Asian Kung-Fu Generation (アジアン・カンフー・ジェネレーション Ajian Kanfū Jenerēshon, styliz… Read Full Bio ↴Asian Kung-Fu Generation (アジアン・カンフー・ジェネレーション Ajian Kanfū Jenerēshon, stylized as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION) is a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Yokohama, Japan, in 1996. For nearly its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotō, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi. Starting out as a college band, Asian Kung-Fu Generation released a series of independent EPs featuring lyrics mostly sung in English. In 2002, they released their major-label EP debut Hōkai Amplifier, from that point singing their lyrics in Japanese. The band's musical style is influenced by seminal Western alternative rock acts as well as their own local Japanese indie-rock and punk scene. Their songs incorporate various aspects of the genres, most typically expressing fast tempos and prominent power chord guitar riffs in addition to rhythmic groove and emotional lyrics. Despite the indie nature of their music, the band has enjoyed worldwide commercial success in addition to critical acclaim. Asian Kung-Fu Generation has been cited as one of the best, most balanced modern rock bands to emerge from Japan in the 2000s.

The four of them came together in the music club of their university in 1996; for Gotoh, Kita, and Yamada, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION was the first band they ever formed.

After a while, they began to perform at the school and in the local Yokohama area. Interestingly, their first songs were all written in English and, in fact, their first independent 6 track album (released in 2000) was entirely sung in English. The CDs were sold at concerts and over the internet.

In 2001, beginning with "YMD" they held many self-planned events at Yokohama's CLUB24.

Once "Konayuki," the first song in which they used Japanese lyrics, was completed, they sent copies to all the independent shows on the FM stations, and were consequently able to get their music played for the first time on FM radio.

After that, they released their second CD of original works, this time using Japanese lyrics. It achieved great success within the region and at all the Live Houses.
From this time on, starting at Shibuya, Shimokitazawa, Kichijouji and other places, they started putting on shows famed for their energy.

In 2002, they submitted a track to the Underflow Records Compilation CD. In November of the same year, they released "Houkai Amplifier," their first Mini Album to be produced professionally. This album, which would decide their future, debuted in the number 1 spot of Highline Records weekly charts, and also made it to the number 35 spot in the Oricon Indies Chart.

On April 4, 2003, "Houkai Amplifier" was re-released under Ki/oon Records. That summer, they appeared at FUJI ROCK (on the "ROOKIE A GO GO" stage), and at SUMMER SONIC '03 in Osaka.

Following their October 16, 2003 single "Kimi to Iu Hana," their first full album "Kimi Tsunagi Five M" was released on November 19.

From January 19 to February 25 2004, they went on the "five nano seconds" tour. All shows immediately sold out and were a massive success.

In 2004, their first proper single "Siren" and their second single, the iconic "Loop & Loop," were released, the former on April 14th and the latter on May 19th.

Their self-planned event ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION presents "NANO-MUGEN FEST" took place on July 1st at Nihon Budoukan and, that summer, they appeared live at festivals in areas all over the country. On August 4th, their new single "Rewrite" was released, followed by "Kimi no Machi Made" on September 23rd.

On October 20, 2004, their long-awaited new album "Sol-fa" was released and this really pushed the band to the forefront of the J-Rock scene. Then, on November 2nd, they started their second national tour: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Tour Suihai No!

June 8 2005 saw the release of "NANO-MUGEN COMPILATION," an album composed of songs from various acts, both Japanese and English-language alike. Included was their first single after "Sol-fa": "Blackout." Later, the band released their first real single in over a year; "Blue Train."

In 2006, the band released another single "World Apart," followed by their third album, "Fanclub." A month later, they released their latest album "Feedback File," which includes live versions of some of their most popular tracks.

Their song "Haruka Kanata" was chosen to be a theme song for the anime series "Naruto," and the popular single "Rewrite" was selected as a theme song to the hit anime series "Fullmetal Alchemist." The song "Aru Machi no Gunjou" was used in the animated movie "Tekkon Kinkreet," and the song "After Dark" was used as a theme song for the animated series "BLEACH." The song "Maigo Inu to Ame no Beat" was used as the opening theme for the anime "The Tatami Galaxy".

堂々巡りの夜
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

無限ではない　ほらみろ
求めたってさ
虚しくない？
いろいろ無くしちゃってさ

理由もなく
隣の犬が鳴いたな
寂しくない？

夜風のやさしさってさ

大した意味もないようなことが不安で今日も立ち止まる
無駄ならやめれば良いのに
そう　いつだって何回も繰り返すだけ

無限ではない　ほらみろ
求めたってさ
虚しくない？
いろいろ無くしちゃってさ

夢のような響きを叫んだってさ
誰もが拾うとは限らないから

大した意味もないようなことが不安で今日も立ち止まる

無駄ならやめれば良いのに
そう　いつだって何回も繰り返すだけ

Overall Meaning

The song 堂々巡りの夜 by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION expresses a sense of uncertainty and anxiety about life's infinite possibilities and the endless cycle of repetition. The lyrics start by asking whether it is really worth pursuing something when there is no guarantee of getting it and when there is always the risk of losing everything. The theme of loss and disappointment is repeated throughout the song, with references to the unsettling sound of a barking dog and the comforting breeze of a night wind. The singer seems to be struggling with the sense of purposelessness that comes with the realization that there is no end to the journey, no matter how hard one tries to find meaning.

The chorus emphasizes the idea of infinite possibilities, while at the same time acknowledging the frustration of losing what one has sought after. The lyrics suggest that even when we try to achieve something grand and meaningful, it may end up being just a whisper in the wind, with nobody hearing it. The song ends with the same sentiment of uncertainty and repetition that permeates the whole song, with the singer acknowledging the futility of trying to stop the endless cycle of repetition.

Overall, the song 堂々巡りの夜 by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION is a poignant expression of the human condition, with its inherent uncertainty and occasional moments of despair, as well as the never-ending quest for meaning and purpose.

Line by Line Meaning

無限ではない　ほらみろ
Look, it's not infinite

求めたってさ
Even if we seek it out

虚しくない？
Isn't it empty?

いろいろ無くしちゃってさ
We've lost many things

理由もなく
Without any reason

隣の犬が鳴いたな
The dog next door barked

寂しくない？
Doesn't it feel lonely?

夜風のやさしさってさ
The gentleness of the night breeze

大した意味もないようなことが不安で今日も立ち止まる
We stop again today, anxious about things that seem meaningless

無駄ならやめれば良いのに
If it's useless, we should stop doing it

そう　いつだって何回も繰り返すだけ
But we just keep repeating it over and over again