L'Arc-en-Ciel, stylized as L'Arc〜en〜Ciel and abbreviated as Laruku, is a Japanese rock band formed in Osaka in 1991 by bassist Tetsuya and vocalist Hyde. Following the departure of original members Hiro and Pero, guitarist Ken and drummer Sakura were recruited to replace them in 1992 and 1993, respectively. While they first got their start as a visual kei band, L'Arc-en-Ciel have not had any association with the movement since their major label debut in 1994. Sakura left the band in 1997 and was replaced by Yukihiro in January 1998, completing the current line-up.
Hideto Takarai, known by his stage name Hyde, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. Best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel since 1991, he is also the lead vocalist of Vamps and has a solo career.
Tetsuya, formerly known as Tetsu, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer, best known as bassist and bandleader of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. Formed in 1991, they have sold over 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling music artists in Japan.
Ken is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter, best known as guitarist of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. After he joined them in 1992, they went on to sell over 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling music artists in Japan. He has written a breadth of L'Arc-en-Ciel's material, including "Vivid Colors", "The Fourth Avenue Cafe", "Niji", "Kasou", "My Heart Draws a Dream", "Daybreak's Bell" and "Chase". Ken was also the vocalist and guitarist of the rock trio Sons of All Pussys, and has released a solo album entitled In Physical.
Yukihiro is a Japanese musician, best known as drummer of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel since 1998. He also sings and plays bass for his solo project Acid Android, and drums for the supergroup Petit Brabancon. Before joining L'Arc-en-Ciel he was in the popular visual kei bands Zi:Kill and Die in Cries.
"Ready Steady Go" is the twenty-third single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on February 4, 2004; it reached number 1 on the Oricon chart. The four alternate versions on the single omit each titular band member's contributions; for instance, the "Hydeless Version" features none of hyde's vocals, while the "Yukihiroless Version" has no percussion whatsoever.
"Niji" is the eighth single by Japanese rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on October 17, 1997. It reached number 3 on the Oricon chart. It was their first release after Sakura's arrest and Yukihiro joining as the band's support drummer. The title track was used as the opening theme of the animated movie Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Shishi, making them the only artist to contribute more than one song to the franchise. The single was re-released on August 30, 2006. The song is one of the band's signature songs, often played at the end of concerts.
"Honey" is the eleventh single by L'Arc-en-Ciel. It was released simultaneously with "Shinshoku ~Lose Control~" and "Kasou" on July 8, 1998. "Honey" was used as the main theme song and ending song for the TBS Television Football highlights programme "Super Soccer".
"Driver's High" is the eighteenth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on August 11, 1999 it reached number 2 on the Oricon chart. The title track was used as the first opening theme for the anime adaptation of Great Teacher Onizuka. Mary's Blood recorded a heavy metal version of the song for their 2020 cover album Re>Animator. An arranged version is also featured in the video game Gekitotsu Toma L'Arc: TomaRunner vs L'Arc-en-Ciel (2000).
"Kasou" is the twelfth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel. It was released simultaneously with "Honey" and "Shinshoku ~Lose Control~" on July 8, 1998. The song was used as the ending theme to TV Asahi's Shinsou Kyumei! Uwasa no Flie. The single debuted at number 4 on the Oricon chart. It was re-released on August 30, 2006. The single was also rerecorded by P'unk~en~ciel in 2012 as "花葬 平成十七年", in the album "P'unk is Not Dead".
"Seventh Heaven" is a song by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released as a single on May 30, 2007. It reached number one on the Oricon chart. The b-side "Honey 2007" is a rewritten version of their eleventh single "Honey", and is the sixth appearance of their alter ego, P'unk-en-Ciel. The single's music video was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award Japan for Best Rock Video in 2008.
"Daybreak's Bell" is the thirty-third single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on October 10, 2007. It also has a P'unk-en-Ciel track, "Natsu no Yuutsu [Sea in Blood 2007]", a remake of their fourth single "Natsu no Yuu-utsu [Time to say Good-bye]". It debuted at number 1 in the Oricon singles sales chart.
"Snow Drop" is the fourteenth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on October 7, 1998 it debuted at number 1 on the Oricon chart. The single was re-released on August 30, 2006. The song was used as the theme song to the TV drama Hashire Kōmuin!.
"Heaven's Drive" is the sixteenth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on April 21, 1999. The single sold over 634,000 copies in the first week of release. It topped the Oricon chart for two weeks and sold over one million copies. The band performed the song at the 50th Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
"Jiyuu e no Shoutai" is the twenty-fifth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on June 2, 2004. Its B-side "Milky Way" is the first song that was performed by their alter ego, P'unk-en-Ciel. The single debuted at the number one position on the Oricon chart, and was certified Platinum by RIAJ for shipment of 250,000 copies.
"Neo Universe/Finale" is the twentieth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel. this Double A-side single was released on January 19, 2000, as the second single from the band's eighth studio album, Real (2000). It debuted at number 1 on the Oricon chart and sold 1,103,880 copies, as certified by the RIAJ. "Finale" was used as the theme song of Ringu 0: Birthday. The third track is an instrumental song called "hole" which also featured in Ringu 0: Birthday during the opening sequence, and the fourth is a remix version of the song "Trick" from the band's seventh studio album Ray.
"Spirit Dreams Inside -Another Dream-" is the twenty-second single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on September 5, 2001. It was their first single of the 21st century and their last single until "Ready Steady Go" in 2004. The song debuted at number 1 on the Oricon chart and sold over 201,000 copies in its first week.
"Nexus 4/Shine" is the thirty-sixth single by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on August 27, 2008. The double A-side single features the song "Nexus 4" which was used in a commercial for the Subaru Legacy and the song "Shine" which was used as the opening song for the NHK anime series Guardian of the Spirit. "Nexus 4/Shine" reached number 2 on the Oricon Singles Chart and sold 109,752 in the first week.
The second season of the 1996 Rurouni Kenshin anime television series is directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi and produced by Aniplex and Fuji Television. The season ran in Japan on Fuji Television from October 30, 1996, to September 17, 1997. The season is based on volumes 7–18 of the manga series of the same name by Nobuhiro Watsuki, and depicts the fight of the former assassin named Kenshin Himura, against his successor Makoto Shishio, who aims to conquer Japan.
"Good Luck My Way" is the thirty-eighth single, and first 20th L'Anniversary's single, by L'Arc-en-Ciel, released on June 29, 2011. It was used as the closing theme song of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos. Released in three different editions; a standard, a limited, which came with a DVD of "Good Luck My Way" music clip compilation, and a "Fullmetal Alchemist". The later version contains; all of L'Arc-en-Ciel's songs that were used for the franchise, and a DVD of "Good Luck My Way" music clip "Fullmetal Alchemist" version compilation and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos theatrical version and TV spot.
