GACKT
Gackt M.S. Camui (ガクト, but most often written in English, even in Japan, pronounced "ga-ku-to") is a song writer, vocalist, multi-talented instrumentalist (trumpet, tuba, horn, trombone, piano, guitar, drums, bass), as well as a beloved celebrity amongst females, both in Japan and the international J-Pop fan community. He is a former singer for Cains:feel and Malice Mizer. It was during his time with Malice Mizer that he began to achieve national recognition. He plays the trumpet, tuba, horn, trombone, piano, guitar, drums, bass, other standard orchestral instruments, and most traditional Japanese instruments. Gackt can speak Japanese, English, Mandarin, Korean, and French, with varying degrees of fluency.
Contents
Profile
Biography
Early Life
Since Gackt became a member of Malice Mizer, he has claimed (apparently jokingly) to be a vampire and to have been born on July 4th, 1540. Speculation puts his actual birth year as 1973. It should be noted that, at best, the backgrounds of most Malice Mizer members are dubious.
Born in Okinawa, Japan, Gackt's parents were strict while he was growing up. His television viewing was restricted to national or educational programming. At the age seven, Gackt nearly drowned in the Sea of Okinawa. In his autobiography, he claims that after being rescued, he became aware of supernatural abilities - he goes on to say that he does not wish to have children, for fear of passing these abilities on.
Gackt is very competitive person and has been quoted as saying "it's not that I want to win, it's just that I don't want to lose." His parents, both music teachers, forced him to take music lessons at the age of 3. At that young of an age, he would have been physically incapable of taking on such a feat. The lessons continued with Gackt having little or no interest, until he saw that his friend had far surpassed him at the instrument. Out of competitiveness, he dedicated himself to his lessons. Later he would have a similar reaction when he saw his father play the trumpet and his musical preference would shift to brass.
When Gackt turned 17, his interests shifted to rock. He eventually would focus on modern rock and play non-classical instruments proficiently. Gackt started as a drum technician for a recording studio and drummer for an unknown band. Later on, he met You and formed the band Cains:Feel, with Gackt as the vocalist.
Malice Mizer
Gackt's career in the public eye began upon joining the Visual-Kei band Malice Mizer in October 1995 as their new vocalist. With his influence, the band's music became romanticized and wistful. They shed their modern "goth" image for colorful historical costumes.
After four years, Gackt left in 1999, apparently due to either creative differences or financial problems, although it was never officially explained in detail. Gackt claimed that he was asked by Malice Mizer to leave, although he wished to stay. This has never been confirmed otherwise.
Solo career
After leaving Malice Mizer, Gackt started a solo career in the form of the band GacktJOB, consisting of several members including You, Yukihiro 'Chachamaru' Fujimura, now former members Masa and Ren, and now new members Ju-ken, Ryuichi Nishida, and Jun-Ji. His solo career was a great success as he continues to maintain a level of popularity even greater than when he was with Malice Mizer. Also, in recent news, YOSHIKI, former member and one of the founding members of X Japan, has confirmed during his appearance at Otakon 2006 that he and Gackt will be forming a band. The said band, S.K.I.N., recently debuted at Anime Expo in California, U.S.A. with other members SUGIZO (former member of Luna Sea) and Miyavi (former member of Due le Quartz).
In addition to music, Gackt has done work as an actor and in commercials, usually "playing" himself. Gackt starred in the Japanese drama Hero's Hero as well as co-starred in and authored the script for the movie Moon Child with HYDE, vocalist of L'Arc~en~Ciel. He is currently playing Uesugi Kenshin in the NHK drama Fuurinkazan.
Gackt was also involved in the PlayStation 2 game Bujingai, where he performed voice work as well as motion capture for the game's protagonist, named Lau Wong. He's also currently doing voice work for Square Enix for the next upcoming sequel of the Final Fantasy VII saga, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. In this game, Gackt has a character modeled after him, called Genesis Rhapsodos, who also appears in a hidden movie in Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, where Gackt has also done voice work for the Japanese version, as well as contributed his song REDEMPTION as its theme song.
Gackt's performances and videos are often sexually suggestive and usually contain a level of homoeroticism. This is usually considered to be a form of fan service, either for the female audience or to (theoretically) "shock" a more conservative media.
