Kanzaki Iori (カンザキイオリ)

Overview

Kanzaki Iori (born March 11, 1997) is a Japanese Vocaloid producer, singer-songwriter and novelist. Best known for "Inochi ni Kirawarete Iru." (命に嫌われている。) and "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." (あの夏が飽和する。), he works across music, fiction and multimedia storytelling.

Career

Early life and debut

Kanzaki stopped attending school in his second year of junior high, when he became absorbed in VOCALOID. In his first year of high school he took a part-time job to buy VOCALOID software, but his PC could not run music software, so he bought a guitar instead. In his second year he bought a PC and VOCALOID with his savings. He was also in his school's light music club.

He debuted as a Vocaloid producer in January 2014 under the name "Kurogaki" (黒柿) with "one day," and changed his name to Kanzaki Iori in 2015. In August 2017 he released "Inochi ni Kirawarete Iru.", which has reached about 33 million combined plays on YouTube and Niconico as of 2025 and earned him his first Hall of Fame entry.

2018–2019

From 2018 he wrote, composed and arranged all original songs for virtual singer Kaf (花譜) through 2023. In January 2019 he wrote the image song "HEROINES" for the mobile game 47 HEROINES, and sang the opening theme of the anime Dōkyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. himself under the new project name "Schrödinger's cat." His first album "Hakushi" (白紙) followed in April. In September, Kaf's first album "Kansoku α/β," for which he wrote every track, was released, and in October he co-founded the YouTube-born creative label KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO with Kaf and others. In December he contributed keyboards and strings to the first mini album of rock band Nagagutsu wo Haita Neko.

2020–2022

In February 2020 he released his first full-length novel "Kemono" (獣) alongside the EP "Jinsei wa Comedy," with a cover by graphic designer Okusora Keita, whom he personally approached. That month he also held the "Kanzaki Iori Exhibition" at Rise Building on Spain-zaka in Shibuya, Tokyo. In July he appeared with Kaf in the promotional video for Yusuke Yamada's novel, and in September he published the novel "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." together with a "2020 ver." of the song.

Announcing a move into self-vocal work, he released his first self-sung single "Bukiyō na Otoko" on June 21, 2021, followed by "Otona" in July. On July 23 he held his first solo live, "Bukiyō na Otoko," on YouTube Live. His novel "Shin'ai naru Anata e" came out on November 11, and on December 31 Mafumafu performed "Inochi ni Kirawarete Iru." at the 72nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

On February 23, 2022, he made his first TV appearance on NHK Educational's "Hyadain × Taiiku no One-Room Music," where his workroom and song data were shown.

2023: independence

On March 4, 2023, at Kaf's 3rd One-Man Live, he announced he would leave KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO and THINKR after a May 1 performance. That day he held his 2nd One-Man Live, "Wakare nado, Shōnen Shōjo ni Osore nashi," his first with an in-person audience, and founded his own label IKIRU SHELF ("a shelf to display creations"). He released the singles "Naze" (April), "Shōnen Shōjo" (July) and "Bunka ni Natte Iku" (August). On December 23 he streamed the Acoustic Mini Live "Hibi," on YouTube and announced his third novel, a youth suspense story titled "Jiyū ni Torawareru."

2024

In June he announced a paperback edition and a complete edition with a full audio reading of his first novel "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." On August 1 he launched his official site and fan club "Inochi no Proof," and, marking his 10th anniversary, announced a project to adapt his novel to film, funded by crowdfunding that raised 8.28 million yen (165%) against a 5 million yen goal. "25-ji no Netsujō," written for Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat. Hatsune Miku, appeared in January; "Seichōtsū (Bon Soyogi Ver.)" followed in October and "Kyūketsuki" (feat. Kasane Teto & GUMI) in November.

The novel "Jiyū ni Torawareru." was published on August 23 by Kawade Shobō Shinsha. The film adaptation "3rd One-Man Memory" screened four times at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Nov. 16) and Namba Parks Cinema (Nov. 17), and signed copies were handed out to 300 fans on Nov. 23 and 30. On December 24 he hosted a YouTube event, and on December 25 released the 3rd EP "Jiyū ni Torawareru." digitally.

2025–2026

In 2025 he released "Suit" (feat. Kasane Teto & Hatsune Miku) in January, and "Ano Haru wo Kaeshite" (feat. Kagamine Rin) and "Anta wa Shinda" (feat. Kasane Teto) in June. On August 12, the anniversary of the original song's upload, he released the digital-only 4th EP "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." to celebrate the completion of its manga adaptation: seven tracks including the new song "Shōtai," all rearranged and self-sung (with some VOCALOID vocals). Re-screenings of the film were set for 12 theaters nationwide from August 23. "Doromushi" (feat. Kasane Teto) arrived on December 20, and on December 28 he held his first in-person live since going independent, "3rd One-Man Last Memory," at Nisshō Hall in Tokyo. It drew over 1,000 attendees, sold out, and was offered via nationwide live viewing, Streaming+ and a free opening segment on YouTube, concluding the two-year story. Voice actor Yuki Kaji narrated the venue announcements. Afterward he announced his fourth novel, "Inochi ni Kirawarete Iru.," for 2026.

On February 14, 2026 he released "Ikari" (feat. Noz.) and its VOCALOID version. A fan-club-only mini live, "Ashita Ikiru Tame ni," is planned for spring 2026.

Books

• "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." (Sept. 18, 2020, Kawade Shobō Shinsha)
• "Shin'ai naru Anata e" (Nov. 11, 2021; paperback Feb. 6, 2026)
• "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." manga adaptation, serialized in Comic Dengeki Daioh (Feb. 25, 2023 – Mar. 27, 2025)
• "Jiyū ni Torawareru." (Aug. 23, 2024)
• "Inochi ni Kirawarete Iru." (scheduled June 24, 2026)

Songs for other artists

All original songs for Kaf, V.W.P-lineage songs, MONSTER GIRLFRIEND, Hiori, VALIS, EMA, CIEL, Lezel, majiko, Riinu, Rokudenashi, NARLOW, Yoshino, the anime opening "Unknown World" (2019), the 47 HEROINES image song, and Project SEKAI's "25-ji no Netsujō."

Musical style

His music videos are typically text-driven, and even when images or video appear they are rarely extreme. His songs are strongly narrative: he linked his novel "Kemono" with his songs and released "Shinu Toki Shine Ba Ii" as the direct sequel to "Ano Natsu ga Hōwa suru." Many of his works explore views of life and death, and doubt of and resistance to society.