Ayane

is a female Japanese singer from Saitama Prefecture, who is mainly known for having performed several songs used in video games and anime.

She has performed theme songs for numerous animated works, including Higurashi When They Cry, Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō, Ayakashi, 11eyes: Tsumi to Batsu to Aganai no Shōjo, the Memories Off series, and Steins;Gate, among others.

Biography She studied piano, and began writing lyrics and dancing since early childhood.

In 2004, she released her debut single, entitled "Kizuna", which was used as opening theme for the TV anime series W Wish.

On August 6 2008, Ayane released her second album, Elephant Notes. The album featured fourteen tracks, all of which are theme songs or ending themes from anime and video games. To promote the album, Ayane held campaigns with mini concerts in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka starting late August 2008. A sold-out solo live concert followed on September 28, 2008, at FAB in Omotesando, Tokyo. In spring of the same year, she embarked on her first major live tour, titled Ayane Live Tour 2009, covering the three Japanese cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. While she had previously conducted promotional events in these locations, the tour featured her debut solo live performances in Nagoya and Osaka accompanied by a live band.

On January 22, 2011, Ayane performed at the live event J-Pop in China 2011 held in Beijing, co-organized by the Japanese Embassy. She appeared alongside R&B singer Jay'ed, marking her first visit to China.

In 2012, Ayane released her single "Cry Out", her first collaboration with Japanese rock band .

In 2013, Ayane performed the opening theme song "Phenogram" for the video game Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This marked her first time contributing an opening theme to the Science Adventure series. and then "Isumo Kono Basho de", which was used as ending theme for the theatrical film Steins;Gate: The Movie − Load Region of Déjà Vu. This year she also launched her first solo-hosted radio program, titled Ayane no Choco-Bana Radio, which began streaming on July 3, 2013, via HiBiKi Radio Station. To support the album, Ayane embarked on her two-venue tour Ayane Live Tour 2014: Luminous Flux, consisting of two performances: February 15 at Osaka Muse in Osaka, and March 22 at Shinjuku Blaze in Tokyo. On October 8, 2014, Ayane released her tenth anniversary commemorative album Base Ten, for which she included re-arranged versions of previous singles, self-covers, and anime covers. This year she was also invited to numerous international anime-related events, and performed live in Russia, the United States and Taiwan.

In 2015, Ayane collaborated for the first time with fellow singer Kanako Ito on the duet track "Ascension", which was released on March 4 as part of the soundtrack single for the complete edition visual novel Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Iki. She also released her single single "If", which continued her long-standing association with the Steins;Gate franchise., as the title track was selected as the original song for the Japanese slot machine Steins;Gate Kaiten Sekai no Inductance. The single's B-side featured the song "Mirai e no Resolve," which served as the ending theme for the Playstation 4 game Megadimension Neptunia VII. She subsequently also performed the second ending theme of Gou, and the opening theme of the final season Higurashi: When They Cry – Sotsu in 2021.

Discography

Albums Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Archive Lovers Released: Label: 5pb. Records Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download, streaming 99 JPN: 2,600 Elephant Notes Released: Label: 5pb. Records Formats: CD, digital download 55 JPN: 3,400 Lyricallya Candles Released: Label: 5pb. Records Formats: CD, digital download 79 JPN: 2,700 Luminous Flux Released: Label: 5pb. Records Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download 82 JPN: 1,100 Life Time Released: Label: Mages Formats: CD, digital download, streaming —

Extended plays

JPN: 2,600 "Lunatic Tears..." 68 — JPN: 4,600 "Sono Saki ni Aru, Dareka no Egao no Tame ni" 64 — JPN: 3,200 Lyricallya Candles "Endless Tears..." 2009 25 — JPN: 4,800 "Gravity Error" 60 — JPN: 2,000 "Arrival of Tears" 22 — JPN: 10,900 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

2010s + Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPN JPN Hot 100 "Angelic Bright" 2010 40 — JPN: 2,500 Lyricallya Candles "Jūjika ni Sasagu Septet" 45 — JPN: 3,300 "Crest of Knights" 2011 151 — JPN: 600 Luminous Flux "Cry Out" 2012 168 — JPN: 300 "Itsumo Kono Basho de" 2013 34 — JPN: 5,500 "Phenogram" 54 — JPN: 2,000 "Genjutsu no Crossroad" 157 74 JPN: 400 "Kaiko no Fatalitat" 170 —

