KinKi Kids
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese duo consisting of Koichi Domoto
Koichi Domoto
is a Japanese idol, singer, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, television personality, seiyū and actor. Along with Tsuyoshi Domoto , he is a member of KinKi Kids, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Johnny & Associates.- Career :Born in Ashiya, Hyōgo, Japan, Domoto joined the...

 and Tsuyoshi Domoto
Tsuyoshi Domoto
is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, television personality, writer and illustrator. Along with Koichi Domoto , he is a member of KinKi Kids, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Johnny & Associates.- Biography :Born in Nara, Domoto joined the...

 under the talent agency Johnny & Associates
Johnny & Associates
is a talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962. Johnny & Associates trains and promotes groups of male idols, collectively known as , in Japan.-1962–1989:...

. Although the members share the same surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

, the only relation they have to each other is that they both hail from the Kinki region, hence the duo's name.

1991–1996: Pre-debut activities

The duo first met each other in Hikaru Genji
Hikaru Genji
is the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. In the story, he is described as the most handsome man in the world and he attracts all women. Genji is the second son of Emperor Kiritsubo , but he is delegated to civilian life for political reasons and begins a career as an imperial...

 concert at Yokohama Arena
Yokohama Arena
is an indoor sporting arena located in Yokohama, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five minute walk from the closest subway station, Shin-Yokohama Station on the JR/Yokohama...

 on May 5, 1991. From then on, the two began to appear together in magazine photoshoots together though they did not have a formal name, going through several temporary names such as , and , before being introduced as by the end of 1992 when they were backup dancer
Backup dancer
A backup dancer is a performer who dances with or behind the lead performers in a live musical act or in a music video. Their movements provide a visual symmetry and rhythm to accompany the music....

s for SMAP
SMAP
SMAP is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. While originally consisting of six members, the current group members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori...

. On the first episode of SMAP's variety show , which began on April 4, 1993, SMAP leader Masahiro Nakai
Masahiro Nakai
is a singer, actor and host for music events and variety shows such as the long-running music show Utaban. He is the leader of the Japanese idol group SMAP.-Early life:...

 decided that the name was to be "KinKi Kids" when the two joined the show as regulars. Months later, Koichi and Tsuyoshi both appeared in their first drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

 together called , which had a peak rating of 28.9% on its final episode. On December 31, 1994, KinKi Kids held their first concert at the Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...

.

In 1996, the duo once again starred together in the drama playing friends with very different backgrounds. Tsuyoshi played a boy with an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...

 father who works to take care for his younger siblings while Koichi played a boy who comes from a wealthy yet unloving family.

1997–present: Debut and onwards

The duo made their debut in 1997 with a double release of a single and an album A Album
A Album
A Album is the debut album of the Japanese group KinKi Kids. It was released on July 21, 1997 on the same day as their debut single "Garasu no Shōnen". The album debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 315,330 copies in its first week. It was certified Million by RIAJ and is currently the...

. According to Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

, both went on to sell over one million copies, making the duo the second artist from Johnny's
Johnny & Associates
is a talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962. Johnny & Associates trains and promotes groups of male idols, collectively known as , in Japan.-1962–1989:...

 to have a debut single sell over one million after their agency senior
Senpai
and are an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, with even twins being divided into elder and younger sibling...

 Masahiko Kondo
Masahiko Kondo
or Matchy is a Japanese singer, lyricist and actor represented by Johnny & Associates.Kondō is also a semi-professional racing driver and a racing team owner. He founded the racing team Kondo Racing in 2000 which competes in Formula Nippon and the Super GT.- 1980–1987: Early recording career :As a...

's debut single and the first to have a debut album sell over one million. Their second single went on to become a major hit as well, selling over half a million in its first week and over a million copies by the end of its chart run. By the end of the year, "Garasu no Shōnen" ranked 2nd on the annual Oricon charts, behind Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...

