Takanori Nishikawa's early singing career started with the band Luis~Mary where he was the lead singer. The group released a handful of singles and two albums together before ultimately disbanding.
After the disbandment of Luis~Mary Nishikawa later collaborated with the already famous musician Daisuke Asakura for the song "Black or White?" which was a success that convinced Daisuke to fully support Nishikawa's musical career.
On May 13th 1996, Nishikawa would debut as a solo artist under the stage name "T.M.Revolution" or "Takanori Makes Revolution", a nod to the famous group T.M.Network, with his first single "独裁 -monopolize-".
As T.M.Revolution, Nishikawa continued to release singles that each ran with impressive success. Some of the most notable ones include "Heart of sword~夜明け前~", the opening to the popular anime series "Rurouni Kenshin"; "High Pressure"; "Hot Limit", a pop culture phenomenon even to this day in Japan; and one of his highest selling singles, "White Breath". In 1999 T.M.Revolution Performed at the Tokyo Dome, an extremely high honor for Japanese artists, for his live titled "T.M.R LIVE REVOLUTION'99 ~THE FORCE~1999.3.17~18".
Later that year, Nishikawa announced on a radio show that he would discontinue his activities as T.M.Revolution to join together with his then producer, Daisuke Asakura, to form the two man group "the end of genesis T.M.R. evolution turbo type D" with their first single being "陽炎-KAGEROH-" which was released June 23. After releasing a few singles, releasing one album, and performing one live tour, the two decided to disband and Nishikawa continued his work as T.M.Revolution in mid 2000.
In The years following his comeback, Nishikawa would finally take the reigns of his own career by finally being able to fully become his own producer and released successful singles and gained more fans around the world with his multiple contributions to the Gundam Seed series with singles Invoke, Ignited, Vestige, Meteor, and Zips and Soul Eater with the single Resonance. Nishikawa also released the song Web of night for the Japanese soundtrack for the second Spider-Man(2004) movie.
In 2008 Nishikawa started the band "abingdon boys school" with fellow musicians Sunao(Guitar), Hiroshi Shibasaki(Guitar), and Toshiyuki Kishi(Keyboard). The band released several singles for Nana, Folk Soul, Sengoku Basara, and Soul Eater. The band had two Japan tours in 2008 and 2010 and toured Europe in 2009. The band released one more single, WE aRE, in 2012 before going on hiatus.
Nishikawa returned to his work as T.M.Revolution where he contributed songs to the anime series Sengoku Basara and Bleach. In 2013 Nishikawa collaborated with the singer Nana Mizuki to release two singles, Preserved Roses and kakumei Duelism, the first being used for the anime Valvrave the Liberator.
Nishikawa currently continues to release music as T.M.Revolution, with some songs being used for anime series, and has also collaborated with the Kpop group AOA. His newest single, Raimei, has been used for the puppet series Thunderbolt Fantasy.
In 2016 Nishikawa celebrated his 20th anniversary as T.M.Revolution. He released the album "T.M.Revolution All Time Best" which reached #1 on the oricon charts on the day of its release and started his own company, Toppu, which began selling Hot Limit outfits.
As well as being a singer, Nishikawa has also voice acted for anime characters and has starred in several musicals, movies, television shows, and commercials. Some of his notable roles include Heine from Gundam Seed, Zuzu from Galaxy Turnpike, Seymour Krelborn from Little Shop of Horrors, and many others. In marketing, Nishikawa has helped promote many things such as the Hanshin Tigers, a Japanese baseball team, and Shou Shuu Riki, a Japanese brand of air freshener. Nishikawa is also often invited to guest star on several tv shows such as Hey!Hey!Hey! and is also often invited to attend special musical events such as FNS.
As well as starring in all of these things, Nishikawa has also hosted several shows and radio shows, those of which include, Ienomi; a live streamed online chat show, Animaga; a show covering the latest in entertainment(mostly video games and anime) and All Night Nippon, a radio talk show.
He had also stepped out of the music industry and into fashion, debuting DEFROCK, his own clothing line. The term is a combination of the word differential lock (automobiles and turbine engines being a heavy theme for the clothing line) and the word rock. The clothing line has since been discontinued.
Nishikawa is also known for his charitable deeds. Starting in 2009, Inazuma Rock Festival is a music festival held every year in the Shiga prefecture where Nishikawa and other artists and bands perform every year. The festival helps raise funds to pay for the cleaning of Lake Biwa and helps brings in tourism(a goal for Nishikawa considering his role as ambassador of tourism for the Shiga Prefecture). Following the 2011 earthquake, Nishikawa started Stand Up Japan!, a charity to help victims affected by the earthquake. The charity is still running and accepting donations to this day.
