HYDE

hyde is the vocalist of Japanese rock band, L'Arc~en~ciel, and he has also released a few singles and albums under his solo project.  He goes by the name HYDE for his solo work. (For the sake of consistency, I shall use HYDE in this writeup)  HYDE and Gackt became friends when they were making the movie Moon Child together.  While looking for the best person to play the role of Kei, Gackt thought of HYDE and was convinced that only he could play the role.  HYDE refused the offer at first, but after having a meal together (at Gackt's invitation) and hearing personally Gackt's ideas for the movie and his expectation of him, HYDE decided to take the role.  Since Moon Child was their acting debut and they spent a lot of times together filming, it was only natural that they became very close friends eventually.  They had only met each other a few times before that, in corridors when they passed by each other or when they appeared on the same tv show as guests, but they were not friends yet.  After Moon Child, the two started hanging out together after work, playing billiards or going snowboarding together.  Gackt and HYDE have since visited each other's concerts over the years and the two maintain a close friendship.  Gackt had said in an interview once that he would fall head over heels in love with HYDE if he was female.

They also created the song "オレンジの太陽 [Orenji no Taiyou]" together, and short clips of them practicing and creating the melody can be seen in the making of Moon Child movie.

Ryoko Yonekura （米倉 涼子)

Ryoko Yonekura is a popular actress in Japan.  She doesn't appear in a lot of dramas, but when she does, she usually gets the leading role. She has been very active in recent years, appearing in four dramas in 2005.  Gackt and Ryoko first met on Doumoto Kyoudai when she appeared as a guest on the variety show.  They didn't meet each other again, though, until Ryoko was chosen as the female model for Takano Yuri beauty clinic.  They renewed their friendsip and have been widely gossiped about ever since, both by the fans on the internet and also by the Japanese media.  But the two have made clear on numerous occasions that they were only good friends.  During the press conference for the second Takano Yuri CM, the press commented that the love of the two characters in the CM seemed to be real and hinted that it was because the two stars were close in real life.  Ryoko tactfully answered that she was happy that they have succeeded in expressing their characters' emotions through their acting.

Gackt admires her and thinks she is a great role model for all Japanese women.  The two remain good friends and hang out together often.

Yoshiki (林 佳樹, Hayashi Yoshiki)

Yoshiki is a famous Japanese musician and was the drummer of famous Jrock band, X Japan.  Ever since X Japan was disbanded, Yoshiki worked solo as a producer, lyricist, and song-writer.  Yoshiki and Gackt have been friends for a long time.  He has mentioned a few times on tv shows and even on his Platinum Box that he visits Yoshiki whenever he goes to Los Angeles.  They also appeared on Hey!x3 together, on a special one hour long program where they recommended their top three favourite restaurants to the audience.  They invited the real chefs to appear on the show and the whole stage was set to look like a real restaurant.  Please go to our Clips: tv shows - Hey!x3 to view screencaps of this episode.

Yoshiki and Gackt started a "superband" that goes by the name S.K.I.N in 2006.  Sugizo from Luna Sea and Miyavi were later asked to join the group.  S.K.I.N. performed for the first time ever in America.  (Please go to our Work: S.K.I.N section for more details of the band's activities)

Kami

Kami was the drummer for Gackt's old band, Malice Mizer.  The two had always been close when Gackt was still in the band, but Kami died suddenly of illness shortly after Gackt left Malice Mizer.  Gackt always finds time to visit his grace every year, no matter how busy he is.  He often mentions Kami in his diary in Dears as well.  Gackt also wrote a song for Kami, Emu ~for my dear~, which can be found on the Mars album.  Some people said that U+K was also written for Kami though that has never been confirmed by Gackt.

Kami was also a huge fan of Shingen Takeda (武田信玄), a warlord from the Warring period in Japan.  Ironically, Gackt was chosen to play the role of Shingen's rival, Kenshin Uesugi (上杉謙信) in the NHK Taiga Drama 風林火山 [Fuurin Kazan] which started airing in 2007.

