cali≠gari

Named after the 1920s Germany horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, cali≠gari is a Japanese band inspired by visual kei, experimental rock, and the Japanese concept of ero guro (or "erotic grotesque"). The band formed in Ibaraki, Japan, in 1993. Guitarist Ao Sakurai and drummer Katsumi were cali≠Gari's first two members, with vocalist Shin joining the lineup in time for the group's 1994 debut, Dai 1 Jikkenshitsu. By the time Dai 2 Jikkenshitsu was released in 1996, the frontman position had been taken over by Shuuji, who remained with the band for Dai 3 Jikkenshitsu (1998), Dai 4 Jikkenshitsu (1998), and Dai 5 Jikkenshitsu (1999). A new vocalist, Shuuji Ishii, joined in 2000, and cali≠gari made its major-label debut with the post-punk album Dai 7 Jikkenshitsu in 2002. After releasing 8 and Good Bye in 2003, the group briefly broke up, with all three members pursuing different projects during the hiatus. A reunion followed in June 2009, along with the comeback album 10 and the double-sided single "9-tou-hen" and "9 School Zone hen." Following the release of 11 Janai Ryoshin Ban in March 2010, cali≠gari released a series of numbered albums, including 11 (2012), 12 (2015), 13 (2017), 14 (December 19, 2018), and 15 (2021). 16 followed in 2023, debuting at Number 34 on Japan's Top 100 Albums chart.

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