BIG IN JAPAN
L' en Ciel
 Anyone wandering in a computer shop recently may have noticed that every
Canon printer seems to be spitting out a photo-quality image of popular rockers L'Arc en
Ciel (abbreviated Laruku in Japanese). Given that the band's name means rainbow in French,
it's no accident that their colorful outfits and hair are giving voice to Canon's newest
slogan "the color is singing."
Formed in February 1991 by bassist Tetsu, the Osaka natives are no strangers to TV and
print ads. First appearing in a commercial for Sony AXIA (a special kind of cassette tape)
in 1994, lead-singer Hyde (pronounced Hai-do not Hi-de), donning his trademark white gown,
left quite an impression on many would-be fans. An extraordinarily beautiful young man,
Hyde made previous gender-bending idols such as Bowie and Boy George look like Rocky
Balboa in comparison.
After reaching number one in 1993 on the Oricon indies charts with their first album, Dune,
L'Arc en Ciel signed with Sony records and made their official debut in July of 1994 with
the release of the video single "Nemuri ni Yosete." Their third album, Heavenly,
entered the Oricon charts at number three in November 1995 and by the end of 1996 Laruku
finally hit number one with their 4th album, True, which remained in the top ten
for over two months.
The band's ride to the pot of gold, however, was not to be without its share of bumps. In
early 1997, drummer Sakura was arrested by police for heroin possession and later tried
and found guilty (he was placed on probation for the offense). Known for his costumes and
dead-pan sense of humor (once, when asked his favorite animal, he replied,
"Sakura") the drummer officially departed from the band in November 1997 and was
replaced by former Die in Cries percussionist Yukihiro. While the band's management
company insisted that the split was Sakura's decision, some fans maintain that he was
booted out over the heroin conviction. Loyalty to the jilted-drummer, however, didn't keep
fans away from the band's first Tokyo Dome performance on December 23. Appropriately
entitled "L'Arc en Ciel 1997 Reincarnation", the concert would make sales
history with all 56,000 available tickets being sold in just four minutes.
The group would stay in history-making mode well into 1998. Releasing three singles at the
same time mid-year, they held both the number one and two positions of the Oricon charts
in July and then again in November, becoming the first band to simultaneously hold the top
two positions twice in one year.
As regular fixtures in the world of pop, L'Arc en Ciel claim a strong influence over fad
and fashion which is perhaps best demonstrated by the overwhelming popularity of huge
shoes. At less than 160cm, the band's vertically-challenged lead singer was one of the
first performers to make platforms part of his regular attire. One might suggest that
Hyde's efforts to compensate for nature's shortcomings started the whole craze, which
isn't bad for a guy who used to work part-time at Mister Donut.
Depra Pappler
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