Janne Da Arc

Biography

Janne Da Arc was a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in Hirakata, Osaka in 1991. Although inactive since 2007, they officially announced that they had disbanded on April 1, 2019. The band's name is often shortened to "Janne" (ジャンヌ) or "JDA".

Career

The band was signed to the Motorod record label, which is owned by Avex Group. They have released three indie albums, nine major-label albums (including single collections), 26 singles×SINGLES18 September 2003 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11RED ZONE4:152Lunatic Gate4:313EDEN ～君がいない～5:024Heaven's Place (Single Edit from "D・N・A")6:435will ～地図にない場所～6:226Mysterious4:157Dry ?3:548NEO VENUS4:369seed4:0410シルビア4:2811feel the wind4:3612Shining ray4:0213マリアの爪痕4:4014霞ゆく空背にして3:4115Rainy ～愛の調べ～ (Single Version)4:55Disc 21餓えた太陽 ("SINGLES" MIX)4:212Legend of～7:04, and 14 DVDs.
On May 9, 2006, they celebrated their tenth anniversary, the date marking when the final member, shuji, became an official member of the band. The band was not named after historical figure Joan of Arc, despite their song "Kyuuseishu (Messiah)" being about her - yasu named the band after a character in the manga Devilman by Go Nagai. A picture of the character can be seen on the art for the band's limited edition Janne Da Arc 10th Anniversary Indies Complete Box, released March 15, 2006.
Their sound is self-described as pop rock, but they played many musical styles such as alternative rock, progressive rock, hard rock and many others. Vocalist yasu takes many musical cues from his musical idol, Motoyuki "Morrie" Ōtsuka of the heavy metal band Dead End. However, the members of Janne Da Arc have proven themselves to be very versatile as well as proficient at their chosen instruments, and are influenced by many bands and musical styles.
As of January 26, 2007, the members of Janne Da Arc are pursuing solo projects, concurrent with their work in the band.
On May 19, 2009, they released a 10th Anniversary Complete Box Set.
On April 1, 2019, Janne Da Arc officially disbanded due to legal matters with their bassist, ka-yu, and health problems of their vocalist, yasu. The announcement was made by agency Uprise Product and elaborated on the circumstances of ka-yu's departure. It noted that during the time the band was preparing for an announcement of a new album and a live tour last September, it had received documents addressed to ka-yu from a law firm. The announcement continued on saying that "if the contents of the document were true," then it represented "acts that went against society and what was right." As a result of these documents, the band decided to cease activity with any projects related to ka-yu.

Members

yasu (Yasunori Hayashi), vocalist, born January 27, 1975, in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. Favorite artists include Dead End and Boøwy. yasu also plays the guitar and keyboard, the latter of which he uses to compose most of his music. In 2007 he started his solo project, Acid Black Cherry.
you (Yutaka Tsuda), guitarist, born July 24, 1974, in Kobe, Japan. Favorite artists include Unicorn and Nuno Bettencourt.
ka-yu (Kazuyuki Matsumoto), bassist, born January 21, 1975, in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. Favorite artists include Crazy Cool Joe (Dead End bassist) and Boøwy. ka-yu is characterized by his more visual kei look in comparison to the rest of the band members. In 2010 he has announced the start of a new project called DAMIJAW, starting out with an album on April 28.
kiyo (Masanobu Kiyose), keyboardist, born June 27, 1974, in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. Favorite artists include Earth, Wind, and Fire and Keith Emerson.
shuji (Shuji Suematsu), drummer, born November 21, 1974, in Kobe, Japan. Favorite artists include X Japan and Loudness.
All the members, with the exception of ka-yu, graduated from Hirakata West High School in the same class. For the release of their single Furimukeba..., Janne Da Arc returned to their high school to give a special performance, which became the feature film Hirakata.

