{{Short description|Japanese musician (born 1968)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Kenji Ozawa on stage 2024 Apr 26.jpeg | caption = On stage in 2024 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|04|14}} | genre = {{hlist|Pop|[[J-pop]]|[[Shibuya-kei]]}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|synthesizers}} | years_active = 1987–present | label = {{hlist|[[EMI Music Japan]]|[[Virgin Music]]/[[Universal Music]]}} | website = {{Official website|http://hihumiyo.net/|小沢健二 ひふみよ Official Site}} }} '''Kenji Ozawa''' (小沢 健二, ''Ozawa Kenji'') is a Japanese musician, designer and writer. Ozawa was a member of the pop duo [[Flipper's Guitar]], and said to be one of the musicians that found and influenced so-called [[Shibuya-kei]] music style.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shibuya-Kei Fans Rejoice: Cornelius And Kenji Ozawa |url=https://fujirock.com/?p=589 |access-date=15 August 2023 |website=Fujirockers English |language=en}}</ref> He graduated from [[the University of Tokyo]]. His uncle, [[Seiji Ozawa]], was a noted conductor.
== Personal history == Ozawa was born on 14 April 1968, in [[Sagamihara, Kanagawa]]. His father Toshio Ozawa is a professor (German Literature) and his mother Makiko Ozawa is a clinical psychologist.{{fact|date=July 2025}}
Ozawa's first claim to fame was as a member of the pop duo [[Flipper's Guitar]]. After the disband of the group, he debuted as a solo musician in 1993.{{fact|date=July 2025}}
"''Konya wa Boogie Back''" (BOOGIE BACK), Ozawa's 3rd single released in 1994, which was a collaboration with Japanese Hip-Hop group [[Scha Dara Parr]] became a smash hit. The album "''LIFE''" was highly evaluated; it was voted No. 1 Album of 1990's J-pop/rock albums in a "Music Magazine".
After releasing several works, Ozawa stopped his activity as a musician in Japan after 1998. He released "Eclectic" in 2002, and "Ecology of Everyday Life" which was an instrumental album in 2006, and also started writing "USAGI!" a nursery-story-style writing about the social environment, but never showed up in front of the audiences as a pop musician.
In 2010, Ozawa suddenly announced a concert tour "Hihumiyo" and restarted his public activity in Japan, and held several events and concerts. Also he married American photographer Elizabeth Coll, later giving birth to two sons Rion and Amanu.
In 2017, "''Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite'' (On Fluid)" was released as a CD. It has been 19 years since the last single was released. Album "''So kakkoii Uchuu'' (So kakkoii Pluriverse)" was released in 2019.
== Discography == === CD singles === {| class="wikitable" |+ ! !Title !English title !Released !Tracks !Note |- |1 |'''Tenki Yomi''' |TENKI-YOMI |21 July 1993 | # Tenki Yomi # Kurayami Kara Te Wo Nobase # Tenki Yomi (Original Karaoke) | |- |2 |'''Kurayami Kara Te Wo Nobase''' |REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS |1 December 1993 | # Kurayami Kara Te Wo Nobase # Yoru to Hidokei (swamp folk) # Kurayami Kara Te Wo Nobase (Original Karaoke) | |- |3 |'''Konya Wa Boogie Back''' |BOOGIE BACK (nice vocal) |9 March 1994 | # Konya Wa Boogie Back (nice vocal) # Konya Wa Boogie Back (meanwhile back at the party) # Konya Wa Boogie Back (Karaoke for vocal) |released as [Kenji Ozawa featuring [[Scha Dara Parr]]] "Konya wa Boogie Back" (BOOGIE BACK (smooth rap)) is also released as [<nowiki/>[[Scha Dara Parr]] feat. Kenji Ozawa] |- |4 |'''Aishi Aisarete Ikirunosa / Tokyo Ren-ai Senka・Mata wa Koi wa Ittemirya Body Blow''' |Love Is What We Need / Love Is Like a Body Blow |20 July 1994 | # Aishi Aisarete Ikirunosa # Tokyo Ren-ai Senka・Mata wa Koi wa Ittemirya Body Blow # Aishi Aisarete Ikirunosa (Original Karaoke) # Tokyo Ren-ai Senka・Mata wa Koi wa Ittemirya Body Blow (Original Karaoke) | |- |5 |'''Lovely''' |LOVELY |31 August 1994 | # Lovely # Konya wa Boogie Back ("DISCO TO GO" LIVE) |Also released as Analog Single on 23 November 1995 |- |6 |'''Carolla II ni Notte''' | – |1 January 1995 | # Carolla II ni Notte # Carolla II ni Notte (Original Karaoke) |Lyric / Music not written by Kenji Ozawa |- |7 |Ozawa Kenji = Tsusumi Kyohei Song Book '''Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai / Sore wa Chotto''' |Metropolitan Love Affair / I'm Afraid Not |28 February 1995 | # Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai # Sore wa Chotto |Music written by [[Kyōhei Tsutsumi]] |- |8 |'''Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda?''' |Who's Gonna Knock the Door? |29 March 1995 | # Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda? (Boys Life Pt.1: Christmas Story) # Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda? ("THE LIFE SHOW" LIVE) # Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda? (Door Knock Shippai!) # Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda? (Original Karaoke) | |- |9 |'''Senjo no Boys Life''' | – |17 May 1995 | # Senjo no Boys Life (Boys Life pt.2: Ai wa Message) # Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (THE LIFE SHOW Live) # Senjo no Boys Life (Boys Life pt.2: Ai wa Message) (Original Karaoke) | |- |10 |'''Sayonara Nante Ienaiyo''' |NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE |8 November 1995 | # Sayonara Nante Ienaiyo # Icho Namiki no Serenade (LIVE AT BUDOKAN) # Sayonara Nante Ienaiyo (Original Karaoke) | |- |11 |'''Tsuukai Ukiuki Doori''' | – |20 December 1995 | # Tsuukai Ukiuki Doori # Nagareboshi Be Bop # Tsuukai Ukiuki Doori (Original Karaoke) # Nagareboshi Be Bop (Original Karaoke) | |- |12 |'''Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (Single Edit)''' |Letters, Lights, Travels On the Streets (Single Edit) |16 May 1996 | # Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (Single Edit) # Ryusei Be Bop (Revue'96 Live 96/03/09 Yokohama Arena) # Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (Original Karaoke) | |- |13 |'''Otona ni Nareba''' | – |30 September 1996 | # Otona ni Nareba # Kyuutai no Kanaderu Ongaku # Otona ni Nareba (inst.) | |- |14 |'''Yume ga Yume nara''' | – |29 November 1996 | # Yume ga Yume Nara # Yume ga Yume Nara (INST.) | |- |15 |'''Buddy / Koishikute''' | – |16 July 1997 | # Buddy # Koishikute # Koitte Yappari # Sore wa Chotto |Also released as Analog Single on 8 August 1997 |- |16 |'''Yubi Saemo / Dice wo Korogase''' | – |18 September 1997 | # back to back # Dice wo Korogase # Yubi Saemo # Ryusei Be Bop |Also released as Analog Single on the same date |- |17 |'''Aru Hikari''' | – |10 December 1997 | # Aru Hikari (JFK 8'16" Full Length) # Aru Hikari (JFK 4'23" F.O.) # Utsukushisa |Also released as Analog Single on 1 January 1998 |- |18 |'''Haru ni Shite Kimi wo Omou''' | – |28 January 1998 | # Haru ni Shite Kimi wo Omou # Haru ni shite Kimi wo Omou (Instrumental) # Aru HIkari [Secret track] | |- |19 |'''Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite''' |On Fluid |22 February 2017 | # Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite # Shimpiteki # Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite (instrumental) # Shimpiteki (instrumental) | |- |20 |'''Fukurou no Koe ga Kikoeru''' |I Hear an Owl |6 September 2017 | # Fukurou no Koe ga Kikoeru # Cinnamon # Fukurou no Koe ga Kikoeru (instrumental) # Cinnamon (instrumental) |Released as Ozawa Kenji to [[Sekai no Owari]] |- |21 |'''Arpeggio (Kitto Mahou no Tunnel no Saki)''' |Arpeggio (Through The Wondrous Tunnel) |14 February 2018 | # Arpeggio (Kitto Mahou no Tunnel no Saki) # Lovely (Live in the Rain On a Yakatabune in Tokyo Bay) [Ozawa Kenji to [[Hikari Mitsushima]]] # Arpeggio (Kitto Mahou no Tunnel no Saki) | |- |22 |'''Hikou Suru Kimi to Boku no Tameni / Unmei, Toiuka UFO ni (Do it Do it)''' |The Crescent Shines / Destiny or an UFO |22 December 2021 | # Hikou Suru Kimi to Boku no Tameni # Unmei, Toiuka UFO ni (Do it Do it) # Hikou Suru Kimi to Boku no Tameni (Instrumental) # Unmei, Toiuka UFO ni (Do it Do it) ( | |}
