PornoGraffitti

Overview

PornoGraffitti (Porno Graffitti, also known as "Porno" or "PG") is a Japanese rock duo from Innoshima, now part of Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. The band consists of vocalist Akihito Okano and guitarist Haruichi Shindō. They record for SME Records and are managed by Amuse. They made their major debut on September 8, 1999 with "Apollo," and their follow-ups "Saudade" and "Agehachō" each reached million-seller status. They are also widely known for their anime and film theme songs.

Career

• Formation and debut: The band grew out of a high-school band on Innoshima and formed in Osaka in 1994. Shindō originally sang, but gave the vocal role to Okano, whose voice was stronger, and switched to guitar. The name comes from Extreme's album Pornograffitti. They debuted as a trio with bassist Tama (Masami Shiratama).
• 1999–2003: After debuting with "Apollo," they released "Music Hour," "Saudade" and "Saboten" in rapid succession in 2000. Hits followed: "Agehachō," "Mugen" (the NHK official theme for the 2002 World Cup), "Melissa" and "Ai ga Yobu Hō e." "Hitori no Yoru" was the second opening of GTO, and "Melissa" opened Fullmetal Alchemist in 2003.
• 2004: In July they released their first best albums, PORNO GRAFFITTI BEST RED'S and BEST BLUE'S, simultaneously, taking the top two spots on the Oricon chart. Tama left in June 2004, leaving the band as a duo.
• 2006–2016: Songs included "Haneuma Rider," "Winding Road" (Ayakashi Ayashi ending), "Koyoi, Tsuki ga, Miezu Tomo" (third Bleach film), "Anima Rossa" (eleventh Bleach opening), "2012Spark" (Gyakuten Saiban film theme), "Matataku Hoshi no Shita de" (Magi opening), "Oh! Rival" (2015 Detective Conan film) and "THE DAY" (first opening of My Hero Academia, 2016). After the 2007 album Porno Graffitti, their production approach shifted, and from the December 2008 single "Koyoi, Tsuki ga Miezu Tomo" Okano and Shindō have composed all of the band's songs.
• 2017 onward: They contributed "Montage" (Puzzle & Dragons X), "Breath" (Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us), "VS" (Mix) and "Hikari Are" (Seven Deadly Sins). In September 2018 they kicked off their 20th anniversary year with their first homecoming outdoor show, Shimanami Romance Porno '18 Deep Breath, donating all proceeds to relief efforts after the July 2018 western Japan floods.
• 2021–2022: In November 2021 they released THE FIRST TAKE performances of "Theme Song" and "Saudade," followed by "Shogen" and "Akatsuki" in 2022.
• 2023: They released "Abi ga Naku," a support song for the G7 Hiroshima Summit, and on September 8 held a one-night acoustic concert at Itsukushima Shrine.
• 2024: In March they released "Kaihōku" and THE FIRST TAKE versions of "Agehachō" and "THE DAY." In July they issued the live recording of their 19th Live Circuit at Tokyo Ariake Arena. In September, marking their 25th anniversary, they released the best album Porno Graffitti Zensho ALL TIME SINGLES and held Innoshima/Yokohama Romance Porno '24 Kaihōku at Innoshima Sports Park and Yokohama Stadium. "Vivace" followed in October.
• 2025 and beyond: They released "Kotozute" in April 2025, "THE REVO" (opening of the final season of My Hero Academia) in November 2025, and "Hamidashi Gomen" in January 2026.

Musical Style

Their sound is rock-based J-pop with strong ties to anime music. Okano cites THE YELLOW MONKEY, Unicorn, Bon Jovi and Guns N' Roses as influences; Shindō cites BARBEE BOYS, The Checkers, Akina Nakamori, Extreme and Eric Clapton. Both say hearing X in junior high school inspired them to become musicians. Okano and Shindō have written nearly all lyrics since the indie days, and Shindō's lyrics are regarded as a signature of the band alongside Okano's vocals. In the early years producer Akimitsu Homma (ak.homma) was deeply involved in composing and arranging, and Tama was a main songwriter. Since the single "One More Time" in September 2011, they have worked with a different arranger on each song, co-arranging with them. A band that holds solo tours every year, they are also famously nicknamed an "rain band" because their outdoor shows so often see rain.