Charcoal Filter

Charcoal Filter (チャコールフィルター), also known as Charcofil or Chakofiru (チャコフィル) to their fans, is a Japanese male rock band. Its members are Takahiro Konagawa, Yuzo Otsuka, Yuki Yasui, and Shintaro Takano. They met each other and formed Charcoal Filter in their high school days. After graduation from high school, they came out with the song "I start again" in 1999. They are known for creating the song "Tightrope", used as the ending theme of the anime series Gensōmaden Saiyūki, back in 2000. From 2002 to 2004 they were produced by Seiji Kameda. They disbanded in 2007.

History

In 1995 Konagawa, Yasui and Takano formed a band. The next year they incorporated Otsuka as a vocalist, and named the band Charcoal Filter. At first they played Green Day’s songs, which they like, and then they began to play their own songs composed by themselves.

In early 1999 they recorded several songs in New York City for debut. In September of the same year the indie album Gimme a light was released. Two months later they came out with the debut single I start again. The next year they created the song Tightrope, used as the ending theme of the anime series Gensōmaden Saiyūki.

The year 2002 the turning point in their career came. The eighth single Brand-New Myself ~Boku ni Dekiru Koto was a hit. Following this single, the album MADE IN Hi-High took the sixth place in weekly Oricon chart, as obtained them a reputation.

Members

• Takahiro Konagawa (小名川高弘, B. November 30, 1979); Guitars, Background Vocals, and the Leader
• Yuzo Otsuka (大塚雄三, B. August 27, 1979); Vocals and Guitars
• Yuki Yasui (安井佑輝, B. March 5, 1980); Bass Guitars and Background Vocals
• Shintaro Takano (高野真太郎, B. October 20, 1979); Drums and Background Vocals

Discography

Singles

• I start again

November 1, 1999

1. I start again
2. Let’s go
3. Nineteen

• Life goes on

February 2, 2000

1. Life goes on
2. Single word
3. Snow drive

• Don’t miss it

May 17, 2000

1. Don’t miss it
2. Turning point

• Tightrope

June 21, 2000

1. Tightrope
2. Tightrope -Medieval version-
3. Tightrope -Instrumental version-

• Kizuna (絆, Bound of Friendship)

March 9, 2001 (In-Kyūshū-Limited Single)

1. Kizuna (絆, Bound of Friendship)
2. Kizuna -Instrumental- (絆 -Instrumental-, Bound of Friendship -Instrumental-)
3. The Go-Ahead Man

• Hajikeyō (はじけよう, Let’s Have Fun!)

June 1, 2001

1. Hajikeyō (はじけよう, Let’s Have Fun!)
2. Jumpin’ high
3. Libido (リビドー)

• Kodokuna Taiyō (孤独な太陽, A Lonely Sun)

September 26, 2001

1. Kodokuna Taiyō (孤独な太陽, A Lonely Sun)
2. Communication
3. La La (ララ)

• Sotsugyō (卒業, Graduation)

January 30, 2002

1. Sotsugyō (卒業, Graduation)
2. Romantic (ロマンチック)
3. Mother Blues

• Brand-New Myself ~Boku ni Dekiru Koto (Brand-New Myself ~僕にできること, Brand-New Myself ~What I Can Do)

May 1, 2002

1. Brand-New Myself ~Boku ni Dekiru Koto (Brand-New Myself ~僕にできること, Brand-New Myself ~What I Can Do)
2. 2,000 Light Years Away
3. Brand-New Myself ~Boku ni Dekiru Koto (instrumental) (Brand-New Myself ~僕にできること (instrumental), Brand-New Myself ~What I Can Do (instrumental))

• White winter song

December 11, 2002

1. White winter song
2. WOW WOW PARADISE (WOW WOW パラダイス)
3. Sotsugyō ~Okuru Koto Version~ (卒業 ~贈ることバージョン~, Graduation ~Giving Word Version~)
4. White winter song ~Instrumental~

• Yasashisa Licence / BY MY SIDE (やさしさライセンス, Licence of a Tenderness / BY MY SIDE)

May 21, 2003

1. Yasashisa Licence (やさしさライセンス, Licence of a Tenderness)
2. BY MY SIDE
3. Yasashisa Licence -Instrumental- (やさしさライセンス -Instrumental-, Licence of a Tenderness -Instrumental-)
4. BY MY SIDE -Instrumental-

• Niji (虹, Rainbow)

