Hiroshi Kitadani

Hiroshi Kitadani
Kitadani performing as part of JAM Project in Paris
Background information
Born	(1968-08-24) August 24, 1968 (age 48) Susa, Yamaguchi, Japan
Genres	Pop, anison
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals and guitar
Years active	1994–present
Associated acts	Lapis Lazuli, Stagger, JAM Project, SV TRIBE

Hiroshi Kitadani (きただに ひろし, Kitadani Hiroshi^?, Kanji 北谷 洋, born August 24, 1968) is a Japanese anison vocalist, who primarily performs theme songs and other songs in anime. He also works behind the scenes of many songs. He currently works with JAM Project. He is most famous for singing the first, fifteenth and nineteenth opening themes of the popular anime series One Piece.

Hiroshi Kitadani began his singing career in 1994 when he was in a trio called Stagger. After the band released an album through Warner Music Japan, he released a self-titled album in 1999. Shortly after, he became globally recognized for singing One Piece's popular opening, We Are! Soon, he paired up with fellow musicians in the musical act Lapiz Lazuli in December of the same year. The group released a mini-album before Kitadani left.

In 2003, his big break came when he joined JAM Project. He debuted during the group's second live concert, and did not participate in studio until single Nageki no Rozario was released. From then on Kitadani became a prominent figure in the anison industry, but he was not singing many theme songs regularly like his peers in the group. By the time of JAM Project's first world tour, his popularity rose dramatically, and he became known to fans across the globe.

In 2008, Hiroshi released his first full-length studio album, R-New. In the documentary, he worked on the tracks with his friends in a small recording studio. While in the process of writing songs, he had shown that he can cook, preparing meals for himself in his own apartment. Throughout the duration of the production, JAM Project bandmate Masami Okui supplied back-up vocals and harmonization in many of the tracks on the album. On August 8, 2012, Hiroshi released his second full-length album, Real.

Throughout his journey as an anison artist, Kitadani had been to many events with JAM Project members. He had been in Latin America with his friends, Masaaki Endoh and Hironobu Kageyama, during such events as Anime Friends and the like. He also participated in Animelo, an annual summer anison music festival where JAM Project is a recurring guest. He had also collaborated with names such as Aki Misato to produce anime theme songs, forming a group called SV Tribe along with Masaaki Endoh.