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".

月光
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

夕立が過ぎる季節を追いかける
決して届きはしないのに
いつだって悲しみは訳もなく
そっと僕を呼び寄せる

雨音消えた後には静寂が
孤独と共に夜を舞う
いつだって僕たちは訳もなく

ずっと
ただ途方に暮れる

最後の時が訪れて
夢ならば覚めて欲しかったよ
迷子を探すような月が今日も光るだけ

頬をつたう想い
溶け出して浮かぶアイロニー
僕の中の淀んだ淵から
溢れる止めなどない想いも
冷たい世界の止まない痛みを
掻き消す術など知らなかった

最後の時が訪れて

夢ならば覚めて欲しかったよ
迷子を探すような月が今日も光るだけ

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION's song Gekkou describe the feeling of being lost in sadness and how it seems to follow the singer wherever they go, even during quiet moments after the rainfall has ended. The lyrics reflect on the idea that sometimes sadness has no explanation, no reason for appearing, and yet it continues to be present. The pain is described as being relentless and never-ending, like an abyss where the singer is drowning in their own feelings.

The song continues to describe the feeling of being lost and how the singer wishes they could wake up from this nightmare that has become their reality. They want to escape the unbearable pain that comes with being lost in their thoughts and emotions. The moon is compared to a search party looking for a lost person, and it's a poignant reminder that even though there seems to be hope, it's just another unattainable dream.

Overall, the lyrics to Gekkou reflect on the idea that sometimes sadness is just a part of life, and that we must learn to live with it even when it seems like it will never go away. The singer is hopeful that the pain will eventually fade away, but they acknowledge that sometimes it never truly does.

Line by Line Meaning

夕立が過ぎる季節を追いかける
Chasing after the season when the summer showers pass

決して届きはしないのに
Even though I know I'll never catch up to it

いつだって悲しみは訳もなく
Sadness always comes without a reason

そっと僕を呼び寄せる
And quietly summons me

雨音消えた後には静寂が
After the sound of rain disappears, silence follows

孤独と共に夜を舞う
Dancing with the night, with loneliness by my side

いつだって僕たちは訳もなく
For no particular reason, we

ずっと
Are always

ただ途方に暮れる
Lost in despair

最後の時が訪れて
When the end finally comes

夢ならば覚めて欲しかったよ
I wish it were all just a dream that I could wake up from