Base Ball Bear is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo that made its major debut in 2006 with EMI Music Japan.
They have been noted for the "nostalgic" feel of band leader Yūsuke Koide's lyrics, often about teenage life and memories.
[4] Koide originally assembled the band in 2001 under the name "Planet," to perform at their high school's fall festival.
[5] In April they began sending demo tapes to record labels, whereupon they were advised by Toshiba EMI to change their name.
They eventually chose "Base Ball Bear," the name under which they performed their first gig at Shimokitazawa Garage that July.
Throughout the rest of the year, they continued playing in the Shibuya and Shimokitazawa areas of Tokyo as their fan base began to grow.
It was the first of the band's songs to be accompanied by a music video, which was created in collaboration with Yūki, a Japanese fashion magazine model and Base Ball Bear fan.
The band released its first full-length album, High Color Times, on 16 March 2005, and started playing concerts to sold-out crowds in larger venues.
[9] In January 2009, they released their eighth single Love Mathematics and a compilation album Kanzenban Band B ni Tsuite containing all their indies songs.
According to their management agency, since mid-February that year, Yuasa had been uncontactable and did not turn up at the studio when they were scheduled for production work.
[4] On 27 February, Base Ball Bear went through with a scheduled appearance at a festival with the remaining 3 members, announcing that Yuasa could not participate as he was not well.
She expressed that she was uneasy that something precious to her had "crumbled", but no matter what she wanted to continue Base Ball Bear, and Koide and Horinouchi felt the same.