August 6, 2003

1. Niji (虹, Rainbow)
2. Beautiful Sandy (ビューティフルサンディー)
3. Niji -Instrumental- (虹 -Instrumental-, Rainbow -Instrumental-)
4. Beautiful Sandy -Instrumental- (ビューティフルサンディー -Instrumental-)

• one Days (A Small Part of My Days)

July 22, 2004

1. one Days (A Small Part of My Days)
2. Kiss on the beach
3. one Days -Instrumental- (A Small Part of My Days -Instrumental-)
4. Kiss on the beach -Instrumental-

Hidden Track: Kane ga Nai (金がない, I Have No Money)

• Hitori ja Totemo Aruke nai Sekai no Ue de (一人じゃとても歩けない世界の上で, On the World that I Can’t Possibly Walk Alone)

June 7, 2006

1. Hitori ja Totemo Aruke nai Sekai no Ue de (一人じゃとても歩けない世界の上で, On the World that I Can’t Possibly Walk Alone)
2. Motto (もっと, More)
3. Arigatō (ありがとう, Thank you)

Albums

DVDs

• CHARCOAL FILTER MEN SOUL

January 1, 2003

• Waku Waku Charcoal Fair 2003 o Charcoal Filter to Miru DVD

わくわくチャコールフェア2003をチャコールフィルターと観るDVD

Let’s See The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2003 with Charcoal Filter!

February 21, 2004

• Waku Waku Charcoal Fair 2004 o Charcoal Filter to You DVD

わくわくチャコールフェア2004をチャコールフィルターと酔うDVD

Let’s Enjoy The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2004 with Charcoal Filter!

March 18, 2005

• 5th Anniversary Special Live Party at Shibuya O-East

March 18, 2005

• Waku Waku Charcoal Fair 2005

わくわくチャコールフェア2005

The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2005

March 18, 2006

• "2006 Kokoro no Yuku Michi" Tour Final 2006.5.27 SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO

「2006 心の行く道」ツアーファイナル 2006.5.27 SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO

The Way of My Soul 2006 Tour Final on May 27, 2006 at Shibuya Club Quattro

July 15, 2006

Concert history

Charcoal Filter often give a live concert. They have played all Japanese prefectures. Their performance is appreciated by their own generation. Also, Konagawa and Otsuka appeared at well-known Japanese musical event Dream Power John Lennon Super Live back in 2003.

• Spiky night (July - August, 2000)
• Spread out GIG 20-21 (November, 2000 - January, 2001)
• "弾" 前哨戦 in ライヴハウス (Precedent Tour to Dan, April, 2001)
• Spark out GIG "弾" (Spark out GIG Dan, June, 2001)
• PANIC POP TOUR (January, 2002)
• B.N.M. 02 (July - August, 2002)
• Made in TOUR & TOUR the Hi-High (November, 2002)
• スプリンターツアー (Sprinter Tour, February - April, 2003)
• わくわくチャコールフェア2003 (The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2003, April, 2003)
• Hallin’ Love (July - August, 2003)
• KINGDOM後夜祭 (Final Festival of Kingdom, November, 2003)
• スプリンターツアー2 ~Happy Set~ (Sprinter Tour 2 ~Happy Set~, December, 2003 - March, 2004)
• わくわくチャコールフェア2004 (The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2004, April, 2004)
• スプリンターツアー2 ファイナル 47都道府県ワンマン制覇記念ライヴ (Sprinter Tour 2 Final Memorial Concert of Touring All Around Japan, April, 2004)
• Re: HOME (October, 2004)
• 5th Anniversary Special Live Party (October, 2004)
• ジュポ～ンツアー (Jupōn Tour, December, 2004)
• Japan tour, 47 (March - July, 2005)
• わくわくチャコールフェア2005 (The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2005, April, 2005)
• Gimme a night (June - August, 2005)
• Gimme a 2006 The 忘年会 (Gimme a 2006 The Year-End Party, December, 2005)
• わくわくチャコールフェア2006 (The Exciting Charcoal Fair 2006, April, 2006)
• 2006 心の行く道 (The Way of My Soul 2006, May, 2006)

External links

Official Web Sites

• Official Web Site by Nippon Crown (Japanese)
• Official Web Site of Daiji Music (Japanese)
• Serial Essay by Konagawa (Japanese)
• Serial Essay by Otsuka (Japanese)
• Serial Essay by Yasui & Takano (Japanese)

Private Web Sites

• BURNING (English)