With great sadness, it was announced on April 15 that Reita, the bassist of the GazettE, has suddenly passed away. No official cause of death has currently been disclosed. Reita was only 42 years old. He spent over half of his life playing guitar for the GazettE. Band members and fans have been left shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden loss of the talented musician. the GazettE is one of Japan’s most popular visual rock bands. Formed in 2002, the GazettE have released dozens of singles and several albums, many of them reaching the top of the Oricon Charts, and have toured internationally ..read more

Sisters Rei and Aya Kuromiya have announced their band BRATs is “No More, No More.” The on-again-off-again rock band has taken time-outs before (most recently in 2015), and this latest announcement came of March 31, nearly one year after their last live performance held on April 30, 2023. The duo made the announcement on their website and social media accounts, citing that their contracts with Avex and Office Fem had ended. According to the statement, the group is on “indefinite hiatus” but might return sometime in the future. BRATS – No more, No more (MV) The post Rei Kuromiya and BRATS ann ..read more

Vocalist AiNA THE END has released her new song “Frail” with a music video Directed by Rachel Chie Miller, the video is a collection of tightly-framed close-ups of the singer cropped for into a social media-friendly box. Featuring lyrics written by AiNA THE END, with music was cowritten with Shin Sakiura, the song was written for the film Hen na Ie. AiNA THE END – Frail Download and streaming links: https://aina.lnk.to/frail AiNA THE END continues to develop her solo career after BiSH’s disbandment in 2023. In addition to her singing career, she’s been on stage and screen. In 2022, she play ..read more

Japanese instrumental metal band ASTERISM will release their new live album THE DECISION (Live in Tokyo 23.11.2023) on streaming platforms worldwide on March 8. To celebrate the support of their international fans, the band will post the full-length live video recording of the concert on their YouTube channel for 24 hours only, beginning March 9 at 3:00pm Japan time. ASTERISM’s electrifying live performance in THE DECISION was recorded at Shibuya CYCLONE in Tokyo at the sold-out final show of the band’s one-man tour which began in Nagoya on November 4 with the release of their third full-leng ..read more

MIYAVI is set to release his first album in three years, titled “Lost In Love, Found In Pain”. This announcement came during his most recent tour and fans are ecstatic. Exploring themes of duality, the highly anticipated album will be released in two parts — the first part, “Lost in Love”, is slated for an April 3 release. “Lost In Love, Found in Pain” will include the collaborative efforts of several creative minds including Lenny Skolnik for sound production and Darren Craig in regard to visuals. Two songs released earlier this month, “Broken Fantasy” and “Tragedy Of Us”, will be featured o ..read more

Hoyaman (Sayonara, Hoyaman) Film review by David Cirone – Screening as part of Japan Society’s “Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux” film series on February 18, 2024 Hoyaman opens with a VHS clip of a costumed hero standing proudly on the beaches of the quite island of Ajishima. Garbed in a ridiculous orange mask and cape, he proudly proclaims the value of the edible sea squirts found in abundance of the island’s shores. While this intro preps us for a campy comedy, the scenes that follow set the stage for something much more sincere. We’re introduced to young brothers Akira and Shigeru ..read more

FX and JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will co-present an exclusive screening of the first episode of FX’s Shōgun, followed by a conversation with Hiroyuki Sanada. The evening will end with a networking reception featuring Japanese refreshments prepared by UKA restaurant. FX’s Shōgun, an original adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. The 10-episode limited series features ..read more

YOSHIKI Handprint and Footprint Unveiling Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre January 9, 2024 Event report and Photos by Christan Copeland Faithful X Japan and YOSHIKI fans gathered on a chilly Tuesday morning to witness the official unveiling of the legendary musician’s hand and footprint at the TCL Chinese Theatre. In September 2023, YOSHIKI was honored as “one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history” and participated as one of the first Japanese-born honorees to receive the “hand and footprint” ceremony. While the initial ceremony catered to honored guests and the p ..read more

Hikaru Utada has announced her first official greatest hits collection, titled Science Fiction. The album is scheduled for release on April 24, 2024, with 26 songs, including new recordings and mixes of “Addicted to You”, “traveling”, and “Hikari”. Utada’s new song “Naniiro demo nai Hana” will also be included on the album. Science Fiction – trailer The artist has also announced her first international tour of Japan in 6 years, which will start in Fukuoka on July 13. Website: https://www.utadahikaru.jp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuma_power/ The post Hikaru Utada announces first gr ..read more

Anime Los Angeles has announced performances by two popular Japanese artists: all-girl metal band Broken By The Scream and rock artist SANA. Both musicians will hold Q&A panels and autograph sessions in addition to their concerts. Formed in 2016, Broken By The Scream currently consists of Io and Tsubaki, and the band has toured all over the United States, Europe, and Asia accumulating a steady fan base with their unique sound and versatile vocals. 2018’s AN ALIEN’S PORTRAIT was the band’s first album and was received by fans with high praise, and their most recent album Whitewater Park wa ..read more