's "Can You Celebrate?
CAN YOU CELEBRATE?
"Can You Celebrate?" is Namie Amuro's seventh solo single under the Avex Trax label. Released on February 19, 1997, "Can You Celebrate" is the best-selling single by a solo female artist in Japanese music history with sales of 2,296,200 copies....

". From August 23 to August 24, they were appointed the main personality supporters with for NTV's
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...

 annual telethon  with Tokio
Tokio (band)
Tokio is a Japanese rock/pop band formed by Johnny & Associates that debuted in 1994. It is made up of five men who were signed with Sony Music Entertainment from 1994 to 2001, with Universal Music Japan from 2001 to 2008, and are now signed under J Storm, a label owned by Johnny & Associates...

 member as the marathon runner. Additionally, from October 18 to December 20, KinKi Kids starred in their third drama together called with , former Johnny's Jr.
Johnny's Jr.
is a part of Johnny & Associates that focuses only on boys who have not yet officially debuted either with a unit or as a solo act. The juniors are mostly younger than 30, with the exception of Sano Mizuki.- A.B.C-Z : is a part of Johnny & Associates that focuses only on boys who have not yet...

 Yuki Kohara
Yuki Kohara
Yuki Kohara is a Japanese idol whose career lasted from 1991 to 2000. His nickname is Yūki-kun...

 and Arashi
Arashi
is a Japanese boy band formed under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, which announced the formation of the group on November 3, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii...

 members Jun Matsumoto
Jun Matsumoto
, often called by the portmanteau nickname , is a Japanese idol, singer, actor and radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi and is best known to Japanese television drama audiences for his portrayal as Tsukasa Dōmyōji in the Hana Yori Dango series, in which he won GQ Japan's Man Of...

 and Masaki Aiba
Masaki Aiba
is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, television personality and radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi.Aiba began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates in 1996 at the age of...

.

In 1998, KinKi Kids, along with fellow Johnny's groups V6
V6 (band)
V6 is a six-member Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. The group debuted on November 1, 1995 with the single "Music for the People", which was used as the image song for the World Cup of Volleyball in 1995...

 and Tokio, came together to form a special charity-oriented duo called J-Friends, in which they collaborated with famous musicians such as Maurice White
Maurice White
Maurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...

, Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...

, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...

, Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...

 and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

. J-Friends's single , released on January 21, 1998, went on to sell over a million copies and ranked 12th on the annual Oricon charts by the end of the year. The year was successful for KinKi Kids as well. The duo's singles sold over a million and ranked 10th on the charts and sold over 900,000 copies and ranked 18th; their album B Album
B Album
B Album is the second studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on August 12, 1998 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 524,540 copies in its first week. The album was certified Million by RIAJ.-Track list:...

sold over 850,000 copies and over a million by the end of its chart run. Furthermore, their 1997 single "Aisareru yori Aishitai" managed to rank 8th.

In 1999, the duo's 7th single ranked 10th on the annual Oricon charts for selling over a million copies, making it the duo's fourth million-selling single. The year 2000 saw the duo's first Asia tour in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and Hong Kong, which was held at Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 , formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010...

 and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...

 respectively and ran from February 22 to February 27, and their second million-selling album KinKi Single Selection
KinKi Single Selection
KinKi Single Selection is the first greatest hits album by Japanese duo KinKi Kids. The album was released on May 17, 2000 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 712,340 copies in its first week. The album eventually went on to sell over 1,200,000 copies by the end of the year and was...

.

After all of KinKi Kids' 13 singles since their debut single "Garasu no Shōnen" debuted at the top of the charts, they were listed in the 2002 edition of the reference book Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...

for having the record of the most number of consecutive number-one singles since their debut single. It was the first case for a musical artist in Japan to be recognized by the Guinness World Records. Irish group Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...

 was listed as this record holder by the Guinness World Records before the duo's accreditation because of making five consecutive UK number-one singles since their debut as a group.

