GACKT performs at Makuhari Messe.

Gackt becomes GACKT to celebrate 10th anniversary

Monday 15th June, 11:29 AM JST

CHIBA —

Popular singer Gackt, who celebrated the 10th year of his solo career on June 4, kicked off his arena tour at Chiba’s Makuhari Messe this week. At the concert, he announced the “enlargement” of his name, from “Gackt” to an all-capital “GACKT,” explaining, “To commemorate 10 years as an artist, I’ve gone all big letters.”

The singer belted out a total of 19 tunes to over 5,000 fans, including his newest single, “Ko-akuma Heaven,” the attention-grabbing cover of which features the star decked out as an “Age-jo” (cabaret hostess). The tour will take Gackt to four cities and eight concerts, playing to a total of 100,000 fans.

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Latest 15 of 42 Total Comments Show All

TokyoHustla at 02:33 PM JST - 16th June

diegame: No, I've sen the sales figures. There are barely any fans outside of Japan. It's actually pretty close to zero.
plusloud at 02:59 PM JST - 16th June

There are fans, just barely any who willingly pay for his music. Different discussion altogether, though.

(Also, the Kamen Rider track was written by someone else, but aside from that song the rest I believe were written by Gackt.)
Valmain at 04:27 PM JST - 16th June

(Also, the Kamen Rider track was written by someone else, but aside from that song the rest I believe were written by Gackt.)

Bleedin' C of E, I was hoping that nobody would have enough Gackt background to pick up on this so that I wouldn't have to mention that one exception. Yes, he didn't write the Kamen Rider and it shows IMO. I applaud another Dear!
cersei at 04:33 PM JST - 16th June

He also did covers of two gundam songs (Meguri Ai and Ai Senshi) but that's just because he's a big fanboy :) And of course sang for some of Chacha's solo stuff.

And Gackt has thousands of fans outside of Japan. Just, as someone else said, they're either not able to (or not willing) to pay to import CDs.

He has a genuinely amazing voice as anyone who's seen him live can tell you, writes his own lyrics, writes and arranges all the music, plays countless instruments, and puts so much money and effort into his concerts that often he doesn't make any profit off them.

Yes, he's really weird and has a big ego, but he loves his fans and is genuinely talented.
diegameL at 06:57 PM JST - 16th June

cersei:

I also went to one of his 2009 concerts, and its already been confirmed from far many others than myself that its a swastika flag on his belt.

I was the one who mentioned the amount of fans outside Japan though (and yes, I guess it should be repeated that I wasn't talking about sales figures, but the amount of fans. These two don't always go hand to hand, especially with import CDs) -- and at the same time I'm balancing the compliments with some facts about the concert content I find disturbing still.

Images: http://tinyurl.com/m6bd4q

In this, in the upmost picture you can clearly see the color scheme of the flag below his guitar. I believe that it's his guitar that is the one that has the pattern you described, cersei. And I wonder what they are doing in the lowest one :) (I know its a part of the dance, yes, its just a funny coincidence).

Also, the costume at its full glory: http://i40.tinypic.com/2rfzclc.jpg

They're marketing them for fans. It would be really interesting to see him try a breakthrough in Europe now -- Germany or France perhaps, maybe with a similar concert tour.
cersei at 07:33 PM JST - 16th June

its already been confirmed from far many others than myself that its a swastika flag on his belt.

All right, but that leaves me a little confused because the concert I went to where I was able to see it clearly - there was no swastika. It was the same pattern as his guitar, and as the hand towel that's available at the arena merchandise stalls.

I agree that selling the whole uniform is in bad taste, and is pretty unjustifiable.
ppayne at 09:33 PM JST - 16th June

Some kinda capitalist or something.
LissaGackt1 at 10:01 PM JST - 16th June

Gackt is the great musician and actor in Japan. About his celebrate 10th anniversary it's great because he want share his love for the music and all fans.
smithinjapan at 11:02 PM JST - 16th June

He sucked 10 years ago when he stared, he sucks as much now. I like the suggestion above that for the next anniversary he demands his name be written in cursive.

Typical of Japanese entertainment. Why doesn't the guy, famous NOWHERE except in Japan, demand his name start being written in kanji? or change it to a name that doesn't sound like you are vomiting, which is what anyone with a brain feels like doing when they hear him.
ritalynn at 11:52 PM JST - 16th June

Quick question, if the guy is famous nowhere except in Japan, then why is he staring in a Hollywood film coming out later this year?

The guy has fan all over, get your facts straight.
cersei at 06:45 AM JST - 17th June

demand his name start being written in kanji

His name can, and sometime is, written in kanji. (神威楽斗) Hence technically in romaji it would be Gakuto.

Also, much as I love him, Bunraku is more of an indie film and likely won't see wide release.
emimi at 09:44 AM JST - 17th June

Has anyone here considered the fact that the swastika is a Buddhist symbol?

Congrats, GACKT! I hope he doesn't retire in 2010...I'd love to see him in concert~
PepinGalarga at 12:07 PM JST - 20th June

Swastika from Nazis is clearly different. Actually the buddhist symbol and one used by Native Americans in the US is very similar. The Nazi swastika is the only one that is rotated 45 degrees. In all other applications for the last 5,000 years, it has been used in level alignment.

I havent seen any swastikas (nazi or otherwise) in the pictures linked here.
flatearther at 08:03 AM JST - 21st June

He's wearing an SS uniform................WTF?
norinrad21 at 05:30 PM JST - 22nd June

funny stuff