Singles

"Red Zone×RED ZONE19 May 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1RED ZONE4:162seal4:46" - March 19, 1999 / June 20, 2001
"Lunatic Gate×Lunatic Gate22 September 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Lunatic Gate4:292FAKE4:45" - September 22, 1999
Eden: Kimi ga Inai (Eden: 君がいない, "Eden: You're Not Here") - January 13, 2000
"Heaven's Place/Vanity" - April 12, 2000
Will: Chizu ni nai Basho (Will: 地図にない場所, "Will: A Place Unmapped") - June 26, 2000
"Mysterious×Mysterious8 November 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Mysterious4:132differ4:58" - November 8, 2000
"Dry?" - January 31, 2001
"Neo Venus×NEO VENUS25 April 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1NEO VENUS4:342EDEN 〜君がいない〜 (at BUDOKAN Live Version)5:413-S- (at BUDOKAN Live Version)4:254NEO VENUS Promotion Video" - April 25, 2001
"Seed" - July 25, 2001
"Sylvia" (シルビア, Shirubia) - October 24, 2001
"Feel the Wind×feel the wind12 December 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1feel the wind4:372Dear my… from Z-HARD5:27" - December 12, 2001
"Shining Ray×Shining ray7 August 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Shining ray3:582MOTHER BRAIN4:59" - August 7, 2002
Maria no Tsumeato (マリアの爪痕, "Maria's Scar") - November 20, 2002
Kasumi Yuku Sora Se ni Shite (霞ゆく空背にして, "Turning My Back on the Misty Sky") - January 16, 2003
Rainy: Ai no Shirabe (Rainy: 愛の調べ, "Rainy: Song of Love") - May 8, 2003
Ueta Taiyou (餓えた太陽, "Thirsted Sun") - August 20, 2003
"Freedom×FREEDOM24 March 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1FREEDOM5:152survive?3:423[silence]0:304桜 ～ピアノver.～4:27" - March 24, 2004
"Kiss Me×Kiss Me7 April 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Kiss Me4:442Hysteric Moon6:40" - April 7, 2004
"Dolls" - May 19, 2004
"Romance" - May 26, 2004
"Black Jack×BLACK JACK2 June 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1BLACK JACK4:122餓えた太陽4:17" - June 2, 2004
"Love is Here×Love is Here17 November 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Love is Here4:162少年の瞳3:50" - November 17, 2004
Gekkouka (月光花, "Moonlight Flower") - January 19, 2005 - No. 2
"Diamond Virgin" (ダイヤモンドヴァージン, Daiyamondo Vaajin) - May 18, 2005
Furimukeba (振り向けば…, "If I Turn Around...)/Destination" - February 8, 2006 - No. 2
"Heaven/Mobius (メビウス, Mebiusu)" - May 10, 2006 - No. 2 Ranked Platinum (selling more than 250,000 copies) by RIAJ in 2008

EPs

Dearly - April 17, 1998
Resist - December 5, 1998
Chaos Mode - March 17, 1999

Albums

Videos
1999 Tour "Chaos Mode×CHAOS MODE17 March 1999 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Desperate5:402-R-TYPE ｢瞳の色｣4:323Psycho Dance4:594....song5:435Labyrinth4:156Strange Voice4:57" (June 30, 1999)
5 Stories <Clips & More> (September 27, 2000)
Fate or Fortune: Live at Budokan (March 28, 2001)
Six Clips (March 13, 2002)
100th Memorial Live Live Infinity 2002 at Budokan (December 26, 2002)
DVDs
1999 Tour "Chaos Mode" (September 27, 2000)
5 Stories <Clips & More> (September 27, 2000)
Fate or Fortune: Live at Budokan (March 28, 2001)
Six Clips (March 13, 2002)
100th Memorial Live: Live Infinity 2002 at Budokan (December 26, 2002)
Another Story Clips (March 19, 2003)
Singles Clips (November 12, 2003)
Danjiri Night (December 25, 2003)
Arcadia Clips (September 29, 2004)
Hirakata (February 16, 2005)
Live 2005 "Dearly×Dearly17 April 1998 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Dearly0:512Fantasia5:373Judgement 死神のkiss5:594More Deep4:405So Blew5:326Confusion5:027Speed3:208闇の月をあなたに…6:14" at Osaka-jō Hall 03.27 (March 27, 2005)
10th Anniversary Special Live: Osaka Nanba Rockets 2006.5.9 (September 20, 2006)
Live 2006 Dead or Alive: Saitama Super Arena 05.20 (September 20, 2006)
Tour Joker 2005 at Budokan (March 25, 2009)
Blu-ray
Tour Joker 2005 at Budokan (March 25, 2009)
Box sets
Janne Da Arc 10th Anniversary Indies Complete Box (3CD, 1DVD) (March 15, 2006)
Janne Da Arc Major Debut 10th Anniversary Complete Box (6CD, 3DVD) (May 19, 2009)