Craftsman spirit!? An artist from Shizuoka. Special feature on bands, singers, and idols.

I got scaredKawakubo Takurou (Kyuso Nekokami)

Kyuso Nekokami – Bibitta (Music Video)

Although Kyuso Nekokami is strongly associated with Kansai since the band was formed there, the bassist Takuro Kawakubo is from Kakegawa City in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Their live shows are incredibly intense—vocalist Yamasaki often stage-dives into the crowd and even stands on audience members’ heads, showcasing his wild, unruly style.

It’s what you might call a misunderstanding.Katsumata Kunikazu (CHA-CHA)

It's what you might call a misunderstanding, cha-cha.

Kunikazu Katsumata, who works as a comedian and actor, is from Gotemba City in Shizuoka Prefecture (born in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture).

In the past, he was a member of the idol group CHA-CHA and served as its leader.

Their second single, “Iwayuru Hitotsu no Gokai Desu,” holds the highest sales among CHA-CHA’s singles.

The hero within youKuribayashi Minami

Minami Kuribayashi – The Hero Within You

Minami Kuribayashi, who is active as a singer-songwriter and voice actress, is from Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Her 24th single, “Kimi no Naka no Eiyū” (The Hero Within You), was used as the ending theme for the TV anime “Mobile Suit Gundam AGA.” The song was created for the anime, and its lyrics reflect the show’s setting and dialogue.

CASANOVAAshita Mi Rio

[TAKARAZUKA REVUE] CASANOVA [1] (Vietsub/Flower Trouple)

Formerly the top star of the Takarazuka Revue’s Flower Troupe, she drew significant attention from her days at the Takarazuka Music School.

Even as an underclassman, she was greatly loved by fans, taking on leading roles in tour performances from a young age and serving as a quasi–top star in the Moon Troupe.

After leaving Takarazuka, she signed with a major agency, and her future endeavors are highly anticipated.

Kiss me right nowHirakawa Tatsuya (LINDBERG)

LINDBERG / Kiss Me Now

Tatsuya Hirakawa, the guitarist for the rock band LINDBERG, is from Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Their second single, “Ima sugu Kiss Me,” was chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Sekai de Ichiban Kimi ga Suki!” and became their first and biggest hit.

FreedomNAOKI（LOVE PSYCHEDELICO）

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO – Freedom (Official Video)

NAOKI, the guitarist of LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, is from Shizuoka Prefecture.

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO had a style unlike anything before, so when they emerged it was a shock—and they were really cool.

NAOKI is currently also producing THE BAWDIES.

Samurai BlueZZ

ZZ – Samurai Blue

The mixture rock band ZZ was formed by five men and women from Shizuoka Prefecture.

Their 9th single, “Samurai Blue,” served as the support song for Japan’s national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

This track was newly produced based on their 8th single, “Samurai Crew.”