When Laputa was originally formed in 1993, the band's lineup was Aki on vocals, Hiro on guitar, Kusuba on bass, and Tomoi on drums. With that member lineup Laputa released their first demotape "Saddistの夢 (Saddist no yume)" in September. In November of 1993, Hideno, previously in AI SICK FACE, joined Laputa as an additional guitarist. Laputa then released their second demotape "奈落の底 (naraku no soko)" in December of '93. Hiro left Laputa shortly thereafter. Junji, formerly of visual indie band Ad de Vidar, then joined Laputa in January of 1994 as a guitarist replacing Hiro. Laputa then released their first single "私が消える (watashi ga kieru)" in May of 1994. Hideno left Laputa in July of 1994, later joining visual band Merry Go Round. Kouichi, formerly in popular indie visual band Silver-Rose, joined Laputa in the same month replacing Hideno. Laputa released an indie video titled "Paradoxical Reality" in September of 1994. Kusuba left Laputa on January 7th of 1995, and would later be in the bands Lúcide and Kraidhearz. Junji then switched instruments and became Laputa's bassist, and Laputa then had the lineup they would keep for the rest of their career. In February of 1995 Laputa released their first indie album "眩~めまい~暈 (memai)" which met with success in the visual indie scene. Laputa shot a music video for the song "Vertigo" from "眩~めまい~暈 (memai)". In February of 1996 Laputa released the indie mini-album "眩めく廃人 (kurumeku haijin)" which featured three new songs and new versions of the popular songs "Vertigo" and "Insatiable" from the "眩~めまい~暈 (memai)" album. In July of 1996 Laputa released an indie live video titled "箱庭 (hakoniwa)" featuring performances from a concert at SHIBUYA ON AIR WEST from their Paradoxical Reality TOUR IV that year.
With their increasing popularity in the visual indie scene, Laputa caught the attention of big record companies and signed to the major label Toshiba-EMI in August of 1996. Laputa released their first major single "硝子の肖像 / GARASU NO SHOUZOU" in September of 1994, which peaked at #34 on the Oricon singles chart. In October Laputa's first major album "蜉~かげろう~蝣 / KAGEROU" was released, peaking at #24 on the Oricon albums chart. Laputa released their second major single "eve ~Last night for you~" in May of 1997, peaking at #33 on the Oricon singles chart. Laputa's second major album "絵~エマダラ~斑 / e.m.a.d.a.r.a" was released in June of 1997, peaking at #24 on the Oricon albums chart. In July of 1997 Laputa released a live video called "MOV(i)E ON DARKNESS" featuring performances from a concert at SHINJUKU LIQUID ROOM in April of that year. In November of 1997 Laputa released their third major single "meet again", peaking at #20 on the Oricon singles chart. In February of 1998 Laputa released their fourth major single "揺れながら… (yurenagara)", peaking at #25 on the Oricon singles chart. Laputa's third major album "麝香 / Jakou" was released in February of 1998, peaking at #10 on the Oricon albums chart. On the same day of Jakou's release, the video "CLIPS OF CRUNCH LOOP" was released, featuring Laputa's music videos for their first four major singles and one for the song "麝香 (Jakou)". From September of 1998 to May of 1999 Laputa released the four major singles "Feelin' the sky", "Breath", "Chimes", and "Virgin cry", which peaked on the Oricon singles chart at #15, #29, #25, and #23 respectively. Laputa's fourth major album "翔~カケラ~裸 / c.a.k.e.r.a" was released in June of 1999, peaking at #10 on the Oricon albums chart. On the same day of its release, the video "CLIPS OF CRUNCH LOOP II" was released, featuring Laputa's music videos for the four singles from the "翔~カケラ~裸 / c.a.k.e.r.a" album along with bonus videos for the songs "WITH the WIND" and "Pink animals". In February of 2000, Laputa released the album "Coupling Collection + xxxk [1996-1999 singles]", a collection of the c/w songs (B-sides) from their eight major singles, along with the new song "xxxk animals" and a new version of the song "BUZZ" which was