Masaharu Fukuyama arrived in the J-pop scene in 1990 with the jagged guitars and New Wave percussion of his debut Dengon—but it was just the beginning of a long and winding artistic evolution that led him to become one of Japan's most respected and successful songwriters. Fukuyama's later songs exist on both sides of the J-pop divide: many showcase mellower, more intimate arrangements—with rich vocals gliding over sparse piano or guitar—while others embrace the animated, playful theatrics that define the genre. But they're all united by Fukuyama's unmistakably emotive singing.