[12 Days of Christmas] Day 8 – Do As Infinity
Today, we’re going to talk about music for a bit. No, this has nothing to do with K-ON!, which is a show that is pretty much entirely about music. This is about a band that is very near and dear to my heart, and part of the reason that I am even here writing today, Do As Infinity.
I got introduced to DAI in probably the most backwards way imaginable. While the rest of the world was eating them up for their work on Inuyasha, I found them a few years later through the ending theme to Viewtiful Joe. That theme wasn’t even composed by the whole band, it was written by their third man, Dai Nagao. I searched for a few more tracks by them, and I liked what I heard, so I proceeded to download their entire discography. Keep in mind I was still on 28K at that point, so it took quite a bit of dedication.
Sadly, in 2005, the band decided to split up and pursue their own projects. Tomiko Van went on to try out a solo career, while Ryo Owatari devoted his time to his band Missile Innovation. Both of these projects were good, but neither of them really lived up to the level they had together, for me anyway. I continued following them both, and kept my ear to the ground for new releases. One day, someone on Facebook dropped a link that caught my eye. The band had played a reunion show at A-nation 2008.
This concert was a new beginning for DAI, and they announced they would officially reform in late September of that year. This kicked off a nationwide reintroduction tour for the band. They came back with their 21st single, Infinity1, in June, their 7th album, Eternal Flame, in September, and capped off the year by providing the opening theme “Kimi ga Inai Mirai” for the new season of Inuyasha. DAI had come back in force for their 10th anniversary, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled.
Throughout their career, DAI has always performed successfully. Three of their albums reached platinum status, and two reached the top spot on the sales charts. Of their twenty-one singles, their highest-ranking track has peaked at 2nd position, with many others in the top ten. Their music covers a whole range of feeling, from Summer Days’ upbeat cynicism, to Rakuen’s down tempo realness, and all the space in between. Almost everyone can probably pick one song out of their catalog that they like or they can identify with strongly.
At a personal level, DAI reintroduced me to anime, and really the Japanese culture in general. I started watching Inuyasha solely because they provided a few of the theme songs. I didn’t particularly like it, mind, but that along with the rest of the Adult Swim lineup was a spark. They instilled in me a greater love of music, of which I have probably acquired more than I will ever really listen to. When I decided to come up with a new Internet handle in 2006, I searched through my music list, and I settled on Rakuen, which I’ve stuck with for over three years now. It’s safe to say the trio has left an indelible mark on my life.
Happy 10th anniversary, Do As Infinity! Welcome back!
