Kishidan

Overview

Kishidan (氣志團) is a six-piece Japanese rock band formed in 1997 in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, and signed to a major label in 2001. They record for the Avex Trax sub-label 影別苦須 虎津苦須 and are managed by Sony Music Artists. Their keyword is "Yank Rock," a fusion of yankī (delinquent) culture and punk rock, delivered in gakuran school uniforms and pompadours in the style of 1980s Japanese yankīs. Fans are called "KISSES." The band's name comes from a bōsōzoku gang in the manga Honki!.

Members

• Show Ayanocozey (綾小路翔): vocals, Dragon Voice, emcee and guitar; the band's leader, also active as DJ Ozma and with Yajima Beauty Salon
• Hikaru Saotome (早乙女光): dance and scream
• Hitomi "Tommy" Saionji (西園寺瞳): guitar (joined late 1998)
• Hoshi "Ranma" Grandmarnier (星グランマニエ): guitar (joined January 1999)
• Showchikubai "Matsu" Shiratori (白鳥松竹梅): bass (joined January 1999)
• Yukinojoe "Yukki" Shiratori (白鳥雪之丞): drums. On February 9, 2013 he announced a leave to be treated for dystonia, and in March 2014 he entered an indefinite leave of absence.
• Former member: Ai "Love-chan" Dokumamushi (毒蝮愛), the original guitarist, who left in January 1998.

Career

Formation and indie days

Kishidan formed on April 10, 1997 with Show Ayanocozey, Ai Dokumamushi, Hikaru Saotome and Yukinojoe Shiratori, initially as an instrumental band. Dokumamushi left in January 1998; Hitomi Saionji joined at the end of that year, followed by Hoshi Grandmarnier and Showchikubai Shiratori in January 1999. The band released the mini-album Bousou Yotarou Rock'n'Roll in October 2000 and the single "One Night Carnival" in June 2001, both on TINSTAR. A one-man show at Shibuya ON AIR WEST on July 1, 2001 drew so much attention that industry offers poured in, and the band signed with Toshiba EMI.

Major debut and rise (2002–2006)

Appearances in the TV drama Kisarazu Cats Eye in 2002 greatly raised their profile; when the drama became a film the following year, the band performed an outdoor concert in Kisarazu within it. On March 30, 2002 they held a free show, "3.30 Harajuku Riot," at Yoyogi Park, drawing 20,000 people. Their debut album 1/6 Lonely Night came in April 2002, and "One Night Carnival" was released as a major-label single in May. On August 30, 2003 they launched the rock festival Kishidan Banpaku, attracting 40,000 people (GLAY opened). In 2004 they played the Nippon Budokan in January, performed at SXSW in the United States, played Yoyogi National Gymnasium in July, and closed their "Kishidan Phenomenon" saga at Tokyo Dome on November 27. They made their first NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen appearance that year and returned in 2005 with "One Night Carnival." From December 2005 to April 2006 they ran their first long tour, "Kishidan Gakuen," and on August 26–27, 2006 they held Kishidan Banpaku 2006 "Kyokuto Never Land" at Fuji-Q Highland, having by then played in every prefecture in Japan. They then went on hiatus. The members had differing opinions and the band was losing its enjoyment; during the break Ayanocozey pursued a solo career as "DJ Ozma," a character created at Kishidan shows.

Comeback (2009–2016)

