My Favorite Japanese Band

L'Arc~en~Ciel (ラルク アン シエル, L'Arc~en~Ciel), also known as L'Arc or Laruku (ラルク, Laruku?) to their fans, is one of the most popular Japanese rock bands. L'Arc en Ciel translates from French as the rainbow. They have sold over 25 million copies of singles and albums in Japan alone.

Members

hyde - Vocals

tetsuya - Bassist, leader

ken - Guitar

yukihiro - Drums

Ex-Memebers

sakura

Asian Kung-fu Generation (アジアン・カンフー・ジェネレーション, Ajian Kanfū Jenerēshon) is a Japanese band signed by Sony Music.

 The band was first formed in 1996 by Kensuke Kita, Takahiro Yamada, and Masafumi Gotō who met in college, with Kiyoshi Ijichi joining the band shortly after. They played many small venues until they released their first indie EP in 2000, a six-song EP of English cover songs. In the following year, the band tried to get their first Japanese single, "Kona Yuki" (粉雪, "Kona Yuki"), onto indie radio shows. The song was eventually picked up by a popular radio DJ and put into heavy rotation due to the demand of listeners. The band released their second indie CD containing songs with Japanese lyrics later in the same year. In 2002, the band would release their first mini-album Hōkai Amplifer (崩壊アンプリファー, Hōkai Amplifer?), which received immense critical acclaim with the sales of the album reaching 35 on the Oricon charts.

Members

Name: Goto Masafumi (後藤正文)
From: Chuubu, Japan
Birth Date: December 2, 1976
Birth Place: Shizuoka, Japan
Instrument: Lead vocal, rhythm guitar
Instrument Equipment: '75 Gibson Marauder, Gibson Les Paul Faded Double-Cut (Faded Yellow), Gibson Les Paul Junior Faded Double-Cut (Worn Cherry), and Roland Custom JC-160 amp.
Favorite artists: Weezer, Teenage Fanclub, NUMBER GIRL, and Eastern Youth

Name: Kita Kensuke (喜多建介)
From: Tokyo, Japan
Birth Date: January 24, 1977
Birth Place: Kanagawa, Japan
Instrument: Lead guitar, background vocal
Favorite artists: Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, Supergrass and XTC

Name: Yamada Takahiro (山田貴洋)
From: Chuubu, Japan
Birth Date: August 19, 1977
Birth Place: Shizuoka, Japan
Instrument: Bass, background vocal
Favorite artists: The Beatles, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins and Pet Shop Boys

Name: Ijichi Kiyoshi (伊地知潔)
From: Tokyo, Japan
Birth Date: September 25, 1977
Birth Place: Kanagawa, Japan
Instrument: Drums
Favorite artists: Brian Setzer, and Hi-Standard

An cafe (アンティック-珈琲店-), is a Japanese Oshare kei band formed in 2003 and signed to the independent label LOOP ASH. The band is composed of five members,which are all male.

On official sources the band name has been written in many different ways. The most consistent has been "アンティック-珈琲店-" (antikku -kōhīten-), which appears on all releases and on the official website.

The COSMOS single (released in 2004) had the name written as "ANTIC CAFE" (with "アンティック-珈琲店-" written underneath). All releases since then have had the name written as "AN CAFE" (but still with "アンティック-珈琲店-" written underneath). Due to the amount of material released containing this version of the name it seems as though this is now the preferred choice of the band. Because of it being written アンティック (antikku), it has led many fans to believe that it is "Antique Cafe" and not "Antic Cafe". This is a common misconception, and as numerous interviews state, it is indeed Antic Cafe.

Initially, vocalist Miku believed that the band should be called Athletic Cafe, but a quick search through the dictionary to look up the word "Athletic" the word "Antic" was close to it and the word antic proved to be a much more appropriate name to him and the band.

Miku (みく, Miku?) - Vocalist

Real name: Akiharu Tsukiyama (築山明治, Tsukiyama Akiharu)

Birthday: January 5, 1984

Birthplace: Nagasaki

Zodiac: Capricorn

Blood tipe: A

Height: 5'5" (164 cm)

Weight: 112 (51 kg)

Shoe size: 10 (24.5 cm)

Family: father, mother, little sister, a hamster named Milk [Miruku in japanese/ deceased] and a dog named Nyappy

Hobby: cooking, play the guitar, shopping and take baths

Fav food: Sushi, hamburger, Ramen, Pizza, Hiroshimayaki and Tondon

Fav marks (?): LHP, Royal Order, Jackrose, Justin Davis, BVLGARI

Fav color: white, black, red, gold and silver

Fav Brands: LHP, JACKROSE, BLGALIJAS tin day bis, royal order

Fav band(s)/singer: Kagerou and Ayumi Hamasaki

Perfume: KUEISA

Shampoo: karakua

Piercings: 4

Cigars: Pianissimo 1mm

Former band: Reverie

Nickname in former band: Haru

Teruki - Drums

Real name: Teruki Nagata

Birthday: December 8, 1980

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Blood tipe: A

Height: ?

