Like many kids growing up in the 1990s, Yusuke Kawai's initial brush with the World Wide Web happened in elementary school.
"My first Internet experience was using my father's PC, with Windows 95, when I was in the fourth grade. I can't even remember the websites I looked at."
This seemingly innocuous exposure constituted the first steps in what would become a future career. Recording as tofubeats, the 23-year-old Kobe producer has gone from sharing his music on bulletin-board sites such as 2channel to being signed to Warner Music Japan's Unborde label, home to bona fide pop acts Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Rip Slyme and Shinsei Kamattechan. Kawai also regularly remixes perky idol pop groups and has helped other online-centric music makers find places in the idol scene.