Kyosuke Himuro


Kyosuke Himuro is a former Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He was the lead vocalist of the rock band Boøwy from 1981 to 1988. After the band disbanded, he went on to have a successful solo career, becoming one of Japan's best-selling artists, with 16.25 million sales. In 2003, HMV ranked Himuro at No. 76 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

Life and career

Himuro has frequently played music with Steve Stevens, best known as the backing guitarist for Billy Idol. Stevens participated in Himuro's album as a guitarist and his concert tour after his album I·De·A.
On August 22, 2004, he held a concert, entitled "21st Century Boøwys Vs Himuro", at the Tokyo Dome. He sang many Boøwy songs for the first time in sixteen years.
"Wild Romance" was used as the ending theme music for the Japanese dubbed version of Van Helsing and for the Japanese releases of Yakuza 5
Himuro's song "Calling", from his 1989 album Neo Fascio, was used in the ending credits to the 2005 film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. The film's director, Tetsuya Nomura, noted that Himuro's music has been highly influential in his own work. When asked about his contribution to the film, Himuro said that he was happy his work would be used in "the best CG movie ever made in Japan".
From August 5 to August 6, 2006, he held a concert called "Kyosuke Himuro + Glay 2006 at Ajinomoto-Stadium "Swing Addition"" with Japanese band Glay in Ajinomoto Stadium. In addition, Himuro released his first collaborated single with Glay, called "Answer", on August 2, 2006.
The Japanese release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete featured a new ending song by Himuro, "Safe and Sound", which features My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way and replaces "Calling". "Safe and Sound" was released on the iTunes Store on April 29, 2009. However, the North American release continues to use "Calling" instead of "Safe and Sound".
Himuro held two consecutive sold-out charity concerts at the Tokyo Dome on June 11 and 12, 2011 which attracted over 104,000 people, making them the biggest charity live event ever held in Japan. The raised sum of 669,220,940 yen was donated to Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate prefectures for recovery after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
In 2016, he held a retirement tour in Japan, called "Kyosuke Himuro Last Gigs", and officially retired from live performances due to his hearing impairment.
In 2020, he revealed he was working on music for a new album, but as of 2025, nothing has officially been announced. That same year, he sang on B'z guitarist Tak Matsumoto's album Bluesman on the song "Actually".

Discography

Studio albums

Flowers for Algernon, Oricon Weekly Albums Chart Peak Position: No. 1Neo Fascio No. 1Higher Self No. 1Memories of Blue No. 1Shake the Fake No. 1Missing Piece No. 1I·De·A No. 1Mellow No. 5Beat Haze Odyssey No. 3Follow the Wind No. 2In the Mood No. 3"B"orderless No. 3

Singles

  • "Angel", Oricon Weekly Singles Chart Peak Position: No. 1, Tokio Hot 100 1988 Year-End Position: 91
  • "Dear Algernon" No. 2
  • "Summer Game" No. 1
  • "Misty" No. 2
  • "Jealousy" No. 1
  • "Crime of Love" No. 2
  • "Urban Dance" No. 2
  • "Good Luck My Love" No. 5
  • "Kiss Me" No. 1
  • "Virgin Beat" No. 1
  • "Tamashii wo Daitekure" No. 2
  • "Stay" No. 1
  • "Squall" No. 1
  • "Waltz" No. 4
  • "Native Stranger" No. 2
  • "Heat" No. 5
  • "Sleepless Night" No. 6
  • "Diamond Dust" No. 3
  • "Eternity" No. 13
  • "" No. 81
  • "Girls Be Glamorous" No. 10
  • "Claudia" No. 10
  • "Wild Romance" No. 6
  • "Easy Love/Bitch as Witch" No. 6
  • "Answer"
  • "Sweet Revolution/In the Nude ~Even Not in the Mood~" No. 3
  • "Safe and Sound"
  • "Bang the Beat/Safe and Sound" No. 3
  • "If You Want" No. 4
  • "Warriors" No. 5
  • "North of Eden" No. 6
  • "One Life" No. 6

Compilations

Singles No. 1Collective Souls ~The Best of Best~ No. 4Ballad ~ La Pluie No. 7Case of Himuro No. 720th Anniversary All Singles Complete Best "Just Movin' On" ~All The-S-Hit~ No. 1Kyosuke Himuro 25th Anniversary Best Album Greatest Anthology No. 1L'épilogue No. 1

Live albums

The One Night Stands ~Tour "Collective Souls" 1998~ No. 621st Century Boøwys Vs Himuro No. 8

Others

Lover's Day Double Happiness Masterpiece #12 No. 1Lover's Day II

Home videos

King of Rock Show of 88's-89's Turning Process, Oricon DVDs Chart Peak Position: No. 20Neo Fascio Turning Point No. 26Birth of Lovers Over Soul Matrix No. 30Captured Clips Live at the Tokyo Dome Shake the Fake Tour No. 23Missing Piece The One Night Stands - Tour "Collective Souls" 1998 No. 18100152 No. 14Digital BeatNix Tower No. 2Case of Himuro 15th Anniversary Special Live No. 10Higher Than Heaven ~ At Yoyogi National Stadium" No. 521st Century Boøwys Vs Himuro Soul Standing By〜 Kyosuke Himuro/Captured Clips 1988-2006 No. 8Kyosuke Himuro Tour 2007 "In the Mood" No. 220th Anniversary Tour 2008 Just Movin' On -Moral~Present- No. 3L’egoiste No. 8Kyosuke Himuro Countdown Live Crossover 05-06 1st Stage/2nd Stage No. 720th Anniversary Tour 2008 Just Movin' On -Moral~Present- Special Live at Budokan Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Charity Live Kyosuke Himuro Gig at Tokyo Dome "We Are Down But Never Give Up!!" No. 2Kyosuke Himuro Tour 2010-11 Borderless 50x50 Rock' N' Roll Suicide No. 621st Century Boøwys Vs Himuro "An Attempt to Discover New Truths" No. 8Special Gigs The Borderless From Boøwy to Himuro Kyosuke Himuro Tour 2010-11 Borderless 50×50 Rock 'N' Roll Suicide Kyosuke Himuro 25th Anniversary Tour Greatest Anthology -Naked- Final Destination Day-01
  • ''Kyosuke Himuro Last Gigs''

Cover songs

Himuro has covered several songs and composed his rendition of "Keep the Faith".