Weight: 45 (?)

Family: father, mother, and two older siblings

Hobby: Nature and sake, while inquiring about music, I look back at the past.

Fav food: Apple ad Sake

Fav color: Okinawa sea, emerald green

Fav Brands: PAISTE, Pearl

Fav band(s)/singer: Dir en grey

Perfume: Cool water woman

Shampoo: Lax

Piercings: 9 left ear, 8 right ear, 1 in nose, 4 in lip, 1 left chest

Former Band: Feathers Blue

Kanon - Bass

Real name: Shinya Sano

Birthday: July 5, 1984

Zodiac: Cancer

Blood tipe: O

Height: ?

Weight: 45 (?)

Family: mother, father, grandmother, older sister, younger brother

Hobby: Shopping and games

Fav food: Gurasse and sake, Chicken Chinese noodles

Fav color: Black, purple, gold and silver

Fav band(s)/singer: Plastic Tree

Fav Brands: PAISTE, TAMAViviene Westwood Kadokawa,Kodansha publishers, Ltd, and Shueisha Publishing Co., Ltd.

Tobacco: Caster mild

Perfume: CK ON

Shampoo: huino

Piercings: 1

Bou - ex guitarist

Real name: Kazuhiro Saitou

Birthday: September 16, 1983

Zodiac: Virgo

Blood type: O

Height: 158 cm

Weight: 47 kg

Family: mother, father, and an older sister

Hobby: Sleeping

Fav food: ?

Fav band(s)/singer: Luna Sea

Fav Brands: Putumayo, Paul Smith

Perfume: Pink Sugar

Piercings: Left ear 1

Takuya - Guitar

Birthday: February 9, 1988

Zodiac: Aquarius

Hobby: furo (taking a bath)

Fav food: fruits

Fav color: white, black and red

Fav Brand: Gibson

Perfume: No preference

Shampoo: Lax

Piercings: None

Yuuki - Keyboard

Birthday: August 29

Zodiac: Virgo

Hobby: Collect watches, after going to a club go look at the puppies in Roppongi Petshop

Fav food: sweet things, spicy things, and sour things

Fav color: gold, black, and silver

Fav Brand: D&G, BLGALI, ROLEX

Cigarette: ROSE

Perfume: Febreeze

Shampoo: Vidal Sassoon

Alice nine. (アリス九號.) Is a Visual-Kei, Oshare-Kei band under PS Company that was formed by Nao(leader/drummer) in 2004. Their music varies between soft alternative rock and harder rock. When bis was still with PS Company, they were often coupled as performers.

Nao had a talk with Saga and later, Shou, Tora then Hiroto, to make a band. Shou and Tora were members of a band called Givuss

Screen Name: Shou

Real Name: Kohara Kazumasa

Position in the band: Vocalist

Born: July 5, 1981

Blood type: O

Height: 177cm

Weight: 58kg

Foot size: Actual size is 26 but usually wear 27.

Favorite brand store: DIET BUTCHER SLIM SKIN, UNDER COVER, And A, Vivienne Westwood

Favorite music: LUNASEA, KORN, Atari Teenage Riot, The Used, MUSE

Fragrance: BVLGARI black

Hobby: TV Game/shop for secondhand clothing ,and Coffee

My　phrase: WAKARUYoo (I feel that.)

Something will never give up on: Sleeping hours

My boom: Going to take a walk

My future enthusiasm: Want to be the effective artist in a nice way to the fans. I..ll work hard for that.

Screen Name: Hiroto

Real Name: Ogata Hiroto

Position in the band: Guitarist

Born: May 4, 1985

Blood type: O

Height: 166cm

Weight: 51Kg

Foot size: 26cm

Favorite brand store: Effect, Addidas

Favorite music: Post Rock, Something HOT

Fragrance: None

Hobby: Go around to see the sight in Japan, photos

My　phrase: IKERUDARO (Can you GO!?)

