Bushidō is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle, formalized in the Edo period (1603–1868). There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan. Bushido is also used as an overarching term for all the codes, practices, philosophies and principles of samurai culture. It is loosely analogous to the European concept of chivalry, but there are major differences.
Frontiers is the eighth studio album by the American rock band Journey, released in February 1983, by Columbia Records. This was the band's last album to feature bassist Ross Valory until 1996's Trial by Fire.
X Japan is a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam.
Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released by Warner Bros. Records on October 5, 1992, in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States. R.E.M. began production on the album while their previous album, Out of Time (1991), was still ascending top albums charts and achieving global success. Aided by string arrangements from John Paul Jones and conducted by George Hanson, Automatic for the People features ruminations on mortality, loss, mourning, and nostalgia.
Islands is the fourth studio album by English band King Crimson, released in 3 December 1971 on the record label Island. Islands is the only studio album to feature the 1971–1972 touring line-up of Robert Fripp, Mel Collins, Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace. This would be the last album before an entirely new group would record the trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red between 1973 and 1974. This is also the last album to feature the lyrics of co-founding member Peter Sinfield.
Kumiko Kōda, known professionally as Koda Kumi, is a Japanese singer from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs.
Guin Saga is a best-selling heroic fantasy novel series by the Japanese author Kaoru Kurimoto, in continuous publication since 1979. A record 100 volumes were originally planned, but the final total stands at 147 volumes and 26 side-story novels, with the last seventeen volumes and five side stories being published posthumously. She was working on the 130th volume of Guin Saga up until May 23, 2009, after which point she became too ill to write and died three days later. After the 100th book in the series was published in 2005, an event to celebrate this was held in Tokyo, with 600 attending. Guin Saga is the longest single-writer's work in the world, with total sales of 30 million copies.
The discography of Japanese-American R&B and pop singer Hikaru Utada consists of eleven studio albums, four compilation albums, eleven video albums and numerous singles and promotional singles. Utada began as a musician in the early 1990s as a member of U3, a family unit made up of her, her mother Junko Utada, also known as 1970s enka singer Keiko Fuji, and her father, musical producer Teruzane Utada. U3 released their debut album Star in 1993, with the hope to debut in America. In 1996, the group was rebranded as Cubic U, an R&B project focusing on Hikaru Utada, resulting in the English language album Precious in 1998 with record label Toshiba EMI.
Starchild is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Teena Marie, released on November 11, 1984, by Epic Records. Following the relative commercial failure of her previous album, Robbery, Starchild became the highest-selling album of Marie's career. It peaked at #9 on the US Black Albums chart and #31 on the Billboard Albums chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 1, 1985.
Russian Roulette is the seventh studio album by German heavy metal band Accept, released in 1986. It was again recorded at Dierks-Studios, but the band chose to self-produce rather than bring back Dieter Dierks as producer. It would be the last Accept album to feature Udo Dirkschneider as lead vocalist until the 1993 reunion album Objection Overruled.
Redeemer is the second studio album by Swedish metal band Machinae Supremacy, released on 28 March 2006. Originally planned for release by Music by Design Records in 2005, it was delayed when the label ceased to exist.
If is the fourth studio album by Mindless Self Indulgence. It was released through The End Records on April 28, 2008 in the UK and on April 29, 2008 in the U.S. The album debuted on Billboard's Top 200 Album Sales Chart at #27.
Breezin' is the fifteenth studio album by jazz/soul guitarist and vocalist George Benson. It is his debut on Warner Bros. Records. It not only was a chart-topper in the Jazz category but also went to #1 on the pop and R&B charts. It was certified triple platinum, making it one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.
Cartoon KAT-TUN II You is the second studio album by Japanese boy band KAT-TUN, released in Japan on April 18, 2007 by J-One Records. It is the group's first album that does not feature all six members, as Jin Akanishi had taken a sabbatical to study overseas six months prior to recording the songs. The album was released in three editions; a regular version with all 14 tracks, a first press edition with the same track listing as its regular counterpart with a 40-page photo booklet, and a limited edition which came with extra extended play versions of seven bonus tracks. The limited edition did not feature the song "You".
Killer is the sixth music VHS and first DVD by German rock band Die Ärzte. The 2009 DVD Overkiller is an expansion of that. The video is a video clip compilation.
Gr8 Story is a single by Japanese visual kei rock band Sug. It is part of the album Tokyo Muzical Hotel, released on March 9, 2010. It is an ending theme of the Japanese anime Reborn! from episodes 166 to 178.
Shangri-La is the eleventh studio album by Japanese rock band Mucc, released on November 28, 2012. It continues the sound used in their previous album Karma, this time with elements of metalcore.
"OSCA" is a song by Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen, led by musician Ringo Sheena. It was released as the band's fourth single on July 11, 2007, as one of the two singles before the band's third album Variety (2007). It was the first and only single released by the band that did not feature writing by vocalist Sheena, instead created by the band's second guitarist, Ukigumo.
Sandaime J Soul Brothers, formerly simply J Soul Brothers and also known as Sandaime J Soul Brothers from Exile Tribe, are a J-pop vocal and dance group formed by Exile ex-leader and producer Hiroyuki Igarashi in Japan in 1991. Sandaime J Soul Brothers are managed by Hiroyuki's talent agency LDH and are a part of the supergroup, Exile Tribe. Reformed exclusively by Exile's Vocal Battle Audition in 2010, Sandaime J Soul Brothers released their first single "Best Friend's Girl" in November 2010, which peaked at number three on the Oricon Singles Chart. Their self-titled debut album J Soul Brothers, released in 2011, also peaked at number three. In 2013, they achieved their first number-one record with their third album Miracle.
Kikuuiki is the fourth studio album by Japanese band Sakanaction. It was released on March 17, 2010, through Victor Entertainment. In January, the album was preceded by the single "Aruku Around", which was met with the greatest commercial success for the band since their debut, reaching number three on Oricon's singles chart. The album was nominated as one of the finalists for the CD Shop Awards, and was lauded by critics for its cohesive sound and literary lyrics. At the time of release, it was their most commercially successful release since their debut, reaching number three in Japan.