=== Digital singles === {| class="wikitable" |+ ! !Title !English title !Released !Note |- |1 |'''Shikkasho Bushi''' | |6 July 2010 | |- |2 |'''Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai (1995 DAT Mix)''' |Metropolitan Love Affair (1995 DAT Mix) |4 April 2019 | |- |3 |'''Suisei''' |Like A Comet |11 October 2019 | |- |4 |'''Ultraman Zenbu''' |Ultraman Zenbu |9 March 2021 | |- |5 |'''El Fuego (The Honoo)''' |El Fuego |21 April 2021 | |- |6 |'''Naichau''' |Makes My Cry |26 May 2021 | |- |7 |'''Lovely (Remaster Short Edit)''' |Lovely (Remaster Short Edit) |21 December 2022 |Analog Record also released on 27 January 2023 |- |8 |'''Haru ni Shite Kimi wo Omou (2023 Remaster)''' |Childish Tango (2023 Remaster) |20 June 2023 | |- |9 |'''Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi ep''' |1. Noize
2. ''River Suite Kawa No Kumikyoku Arpeggio(Kitto Mahou No Tunnel No Saki)/Ichounamiki No Serenade (Tokyo Garden Theater Live 2022)'' |12 January 2024 |Track 1 Vocal: [[Mahito The People]] |}
=== Albums === {| class="wikitable" |+ ! !Title !English title !Released !Note !<small>[[Oricon Albums Chart|JPN]]</small><ref name="OriconAlbums"> {{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/218351/products/album/|script-title=ja:小沢健二のアルバム売上TOP12作品|publisher=[[Oricon]]|access-date=15 April 2024|language=ja}}</ref> |- |1st |'''''Inu wa Hoeru ga Caravan wa Susumu''''' | – |29 September 1993 |re-released as "dogs" in 1997 Re-issued as the original title with bonus disc in 2021 |align=center| 9 |- |2nd |'''''LIFE''''' |LIFE |31 August 1994 |Also released as an Analog Record |align=center| 5 |- |3rd |'''''Kyuutai no Kanaderu Ongaku''''' | – |16 October 1996 | |align=center| 1 |- |4th |'''''Eclectic''''' | Eclectic |27 February 2002 | |align=center| 7 |- | – |'''''Setsuna''''' | – |27 December 2003 |Compilation Album |align=center| 29 |- |5th |'''''Ecology of Everyday Life Mainichi no Kankyou Gaku''''' | – |8 March 2006 |Instrumental Album |align=center| 35 |- | – |'''''Warera, Toki''''' | – |19 March 2014 |Live Album from "Hihumiyo" Tour in 2010. Limited Edition was originally released in 21 March 2012. |align=center| 20 |- |6th |'''''So kakkoii Uchuu''''' |So kakkoii Pluriverse |13 November 2019 | |align=center| 3 |- |}
=== Written works === *''DOOWUTCHYALiKE'' (1994–1997) *''USAGI!'' (2005–2017) *''Kigyo teki na shakai, Therapy teki na shakai'' (2007) *''Mahouteki Monologue Daihon'' (2016) *''Haru Sora Niji no sho'' (2017) *''Ice Cream ga Tokete Shimau Maeni (Kazuku no Halloween no tameno rensaku)'' as Ozawa Kenji to Nichibei Kyoufu Gakkai (2017) / Picture Book *Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi Kyoukasho (2023) / Text book
=== Video program === *Tokyo, Music & Us 2017–2018 (Apple Music)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tokyo, Music & Us 2017–2018 on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/show/tokyo-music-us-2017-2018/1312959762 |access-date=15 August 2023 |website=Apple Music |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Live performance == === Concert / tour === *''Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo Free Concert'' (1993) *''DISCO TO GO'' (1994) *''THE LIFE SHOW'' (1994) *''VILLAGE'' (1995) *''Revue'96'' (1996) *''"lover"'' (1996) *''Hihumiyo'' (2010) *''Tokyo no Machi ga Kanaderu'' (2012) *''Mahouteki'' (2016) *''Haru no Kuuki ni Niji wo Kake'' (2018) *''Tobase wangan 2 nights, guitar bass drums de So kakkoii Uchuu e'' (2019) *''So kakkoii Uchuu Shows'' (2022) *''Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi'' (2023) *''Bugi Baku Baby [with [[Scha Dara Parr]]]'' (2024) *''Monochromatique'' (2024)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * http://nippop.com/artists/Kenji_Ozawa/ * http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-6232
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ozawa, Kenji}} [[Category:Japanese male musicians]] [[Category:Japanese musicians]] [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Shibuya-kei musicians]] [[Category:University of Tokyo alumni]] [[Category:People from Sagamihara]] [[Category:Musicians from Kanagawa Prefecture]] [[Category:Ozawa family|Kenji]]
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