originally featured as a hidden song on their "揺れながら… (yurenagara)" single from 1998. "Coupling Collection..." peaked at #43 on the Oricon albums chart. In October of 2000, Laputa released the three-disc best-of album "3DISC BEST ~1995-1999 except Coupling Collection~", which featured 32 songs in all including Laputa's eight major singles and 24 other songs ranging from their first indie album "眩~めまい~暈 (memai)" from 1995 to their "翔~カケラ~裸 / c.a.k.e.r.a" album from 1999. "3DISC BEST..." peaked at #41 on the Oricon albums chart. That was their last release for the Toshiba-EMI label which the band left, then signing to the smaller major label Nippon-Crown. Laputa released their ninth major single and their first single on Nippon-Crown, "Shape ~in the shape of wing~" in October of 2000, peaking at #26 on the Oricon singles chart. In December of 2000 Laputa released the video "CLIPS OF CRUNCH LOOP III", featuring music videos for all three songs on the "Shape ~in the shape of wing~" single and a Director's Cut version of the music video for "Shape ~in the shape of wing~". In February of 2001 Laputa released their tenth major single "Silent on-looker", peaking at #43 on the Oricon singles chart. In March of 2001 Laputa released their fiifth major album "楽~ヘブン~園 / Heaven", peaking at #50 on the Oricon albums chart. In November of 2001 Laputa released the live video "Heaven to Perfection [Tour001 Programized-Heaven final-mission]", which featured performances from their tour that year. In March of 2002 Laputa released the mini-album "glitter", surprising many by showing the band changing styles and moving in a more electronic-oriented direction. "glitter" peaked at #66 on the Oricon albums chart. A music video for the song "POPular UPrising" from "glitter" was released. In June of 2002 the band released the dance single "深海 (shinkai) / Brand-new color", peaking at #58 on the Oricon singles chart. A music video for the song "深海 (shinkai)" was released. In July of 2002 the band released the album "誘~New Temptation~惑", peaking at #50 on the Oricon albums chart. Kouichi, who had been Laputa's lead songwriter since the "蜉~かげろう~蝣 / KAGEROU" album writing about 80% of the band's music, was reportedly in a hospital or clinic for much of this time in 2002. Because of this, he wrote only two songs on the "誘~New Temptation~惑" album, and Laputa's tour for the album consisted of less than ten concert dates. Junji wrote more of the songs on "誘~New Temptation~惑" than any other member, and would remain Laputa's lead songwriter for the rest of their career. Tomoi even wrote his first vocal songs for Laputa on the "誘~New Temptation~惑" album, the music and lyrics for the song "Dummy", and the lyrics for the song "Last". Up until then Tomoi had only co-written the instrumental song "BUZZ" with Junji. In April of 2003, Laputa released the mini-album "Sparks Monkey", peaking at #75 on the Oricon albums chart. After a year of on-and-off touring, Laputa released the mini-album "Material Pleasures" in March of 2004, peaking at #89 on the Oricon albums chart. In May of 2004 Laputa announced through their fanclub that they were disbanding, citing a desire for each of them to evolve. They released a best-of CD+DVD of their material from their years on the Nippon-Crown label titled "BEST AL+CLIPS 2000~2004" on July 28th, 2004, toured from August to September, and played their last live on September 5th, 2004 at Shibuya Koukaido. A DVD of the last live titled "ALL BURST" was released on December 15th, 2004.
Since Laputa's disbandment, Aki opened an official site at akiakiaki.com, and has written in his site's diary about writing music for an upcoming solo-project. Kouichi has a solo-project called Everlasting-K which will release its first CD on March 30th, a five-track mini-album titled "voulez-vouz". Junji has an upcoming solo-project called HALATION with a website at halation.jp. Tomoi has a website called Tomoi's Room #34, though his future activities remain unclear.
