Horipro (株式会社ホリプロ, Kabushiki-gaisha Horipuro) is a large Japanese talent agency.

Horipro Inc.
Native name
株式会社ホリプロ
Company typeKabushiki gaisha
(Joint-stock company)
IndustryService industry (entertainment)
GenreTarento, actors, actresses, musical artists, comedians, entertainment management, commercial and television production
FoundedMay 1960
FounderTakeo Hori
HeadquartersIchome, 2–5, Shimomeguro, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan; ZIP 153-8660
Area served
Japan
Key people
Yoshitaka Hori (Chairman, CEO)
SubsidiariesHori Agency
Horiprocom
Horipro Enterprise
Horipro International
Taiyo Ongaku
Websitewww.horipro.co.jp
Yoshitaka Hori, the chairman & CEO of Horipro, on April 7, 2013

History edit

It was founded in 1960 as Hori Productions (ホリプロダクション Hori Purodakushon) and changed to its present name in 1990. Horipro has two locations in the United States: Nashville and Los Angeles.[1]

In the 1970s, one of Hori Productions' most famous stars was singer Momoe Yamaguchi.

In 1989, Horipro purchased the publishing assets of famed rock band Kiss. Next, the company moved on to invest in more catalogs. A year later, HoriPro Entertainment Group opened their first U.S. location in Nashville, Tennessee.[1][failed verification] Over the years, Horipro's songwriters would go on to write many hits for some of Country music's most recognized voices. [citation needed]

In the late 1990s, Horipro planned to create a "virtual idol", an electronic rendition using motion capture methods of Kyoko Date.[2][3] The virtual idol based on Date charted in Tokyo in 1996, and provided inspiration for the character of Idoru in William Gibson's eponymous novel.[4]

In 2006, Horipro's first Los Angeles location opened. The company's catalog has expanded to include over 13,000 songs in each major genre. HEG's Los Angeles location is in partnership with Horipro Music Academy, a music enrichment school for children. Additionally, HEG Los Angeles began MusicTaste, a boutique artist development label that is placed within the publishing company. MusicTaste's artists include Matt Palmer, Dori Caymmi, and more.

Horipro contracted with MediaHorse, an American music licensing and marketing firm, in 2015 for synchronization licensing in the United States.[1] Horipro sold HoriPro Entertainment Group to Mojo Music & Media in 2019.[5]

Notable talents edit

Female talents edit

Male talents edit

Comedians edit

Solo edit

Duo edit

Musical artists edit

Athletes edit

Others edit

Former Horipro artists edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Gallo, Phil (February 5, 2015). "MediaHorse to Represent Sync Rights for HoriPro". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  2. ^ a b McClure, Steve (1998). Nipponpop. Singapore: Charles E. Tuttle Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 0-8048-2107-0. OCLC 247384040 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ Wilcox, Sue Ki (1998). "19. Beyond Snowcrash: The Future of Avatars". Guide to 3D Avatars. United States: Wiley Computer Publishing (John Wiley & Sons). pp. 453–455. ISBN 0-471-24216-0. OCLC 851137094 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ Kemp, Sandra (2004). "data face". future face: image, identity, innovation. contributions from Vicki Bruce and Alf Linney. Great Britain: The Trustee of the Wellcome Trust. pp. 135. ISBN 1-86197-768-9.
  5. ^ "Mojo Music & Media Launches; Acquires Horipro Entertainment Group – Mojo Music & Media". Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "板野友美のプロフィール" [Tomomi Itano's profile] (in Japanese). Oricon.

External links edit