To commemorate their 10th anniversary on July 21, 2007, KinKi Kids released a best-hits album entitled 39 on July 18, 2007. The numbers three and nine are pronounced as in Japanese and sound similar to "Thank You" in English, signifying KinKi Kids' gratitude to their fans for their support for the past 10 years. The album features the top 11 song favorites, as voted by fans as well as two individual 14-song favorites lists from Koichi and Tsuyoshi, coming to a total of 39 songs, hence the title. 39 went on to sell about 301,000 copies in its first week. In the same month, the duo was once again recognized by the Guinness World Records for their feat of achieving the most number of consecutive number-one singles by extending their own record to twenty-five number one singles since debut. On July 22, 2007, the duo held their 10th anniversary concert at Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...

, which drew a crowd of about 67,000 fans, making it the biggest concert ever held at the Dome. The record was previously held by Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, poet, and human-rights advocate, who is a prominent figure in Japanese popular music.As a musician, he has sold more than 20 million records worldwide, and has appeared in various movies and television dramas...

 in 1992 when his concert drew an audience of 65,000.

On May 31, 2008, the duo announced their first summer tour in eight years. The tour started at Tokyo Dome on July 21, 2008—coinciding with their 11th anniversary—and extended the duo's record for holding the most Tokyo Dome concerts. They released their 28th single on January 28, 2009, which debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, not only extending their Guinness record but also improving their own Oricon record for the most consecutive years with a number-one single. The duo's 29th single , released on October 28, 2009, debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, extending their record.KinKi Kids furthered their record when their 31st single TIME hit no.1 again on the Oricon charts, though the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records only recorded until their 30th single which composed by KinKi Kids themselves under the title "Most consecutive no.1 singles":

KinKi Kids (Japan)-Tsuyoshi Domoto & Koichi Domoto (both Japan)-saw 30 singles in a row go straight to no.1 on the Japanese chart between 28 July 1997 & 14 November 2010. The duo's 30th hit was "Family-hitotsu ni narukoto"

Discography

Studio albums
  • 1997: A Album
    A Album
    A Album is the debut album of the Japanese group KinKi Kids. It was released on July 21, 1997 on the same day as their debut single "Garasu no Shōnen". The album debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 315,330 copies in its first week. It was certified Million by RIAJ and is currently the...

  • 1998: B Album
    B Album
    B Album is the second studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on August 12, 1998 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 524,540 copies in its first week. The album was certified Million by RIAJ.-Track list:...

  • 1999: C Album
    C Album
    C Album is the third studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on August 4, 1999 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 451,230 copies in its first week.-Track list:-External links:*...

  • 2000: D Album
    D Album
    D Album is the fourth studio album of the Japanese group KinKi Kids. It was released on December 13, 2000. Debuting at the top of the Oricon charts, the album sold 354,830 copies in its first week.-Track listing:-References:...

  • 2001: E Album
    E Album
    E Album is the fifth studio album of the Japanese group KinKi Kids. It was released on July 25, 2001. Debuting at the top of the Oricon charts, the album sold 400,480 copies in its first week.-Track list:-References:...

  • 2002: F Album
    F Album
    F Album is the sixth studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on December 26, 2002 and debuted at number two on the Oricon charts, selling 360,102 copies in its first week.-Track list:-References:...

  • 2003: G Album: 24/7
    G Album: 24/7
    G Album: 24/7 is the seventh studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on October 22, 2003 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 242,826 copies in its first week.-Track list:-References:...

  • 2005: H Album: Hand
    H Album: Hand
    H Album: Hand is the eighth studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. After nearly a year without an album-release, the duo released H Album: Hand on November 16, 2005. It debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 245,681 copies in its first week.-Track list:-References:* . Johnny's net....

  • 2006: I Album: ID
    I Album: ID
    I Album: ID is the ninth studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It was released on December 13, 2006.-Track list:-References:* . Johnny's net. Retrieved November 1, 2009....

  • 2007: Phi
    Phi (album)
    Phi is the tenth studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It is the first album by KinKi Kids to have a Greek-lettered title, rather than the traditional Latin-lettered album title.-Track list:-Charts:-External links:*...

