1993-1997 lineup, l-r: Sakura, Ken, Hyde, Tetsu

1997 to present time lineup, l-r: Ken, Yukihiro, Tetsu, Hyde

L'Arc~en~Ciel is, without a doubt, one of the most prolific and successful rock bands in all of Japan. Selling millions of copies of albums, singles and videos alike, their music has endured the years, continuing to be well-loved from the time of their incarnation in 1991 to present time.

Originally formed in 1991 with bassist and leader Tetsu, he recruited vocalist Hyde, guitarist Hiro and drummer Pero. After a year, Hiro left the band and Tetsu convinced his friend Ken to quit university to join the band as a guitarist. Shortly after, Pero left, and in 1993, Sakura joined the band as a drummer.

The same year, Laruku (as the band is affectionately known by fans) released their debut album, Dune, under an indie label. Even though it was only their first album, it managed to rise to number one on the Oricon indies chart and they eventually signed on with Sony's Ki/oon division, releasing a second album in 1992. Another two albums, Heavenly and True, followed in the next two years and the latter became their first million-selling, number one album.

L'arc~en~Ciel reached its lowest point in its entire history when Sakura was arrested for illegal drug possession in 1997. Records were pulled from the shelves and a song of theirs that was the opening theme for an anime was replaced. They continued to appear in magazines, however, but only as a trio. Not long after, Yukihiro joined the band and they had their Reincarnation 97 Live in the Tokyo Dome. Yukihiro eventually became a permanent member of the band.

The highest point came afterwards with the release of their next two albums, ark and ray, released simultaneously. Each sold over 2 million copies. Their next album, Real was released in 2000, but they took a hiatus for the next three years. They made their comeback in 2003 with the Shibuya Seven Days Tour and in 2004 with their first single release in over three years, Ready Steady Go, and the album Smile. The next year marked the release of yet another album, Awake.

After the Awake and Asia tours, they returned to their solo projects for some time. November 25 and 26 2006, however, marked their 15th anniversary, and they played two shows at the Tokyo Dome, which sold out in two minutes. 2007 then saw the release of several singles and their latest album, Kiss, which debuted at number one. In 2008, the single Drink It Down was released and they had a Asian tour, along with a show in Paris, France. Their latest release is a 2008 live tour DVD, and a live show hiatus was announced until 2011.

All the members have their own side projects, aside from Laruku - Hyde in VAMPS, Tetsu in Tetsu69, Ken in Sons of All Pussys with Sakura, and Yukihiro in acid android, each enjoying their own measure of success (although VAMPS is likely the most popular of them). Although L'Arc~en~Ciel's career has been marked with a severe low and several hiatuses, they are undeniably one of the best rock bands Japan has to offer.

Their sound can be best described as alternative rock, although it is sometimes mixed with hard rock and pop rock. Yukihiro's steady drumming provides a strong backing for Tetsu's and Ken's counter melodies, all of which are further enhanced by Hyde's strong, clear vocals. For those who don't know, their name means 'the rainbow' in French - and this is one rainbow you'll want to catch.

Blurry Eyes

Snow Drop

Forbidden Lover

My Heart Draws a Dream

Drink It Down