Epic Records Japan is a Japanese record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Its founder was

Shigeo Maruyama (born 1941 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese businessman. He is best known for being the founder of Epic/Sony Records, former chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment and former CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. He is known for discovering artists s ...

. Between 1978 and 1988 the label operated as a wholly owned subsidiary: Epic/Sony Inc. () was established in August 1978History.
Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Accessed October 3, 2010 and was folded back into CBS/Sony Group in March 1988. Notable music artists for this company have included

Motoharu Sano , is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. A graduate of Rikkyo University, Sano is a frontman with a history of performing in several bands which feature music both in Japanese and occasionally, English, playing songs that often have a rock ...

, Tetsuya Komuro, and

Kimiko Itoh is a Japanese jazz singer. She was born on the island of Shōdoshima in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from Musashino Art University with a degree in oil painting, she studied under Yasushi Sawada. In 1982, she made her debut wi ...

. In 2001, it was re-established as .

Games published

During the late 1980s and early 1990s they also published video games for Nintendo consoles. * 1987 - ''Tokoro-san no Mamoru mo Semeru mo'' for Famicom – developed by

HAL Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a seco ...

* 1988 - ''

Vegas Dream ''Vegas Dream'', released in Japan as is a gambling video game developed by HAL Laboratory for the Nintendo Entertainment System. A sequel, ''Vegas Stakes'', was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993. Gameplay ''Vegas Drea ...

'' for Famicom * 1989 - ''Flying Hero'' for Famicom – developed by Aicom * 1989 - '' Tashiro Masashi no Princess ga Ippai'' for Famicom * 1990 - サッカー・ボーイ ''Soccer Boy'' = ''Soccer Mania'' for Game Boy * 1990 - ''

Solstice A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countrie ...

'' for Famicom – developed by

Software Creations (UK) Acclaim Studios Manchester (formerly Software Creations) was a British video game developer based in Manchester, England. The company was established in 1985 by Richard Kay. They were primarily known for their video games based on movie and com ...

* 1991 - '' RoboCop'' for Game Boy * 1991 - ''Hakunetsu Pro Yakyuu Ganba League'' = '' Extra Innings'' for Famicom – developed by StingSting
at gdri * 1991 - ''Jerry Ball'' = ''

Smart Ball Smart or SMART may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Smart'' (Hey! Say! JUMP album), 2014 * Smart (Hotels.com), former mascot of Hotels.com * ''Smart'' (Sleeper album), 1995 debut album by Sleeper * ''SMart'', a children's television ser ...

'' for Super Famicom * 1991 - '' Dragon's Lair'' for Famicom – developed by Motivetime * 1991 - ''Dragon's Lair'' for Game Boy – developed by Motivetime * 1991 - Altered Space'' for Game Boy * 1991 - ''

Hudson Hawk ''Hudson Hawk'' is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote both the story and the theme song. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine T ...

'' for Famicom * 1992 - ''

'' for Game Boy * 1992 - ''Robocop2'' for Game Boy * 1992 - '' Hook'' for Famicom – developed by Ocean * 1992 - '' Hook'' for Game Boy – developed by Ocean * 1992 - '' Hook'' for Super Famicom – developed by

Ukiyotei was a Japanese video game developer based in Yodogawa-ku. The company was founded on 15 March 1991 by Kenshi Naruse, who served as its representative director. The company is believed to have shut down in 2002 and most of the staff including ...

* 1992 - ''Ganba League '93'' for Famicom – developed by Sting * 1993 - = '' Utopia: The Creation of a Nation'' for Super Famicom * 1993 - ''Solstice II'' = '' Equinox'' for Super Famicom – developed by Software Creations * 1993 - ''Ganba League '94'' * 1994 - ''Karura Ou'' = ''

Skyblazer ''Skyblazer'' is a platform video game published by Sony Imagesoft, released in early 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It involves Sky, the Skyblazer hero (Garuda in the Japanese version) searching for Ashura, the Lord of War, w ...

'' for Super Famicom – developed by

Record labels

Active

* Epic Records Japan

Inactive

* Antinos * Dohb Discs * So What? Records * Kowalski * mf Records (joint venture with

) * Mint Age

Current artists

2PM 2PM (; romanized; ''Tupiem'') is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. Originally a seven-piece group, for ...

* 7!! *

Abingdon Boys School Abingdon Boys School (stylized as abingdon boys school) is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005 and fronted by Japanese singer Takanori Nishikawa. Formed in 2005, the band shares a name with the British independent school Abingdon School, in Abi ...

Akeboshi , more commonly known as , is a Japanese folk singer. He is mainly known for the song ''Wind'', used as an ending theme for the first season of the anime ''Naruto''. His surname means "bright star," while his given name means "fine man." Akebosh ...

