Laputa (band)

[1] The band chose its name from the flying island in Gulliver's Travels and tried to portray a similar unrealistic view of the world with their performance.

[4] Laputa was formed in July 1993 by aki and Tomoi, high school friends who were previously in the band Ai SICK FACE together.

Laputa recorded their two demos "Saddist no Yume" and "Naraku no Soko"(Okazaki Yukito from Eternal Elysium worked as an engineer.)

With their increasing popularity in the visual indie scene, Laputa caught the attention of big record companies and signed to the major label Toshiba-EMI in August 1996.

[9] He covered Japanese metal bands in his high school days, such as Dead End, Loudness, 44 Magnum, Gastunk, Reaction, Marino, Sniper and Tilt.

[13] When asked what bands he listened to in his high school days, Kouichi mentioned Vow Wow, Anthem and Earthshaker.

[21] Laputa is credited with "creating the early nagoya kei style along with Kuroyume",[22] combining the sounds of heavy metal music and gothic rock.

Musicians that have cited Kouichi as an influence include Ruiza and Hide-Zou from D,[23] Kei from Diaura[24] and Tsurugi from Sadie.

Umi from vistlip said that Laputa's major first single "硝子の肖像 (Glass no Shouzou)" got him into visual kei and started playing in the band.