  • 2009: J Album
    J Album
    J Album is the eleventh studio album released by Japanese duo KinKi Kids on December 9, 2009.-Track list:-Chart performance:J Album debuted at number-one with the sales of around 72,000 copies on the Japanese Oricon daily charts...

  • 2011: K Album

Compilation albums
  • 2000: KinKi Single Selection
    KinKi Single Selection
    KinKi Single Selection is the first greatest hits album by Japanese duo KinKi Kids. The album was released on May 17, 2000 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 712,340 copies in its first week. The album eventually went on to sell over 1,200,000 copies by the end of the year and was...

  • 2004: KinKi Single Selection II
    KinKi Single Selection II
    KinKi Single Selection II is the second greatest hits album by Japanese duo KinKi Kids. The album was released on December 22, 2004 and debuted at the top of the Oricon charts, selling 356,117 copies in its first week and 544,594 copies by the end of 2005 as it was counted for the 2005 Oricon year...

  • 2007: 39


Other albums
  • 2000: KinKi Karaoke Single Selection


Activities

For solo activities, please refer to Koichi Domoto
Koichi Domoto
is a Japanese idol, singer, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, television personality, seiyū and actor. Along with Tsuyoshi Domoto , he is a member of KinKi Kids, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Johnny & Associates.- Career :Born in Ashiya, Hyōgo, Japan, Domoto joined the...

 or Tsuyoshi Domoto
Tsuyoshi Domoto
is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, television personality, writer and illustrator. Along with Koichi Domoto , he is a member of KinKi Kids, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Johnny & Associates.- Biography :Born in Nara, Domoto joined the...

 respectively.

Dramas

  • 1994: Ningen Shikkaku (TBS
    Tokyo Broadcasting System
    , TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....

    )
  • 1996: Wakaba No Koro (TBS)
  • 1997: Bokura No Yūki: Miman Toshi (NTV
    Nippon Television
    is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...

    )
  • 2003: Mukodono 2003 (Fuji TV
    Fuji Television
    is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....

    : guests
    Guest appearance
    In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...

    , ep 6)

Reception

In a 2006 survey of people between 10 and 49 years of age in Japan, Oricon Style
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 found the number one selling song Happy Happy Greeting (608,790 copies) to be the fourth most popular Valentine's Day song in Japan. The most popular song was Sayuri Kokushō
Sayuri Kokushō
is a Japanese actor, singer, and tarento. She was an original member of Onyanko Club. She works for the talent management firm Sony Music Artists. Her debut single, Valentine Kiss, is the most popular Valentine's Day song in Japan.- Brief biography :...

's 1986 debut single Valentine Kiss
Valentine Kiss
is the solo debut J-pop single from Sayuri Kokushō released on February 1, 1986 by CBS Sony in Japan. Kokushō was the eighth member of Onyanko Club. The B-side song was ....

, which sold only 317,000 copies. The other songs in the top five were (in order) Love Love Love from Dreams Come True (2,488,630 copies), Valentine's Radio from Yumi Matsutoya
Yumi Matsutoya
', nicknamed , is an influential Japanese singer, composer, lyricist and pianist. She is renowned for her idiosyncratic voice, and live performances, and is an important figure in Japanese popular music....

 (1,606,780 copies), and My Funny Valentine
My Funny Valentine
"My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Babes in Arms in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green...

by Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...

.

Awards

  • 2000: 26th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Theme Song: "Natsu no Ōsama" (Summer Snow
    Summer Snow
    Summer Snow is a Japanese television drama that aired from July 7, 2000 to September 15, 2000 on TBS. It is a love story between a young man who has been forced to grow up too quickly, and a young woman with an activity-restricting ailment. The title refers to marine snow, which the two promise to...

    )
  • 2003: 35th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Theme Song: "Solitude: Shinjitsu no Sayonara" (Remote
    Remote (manga)
    is a manga series written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Tetsuya Koshiba, and published in Kodansha's Young Magazine from 2002 to 2004. The manga follows Kurumi Ayaki, the newest member of the Unsolved Crimes Division, Special Unit B....

    )

External links

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