Gackt has stated in his autobiography that while he is emotionally capable of loving another man, he is sexually incapable of it.
S.K.I.N.
On May 25, 2007, the formation of the group S.K.I.N. was announced, which besides Gackt consists of fellow pop/rock artist Miyavi, former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo, and X Japan co-founder Yoshiki. The group gave its debut performance at the Anime Expo convention in Long Beach, California on June 29, 2007 and plans to release an album.
Discography
Singles
- [1999.07.07] Mizérable
- [1999.08.11] Vanilla
- [1999.11.03] Remix Of Gackt (Remix Single)
- [2000.02.09] Mirror
- [2000.02.16] OASIS
- [2000.03.08] seki-ray (鶺鴒 ~seki-ray~)
- [2000.08.30] Story (再会 ~Story~)
- [2000.11.16] Secret Garden
- [2001.03.01] Kimi no Tame ni Dekiru Koto (君のためにできること)
- [2001.09.01] ANOTHER WORLD
- [2001.12.01] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song)
- [2002.04.02] Wasurenai Kara (忘れないから)
- [2002.11.02] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song)
- [2003.03.03] Kimi ga Oikaketa Yume (君が追いかけた夢)
- [2003.06.03] Lu:na / OASIS
- [2003.06.03] Tsuki no Uta (月の詩)
- [2003.11.03] Last Song
- [2003.12.03] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song)
- [2004.10.04] Kimi ni Aitakute (君に逢いたくて)
- [2004.12.04] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song)
- [2005.01.05] Arittake no Ai de (ありったけの愛で)
- [2005.04.27] BLACK STONE
- [2005.05.25] Metamorphoze (Metamorphoze ~メタモルフォーゼ~)
- [2005.08.10] Todokanai Ai to Shitteita noni Osaekirezu ni Itoshii Tsudzuketa... (届カナイ愛ト知ッテイタノニ抑エキレズニ愛シ続ケタ…)
- [2006.01.25] REDEMPTION
- [2006.03.01] Love Letter
- [2007.02.07] No ni Saku Hana no You ni (野に咲く花のように)
- [2007.06.20] RETURNER ~Yami no Shuuen~ (RETURNER~闇の終焉~)
- [2008.11.26] Jesus (Fanclub Edition)
- [2008.12.03] Jesus (Regular Edition)
- [2009.01.21] GHOST
- [2009.03.25] Journey through the Decade
- [2009.06.10] Koakuma Heaven (小悪魔ヘヴン)
- [2009.06.17] Faraway ~Hoshi ni Negai wo~ (Faraway ~星に願いを~)
- [2009.06.24] Lost Angels
- [2009.07.01] Flower
Albums
- [1999.05.12] Mizérable (Mini-Album)
- [2000.04.26] MARS
- [2001.04.25] Rebirth
- [2002.06.19] MOON
- [2003.03.12] Crescent
- [2004.02.25] THE SIXTH DAY ~SINGLE COLLECTION~ (Best Album)
- [2004.05.26] THE SEVENTH NIGHT ~UNPLUGGED~ (Best Album)
- [2005.02.14] Love Letter
- [2005.09.21] DIABOLOS
- [2007.12.19] 0079-0088
- [2008.10.29] nine*nine
Box Set
PLATINUM BOX
- Note: Each PLATINUM BOX set is produced as limited editions and contain a Gackt collectible inside. These are designed to have the appearance of a fine bound book. Illegal copies or bootlegs of the boxsets come in cheaper cardboard cases, or regular plastic DVD hardcases, and do not contain the collectable.
- [2000.12.16] PLATINUM BOX ~I~
- [2001.12.21] PLATINUM BOX ~II~
- [2002.12.21] PLATINUM BOX ~III~
- [2003.12.17] PLATINUM BOX ~IV~
- [2004.12.15] PLATINUM BOX ~V~
- [2005.12.07] PLATINUM BOX ~VI~
- [2006.12.13] PLATINUM BOX ~VII~
- [2007.12.24] PLATINUM BOX ~VIII~ (Fanclub Edition)
- [2008.03.03] PLATINUM BOX ~VIII~ (Regular Edition)
Complete Box
- [2006.12.13] 12-gatsu no Love songs ~COMPLETE BOX~ (12月のLove songs)