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".
Mugen Glider
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
無常を悟ったよ、少し
遮る声
詰め込んだ荷物の隙間
クシャクシャになってた心
広げて読み返す
自分が分かったよ、少し
遮る声
詰め込んだ荷物の隙間
クシャクシャになってた夢も
広げて読み返す
辛いよ辛いもう現実と理想の境目で僕らの
夢、希望、その類 砕けた幻
痛いよ痛いもう現実を受け止めたあの日の僕らの
こころの片隅 浮かんだ面影
研ぎ澄んだ感覚
君をもっと僕をもっと感じて僕らは飛ぶ
広げた両翼
風をもっと希望もっと
僅かに羽ばたくグライダー
無限?
揺らいだ
有限
つまりは
辛いよ辛いもう現実と理想の境目で僕らの
夢、希望、その類 砕けた幻
痛いよ痛いもう現実を受け止めたあの日の僕らの
こころの片隅 浮かんだ面影
研ぎ澄んだ感覚
君をもっと僕をもっと感じて僕らは飛ぶ
広げた両翼
風をもっと希望もっと
僅かに羽ばたくグライダー
無限?
揺らいだ
有限
つまりは
無限
有限
無限
The lyrics of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION's song, "Mugen Glider" or "Infinite Glider," convey a reflection on past experiences and the realization of the fickle nature of life. The song seems to reminisce about a particular day sitting under a tree, perhaps with someone special, and being interrupted by an unknown voice. The singer appears to have gained some understanding or enlightenment from the moment and the interruption. They go on to describe their cluttered emotions and dreams, which they cannot go back to, and read slowly with a newfound clarity.
The chorus repeats about the boundary between reality and idealism, where they've experienced shattered hope and pain. However, they recall a floatation sensation, where they can sense themselves and their loved one more closely while gliding infinitesimally in the wind. The lyrics' use of both "mugen" or infinite and "yuugen" or finite, implies the contrast between the eternal and transience in life.
Line by Line Meaning
答えないあの日の木陰
The shade of that day that offered no answers
無常を悟ったよ、少し
I realized the impermanence of things, even if just a little
遮る声
A voice blocking my way
詰め込んだ荷物の隙間
The gaps in my tightly packed luggage
クシャクシャになってた心
The heart crumpled and creased within
広げて読み返す
I spread it open and read it again
戻らないあの日の木陰
The unreturnable shade of that day
自分が分かったよ、少し
I understood a little bit more about myself
辛いよ辛いもう現実と理想の境目で僕らの
It's painful, it's painful, already the boundary between our reality and our ideals
夢、希望、その類 砕けた幻
Dreams, hopes, and the like; shattered illusions
痛いよ痛いもう現実を受け止めたあの日の僕らの
It hurts, it hurts, the us of that day who had already accepted reality
こころの片隅 浮かんだ面影
A vestige that floated in a corner of our hearts
研ぎ澄んだ感覚
Sharpened senses
君をもっと僕をもっと感じて僕らは飛ぶ
Feeling you and me more, we'll fly
広げた両翼
I spread both wings wide
風をもっと希望もっと
More wind, more hope
僅かに羽ばたくグライダー
A glider that flutters only a little
無限?
Infinite?
揺らいだ
It wavered
有限
Finite
つまりは
In other words,
無限
Infinite
有限
Finite
無限
Infinite
Contributed by Aaliyah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.