About Asian Kung-Fu Generation

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 rock band signed by Ki/oon Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.


The band was first formed in 1996 by Kensuke Kita, Takahiro Yamada, and Masafumi Gotō who met in a musical circle of Kanto Gakuin University, with Kiyoshi Ijichi joining the band shortly after. They played in many small venues until they released their first indie EP in 2000, a six-song EP of songs sung in English. 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 2001. In 2003, the band would release their first mini-album Hōkai Amplifier (崩壊アンプリファー, Hōkai Amplifier?), which received immense critical acclaim with the sales of the album reaching 35 on the Oricon charts.

In 2003, the band released the singles "Mirai no Kakera" (未来の破片, "Mirai no Kakera"?) and "Kimi to iu Hana" (君という花, "Kimi to iu Hana"?), which would catapult them to fame. Their first full album, Kimi Tsunagi Five M (君繋ファイブエム, Kimi Tsunagi Five M?), sold over 250,000 copies and landed in the number 5 spot on the Oricon charts in its first week. As their fame grew, fans began calling them simply Ajikan (アジカン, Ajikan?) or AKFG, shortened versions of their full name.

When 2004 came around, the band won the award for Best New Artist; their video "Kimi to iu Hana" also won the award for Best Music Video. Over the course of the year, the band would release four more singles: "Siren" (サイレン, "Siren"?), "Loop & Loop" (ループ＆ループ, "Loop & Loop"?), "Rewrite" (リライト, "Rewrite"?), which is the fourth opening song for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist and "Kimi no Machi Made" (君の街まで, "Kimi no Machi Made"?). Their song "Haruka Kanata" is the second opening of the anime Naruto. The band also released their second album, Sol-fa (ソルファ, Sol-fa?), in 2004. The album would go on to sell more than 600,000 copies and reach number one on the Oricon charts for two weeks straight.

In 2005, they released a DVD that stayed at number one on the Oricon DVD charts for an entire month, and played at sold out venues during their Re:Re: tour. The band also held Nano-Mugen Festival 2005, where eight different bands played to a sold out crowd. Later that year, the band released another single "Blue Train" (ブルートレイン, "Blue Train"?) (which managed to obtain a #5 spot on the charts), and held a short tour in the winter.

The band released two albums in 2006: Fanclub (ファンクラブ, Fanclub?) and a B-side compilation called Feedback File. Fanclub stayed in the Oricon top five for nearly two months while Feedback File entered the charts at number two. In July, the band held Nano-Mugen Festival 2006, which featured 12 different artists and sold out for all of its performances. The band then went on to release two singles in 2006, "World Apart" and "Aru Machi no Gunjō", which was featured in the anime film Tekkon Kinkreet. World Apart went on to become the band's first number one single.

In February 2008, the band released a single, Korogaru Iwa, Kimi ni Asa ga Furu (転がる岩、君に朝が降る, Korogaru Iwa, Kimi ni Asa ga Furu?), quickly followed by their sixth album, World World World. The album debuted at #1 in the Oricon charts, eventually relapsing into #6 and #9 the weeks after.

Their song After Dark is the 7th opening for the anime Bleach

Asian Kung-Fu Generation's single and album covers are designed and created by Yusuke Nakamura.

Masafumi Goto (後藤 正文, Gotō Masafumi?)

* Birthdate: December 2, 1976
* Place of Birth: Fujieda City, Shizuoka Prefecture
* Status: Married
* Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist
* Equipment:
o '75 Gibson Marauder
o Gibson Les Paul Faded Double-Cut (Faded Yellow)
o Gibson Les Paul Junior Faded Double-Cut (Worn Cherry)
o Roland Custom JC-160 amp
* Major: Economics
* Favorite Bands: Weezer, Number Girl, Teenage Fanclub, Eastern Youth and Howard Jones

Kensuke Kita (喜多 建介, Kita Kensuke?)

* Birthdate: January 24, 1977
* Place of Birth: Kanagawa Prefecture
* Lead guitarist and background vocal
* Equipment:
o Gibson Les Paul Standard (Cherry Sunburst)
o Gibson Les Paul Standard Premium Plus (Cherry Sunburst)
o Gibson Custom Shop 1954 Les Paul Standard Reissue (Ice Tea)
o Marshall 4100 JCM 900 Head + cabinet (half-stack).
o Bogner Ecstasy 4x12 with 1 cabinet in live and 2 in studio (Seen on "Aru Machi no Ganjou" and "Korogaru Iwa, Kimi ni Asa ga Furu" PV)
* Major: Economics
* Favorite Bands: Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, Supergrass and XTC

Takahiro Yamada (山田 貴洋, Yamada Takahiro?)

* Birthdate: August 19, 1977
* Place of Birth: Shizuoka Prefecture
* Bassist and background vocals
* Equipment:
o '62 Fender Jazz Bass (Lake Placid Blue, 3-Tone Sunburst)
o Ampeg Bass AH 300 Amp head
* Major: Literature
* Favorite Bands: The Beatles, Oasis, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Pet Shop Boys

Kiyoshi Ijichi (伊地 知潔, Ijichi Kiyoshi?)

* Birthdate: September 25, 1977
* Place of Birth: Kanagawa Prefecture
* Drummer
o Pearl Drums (custom set)
o Sabian cymbals
* Major: Engineering
* Favorite Bands: Brian Setzer and Hi-Standard