Every self-respecting music fan has dubbed some kind of obscure band as the one that he or she secretly worships, eagerly claiming that no one else has heard of it.
Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation is a little unusual. While relatively unknown in the States, if you watch anime, chances are you've heard their songs in the openings of series such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto and Bleach.
The group recently released a new album called Best Hit AKG, which contains a selection of their best songs and a DVD with live studio recordings of many more songs. The album has the perfect mix of older and new hits and is a great launching point to get to know the band. And although it's not a fan's dream list, for the first time there are English translations included for the lyrics. Nevertheless, if you're a hardcore fan, the DVD package makes it worth the extra cash.
The band formed in Japan in 1996 as a simple team-up of four guys. Initially they were just doing indie releases and wrote in English, which was a little unusual because shortly after that they switched to singing almost exclusively in Japanese. In November 2002, they released their first major label mini-album, Hōkai Amplifier (崩壊アンプリファー). After signing onto a record label they began organizing NANO-MUGEN, a yearly festival that features not only their band but also U.S. and U.K. bands, including Weezer. Asian Kung-Fu Generation is also known for composing the main theme for the anime film Tekkonkinkreet and “After Dark,” an opening for the popular anime series Bleach.
The band received multiple awards and nominations from MTV Japan. Probably the biggest break AKFG had was doing the opening song for the fourth season of Fullmetal Alchemist in 2005, a wildly popular anime both in the States and in Japan. “Rewrite” went on to win Best Anime Theme Song in 2007, which it definitely deserved, bringing the band wide recognition in the States.
AKFG's music can be fast-paced with powerful guitar riffs or it can be slower and more somber. Other than "Rewrite," other standouts include “Re:Re” and “Shindou Kaku.” It’s definitely worth it to look up lyrics and read them while listening. Not only can you pick up on some tougher Japanese, but you can also see how poetic the band’s songs are. Without a doubt, even if you don't understand any of the lyrics, the music stands on its own as an enjoyable experience. AKFG is definitely worth it. Check them out and step outside your boundaries. They have the ability to take you into a different world and dare you to dream as you "float, cutting [yourself] off from mid-day laziness. Flying, looking down on newly born clouds."