On January 27, 2009 the band announced its return and its move from EMI Music Japan to Avex Trax. They played the Budokan in April (12,000 people each day), founded their first official fan club, "Shiritsu Totsuka Suisan Koko," in May, and toured nationwide from July. "Omae Dattanda," released on November 2009 as part of the single "Sayonara Sekai/Omae Dattanda," became the 11th ending theme of Naruto Shippuden. In July 2010 they performed at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival in South Korea, covering Sobangcha's "Last Night Story." In 2011, to mark ten years since their major debut, they staged a 30-show series of joint-bill concerts, "Kyokuto Rock'n'Roll High School." In February 2011, costumes resembling Nazi SS uniforms on MTV Japan's Mega Vector drew criticism from the Simon Wiesenthal Center; Sony Music Artists and Avex issued apologies. In June 2012 drummer Shiratori suffered a partial muscle rupture in his left hand mid-tour and stopped performing. Kishidan Banpaku 2012 at Sodegaura Seaside Park that September introduced a two-stage format with many guest artists, drawing 40,000 over two days; 2013 drew 43,000 and 2014 drew 60,000 over three days. Shiratori began his indefinite leave after a special show on March 30, 2014. The December 2015 single "Warera Omou, Yue ni Warera Ari" became the opening theme of Kamen Rider Ghost, and in 2016 the band marked 15 years since their major debut with the tour "Kishidan Gakuen II."

20th anniversary and beyond (2017–present)

On January 8, 2017 the band held a 20th-anniversary concert at Pacifico Yokohama, where a "first-generation Kishidan" featuring Shiratori and former guitarist Dokumamushi performed "RUN★BAKURATEN★RUN" in the double encore. In April 2017 they hosted the head-to-head event "The Great Rock'n'Roll Sekigahara 2017" at Makuhari Messe with VAMPS and 10-FEET, and on December 31 they joined Momoiro Clover Z's "Momoiro Uta Gassen" (and have returned in later years). Ayanocozey received the Miura Jun Prize in December 2019, and the album One Way Generation followed in 2021. In November 2022 the band announced a pause in live activity after a 25th-anniversary Budokan show on January 3, 2023, due to Ayanocozey's throat problems. They released the digital single "MY SWEET ALIEN" (theme of the film Uchujin no Aitsu) in May 2023, returned at "Ayanokoji Sho come back special GIG" on September 13, played Ariake Arena in October, and performed "One Night Carnival" on THE FIRST TAKE in November. In November 2024 the festival moved to Makuhari Messe as "Shin Kishidan Banpaku," drawing roughly 28,000 over two days. In 2025 they held Kansai Kishidan Banpaku shows (April and July), provided the theme song "Yogorenaki Kuso Yarou-domo" for the DMM TV drama Donketsu (their first new single in over five years), played Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall in August, and held Kishidan Banpaku 2025 at Makuhari Messe in November. A 25th-anniversary tour, "Shihanseiki Shonen," runs from February 18 to August 2, 2026, with 32 shows in 26 locations.

Selected discography

• Albums: 1/6 Lonely Night (2002), Boys' Color (2003), Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die (2004), Ai Ra Bu Yuu (2005), Six Senses (2007), Kisarazu Graffiti (2010), Nipponjin (2012), Kishidan Nyuumon (2013), Furyohin (2016), Manyoshu (2017), One Way Generation (2021), The Yank Rock Heroes (2023)
• Singles: "One Night Carnival," "Zoku," "Yumemiru koro o Sugitemo," "The Aishiteru," "Aishite Night!," "Super Boy Friend," "No rain, No rainbow" (2020), and more
• Compilations: Singles Collection +3 (2004), Kishidan Grateful EMI Years 2001-2008 Bousou Damashii (2008)

Musical style and image

Kishidan's "Yank Rock" blends punk-rock energy with retro yankī imagery. Lyrics are predominantly about motorcycles, friendship, conflicts with school and adolescent love. Their uniforms are modeled on short and long gakuran and bōsōzoku-style outfits, and since 2009 they have also worn different gakuran styles and outfits from the Tokyo fashion group Saturday Nite. Live shows are highly theatrical, with pop dancing and skits in which members pretend to perish in battle with rival school gangs, plus parodies of popular songs such as Matsudaira Ken's "Matsuken Samba II" and Nakashima Mika's "Glamorous Sky." Since moving to Avex they have used ateji, such as the sub-label name 影別苦須 虎津苦須, in their promotion. "One Night Carnival" and "Zoku" appeared in Nintendo's Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan games.