J-ROCK WEEK – MONDAY: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION

Asian Kung-Fu Generation has established themselves worldwide as a leading innovator in Japanese rock. No band has quite captured the roots of rock and roll and modernized it to still feel as fresh and exciting as these guys. If you’re interested in Japanese culture and its music, chances are you’ve at least heard of them.

Formed in 1996 in Yokohama, the four-man show stars Kensuke Kita on guitar, bassist Takahiro Yamada, Kyoshi Ijichi on drums and is led by frontman Masafumi Gotoh. The four jumpstarted their band while attending a university in Yokohama and released their first EP in 2000. Cool thing was, nearly all their songs involved English lyrics. After getting some popular airplay on a radio station, they began doing concerts in the Tokyo area and quickly grew to become a rock sensation. At present, AKFG has released approximately seven studio albums and a greatest hits album.

Their styles and musical influences involve lots of Western genres such as alternative rock, indie and pop punk. Like the Green Day of Japan, they’ve managed to survive throughout the years due to maintaining a balance between fast-paced guitar riffs and slowed, melodic compositions. Being a pretty simple rock band down to its core, AKFG is a beacon of light in the midst of synth and vocaloid music in Japan, as well as the onslaught of dubstep and pampered solo acts in America.

It’s also thanks to bands such as these guys that alternative rock has become an integral part of anime openings. AKFG has been showcased in multiple shows, debuting songs in anime such as Naruto, Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemist.

Asian Kung-Fu Generation on Amazon Music

NOTE: Sorry about the late post for Monday, Chrome and Youtube decided to band together and form a makeshift militia against our computers.