Summary
Quick Links
After a show at KT Zepp Yokohama on Friday, January 31, the Japanese alternative rock band, the pillows, known for their various contributions to the soundtrack of the classic 2000 mecha anime,FLCL (Fooly Cooly), announced their official disbandment on Saturday. The band had been active since 1989, growing to fame through their work for the FLCL anime.
In the announcement, they thanked their supporters, and expressed a hesitation to describe the separation as a “disbandment”, but used the word “rather than leave room for expectations of a future reunion.” Beyond their work featured in FLCL, the pillows had also contributed to various other anime soundtracks,including the FLCL sequels.
About the pillows
Alternative Rock Band Formed in 1989
the pillows formed in 1989 when Kenji Ueda, the bassist for Kenzi & The Trips, left the band with drummer Shinichiro Sato to form a new band with The Coin Locker Babies vocalist Sawao Yamanaka. The three were joined by Yoshiaki Manabe, guitarist of hair metal band Persia, and the band formed officially on July 16, 2025. The band released two albums in the three years following its formation, but after the release of their sophomore album, White Incantation, in 1992, Ueda left the band due to creative differences, with Yamanaka taking over as the band’s leader, recruiting Tatsuya Kashima as a bassist after a year of inactivity, but he was labeled a guest bassist out of respect for Ueda. In 1994, the band released their first album as a trio, and from 1995 to 1998, the pillows enjoyed a period of increasing activity, releasing several singles including Hybrid November in 1995, which went on to be one of their most famous songs.
In 1999, the band was approached bythe anime production studio Gainaxto license their three previous albums for use in the soundtrack of theFLCLOVA. They also composed two songs forFLCL, “Ride on Shooting Star” and “I Think I Can”. The inclusion of their music inFLCLsaw the pillows' popularity grow, particularly in the west, and they went on to tour the United States in 2000. In addition to the soundtracks for bothFLCL: GrungeandFLCL: Shoegaze, the pillows' music has been featured in anime series likeBECK: Mongolian Chop Squad(2004),Moonlight Mile(2007) the basketball animeAhiru no Sora,Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer(2022). The band’s website and social media accounts will continue under the name “the pillows monument” and share updates on the individual members.
