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".
Flash Back
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
細胞膜に包まって３分間で４０倍
窪んだカギ穴で絡まって
解き放つ瞬間僕を刺す
最終的に砕け散って３年前そう限界なんだ
腐ったトゲヌキで抜きとって
それ超伝導
摂氏零度
浮かんで走ったあの日の影
旋風吹け
醜い過去から消し去って
強く願うそれ
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
旋風吹け
醜い僕だけ消し去って
強く願うそれ
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
旋風吹け
醜い過去から消し去って
強く願うそれ
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
The song "Flashback" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation is about longing for the past and trying to relive it. The lyrics describe the process of a flashback, where the singer is transported back in time to a moment that is important to them. The first verse talks about the physical sensation of a flashback, how it feels like the cell membrane is wrapping around them and time is speeding up. The sensation is followed by an emotional release, which the singer finds painful yet cathartic.
The second verse continues the theme of releasing the past. The singer describes a moment where they were broken, but they managed to pull themselves back together. They reflect on how the past can be toxic, like a thorny plant that needs to be uprooted. The chorus provides resolution to the song's theme, with the singer wishing to erase their ugly past and relive the beautiful future that they once had.
Overall, the song describes a feeling of nostalgia and a desire to relive a past that is now out of reach. It is a beautiful representation of how the past can haunt us and how we sometimes wish we could return to it so we could change our future.
Line by Line Meaning
細胞膜に包まって３分間で４０倍
Wrapped in a cell membrane, multiplying 40 times in 3 minutes
窪んだカギ穴で絡まって
Entangled in a depressed keyhole
解き放つ瞬間僕を刺す
The moment of release stabs me
最終的に砕け散って３年前そう限界なんだ
Ultimately shattered, it's my limit, three years ago
腐ったトゲヌキで抜きとって
Pulling it out with a rotten thorn
解き放つ瞬間僕を刺す
The moment of release stabs me
それ超伝導
That's superconductive
摂氏零度
Zero degrees Celsius
浮かんで走ったあの日の影
The shadow of the day we floated and ran
旋風吹け
Let the whirlwind blow
醜い過去から消し去って
Erase the ugly past
強く願うそれ
Strongly wishing for it
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
The future of that day is a flashback
旋風吹け
Let the whirlwind blow
醜い僕だけ消し去って
Erase only my ugly self
強く願うそれ
Strongly wishing for it
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
The future of that day is a flashback
旋風吹け
Let the whirlwind blow
醜い過去から消し去って
Erase the ugly past
強く願うそれ
Strongly wishing for it
あの日の未来がフラッシュバック
The future of that day is a flashback
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.