T.M.Revolution incorporates many styles and genres of music. Each album differs greatly from one other, but the feeling of dance, techno and excellent vocals mixed with lyrics from Akio Inoue are present in all of his songs.
Nishikawa-san has made 4 appearances in the US: Otakon in 2003 and 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland; Pacific Media Expo 2004 in Anaheim, California, and Anime Expo in Los Angeles in 2016 . In Baltimore in 2003, thousands of fans of anime piled into the convention arena, waiting to hear T.M.Revolution live, singing his songs from familiar shows as Rurouni Kenshin and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. The reception by an American audience left him speechless, making him an international success.
T.M.Revolution is a project for everyone in Nishikawa's following. He wants to reach fans of every age, all over the world, bringing the revolution into the hearts of all. The line between vocalist and fan can only be separated by a sheet of music.
ignited
T.M.Revolution Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
今だけ 君だけ 信じてもいいんだろう?
誰もが崩れてく 願いを求め過ぎて
自分が堕ちてゆく 場所を捜してる
傷つけて揺れるしかできない
ざわめく想いが 僕らの真実なら
壊れ合うから 動けない
淋しい羽根重ねて
出逢う光のない時代の
眩しさを視せて
哀しい眸のままで 口吻けてしまう度
もっとずっと もっとそっと 守れる気がした
心しか抱き締める物のない
孤独の途中で 見失う世界がある
変われる事が 怖くなる
深い鼓動の先に
交わす炎に 描かれた
永遠が視える
壊れ合うから 動けない
淋しい羽根重ねて
出逢う光のない時代の
眩しさだけ
変われる力 恐れない
深い鼓動の先に
交わす炎よ 描かれた
運命に届け
The lyrics of T.M.Revolution's song "ignited" speak about the struggles and emotions one goes through when trying to find their place in the world. The singer questions whether they can trust their feelings for someone as they approach the end of a relationship. The fear of being alone and the search for a place to belong are common themes throughout the piece. The "roaring emotions" that surround us as we face our truths are all that we have to hold onto in the face of despair.
As the song goes on, the singer appears to question their own ability to change and evolve as they get older. They fear the deep-seated feelings within themselves and what they may reveal if exposed. The only constant is the bright light that guides them towards their destiny. The line "We can't move because we're destroying each other, embracing each other's loneliness" is particularly poignant, as it speaks to the idea that we often hold onto toxic relationships merely because we fear being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
優しいその指が 終わりに触れる時
When your gentle fingers touch the end
今だけ 君だけ 信じてもいいんだろう?
Is it okay to believe in only you, just for now?
誰もが崩れてく 願いを求め過ぎて
Everyone crumbles while seeking their desires too much
自分が堕ちてゆく 場所を捜してる
Searching for the place where they're falling themselves
傷つけて揺れるしかできない
Only able to hurt and waver
ざわめく想いが 僕らの真実なら
If these restless feelings are our truth
壊れ合うから 動けない
Unable to move because we're breaking each other
淋しい羽根重ねて
Piling up lonely feathers
出逢う光のない時代の 眩しさを視せて
Showing the radiance of an era when there was no light to meet
哀しい眸のままで 口吻けてしまう度
Every time I speak with these sorrowful eyes
もっとずっと もっとそっと 守れる気がした
I felt like I can protect you more and more gently
心しか抱き締める物のない
Having nothing to embrace but our hearts
孤独の途中で 見失う世界がある
In the middle of loneliness, there is a lost world
変われる事が 怖くなる
Becoming afraid of change
深い鼓動の先に
Beyond the deep pulse
交わす炎に 描かれた
Drawn in the flames we exchange
永遠が視える
We can see eternity
変われる力 恐れない
Not afraid of the power to change
交わす炎よ 描かれた
Oh flames we exchange, drawn
運命に届け
Deliver it to our destiny
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Akio Inoue, Daisuke Asakura
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@slavo_mir
15 years later i'm still a Gundam fan because of this man :)
@lightbornmantul3498
Yes bos
@cuteblasphemy6927
SAME HERE
@GundamLegacyExtreme
Shame they did both his characters in the series dirty... Granted it more than likely was "too expensive" for sunrise to both cast him and have him sing for the show.
Note I put that in quotes cuz other studios with budgets far less than Gundam gets do the same for Nana Mizuki who sings pretty much every opening for a series she stars in, minus like... 1 or 2 shoes I can think of.
@mr.jennethmarty7100
Me too
@unknow552
yeah
@MarriedToLetsPlay
I worked with a fansub group (Anime Kingdom) and we did the subtitles for Gundam Seed and Destiny... This song is forever ingrained into my soul.
@jhayjhay-yb1dq
thanks for.the sub
@archkenshinx
Thanks for the hard work in doing up the subs!! :)
@mariolorenzoartsantly2546
Thx for your hard work😁