Ikimono Gakari is a three member rock band that formed in 1999. They made their mainstream debut in March 2006 with Epic Japan Records. Kiyoe Yoshioka (吉岡聖恵, Yoshioka Kiy...

Ikimono Gakari is a three member rock band that formed in 1999. They made their mainstream debut in March 2006 with Epic Japan Records.

Kiyoe Yoshioka (吉岡聖恵, Yoshioka Kiyoe)
Born February 29, 1984 from Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. She is a graduate of Ebina High School and the Showa Academia Musicae Junior College. She is the band's lead vocalist, and has written lyrics to some of the band's songs. Her older brother was a classmate of both Hotaka and Yoshiki at high school. Her nicknames are Yosshie and Kiyoe-chan.

Hotaka Yamashita (山下穂尊, Yamashita Hotaka)
Born August 27, 1982 from Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hosei University. He plays the guitar and harmonica, and has written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nicknames are Hocchi and Yama-chan.

Yoshiki Mizuno (水野良樹, Mizuno Yoshiki)
Born December 17, 1982 from Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University. He is the leader of the band, and plays the guitar and vocals. He has also written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nickname is Yocchan.


Ikimono Gakari's story began with the meeting of Hotaka and Yoshiki in April 1989, at a time when they were at primary school, where both of them were given the nickname "ikimono gakari", which means "those who are in charge of the (school) pets".

They followed the same path in school and decided to create a band in February 1999 at their Atsugi College (Kanagawa Pref.). Around the same period they definitively chose Ikimono Gakari for their band name (but using a different writing method than now, including kanji: 生き物係) and started performing live in street and at live houses. Some months later, Kiyoe, the little sister of one of their schoolmates joined the band as vocalist.

But the fact is that the three young people were still busy with their studies and by 2000 the college final tests, for university entrance began: so the band made the decision to take a break starting that September before restarting activities only a year and a half later.

With the help of many live performances, the band gained more and more popularity in its local area, and in June 2003, indies label Thunder Snake gave them a chance and offered the band their first real solo concert at Atsugi Thunder Snake, the concert sold out.

The band then released their first mini-album in August entitled Makoto ni Sen'etsu nagara First Album wo Koshiraemashita..., which was sold in Thunder Snake related concert places. The band managed to sell out every subsequent concert and their success grew each time. Their contract with Thunder Snake continued without a hitch.

A second mini-album was available a year later, it sold more than 1,000 copies and the band were now becoming very popular among Kanagawa prefecture's inhabitants. A third and final four tracks indies mini-album was released on May 2005 which included a live DVD of their Atsugi Bunka Kaikan concert. Soon after though Ikimono Gakari were contacted by Sony Music which offered them a contract to sign for the major label EPIC RECORDS JAPAN.

The band's major debut single, SAKURA, released in mid-March 2006 and which is used as a commercial song theme gained a great success, with sixteen weeks on Oricon charts, creating a ideal buzz for the band to become known by general public. Experienced in live performances due to their successful indie performances Ikimono Gakari decided to give a free concert in a park of its hometown, Atsugi to which 2000 people came.

Their second single, HANABI, was quickly released after the success of their first. To celebrate the release of the new CD the band offered up another free live concert, but this time it took place in Mizuno-Yamashita in front of 5000 people. HANABI carried on do well in charts, reaching the Oricon 5th rank, certainly helped by the fact of its use as anime Bleach's ending theme.

Their third single Koi suru Otome was released in mid-October 2006, and instead of being an original song it is a re-arranged version of a song from their indies period, which is well loved by fans. The single is once again promoted as a tie-up, like coupling-with tracks, as GET CRAZY!, a cover of 80s girl band PRINCESS PRINCESS's song.

With positive and sincere attention from the media and solid foundation from their indies experience to be proud of, the band started its first tour (seven dates) in November 2006, titled Ikimono Gakari no Minasan Konnitsuaa !! 2006, with great public anticipation.

Last edit by shoichikun808 on Wednesday 02 Jul, 2008 at 20:46 +68.4%

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