Starting paranoia
Laputa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
見上げた夢は 綺麗に弧を描く
始まりはパラノイア
束縛された いにしえのエトランゼ
問いかける いったいここは何処?
虹を渡れば 瑠璃色の世界
海を越え
廻り出すパラノイア
解放された いにしえのエトランゼ
問いかける 今までの意味を
僕たちは 影の形に
添うように生きていたね
駆け足で 過ぎ去った日々
取り戻す Myself
僕たちは 影の形に
添うように生きていたね
駆け足で 過ぎ去った日々
取り戻す Myself
少しだけ はにかみながら愛する
喜ひ満ちて
振り返る 何か見えるかい?
気付いてよ
The lyrics of Laputa's song "Starting Paranoia" describe a journey of self-discovery through a world of beauty and confusion. The first stanza describes an arch of hope in the sky, formed by a rainbow. The dream of the singer is also beautiful as it traces a perfect arch. However, this beauty is overshadowed by paranoia, which appears to be a starting point for the singer's journey.
The second stanza describes the crossing of the rainbow into a world of clarity and purity. However, even within this world, paranoia persists, indicating that the root of the singer's distress may not be external, but internal. The singer is looking for answers to questions about the meaning of their journey, and tries to find answers by looking back on their past and reclaiming themselves.
In the final stanza, the singer acknowledges that they and others have lived in the shadows of what was expected of them. But they have now found a way to love themselves with a shy smile, and look back to see if they can find something new. The tone of the song is both melancholic and optimistic, suggesting that the singer's journey is not yet complete, but they have begun to see a new path to follow.
Line by Line Meaning
虹の掛け橋 七色の希望 空に架け
A rainbow bridge of colorful hope spans across the sky
見上げた夢は 綺麗に弧を描く
The dreams we look up at beautifully arc
始まりはパラノイア
The beginning is paranoia
束縛された いにしえのエトランゼ
The ancient Etrance bound
問いかける いったいここは何処?
Asking where exactly here is
虹を渡れば 瑠璃色の世界 海を越え
If you cross the rainbow, you'll see the aqua-colored world beyond the sea
見違える程 澄み渡る時間 廻り出すパラノイア
Time becomes so clear that paranoia starts to spin again
解放された いにしえのエトランゼ
The ancient Etrance is now freed
問いかける 今までの意味を
Asking for the meaning of what came before
僕たちは 影の形に 添うように生きていたね
We lived in accordance to the shape of shadows
駆け足で 過ぎ去った日々 取り戻す Myself
I'll take back the days that flew by at a run, for myself
僕たちは 影の形に 添うように生きていたね
We lived in accordance to the shape of shadows
駆け足で 過ぎ去った日々 取り戻す Myself
I'll take back the days that flew by at a run, for myself
少しだけ はにかみながら愛する 喜ひ満ちて
I love a little shyly, and my heart fills with joy
振り返る 何か見えるかい?
Looking back, can you see anything?
気付いてよ
Realize it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-yp8ro2xe9i
超名曲
@yungabriela
지금 들어도 좋은 노래에요... 이렇게 좋은 노래가 싱글로 발매가 안되고 앨범에만 있는게 아쉽네요 작곡가인 kouichi가 본인도 그랬던 것 퍼럼 guitar boys를 생각하며 만들었다고 한 인터뷰가 기억나네요 ㅎㅎ
여튼 라퓨타 앨범 듣고 첨에 많이 놀랐죠 싱글곡보다 훨씬 좋은 노래가 많아서요 심지어 커플링곡이 메인 곡보다 더 좋았구요 (그렇다고 싱글 곡이 나쁘다는 게 아님 ㅎ ) 아래 분이 초 명곡이라고 쓰셨는데 저도 그 말에 공감하는 바입니다 ^^
@LicAnomalocaris
Muy buena cancion jeje le pueden mandar un saludo al club de los rechazados somos sus fans jejeje❤
@with-falling
monochrome的な位置づけ!?