is a Japanese rock singer and musician. He was born in

Sapporo ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous cit ...

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...

, Formerly vocalist of the rock band

Pierrot Pierrot ( , , ) is a stock character of pantomime and '' commedia dell'arte'', whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne. The name is a diminutive of ''Pi ...

, he is now the vocalist of Angelo and also holds a solo career.

Bands

Kirito was initially involved with Pierrot (originally named Dizy-Lizy), then formed Angelo.

PIERROT

Kirito appeared into the world of rock for the first time in 1990, with the obscure visual kei group Crash and Noise. He then went on to join Dizy-Lizy in early 1992. The first line-up of Dizy-Lizy was Hidelow on vocals, Kirito (then going by his real name, Shinya) and Jun on guitar, Kohta on bass and Luka on drums. After the group changed its name to Pierrot, Hidelow and Luka left, while Takeo and Aiji joined creating its final line-up of; Kirito on vocals, Jun and Aiji on guitar, Kohta on bass and Takeo on drums. In 1998, the group debuted with the release of its single "Clear Sky". Before the members disbanded in 2006, they created a total of 11 albums and 19 singles. The group announced it would disband 12 April 2006.

Angelo

The group members are the remnants from Pierrot which included Kirito, Kohta and Takeo and announced its formation 14 August 2006. It quickly produced their first single, aptly titled "Reborn", which was released 8 November 2006. After only a few months, it released its second single "Winter Moon", 28 February 2007. On 18 April 2007, they released their first album, titled ''Rebirth of Newborn Baby''.

Solo career

Kirito's solo work officially began 6 July 2005, seven months before

disbanded. That same day, he released his first single entitled "Door". The movie ''Scary Children's Song'' (こわい童謡) was released 28 July 2007, with Kirito's song "Heartbeat" as its theme song.

Discography

Singles

* "Door" (6 July 2005) * "Tear" (23 March 2006) * "Decide" (19 July 2006, maxi single) * "Period" (20 September 2006, maxi single) * "Cherry trees" (28 March 2007) * "Heartbeat" (拍動, 25 July 2007)

Albums

* ''Hameln'' (3 August 2005) * ''Negative'' (22 August 2007)

DVDs

* ''Kirito Tour 2005 "The Fef of Hameln" Live & Document (7 December 2005) * ''Kirito Tour 2006 "Existence Proof" (13 December 2006) * ''Kirito Symphonic Concert 2006 Existence Proof "Re:Paradox" (7 March 2007)

Various artists compilations

* ''Last Days ~ Tribute to Mr.K'' (5 April 2006) * ''Death Note Tribute'' (21 June 2006)

Other

Marty Friedman Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth from 1990 to 2000. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony from 1986 unti ...

's ''Loudspeaker'' ''(featured on vocals for track 11, "Static Rain (Noizu no Ame)")''

Written work

* ''Circuit of Thoughts'' (思考回路, 29 March 2002) * ''The Camouflaged Music Industry'' (偽装音楽業界, 31 October 2003) * ''Messiah to the Despairing Youth'' (絶望的青春の救世主-メシア-, 16 January 2004) * ''The Past of Confusion'' (15 December 2005)

Photobooks

* ''The Other Dawn'' (22 September 2005)

Live concerts

* ''Kirito Tour 2005 "The Fef of Hameln"'' (11–28 August 2005) * ''Neo Cycloid Limited Show Case "Existence"'' (5–6 5 April 2006) * ''Kirito Tour 2006 "Existence Proof"'' (20 July – 14 August 2006) * ''Kirito Symphonic Concert 2006 Existence Proof "Re:Paradox"'' (30 September and 1 October 2006) * ''Kirito "Brand New Entrance" 06–07'' (24 December 2006 – 4 January 2007)

External links

Angelo and Kirito solo project Official Page
{{Authority control Living people Japanese male rock singers Japanese alternative rock musicians Visual kei musicians Musicians from Saitama Prefecture Musicians from Sapporo 1972 births 21st-century Japanese singers 21st-century Japanese male singers