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".

振動覚
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

世界の端まで届く声より
君にだけ　伝えたいだけ
六弦の三フレット刻むマイ.ギター
心だけ　奮わせたいだけ

揺れる鼓膜　馳せる言葉
憂い戸惑い　此処に捨てる

特別な才能を
何ひとつ持たずとも
心今　此処で掻き嗚らす

君が嘆く
胸が痛んで
すべて包む永遠の生命
僕は叫ぶ
夜明けの雨
此処で響く永遠の生命

特別な才能を
何ひとつ特たずとも
君の閉じる闇を打ち抜く

できるなら心、それひとつ
この胸の奥を　今　此処で掻き鳴らす

Overall Meaning

The Japanese lyrics of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION's song "振動覚" is a beautiful expression of longing and inner conflict. The song speaks about the desire to communicate with a loved one in a way that extends beyond words or mundane sounds. The opening lines suggest that the voice that wants to be heard is not a common one that can reach the edge of the world but rather solely reserved for someone special. The singer talks about how the strumming of a three-fret guitar is the sound that signifies their emotional effervescence, and they want to stir their heart alone with it.

The second verse expresses a release of angst and confusion from one's eardrums with the help of the shaking membranes of the ear and lyrics that come out of the mouth. The chorus speaks about two strong emotions, one that's hurting and the other that's screaming out loud in the sound of the rain at dawn. However, even though the singer does not possess any exceptional talent, they believe that their heart is enough to pierce through the darkness that the other person is struggling with. The final line speaks about how they want to stir their heart alone with the sound of the guitar in this place, right now. It seems like they want to say or do something, but the words are stuck, and all they have is the stirring of their heart and the sound of their guitar.

Line by Line Meaning

世界の端まで届く声より
More than my voice reaching to the end of the world, there is only one thing I want to tell you

君にだけ　伝えたいだけ
It is you I want to tell, and you alone

六弦の三フレット刻むマイ.ギター
Through my guitar, with these three frets and six strings, I want to create something special

心だけ　奮わせたいだけ
I just want to feel my heart racing with excitement

揺れる鼓膜　馳せる言葉
My words resonate through your eardrums and create a sense of urgency

憂い戸惑い　此処に捨てる
Leave behind all your worries and confusion, right here and now

特別な才能を
Without any special talent

何ひとつ持たずとも
Even without anything at all

心今　此処で掻き嗚らす
It is my heart that I want to unleash and express right here and now

君が嘆く
When you lament

胸が痛んで
When your heart is in pain