The band originally started with MEG and SASSY who were working on a Metallica cover band. They were soon joined by their classmates KAZUTO, mACKAz and YUSUKE, forming a new band by the name of ANTI-NOBUNAGA. They received a tremendous response when they played for a sold out crowd in the summer of 2003 at a yearly festival in Okinawa. Due to the amount of popularity the band was receiving, many major record labels took notice, allowing them to contribute a track on the compilation album Okinawa 2003.
At the Music Picnic Festival, MAKI also grabbed the attention of many major record labels. Eventually, through their labels, MAKI and the guys of ANTI-NOBUNAGA were introduced thus forming HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR. A little over a year later, and all under the age of 20, they were first announced as a major label band signing with the Sony Label in Japan.
When HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR made their debut in January 2005 with their single PRIDE, it became a huge success and was even used as the opening theme for the anime series "Mobile Suit Gundam Destiny," which also reached #2 in the Oricon charts. Since the single was a hit, they decided to release a remix single entitled PRIDE REMIX. Since then most of their single releases have been in the top 25 on the charts. Considering HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was relatively new to the industry, they had been very successful with the release of several hits and opening themes for three anime shows: "Bleach," "Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny," and "Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Special Edition."
All of the band members grew up, and are still based, in Okinawa. Before MAKI came on board, the other five members used to perform at clubs located at the northern area of Okinawa called Koza where people from the U.S. Army gathered on their days off. They would play many cover songs from Western bands that the people there were familiar with, allowing them to gain an appreciation for Western music.
Having grown up and gaining an immense appreciation for Western music, the band looked forward to having opportunities to perform in the U.S. with hopes of HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR becoming a special band for people outside of Japan. In April of 2006, the band held their first American performance at an anime convention in Texas, and the following year at another anime convention in Illinois.
The years 2007 and 2008 were successful for HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR with several single and album releases along with contributing the ending theme for the anime series "Darker than BLACK." However, in early July 2008, it was announced that after her marriage to Nakamura Masato of DREAMS COME TRUE, MAKI would be leaving the band at the end of the year.
Despite the setback with the loss of their vocalist, the year 2009 showed an increase of band activity along with the announcement of their new female vocalist, HALCA—another Okinawa native—and a label change back to Spice Records. HALCA's vocal style, when compared to MAKI's, is lower in pitch yet it is still clean and clear, which allows the band to reach their full potential when trying to perform in their new heavier style.
After a year and a half from releasing their last album, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR released swamp man at the beginning of September. A few days prior to the release of the album, the band kicked off a five-date tour, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR TOUR '09 -night light parade- vol. 1, which started in Okinawa and ended in Toyko.
The band will soon reach a half a decade since their formation. Within those years, they've grown in not only their music, but in their determination to triumph over any setbacks. With catchy tracks and a diverse range in sound, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR is a band worth any Japanese music enthusiast's playlist.
