Hannya: Career, Albums and the Artist in His Own Words
Hannya (般若) is a rapper from Sangenjaya in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward. Born in 1978, he began his career around 1995. Alongside recording and live performance, he is known for appearances on MC battle television and for acting.[1][2]
This guide separates his records, stage milestones and reflections on expression. It offers a route from the battles to the music, and from the music to his own account of how he approaches it.
Career milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Released his first album, Ohayo Nippon (おはよう日本), on February 18.[3] |
| 2015–2019 | Appeared as the final boss on TV Asahi’s Freestyle Dungeon.[1] |
| 2019 | Headlined a solo concert at Nippon Budokan on January 11.[1] |
| 2021 | Left Showa Records and established Yatchatta Enterprise (やっちゃったエンタープライズ).[1] |
| 2024 | Won BATTLE SUMMIT II in August.[4] |
His activities beyond competition also form part of the story. In December 2025, ABEMA announced a program following him as he used his prize money to build wells in Cambodia. That announcement documents the program and the project; it should not be read as a statement that every part of the prize had already been donated.[4]
Three albums to start with
These selections mark different stages in his recording career. For the two recent releases, the dates below refer specifically to the CD editions listed by his official shop.
| Album | Release information |
|---|---|
| Ohayo Nippon (おはよう日本) | His first album, released February 18, 2004: a starting point for his early solo work.[3] |
| Last Answer (ラストアンサー), Bonus Track Edition | CD released August 27, 2025. Includes “Once Again feat. Red Eye” and “Wasshoi (わっしょい) feat. SKRYU.”[5] |
| 2000%HIPHOP, Bonus Track Edition | CD released August 1, 2026. His official shop identifies it as his 16th album; tracks include “バカ feat. FORK” and “卒業 feat. 柊人.”[6] |
Hannya in the HIPHOPCs interview
In the interview originally published in Japanese on April 28, 2025, Hannya discusses appearance, how he wants his voice to reach people, and his willingness to reconsider his ideas. He also explains his own relationship to Auto-Tune without dismissing other artists’ use of it. The conversation offers a view of his decisions as an artist beyond titles and battle results.[7]
HIPHOPCs interviews
Official information and music
Explore more on HIPHOPCs
Sources and last checked date
Last checked: . This profile draws on official biographies, release listings and HIPHOPCs interviews. Personal recollections and plans are attributed to the interviews in which they were discussed. The source list includes Japanese originals; English interview editions are linked above.
- Hannya: official biography
- STARBASE: Hannya concert announcement and biography
- Hannya: Ohayo Nippon
- ABEMA: BATTLE SUMMIT II and the Cambodia project
- Official shop: Last Answer CD
- Official shop: 2000%HIPHOP CD
- HIPHOPCs: Hannya interview (Japanese original)
Profile card: HIPHOPCs.
