Asian Kung-Fu Generation Profile

Name in Japanese	アジアン・カンフー・ジェネレーション
Origin	Yokohama, Japan
Genres	indie rock, Alternative rock
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Ki/oon, Tofu, Okami
Website	asiankung-fu.com

Asian Kung-Fu Generation's musical style is influenced by seminal Western punk and alternative rock acts in conjunction with their own local Japanese indie rock background. As a result, their songs maintain a balance of various aspects of the genres, most typically expressing fast-paced tempos and prominent, hard-edged guitar riffs as well as rhythmic flow and emotional lyrics. Despite the indie nature of their music, the band has enjoyed worldwide commercial success in addition to critical acclaim.

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History
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Asian Kung–Fu Generation was first formed in 1996 when Masafumi Gotō, Kensuke Kita, and Takahiro Yamada met in while attending a music club at Kanto Gakuin University, a private university located in Yokohama, Japan. After realizing that they all shared similar musical tastes, the three decided to start their very own band. Masafumi Gotō became the lead vocalist and played rhythm guitar, Kensuke Kita played lead guitar and sang backup and Takahiro Yamada played bass. Drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi joined them later on after parting with another college band he was in.

The four then began providing performances at their university as well as throughout the local Yokohama area. After graduating from college, following years of playing in several small venues and having collaborated with fellow Japanese rock musician Caramelman, AKFG released their first indie EP in 2000. The six-track EP contained original lyrics written and sung almost entirely in English. The four spent the remainder of the year playing in clubs and hosting independent events.

The year after, the band made an attempt to attain airplay on indie radio stations for their first Japanese single, "Konayuki" (粉雪?). The song was eventually picked up by a popular radio DJ and put into heavy rotation on the station FM Yokohama upon the demand of listeners. AKFG then released another indie EP, I'm Standing Here. This time, however, the band wrote songs in Japanese. At this time, the band had begun drawing an increasingly large number of audiences to their shows held in clubs in the districts of Shibuya, Shimokitazawa, Kichijōji, and Tokyo.

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. As a result of its success, Hōkai Amplifier was re-released on April 23, 2003 by the band's new record label, Ki/oon Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Japan.

On August 6, the band released their major-label debut single, "Mirai no Kakera" (未来の破片), with their second single, "Kimi to Iu Hana" (君という花), following shortly after. Days later, AKG held the first of what would come to be many annual concert festivals, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION presents NANO-MUGEN FES. The festival took place on August 11 at the Shinjuku LOFT.[6] The band followed it up by releasing their first full-length studio album, Kimi Tsunagi Five M (君繋ファイブエム) on November 19. The LP sold over 250,000 copies and landed in the number five spot on the Oricon charts in its first week. As their fame and following grew, fans began calling the band simply Ajikan (アジカン), which is an abridgment of their full name.

Over the course of 2004, the band released four more singles: "Siren" (サイレン), "Loop & Loop" (ループ＆ループ), "Rewrite" (リライト) and "Kimi no Machi Made" (君の街まで), before finally releasing their second full-length album, Sol-fa (ソルファ) on October 20. The album debuted at number-one on the Oricon charts where it stayed for two consecutive weeks and eventually went on to sell more than 600,000 copies.

The album received critical praised for its honed sound and high production quality, which thoroughly nullified the language barrier that frequently impeded non–Japanese-speaking audiences. This notion became evident following the domestic release of Sol-fa, when AKG fans from around the world organized themselves and petitioned for copies of the second album to be distributed outside of Japan. The support for Ajikan eventually resulted in Tofu Records striking a contract to release Sol-fa in the United States on October 18, 2005. Additionally, the song "Rewrite" found immense fame both domestically as well as on an international level when it was chosen as the fourth opening theme for the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Around the same time, their song "Haruka Kanata" enjoyed similar recognition after being used for the second opening of the anime series Naruto.

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Members
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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

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Discography
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Albums
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[2003.11.19] Kimitsunagi Five M (君繋ファイブエム)
[2004.10.20] Sol-Fa (ソルファ)
[2006.03.15] Fan Club (ファンクラブ)
[2006.10.25] Feedback File (フィードバックファイル)
[2008.03.05] World World World (ワールド ワールド ワールド)
[2008.11.05] Surf Bungaku Kamakura (サーフ ブンガク カマクラ)
[2010.04.21] Solanin songbook (ソラニン songbook)
[2010.06.23] Magic Disk (マジックディスク)
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Mini-Albums
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[2003.04.23] Houkai Amplifer (崩壊アンプリファー)
[2008.06.11] Mada Minu Ashita ni (未だ見ぬ明日に)
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Singles
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[2003.08.06] Mirai no Kakera (未来の破片)
[2003.10.16] Kimi to Iu Hana (君という花)
[2004.04.14] Siren (サイレン)
[2004.05.19] Loop & Loop (ループ&ループ)
[2004.08.04] Rewrite (リライト)
[2004.09.23] Kimi no Machi Made (君の街まで)
[2005.11.30] Blue Train (ブルートレイン)
[2006.02.15] World Apart (ワールドアパート)
[2006.11.29] Aru Machi no Gunjou (或る街の群青)
[2007.11.07] After Dark (アフターダーク)
[2008.02.06] Korogaru Iwa, Kimi ni Asa ga Furu (転がる岩、君に朝が降る)
[2008.10.15] Fujisawa Loser (藤沢ルーザー)
[2009.12.02] Shinseiki no Love Song (新世紀のラブソング)
[2010.03.31] Solanin (ソラニン)
[2010.05.26] Maigo Inu to Ame no Beat (迷子犬と雨のビート)
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DVD
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[2004.11.26] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.1 (映像作品集 1巻)
[2005.04.20] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.2 Live at Budokan+ (映像作品集 2巻 Live at 武道館+)
[2007.03.21] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.3 Tour Sui-Cup 2006-2007 The Start of a New Season (映像作品集 3巻 Tour酔杯2006-2007 "The start of a new season")
[2008.03.26] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.4 (映像作品集 4巻)
[2009.03.29] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.5 ~live archives 2008~ (映像作品集 5巻 ~live archives 2008~)
[2009.10.07] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.6 ~Tour 2009: World World World~ (映像作品集6巻 ~Tour 2009 ワールド ワールド ワールド~)
[2011.01.19] Eizou Sakuhin-shuu Vol.7  (映像作品集 7巻)