Neko Oikawa

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{short description|Japanese lyricist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Neko Oikawa<br/>{{lang|ja|及川眠子}} | image = | alt = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|02|10}} | birth_place = Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan | death_date = | origin = | instrument = | genre = {{hlist|J-pop|pop rock|anison}} | occupation = Lyricist | years_active = 1985–present | label = | associated_acts = see Works | website = {{url|oikawaneko.com}} }} {{nihongo|'''Neko Oikawa'''|{{linktext|及川}} {{linktext|眠子}}|Oikawa Neko|born February 10, 1960}} is a Japanese lyricist who has written J-pop and anime theme songs over her career.<ref name="Profile">{{cite web |url=http://www.oikawaneko.com/profile.html |title=Profile |website=The Agitation Point: Oikawa Neko Official Website |access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Hotpepper">{{cite web |url=https://www.hotpepper.jp/mesitsu/entry/yasushi-nishimuta/17-00454 |title=エヴァンゲリオンからWink再結成、仕事＆お金まで、作詞家・及川眠子さんにトルコ宮廷料理を食べながら聞いてみた |publisher=Recruit Co. Ltd. |lang=ja |date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref>

==Biography== Neko Oikawa was born in Wakayama, Wakayama. She made her songwriting debut in 1985 with Kanako Wada's "Passing Through", which won the Mitsubishi Minica Mascot Song Contest.<ref name="Profile"/> During her time with Fuji Pacific Music, Oikawa wrote songs for numerous Japanese idols; most notably the duo Wink. In 1989, her song "Samishii Nettaigyo" for Wink won the Grand Prix at the 31st Japan Record Awards and the 22nd All Japan Wired Broadcasting Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jacompa.or.jp/reco31.html |title=第３１回日本レコード大賞 |publisher=Japan Composer's Association |access-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-date=November 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003056/http://www.jacompa.or.jp/reco31.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1994, her song "Tokyo" for Yashiki Takajin won the Yomiuri TV Best Award and Special Award at the All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards.<ref name="Hotpepper"/>

Oikawa's most well-known song outside Japan is "A Cruel Angel's Thesis", recorded by Yoko Takahashi for the 1995 anime series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''.<ref name="Profile"/> The song has been ranked by Joysound as the most popular song on karaoke.<ref name="Yahoo">{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/78019b28b5cbe248f38a8456291e39d4704b0e61 |title=『残酷な天使のテーゼ』の作詞家・及川眠子は、なぜ私設ノンフィクション賞を設立したのか？ |website=Yahoo! Japan |access-date=August 17, 2021 |archive-date=May 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519160943/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/78019b28b5cbe248f38a8456291e39d4704b0e61 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20210201-1682034/ |title=一流作詞家・及川眠子、18歳年下のトルコ人男性に財産をほとんど貢ぐ |website=Mynavi |date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> According to Oikawa, she receives between 1 and 1.5 yen for every time every time the song is played at a karaoke hall. Combined with the royalties from the ''Evangelion'' pachinko machines, Oikawa receives no less than {{JPY}}30 million annually from the song alone.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/gossip/2015/09/11/0008385226.shtml |title=エヴァ作詞家印税収入が一時億単位に |website=Daily |date=September 11, 2015 |access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Hotpepper"/>

In 2017, Oikawa set up the {{nihongo4|Neko Oikawa Nonfiction Award|及川眠子ノンフィクション賞|Oikawa Neko Nonfikushon Shō}} to encourage more writers to do nonfiction works.<ref name="Yahoo"/>

==Personal life== Oikawa had an affair with a Turkish man 18 years her junior in 2000 and traveled to Turkey to marry him in 2005. In their 13 years of marriage, they had only been together one-third of the time. She started going in debt during the marriage to the point where it reached {{JPY}} 70 million by the time she filed for divorce in 2018. Oikawa published her biography {{nihongo4|''Hakon''|破婚||''Breakdown''}}, which detailed the last days of her marriage.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newsmatomedia.com/oikawa-neko |title=及川眠子とトルコ人夫の離婚や借金・印税や現在の様子まとめ |website=Mato Media |date=January 2020 |access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Hotpepper"/>

==Works== Oikawa's works include the following:

;Shoko Aida * "Tapestry"

;Agnes Chan * "Propose"

;Rina Chinen * "Pride + Joy"

;Shizuka Kudo * "Sora no Shōmen"

;Anthony Lun * "Ai ga Aru kara"

;Alisa Mizuki * "Yasashii Yoru ni Aimashō"

;Akina Nakamori * "Genshi, Onna wa Taiyō Datta"

;Yōko Oginome * "Himawari" * "Sunao na Koi" * "Heaven" * "Shiawase wa Sunadokei no Yō ni" * "Always"

;Noriko Sakai * "Eve no Tamago" * "Namida Hitotsubu"

;Shonentai * "Excuse"

;Super Monkey's * "Aishite Muscat" * "Wagamama wo Yurushite"

;Yoko Takahashi * "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" * "Soul's Refrain"

;Yashiki Takajin * "Tokyo"

;Wink {{see|Wink discography}}

;Tokusatsu themes * "Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger" * "Juken Sentai Gekiranger" * "Shuriken Sentai Ninninger" * "Ultraman Max"

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links==  * {{Official website|http://www.oikawaneko.com/}} * {{MusicBrainz artist|mbid=0b97970e-7bbb-451b-a1be-3783dd8644e0|name=Neko Oikawa}} * {{Discogs artist|835542-Neko-Oikawa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oikawa, Neko}} Category:1960 births Category:Japanese lyricists Category:Musicians from Wakayama Prefecture Category:Living people