Formed in 1991, L’Arc～en～Ciel is one of the most popular rock bands from Japan. The band consists of vocalist hyde, leader and bassist tetsuya, guitarist ken, and drummer yukihiro, who replaced drummer sakura in 1997. From their beginnings in Osaka, Japan, they previously included guitarist hiro and drummer pero. All four members are established composers which adds variety to their catalog of songs. Their music ranges from ballads, to hard rock, to light pop-rock tunes.
Their debut single
Blurry Eyes released in 1994 was used as the opening theme for the animated TV show
DNA². In late 1996, L’Arc～en～Ciel gained worldwide attention for the first time after the release of their fourth album,
True. This album includes the single
the Fourth Avenue Cafe, which was used as an ending theme for the popular animated TV show
Rurouni Kenshin. However, drummer sakura was arrested for drug possession and consequently all L’Arc～en～Ciel merchandise was removed from store shelves. The release of their single
the Fourth Avenue Cafe was canceled and the song was immediately removed from the TV series.