キャイーン (天野 ひろゆき Hiroyuki Amano and ウド鈴木 Suzuki Udo)

Kyaiin is a Japanese comedian duo formed by Suzuki Udo and Hiroyuki Amano.  They have also appeared in a few movies (separately) and Amano has even tried directing a short film before.  Gackt and Kyaiin have appeared on a tv show together twice, one of which was as invited guests on Hey!x3 during Gackt's appearance.  They revealed that the three often go out together, and in Platinum Box 7, Gackt was filmed receiving phone calls from the duo, asking him to meet up with them again some time soon.

Kinki Kids (堂本 剛, Tsuyoshi Doumoto and 堂本 光一, Koichi Doumoto)

Tsuyoshi Doumoto is a Japanese musician and actor under Johnny's Agency.  He mainly works under the name Kinki Kids with partner, Koichi Doumoto.  The two have also done solo work, and Tsuyoshi releases his under the name "Endlicheri Endlicheri".  There was always intense rivalry between Tsuyoshi and Gackt whenever they played games on Doumoto Kyoudai, a tv show hosted by the Kinki Kids and which Gackt co-hosted for a short period of time.  Tsuyoshi likes to make fun of Gackt's serious and cool demeanour.  (Please look at Fandom Guide: TV shows section for more information on Doumoto Kyoudai)

Gackt also appeared twice on Tsuyoshi's tv show, Shoujiki Shindoi.  Tsuyoshi was less aggressive with Gackt here, and was in fact extremely nice and gentle to him.  Perhaps this relationship reflects their private relationship more closely.  Tsuyoshi took him to a few places around Tokyo and they went back to Tsuyoshi's house, where Gackt revealed his S nature!  S as in S&M (sadistic and masochistic )  During his second appearance on the show, he visited Tsuyoshi's house again, except that it's a different house this time.  They made a song "Kimchee no kimochi(i)" and played some musical instruments. (Please go to our Clips: tv shows - Shoujiki Shindoi to view screencaps of this episode.)  Tsuyoshi also visits Gackt sometimes when Gackt holds concert in Japan.

Koichi is the exact opposite of Tsuyoshi.  He often commented on Doumoto Kyoudai about how beautiful or cool Gackt is and praised him many times.  Whenever they appear on the same music variety show together, the trio often goof off and joke around with each other.  The two even impersonated his performance of Kimi no tame ni dekiru koto" on tv once!  Other than singing, Koichi has also acted on theatrical stage and in tv dramas.  He also writes lyrics for other Johnny's bands such as NEWS and KAT-TUN. 

T.M.Revolution (西川貴教,, Takanori Nishikawa)

Takanori Nishikawa is a Japanese musician and actor.  His songs are often chosen as the opening/closing theme and soundtracks of Japanese anime.  He usually performs under the name T.M.R, short for Takanori Makes Revolution.  He has also been working hard to break into the American industry, having performed a few times in anime expos and conventions in America.  Takanori is also a Gundam mania like Gackt.  Gackt has also praised him in magazine and interviews before.

There were rumours among their fans that the two were not on good in terms.  When Gackt was scheduled to appear on Pop Jam, which was hosted by Takanori then, fans sent Gackt plenty of messages asking him to control his emotions and not get angry with Takanori.  However, the two clarified that they did not hate each other, that it was simply a misunderstanding.  What happened was Takanori visited Gackt backstage after one of Gackt's concerts, but as Gackt usually becomes weak and faints after concerts, he couldn't remember seeing Takanori at all.  Fans then started saying that it must be because Gackt hates Takanori and so on.  However, the two managed to remain civil during the whole show, even though they were arguing about all the topics they discussed.  Gackt seems to enjoy teasing and debating with Takanori.  It was in this show that Gackt gave him the nickname "Ichigo-chan (strawberry-chan)".  Gackt invited Takanori as a guest when he appeared on the tv show "笑っていいとも" [waratte ii tomo] in 2007.   