JPN: 300 "Soul Buster" 2016 — — "Resilience" 2018 — — Resilience: Memories Off Best"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

2020s + Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPN JPN Hot 100 "God's Syndrome" 2020 39 — JPN: 1,600 Analogy: Ayane Higurashi Song Collection "Irregular Entropy" 2021 57 — JPN: 1,500 "Anagram of Coda" 2022 181 — JPN: 100 Life Time "Dream On" 2023 197 — JPN: 100 "Our Days" 2024 — — "Love Groove" — — "Tatoeba Kimi ga Kodoku demo" — — "Not Always True" 2025 53 — JPN: 300 "Unreal Nonfiction" — — "Forever&ever" 2026 108 —"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other appearances + List of other appearances, showing other performing artists, year released, and album name Title Year Other performer(s) Album/EP "Eien no Mukō" 2010 Kōrin no Machi, Lavender no Shōjo Theme Song "Ascension" 2015 Kanako Itō Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sui Theme Song Collection "Hoshizora Orgel" 2021 Since Memories: Off the Starry Sky Theme Song Collection

Other — crystal2 ~Circus Vocal Collection~ Vol.2 — opening song Fractal Tree — PS2 game Que -Fairy of ancient leaf- opening theme — Wii game insert song After Rain (Live ver.) — THE WORKS — FAR EAST OF EAST / Tatsh Music Circle Touhou project Arrange CD — Wii game Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Do Don to 2 Daime Close Your Eyes (kors k mix) - ULTRA RELOAD Vol.1 feat. AKABEi SOFT2 Lunatic Tears... (DJ Shimamura Remix) — SUPER SHOT3: Game Remix Collection Red Rose Evangel — Arcade game playable song Purple Rose Fusion - Arcade game playable song - Fractional Vision (Kakusei - Fractional Vision) - Visual Novel SINCLIENT theme song Divine Beast - 1/1 character theme song Re-Start - !! -IDOL Communication- ending theme punitive justice～～ - PC game -The Garden of Fifth Zoa- ending theme (Symphonic Ver.) - STEINS;GATE SYMPHONIC REUNION REALIZE (vocals) - Cytus

With CARRY ON NIGHT (English Version) — "beatmania IIDX 10th Style" PLATONIC-XXX — "beatmania IIDX 10th Style" Don't be afraid myself — "beatmania IIDX 11: RED" Under the Sky (with Sayaka Minami from BeForU) — "beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY" & "Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2" Xepher (with Yumi Natori) — "beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY" DOUBLE ♥♥ LOVING HEART (with Sayaka Minami from BeForU) — "beatmania IIDX 13: DistorteD" CARRY ON NIGHT (Dub's Old Gamers Remix) — "V-RARE SOUNDTRACK 12" Don't be afraid myself (trance edge mix) — "V-RARE SOUNDTRACK 14"

As Junko Hirata Xepher (ver1.1) (with Tatsh and Yumi Natori) — "Bemani Top Ranker Ketteisen" Love Again... (with Tatsh) — "beatmania IIDX 11: RED CS" With Your Smile (with Shoichiro Hirata) — "beatmania IIDX 14: GOLD" (with Tatsh) — "pop'n music 14 FEVER!" Love Again... 'Brand New Life Mix' - Tatsh album MATERIAL 'Graduation Mix' - Tatsh album MATERIAL

Songs written for other artists GLORY DAYS (lyrics) — from W Wish, performed by Saeko Chiba WONDERLAND (lyrics & composition) — performed by Maria Yamamoto MOON PARTY (lyrics & composition) — performed by CoCo☆HONEYMOON (Atsuko Enomoto & Maria Yamamoto) LOVE&HISTORY (lyrics & composition) — performed by Maria Yamamoto Reijou Doll (lyrics) — PC game Reijou Trader opening theme, performed by Yuuri Nashimoto Gekkou (lyrics) — "beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY" performed by Kanako Hoshino Lunatic Tears... (lyrics) — "EXIT TRANCE PRESENTS SPEED ANIME TRANCE BEST ECSTASY" performed by xue Next Relation (lyrics) — Xbox 360 game Memories Off 6 Next Relation opening song, performed by Velforest.