There never was a single person in the Japanese music industry more influential than Tetsuya Komuro during the 1990s. Appearing at the right place at the right time, he introduced the wonders of Western techno pop into the national scene, and for a while, became the unrivaled leader in J-pop heaven. All in all, the records he's had a hand in, as a producer or songwriter, have sold over 170 million copies in Japan. Moreover, Komuro became a superstar producer, known not just to people behind the scenes, but to the record-buying public at large. His reign ended in the late 2000s with a streak of misfortunes culminating in a fraud charge, but he managed to salvage his career and return to the stage. ~ Alexey Eremenko