Something will never give up on: My belief and Guitar

My boom: Skateboard, collecting shoes

My future enthusiasm: I..ll go toward to the scene I..d never seen.

Screen Name: Tora

Real Name: Amano Shinji

Position in band: Guitarist

Born: September 17, 1982

Blood type: O

Height: 182cm

Weight: 70kg

Foot size: 26cm

Favorite brand store: GUCCI

Favorite music: Korn

Fragrance: Burberry

My　phrase: MENDOKUSeeI (means bothersome..)

Hobby: Skateboard/BMX

Something will never give up on: My beliefs

My boom: 長州小力(cho-shu-koriki)

My future enthusiasm: Make 2008, the Alice Nine Year

Screen Name: Saga

Real Name: Sakamoto Takasi

Position in the band: Bassist

Born: June 24, 1982

Blood type: AB

Height: 175cm

Weight: 55kg

Foot size: 27.0cm

Favorite brand store: NCYHAIT/abx

Favorite music: UNDERWORLD/downy/NUMBER GIRL/and the music with a hot & a floaty sound

Fragrance: DOLCE&GABBANA

My phrase: OKUSAN!(Maam !)

Hobby: Walk with a dog.

Something will never give up on: Something I am proud of

My boom: Clothing

My future enthusiasm: Go over my limit. View things widely

Screen Name: Nao

Real Name:Murai Naoyuko

Position in the band: Drummer, leader

Born: July 31, 1980

Blood type: A

Height: 170cm

Weight: 53Kg

Foot size: 26.0cm

Favorite brand store: PATRICK COX、RUPERT

Favorite music: Alternative music

Fragrance: BVLGARI BLACK、BVLGARI BLUE

My phrase: Wa-ka-ru-(I know, understand)

Hobby: HIKIKOMORI

Something will never give up on: My　time in HIKIKOMORI

My boom: Onii-kei　（mature looking)

My future enthusiasm: I..ll go crazy until I almost choke with my ardency !

SCANDAL is an all-girl pop punk band from Osaka, Japan who made their "indie" debut in 2008. They have released 3 singles on the Kitty label that were sold exclusively at Tower Records Japan; they have since become available on iTunes in both the US and Japan. However, because Kitty released their singles in such limited quantities, in 2008 they got Sony to sign them onto their Epic Records label. Due to Sony's ongoing disagreements with Apple Inc. over their iTunes Music Store and Sony's own Mora, the band's music which was formerly available on iTunes, was quickly removed from both the US and Japanese iTunes stores.

Members

* Haruna Ono (Vocals & Guitar)

* Tomomi Ogawa (Bass & Vocals)

* Mami Sasazaki (Guitar & Vocals)

* Rina Suzuki (Drums & Vocals)

STEREOPONY (ステレオポニー, STEREOPONY?) is a Japanese rock band that formed in Okinawa, Japan in 2008 consisting of NOHANA (Bass Guitar), AIMI (Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals), and SHIHO (Drums). Their song Hitohira No Hanabira(ヒトヒラのハナビラ) was the 17th ending theme for the anime series Bleach. Their first single was released on November 5, 2008. They have also performed "Namida no Mukō" (泪のムコウ?), the second opening theme for the second season of the Sunrise series Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Their latest single, "I do it", is a collaboration with fellow Sony Music Japan singer Yui, was released on April 22, 2009. Their first album "Hydrangea ga Saiteiru" (A Hydrangea Blooms) was released on the 17th of June 2009.

NOHANA - Bass Guitar

Hometown: Shimabara, Nagasaki (長崎 島原)

Birthdate: September 16, 1989

Age: 20

AIMI - Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals

Hometown: Naha, Okinawa (沖縄 那覇)

Birthdate: September 4, 1990

Age: 19

SHIHO - Drums

Hometown: Nago, Okinawa (沖縄 名護)

Birthdate: October 18, 1990

Age: 19

Abingdon Boys School is something of a super-group, though that might not be immediately apparent. Their front-man is none other than the platform dancing/silly arm waving Takanori Nishikawa, aka T.M. Revolution. Most J-pop fans already know all about him (for reasons why, see: T.M. Revolution), but what about the other strapping (not so) young lads in the band?

Members

Nishikawa Takanori (T.M. Revolution) - Vocals

SUNAO - Guitar

Shibasaki Hiroshi - Guitar

Kishi Toshiyuki - Keyboard and Programming

Support

Ikuo – bass guitar

Kozy Hasegawa - drums