he wears to every performance, a jacket that is cut at the shoulders, revealing his arms. His hair in performances is also usually styled to the back of his head.

2000s

Masaaki Endoh enjoyed moderate success from 2000 to 2003, when he released his first studio album, "CHAKURIKU!!". At around the same time, he sang the opening for Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger, for which he gained much popularity. After its success, he had halted singing opening themes to focus more on JAM Project and his personal life.

By 2006, he released his second album "M.e." and followed by a concert organized by his agency, Lantis. The album included "Carry On" and "CLOWN", which were also released on the soundtrack for the series Muv-Luv. Masaaki Endoh released ENSON and ENSON2 in the summer of 2008, which proved to be a massive success.

In 2009, he returned to singing opening themes. He followed up with the release of his third studio album, "Circus Man." He introduced the concept of him being a circus show performer, the cover showing his face with clown makeups. A concert was organized but never released as home media.

2010s

In May 2010, he participated in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D'S, the third series in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, starting with its fourth opening, "Believe in Nexus." The song was released along with an insert song, "Clear Mind." Later in December, he released another single for the show, being the fifth and final opening, "The Road to Tomorrow ~Going My Way!!~" on the same day JAM Project released their 10th Anniversary BOX. The single contained a second insert song, "Yakusoku no Melody" (A Melody of Promises). Both openings were recorded live on the Lantis stage, on the day they were released. The fifth opening went on to become a sensation in the anison industry, however, to date, he has never sung it live in any official concerts.

In early 2011, Masaaki Endoh sang the opening theme for Honki Sentai Gachiranger. He appeared in Hironobu Kageyama's 2011 Live Birthday concert with his bandmates excluding Yoshiki Fukuyama, but with the addition of Aki Misato. He performed concerts to promote his fourth album, "(e)-STYLE." To promote the album, he toured Japan for three nights from July 24 to August 6, 2011.^[2] In the summer of 2011, he also participated in Animelo, with JAM Project.

Voice

Masaaki Endoh's voice is acknowledged by many anison artists and fans as one of the most powerful in Japan, if not the most. He is known for holding out many long notes in various songs, in studio and live tours alike. His vocal technique consists of very balanced resonance, giving him incredible range in both his chest and head voices. Rarely has a song give him trouble, notably his own song on the Muv-Luv soundtrack, "Carry On." Masaaki Endoh can sing in practically any key, shown through his ability to linger out through-the-roof notes in many of JAM Project's songs, including "Shugoshin-The Guardian" and "Rocks."

Discography

Albums

1. CHAKURIKU!!
   • Released on November 27, 2003 / LACA-5220 / Lantis
2. M.e.
   • Released on November 29, 2006 / LACA-5577 / Lantis
3. CIRCUS MAN
   • Released on April 29, 2009 / LACA-5901 / Lantis
4. (e)-STYLE
   • Released on July 6, 2011 / LACA-15127 / SOLID VOX

Compilation Works

1. ENSON ～COVER SONGS COLLECTION Vol.1～
   • Released on June 11, 2008 / LACA-5774 / Lantis
2. ENSON2 ～COVER SONGS COLLECTION Vol.2～
   • Released on December 17, 2008 / LACA-5826 / Lantis

Miscellaneous

1. Best Anisongs Vol.01
   • Contains many of his older singles and several covers.
2. Blind Pig and Blind Pig II
   • Albums that were released under his short-lived group.
3. Star Generation
   • A project with other anison artists for an anime.

Live Tours

1. [2011] (e)-STYLE Live Tour

Singles

   [1995.11.11] Forever Friends

   [1996.07.24] Killed by BREAK SPIDER

   [1997.02.21] Yuusha Ou Tanjou! (勇者王誕生!)

   [1997.08.21] A Piece of the Sun

   [1998.11.21] Ano kawa wo koete (あの河を越えて)

   [1999.03.03] Ready, B-Fight

   [1999.06.21] Senshi yo, Tachiagare! (戦士よ、起ち上がれ！)

   [2000.01.01] Yuusha Ou Tanjou! (Mythology Version)" (勇者王誕生！-神話（マイソロジー）バージョン-)

   [2000.08.23] eX-Driver -Sniper- (Con Milk)

   [2002.04.20] Bakutou Sengen! Daigunder ( 爆闘宣言！ダイガンダー)

   [2003.03.01] Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger (爆竜戦隊アバレンジャー)

   [2009.07.01] Sea Jetter Kaito (シージェッター海斗)

   [2009.09.25] Kankyou Choujin Ecogainder (環境超人エコガインダー)

   [2010.05.12] BELIEVE IN NEXUS

   [2010.09.22] Saigo no Eden (Con Aki Misato)

   [2010.12.22] Asu he no Michi ~going my way! (明日への道～Going my way!)

   [2011.01.11] Honki Sentai Gachi Ranger (本気戦隊ガチレンジャー)

   [2011.05.11] Tamashii meramera Icchodo (魂メラめら一兆℃)

   [2011.11.09] Fellows

Trivia

• Masaaki Endoh never took voice lessons, although it has been implied that he got "training" within JAM Project, especially from Hironobu Kageyama and Yoshiki Fukuyama. This has been a target of gags in the group's live concerts and their backstage specials.

• He is referred to by fans and his bandmates as "En-chan." Apparently, all the group members has a nickname correlating to their real name, but his name is similar to Sakamoto's name, "Ei-chan," leading to some humor-related confusions.

• He was widely known among fans for a technique called "Endoh Power" or "Super Endoh Time" due to his ability to showcase his through-the-roof voice in many hits including, "Hagane no Messiah," "Okkusenman," and in his second album, "LIMITER."

• He is close friends with all JAM Project members, including the original members, the new members such as Ricardo Cruz, Masami Okui and many artists from Animelo whom he shares the stage with every summer.

• After releasing the recorded version of Sousei no Aquarion, he performed the song with Akino in 2011. Backstage, Akino said that she liked his rendition of her song, and Masaaki Endoh jokingly said the group was bless4 +1, with the extra being himself.

• He is very close with many artists from Lantis, including Faylan and Maon Kurosaki. They can be seen performing their songs live with him. He usually takes part in half the song, and provides harmonization while the original performers sing their parts.

• Masaaki Endoh is, and remains to this day, an iconic figure in the anison industry, known not only as a powerful vocalist within JAM Project, but also as an important person to the younger generation of anison artists.

External links

• Endoh-Masaaki.com - Official website (Japanese)

References

1. ^ http://www.jamproject-la.com/sitio/endoh
2. ^ http://jamproject-la.com/sitio/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1178&sid=00f203981a76005e84fda8e4cb396630

Persondata
Name	Endoh, Masaaki
Alternative names
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Date of birth	August 28, 1967
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