is a Japanese

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

founded in 1986 by Color vocalist Hiroshi " Dynamite Tommy" Tomioka, with branches predominantly in Japan and the United States, as well as previously in Europe. It also continues to co-manage many of its artists after they have signed recording contracts with a

major record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...

. Free-Will along with Extasy Records are credited with helping to spread the visual kei movement. Free-Will also produced the 2001 anime adaptation of the long running

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

series '' Grappler Baki''.

Sub-divisions

The company operates several sub-divisions, some of them for a single band or purpose only. For example, ''Firewall Div.'' solely handles material which is released in collaboration with Sony Music.

Under Sony Music

* ''Back Coat'' –

12012 is a Japanese visual kei rock band. Formed in 2003 in Osaka Prefecture, the group centers its work around the concept of "madness inside a human" (人間の内面における狂気 '). 12012 is also the penal code for the possession of a danger ...

* ''Firewall Div.'' – Dir en grey,

Merry Merry may refer to: A happy person with a jolly personality People * Merry (given name) * Merry (surname) Music * Merry (band), a Japanese rock band * ''Merry'' (EP), an EP by Gregory Douglass * "Merry" (song), by American power pop band Magna ...

* ''Lizard'' – Kagerou

Under King Records

* ''PS Company'' –

Kra Kra or KRA can refer to: * Kenya Revenue Authority * Key result area, a management term * Kra (band) * Kra (letter) * Kra Isthmus * Kra Peninsula * Kra River, Malay Peninsula * Kra languages * Kra (mythology) * Krita native file extension * Ke ...

** ''Indie PSC'' – Born * ''S'Cube'' –

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

, Eile de Mu, Puppet Mammy, Ruvie, Tokyo Michael, Cooky

Under Tokuma Japan Communications

* ''PS Company'' – D=Out, Screw

Under Avex Group

* ''ism'' – Kannivalism

Bands or solo artists managed directly

;Past * Alice Nine * Amphibian * BIS *

Bellzlleb Bellzlleb (stylized as BELLZLLEᗺ) was a Japanese heavy metal band, formed in 1985 by Tetsu and Yuji in Chiba. The band's sound was heavily influenced by elements from black metal, doom metal and hardcore with philosophical influences from Aleis ...

* Billy & The Sluts *

By-Sexual By-Sexual (stylized as BY-SEXUAL) was a Japanese visual kei punk rock band from Osaka. They were active from 1988 to 1995, when vocalist Sho left the band and they went on hiatus. In August 1996, the remaining members restarted the group under ...

* Color * Decameron * DECAYS * Dir En Grey * Genkaku Allergy * Gilles de Rais *

Kagrra, was a Japanese visual kei folk rock band. They were originally signed to the now defunct Key Party Records under the name "Crow". The group changed its name when they signed to PS Company in 2000. History The band's major debut was in 2004 wit ...

* Kamaitachi * Lovemania * Miyavi * Red Tail Cat *

Rentrer en Soi was a Japanese visual kei rock music, rock band active from 2001 to 2008. In French language, French, the band's name can be literally translated as "to enter in yourself/entering yourself" although this is not grammatically correct. The band wa ...

* Sea Monkey * Speed-ID * SuG * sukekiyo *

The Gazette The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...

* ViViD * Vogue * Youka

Scandal

On September 14, 2007, the label's founder Hiroshi "Dynamite Tommy" Tomioka was arrested, along with fellow Free-Will official Kazunori Murasaki and Koichi Kaku, a former employee of the

Asatsu-DK d/b/a ADK, formerly known as Asatsu-DK, is a Japanese advertising agency. Headquartered in the Toranomon Hills building complex in Minato, Tokyo since June 2014 (previously in Tsukiji, Chūō, Tokyo), the firm is Japan's third largest advertis ...

advertising agency. The trio is accused of defrauding Asatsu-DK of 324 million yen (approximately US$2.8 million) by placing false orders for materials for Dir en grey. Kaku has since confessed to the charges, while Tomioka denied any involvement.

References

External links

Official website

PS Company website
{{Authority control Japanese independent record labels Rock record labels Punk record labels Heavy metal record labels Record labels established in 1986 1986 establishments in Japan