A wonderful Japanese music band

[BOØWY’s Masterpieces] A comprehensive showcase from hidden fan favorites to signature hits!

Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

The songs of BOØWY, the legendary band that blazed across Japan’s 80s rock scene, still carry an undying sense of innovation and beauty.

Many of you may find your hearts seized by Kyosuke Himuro’s sensuous vocals and Tomoyasu Hotei’s inventive guitar sound—hearing them even now can send a thrill through you.

In this article, we introduce the gems they left behind, along with the stories behind them.

Longtime fans can relive the excitement of their first listen, while those new to BOØWY can immerse themselves in the band’s richly layered world and enjoy the journey.

[BOØWY’s Masterpieces] A Comprehensive Showcase from Hidden Fan Favorites to Signature Hits! (71–80)

out!BOØWY

BOØWY – OUT!

out!BOØWY

A man who shows off through the way he dresses and what he wears, and whose conversations are full of bragging.

Sometimes he’s looked at with admiration, other times he’s resented.

But once he goes home and is alone, he shows a side of himself you’d never imagine from his usual demeanor!? This is a song that portrays such a pitiable man.

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MarionetteBOØWY

Marionette

MarionetteBOØWY

Formed in Gunma Prefecture in 1981 and known as a catalyst for the band boom, BOØWY released their sixth single in July 1987.

Set to a driving, high-energy sound, it conveys an image of hurling the frustration within one’s heart.

While the sound feels bright and glamorous, the lyrics depict emotions of suffering and uncertainty.

It’s a song that also seems to teach you to live true to yourself without worrying about what’s around you.

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MarionetteBOØWY

Marionette

MarionetteBOØWY

Among BOØWY’s many songs, this one stands out as exceptionally melodic, with a guitar riff that really sticks in your head—a fan favorite.

It unusually features a strong dose of visual-kei elements and is relatively popular among women.

Since it’s from their later period, you can also see new experiments like using animation in the promotion.

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1994 -LABEL OF COMPLEX-BOØWY

BOOWY 1994 LABEL OF COMPLEX

1994 -LABEL OF COMPLEX-BOØWY

This song, with its strikingly mysterious wordplay, came out in 1994, when you couldn’t search the internet; I looked up the foreign words in a dictionary, but the mystery only deepened.

Also, Kōji Kikkawa’s participation in the chorus is intriguing as part of the path leading up to COMPLEX.

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SCHOOL OUTBOØWY

School_Out

SCHOOL OUTBOØWY

It’s a punk song with an early, almost thuggish hate-feeling of “Just quit school!”, but there’s an anecdote that after Himuro learned there were fans who actually dropped out of school because of this song, he was made to reflect on the weight of his lyrics.

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