Formed in 1991, L'Arc~en~Ciel is one of the most popular rock bands from Ja… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1991, L'Arc~en~Ciel is one of the most popular rock bands from Japan. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist hyde, leader and bassist tetsuya, guitarist ken, and drummer yukihiro, who replaced drummer sakura in 1997. From their beginnings in Osaka, Japan, they previously included guitarist hiro and drummer pero. All four members are established composers which adds variety to their catalog of songs. Their music ranges from ballads, to hard rock, to light pop-rock tunes.

Their debut single Blurry Eyes released in 1994 was used as the opening theme for the animated TV show DNA². In late 1996, L'Arc~en~Ciel gained worldwide attention for the first time after the release of their fourth album, True. This album includes the single the Fourth Avenue Cafe, which was used as an ending theme for the popular animated TV show Rurouni Kenshin. However, drummer sakura was arrested for drug possession and consequently all L'Arc~en~Ciel merchandise was removed from store shelves. The release of their single the Fourth Avenue Cafe was canceled and the song was immediately removed from the TV series.

sakura left the band in 1997, and former DIE IN CRIES drummer yukihiro replaced him for the REINCARNATION tour that year, subsequently serving as a support member for their first single after the incident, 虹 (Niji). Eventually, yukihiro officially joined the band and released the album HEART in 1998.

After the release of their eighth album REAL in 2000, L'Arc~en~Ciel went on a hiatus, releasing only compilation albums aside from their 2001 single, Spirit dreams inside -another dream-, the theme for the CG-animated Final Fantasy movie. During this time, each member engaged in solo projects: yukihiro with the band acid android, ken and former L'Arc~en~Ciel drummer sakura with SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, HYDE as a solo artist, and tetsu as TETSU69. On March 31st, 2004, L'Arc~en~Ciel released SMILE, their first album in four years.

On July 31st, 2004, L'Arc~en~Ciel performed their first concert in the United States at Otakon, a Japanese animation convention. They performed for an audience of more than 12,000 in Baltimore, Maryland.

They are best known outside of Japan for the song READY STEADY GO, which served as the second opening theme for the animated series Fullmetal Alchemist, and Link for the show's respective theatrical film. These songs earned them substantial Western popularity and attention to their album, SMILE, which was released in the United States by American label Tofu Records.

After more than a year since SMILE, the band released AWAKE on June 22nd, 2005, which was accompanied by ASIALIVE, L'Arc~en~Ciel's first tour to take them to South Korea and China, as well as the Japanese AWAKE tour.

The year 2006 marked the band's 15th anniversary since their debut. It was celebrated with the release of a box set of books titled L'Arc~en~Ciel BOX, re-releases of their first 15 singles along with the albums ark and ray, and the L'Anniversary live concerts held on November 25th and 26th. They also finally released the Fourth Avenue Cafe, the single canceled nearly 10 years prior, as part of their 15th anniversary celebrations.

The year 2007 saw increased activity for the band, with the release of four new singles, four DVD releases, the new album KISS, and the beginning of two back-to-back tours. The first was TOUR 2007-2008 THEATER OF KISS in Japan, followed by L'7 ～trans ASIA via PARIS～. The latter tour took them through Shanghai, Taiwan, Paris, Seoul, Hong Kong, and a return to Japan for shows in Tokyo and Osaka. At the end of this tour it was announced that the band would not tour again until their 20th anniversary in 2011. The band, however, says they're not on hiatus.

2008 saw the release of two new single from the band, DRINK IT DOWN released in April, and the double A-side NEXUS 4 / SHINE in August. Since then, HYDE has begun a new solo project with former OBLIVION DUST guitarist K.A.Z as VAMPS, with the release of a self-titled album and successful tours in Japan and the United States. With the legacy of 11 albums and 35 singles, L'Arc~en~Ciel continue to gather more and more fans throughout the world who eagerly await their return to renewed band activities.

Finale
L'Arc~en~Ciel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

淡く儚げな美しさ
壊されぬよう静かに抱き寄せた
月の隠れ家で求めあう
感じ取るのは運命の切なさよ
忍び寄る気配塞いでて
追いつめられた憂いの口元に触れた

終幕へ向かう日差しの中

眩し過ぎて明日が見えない
振り向いた君は時を越えて見つめている
あどけない少女のまま

この腕の中で目覚めゆく
君の悲しみがただ悲しくて
狂おしいまでに恋慕う
いつまでもそばにいて離れられぬように

降りそそぐ罪に彩られた
枯れた道を彷徨い続ける
この愛は誰も触れさせない
それが神に背く事であろうと

鏡の君は逆さまの微笑みで
途切れそうな夢紡ぎの糸を切った

永遠に沈むその祈りに
答えも無く水面が揺れてる
崩れゆく君を救えなくて
あやすように眠らせたあの時

終幕へ向かう日差しの中
眩し過ぎて明日が見えない

振り向いた君は時を越えて見つめている
あどけない少女のまま

Overall Meaning

The lyrics explore the concepts of beauty, fate, and love. The first verse describes a delicate and fleeting beauty that is held close to avoid being destroyed, alluding to the fragility of life and the desire to preserve it. The imagery of seeking refuge in a hidden place with the moon further emphasizes the transience of life and how we cling to moments of happiness. The second verse brings in a sense of impending doom, with the sun's rays blinding the singer and preventing them from seeing the future. The person they look back at transcends time and is forever frozen in youth and innocence.

The chorus speaks of a love that is all-consuming and painful, highlighting how it is worth it to stay by the person's side even if it means sacrificing anything else. The third verse adds a sense of guilt and betrayal in the relationship, with the singer wandering down a bleak path tainted with sin, unable to escape their emotions. The idea that their love is so powerful that it cannot be touched, even by God, speaks to the depth of emotions and how they defy reason. The bridge brings in a dream-like quality, with the mirror image of the person cutting the thread of a dream before it collapses, and the water rippling with no answers, echoing the confusion and uncertainty of life.

In the end, despite the harsh reality, the person the singer looks back at remains pure and untainted, forever trapped in time as they were when the singer knew them. The overall message is one of clinging to what is most precious, despite the inevitability of change and loss.

Line by Line Meaning

淡く儚げな美しさ
A delicate and ephemeral beauty

壊されぬよう静かに抱き寄せた
Quietly embraced, so as not to destroy it

月の隠れ家で求めあう
Searching for each other in the hiding place of the moon

感じ取るのは運命の切なさよ
Feeling the poignancy of fate

忍び寄る気配塞いでて
Blocked the approaching sense of unease

追いつめられた憂いの口元に触れた
Touched the lips of sadness that were cornered

終幕へ向かう日差しの中
Amidst the rays of sunshine that head towards the finale

眩し過ぎて明日が見えない
Too bright to see tomorrow

振り向いた君は時を越えて見つめている
Looking beyond time, the one who looked back is gazing

あどけない少女のまま
As if still an innocent young girl

この腕の中で目覚めゆく
Awakening in these arms