* Blood type: A
* Favorite colors: Pink and brown
* Hobbies: Performing, reading, singing
* She is a graduate from Toyo University (Bachelor in Sociology).
* She has been called (お姉さま, Onee-sama?), a respectful way of saying "older sister" by her Ouran co-host Ayaka Saitō.
* Nothing much is known about her family except that her father, Yoshimi Sakamoto, is an expert in stage lighting.
* When she went to the AnimeFest in 2005, she said that her favorite Western bands are Oasis and Maroon 5.
* She has had at least one song, that appeared on the NHK program, Minna no Uta.
* She was one half of the seiyū duo "Whoops!!", alongside Chieko Higuchi.
Later on, she has had many subsequent voice roles in anime such as Record of Lodoss War, Kanon, RahXephon, Gundam SEED DESTINY, .hack//SIGN, and others.
In the first Seiyu Awards, she was nominated for "Best Main Character (female)" and "Best Single".
She also had voice roles in video games such as Panzer Dragoon Saga, Kingdom Hearts, Fullmetal Alchemist 3: Kami wo Tsugu Shoujo, Napple Tale, and Suikoden Tierkreis. She also does the voice of Padmé Amidala in the Japanese dub of Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III and Max in the television series Dark Angel.
Her latest album 30 minutes night flight was released on March 21, 2007.
Maaya first teamed up with composer Yoko Kanno in her debut single, Yakusoku wa Iranai in 1996. Kanno collaborated with Maaya up until her fifth album, Yūnagi LOOP, which has no songs composed by Kanno. Maaya also performed three songs for the anime Wolf's Rain, for which Kanno was the composer: "Gravity", "Tell Me What The Rain Knows", and "Cloud 9". More recently, Maaya and Kanno joined forces again for Triangler, the opening theme song for the anime Macross Frontier. She performed "The Garden of Everything" for the anime RahXephon with Steve Conte.[2]
Maaya occasionally writes her own lyrics but mostly works with others. Frequent collaborators include Yūho Iwasato for Japanese songs and Tim Jensen for English songs.
Not only is she fluent in Japanese but also can speak some English.
Maaya gave her first U.S. concert on July 3rd at the 2005 Anime Expo in Anaheim, California. During the eight song concert (with a one song encore), Ms. Sakamoto amazed her fans by speaking entirely in fluent English throughout the show. She was also repeatedly overwhelmed with happiness at the size and energy of the several thousand-strong crowd, much to the audience's delight
A women of many talents. For more information please check out these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maaya_Sakamoto http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=527
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0757087/
Tell Me What the Rain Knows
Maaya Sakamoto (坂本真綾) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O are these the tears of ages
That wash away the wolf's way
And leave not a trace of the day?
Tell me what the rain knows
O is this the flood of fortune
That pours itself upon me?
Hark, hear the howl that eats the moon alive
Your fur is on fire
The smoke turns the whole sky raven black
And the world upon your back will crack
Where will you go
Now you've no home?
Let the rain wash away your last days
The lyrics of Maaya Sakamoto's song "Tell Me What the Rain Knows" evoke a feeling of longing and introspection. The rain becomes a metaphor for emotions and the passage of time, serving as a transformative force that cleanses and erases the remnants of the past. The opening lines inquire about the significance of the rain, whether it carries the weight of accumulated tears from countless generations, erasing the trails of the wolf who prowls in the darkness and eroding any trace of what has occurred during the day.
The second verse continues to explore the rain's power, comparing it to a flood of fortune that engulfs the singer. The intensity of this flood is illustrated as the singer feels like they are drowning in a sea, overwhelmed by the torrents of fortune pouring onto them. The lyrics encourage the listener to imagine this metaphorical flood and the sensation of being swept away by the overwhelming force of fate.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more poetic and abstract tone. The mentioning of a howling sound devouring the moon and the imagery of a burning fur and smoke turning the sky black suggest a deep sense of despair and destruction. The world itself seems burdened, as the weight of the world cracks upon the back of the wolf-like figure mentioned earlier.
The repeated question of "Where will you go, now you've no home?" adds a sense of displacement and searching for a sense of belonging in a tumultuous and uncertain world. The final line, "Let the rain wash away your last days," suggests that the rain can be a purifying force, helping to cleanse and release the burden of past experiences, allowing for a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what the rain knows
Please share with me the knowledge possessed by rain
O are these the tears of ages
Are these raindrops a representation of the accumulated sorrow and wisdom from countless generations
That wash away the wolf's way
Cleansing the path followed by the wolf, symbolizing a departure from darkness
And leave not a trace of the day?
Leaving no evidence or remnants of the passing day behind
O is this the flood of fortune
Could this rainfall be a symbol of a sudden abundance of good luck
That pours itself upon me?
Overflowing and showering blessings upon me
O see how I drown in this sea
Observe how I am overwhelmed and consumed by this immense wave of emotions or circumstances
Hark, hear the howl that eats the moon alive
Listen attentively to the haunting cry that devours the luminous moon
Your fur is on fire
Referring to the artist's intense passion or drive
The smoke turns the whole sky raven black
The resulting smoke darkens the entire sky, creating an atmosphere of darkness and uncertainty
And the world upon your back will crack
The burdens carried by the singer become too heavy, causing the world to shatter
Where will you go
Inquire about the destination you will seek
Now you've no home?
Now that you are without a place of belonging or refuge
Let the rain wash away your last days
Allow the rain to cleanse and erase the final moments of your existence
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Christopher Mosdell, Youko Mizoguchi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brian Ackley
It’s less than 2 minutes but this song makes you feel so much in that short time.
geminielectro
Everytime I hear Yoko Kanno and Maaya Sakamoto, I feel the pressure grows in me and makes me cry.....
Timelord00
The song is both beautiful and sad. But together with this video it becomes a tear jerker.
Mad G
I love her other songs she has a great voice.
nimbuskahn
I'll always tear up when I hear this song. Perfect animation to accompany this, btw. Excellent choice.
Natumiko
心に染み渡るうつくしい曲です
Joel Bbuku
2020 needs a wolf's rain to wash away my sad memories
Ronny Marcano
Always respect about those stars love you maya and Yoko
kallen473
It's March 2022 and this song still slaps.
deplatformed
the rain knows even the greatest sins are washed away over time