, Yoshio *

Angela Aki known professionally as , is a pop singer, songwriter and pianist. Biography Early life Aki was born in the small town of Itano in Tokushima Prefecture, in the mostly rural island of Shikoku. Her mother is Italian American and her father is ...

* Aqua Timez *

Kousuke Atari is a Japanese pop singer. He is a self-trained musician, and performs in the shimauta (island-song) style of his hometown. Discography Albums * 999.04.04Atari (アタリ) (Indies) * 000.07.30Kurudando (くるだんど) (Indies) * 002.06 ...

* Aura *

Brian the Sun Brian the Sun is a Japanese rock band from Osaka. History The band was formed in 2007 in Osaka by Ryota Mori and Haruki Hakuyama. The name was inspired by the Arctic Monkeys song Brianstorm. The band's songs have been used for numerous Ani ...

* Cinemusica * The Condors * Daisuke *

Deen Deen may refer to: People * Deen (singer), singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina * Deen Castronovo, American musician * James Deen, American pornographic actor * Paula Deen, American chef and TV personality Other uses * Dīn (also ''Deen''), an Arabi ...

* Dreams Come True *

Dustz Dustz (currently stylized as DUSTZ) is a Japanese rock band fronted by French-Japanese actor Ray Fujita. Formed by Fujita and two of his classmates from the ''Lycée franco-japonais de Tokyo'', the group has gained national renown by performing ...

* Hajime, Chitose * Got7 *

Halcali , were a Japanese J-pop duo consisting of Halca and Yucali from Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. Its name is a portmanteau of and . Their debut album, '' Halcali Bacon'', reached #5 on the Oricon charts, making it the first album by a female hip-hop artis ...

* Haneyuri * Ikimono-gakari * Yuki * Sawa * LGMonkees ( No Doubt Tracks/Epic) * LMYK * Lizabet *

Yui Makino is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer, and pianist. She is best known for her work in the anime '' Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle'' where she voices Sakura and some of the theme songs for the ''Aria'' anime series. She is associated with ...

* Nao Matsushita *

Yuya Matsushita is a Japanese pop and R&B singer and actor under Japanese Dream Records. His debut single " foolish foolish" was released on November 26, 2008. He had his first breakthrough as Sebastian Michaelis in the ''Black Butler'' musical and since then, ...

* Yukie Nakama * Nangi * Naoto * NiziU * No3b * Nodame Orchestra *

Nothing's Carved in Stone Nothing's Carved in Stone is a Japanese rock band formed in January 2009. After Ellegarden decided to go into hiatus in 2008, the group's guitarist Shinichi Ubukata created Nothing's Carved in Stone as his solo project. Their debut album ''Parall ...

* Pengin *

(Epic/mf) * Shigi * Solita *

Stance Punks Stance Punks are a Japanese punk rock band, formed in 1998. The band gained fame through their performances at a rooftop live-venue in Shimokitazawa. Stance Punks' name spread overseas when their song "Mayonaka Shounen Totsugekidan" was used as ...

(Epic/Kowalski/Dynamord) *

Stray Kids Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin ...

* Sugaru, Matsutani (Epic/Informel) * Masaki Suda * Masayuki Suzuki * Takachiya * Yutaka Take *

Theatre Brook Theatre Brook (シアター・ブルック ''Shiatā Burukku'') is a Japanese funk rock band that made its debut in 1986. The band's current line-up are: Taiji Sato (vocals & electric guitar), Takashi Nakajo (bass), Takashi Numazawa (drums), an ...

T.M.Revolution is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, voice artist, radio personality, and businessman. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for , stemming from the famous '80s pop electronic band TM ...

* Uranino *

Hikaru Utada , who is also known by the mononym Utada, is a Japanese-American pop singer, songwriter and producer. By 2010, Utada had become one of the most influential, and best-selling, musical artists in Japan. Born in the United States to Japanese parent ...

* Anne Watanabe *

Misato Watanabe is a Japanese pop singer. Discography Albums * ''Eyes'' (2 October 1985) * ''Lovin' you'' (2 July 1986) * ''Breath'' (15 July 1987) * ''Ribbon'' (28 May 1988) * ''Flower bed'' (1 July 1989) * ''Tokyo'' (7 July 1990) * ''Lucky'' (6 July 1991) * ...

* Yacht

Former artists

* ViViD * Crystal Kay

References

External links

Official website

Epic/Sony
at Discogs {{DEFAULTSORT:Epic Sony Records Sony Sony Music Entertainment Japan Epic Records Mass media companies based in Tokyo Software companies based in Tokyo Video game companies of Japan Japanese record labels Record labels established in 1978 Record labels disestablished in 1988 Record labels established in 2001 Re-established companies