Wang Lee Hom

Wang Lee Hom is a well-known artist and musician in Asia, in particular Southeast Asia.  Gackt also met Wang Lee Hom while they were making Moon Child.  The two hit it off immediately and spent plenty of time goofing off together on set.  Wang Lee Hom even played a trick on Gackt once, making him say dirty words in Chinese to the Moon Child staff while Gackt innocently thought that it meant "Let's be friends."  Gackt took revenge on him of course by teaching him a "nice" pick-up line in Japanese.  Gackt still visits Wang Lee Hom whenever he goes to Taiwan and they will hang out together.  Wang Lee Hom was also the one who first mentioned Leslie Kee to Gackt and asked him to participate in Leslie's SUPER STARS PROJECT. 

Gackt asked Lee Hom to participate in his Chinese 12 Gatsu no Love Song, "十二月的情歌 [Shi er yue de qing ge]" which was released in Japan in 2003.  Lee Hom also made an appearance in Gackt's 2003 concert, "上弦の月 [Jyougen no Tsuki]" along with other casts of Moon Child (with the exception of HYDE).  The cast appeared on the stage during the last performance of "Orenji no Taiyou" and Lee Hom sang HYDE's part during the performance.  In return, Gackt performed at Lee Hom's concert and they sang "Shi er yue de qing ge" together.

Perhaps the reason why Lee Hom and Gackt became such close friends is because they share the same ideas and thoughts on music.  Both artists’ style is not easy to peg and they seem to revel on doing things out of the ordinary.  For Lee Hom's last album, he used traditional musical instruments from various minority races in China and mixed it into his music to create a well-balanced sound.  The style is rather similar to Gackt's usage of Japanese traditional instruments for his album DIABOLOS.  They share the same desire to infuse the old with the current and work hard to renew the pride of their fellow countrymen.  Both also take an active role in creating their music, usually taking in charge of every single aspect of their music production.  Pride in their own respective countries and musical talents are but some of the similarities they share.

Vivian Hsu (徐 若瑄, ビビアン・スー)

Vivian Hsu is a Taiwanese artist who ironically got her big break in Japan  After attempts to break into the Taiwan and Hong Kong market, all of which ended in failure, Vivian went to Japan where she gained popularity attending and even hosting variety shows.  She has dabbled in modeling, acting, singing, and even song-writing.  Her talent as a song writer was recognized when she penned a few songs for famous Taiwanese R&B singer, Jay Chou.  Her success in Japan opened doors to opportunities she never had back in Taiwan.  She ended her work in Japan and moved to Taiwan, where she is currently based.  She has worked with Wang Lee Hom as well and was in the same tv variety show as the members of キャイーン.

Vivian Hsu appeared in Gackt's PV for "君が追いかけた夢" [Kimi ga Oikaketa Yume] and also in the photobook by the same name.  The two were widely gossiped about when the PV first aired in Japan, but Gackt has denied all rumours and claimed that they are simply friends.  He also appeared on a variety show, Chanoma Girls, that Vivian hosted in Japan. (Please look at our Clips section for screencaps of the show)

楊明學 (Yang Ming Xue)

Yang Ming Xue is a Taiwanese lyricist, who had written lyrics for big-name artists such as 王菲 (Wang Fei), and 孫燕姿 (Sun Yan Zi).  Gackt was first introduced to Yang Ming Xue when he appeared as a guest at Wang Lee Hom's concert in 2003.  The two hit it off immediately, and had maintained a close relationship ever since.  However, Yang Ming Xue was diagnosed with an illness and Gackt reportedly tried to visit him whenever he had time off.  When Yang Ming Xue passed away the following year, Gackt put aside all his work and flew specially to Taiwan to attend his funeral.  Yang Ming Xue had always been fan of Gackt's, and when Gackt ended his Drug Party Tour in Taiwan, Gackt visited his grave again and told Ming Xue that he had at last fulfilled his promise of performing in Taiwan.

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