Ikimono Gakari
Ikimono Gakari (Japaneseいきものがかり) is a three-man Japanese rock band, founded in 1999 and was active until March 2006 at the Independent sector. Today, they are in Japan Epic Records.
Mizuno Yoshiki and Yamashita Hotaka Ikimono Gakari founded in February 1999 in Kanagawa Prefecture and services in their first time mainly street performances. In December Kiyoe Yoshioka came up and became the lead singer. A year later, the band was dissolved, since all members were able to muster no more time alongside their studies. After the completion of the band in March 2002, was newly formed. They released their first three mini- albums under an independent label, until they came in March 2006 with their actual debut single SAKURA on the market. The song was used in commercials of NTT East on television.
The band experienced after their major debut a steep climb. The three are now active in many areas and provide music for series and films. First they drove 2010 including the title song for the movie Toki o Kakeru Shōjo (時をかける少女) and shortly after, she delivered another song to the series Gegege no Nyoubou (ゲゲゲの女房). They also sang the third and fifth intro for Naruto Shippuuden.
After releasing their first best-of album in winter 2010, which sold over 1 million copies, was the band announced that they would take a break for six months or longer since they strongly after their hectic schedules in recent years needed a break. The break finally held until July 2011.