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Gackt
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<p>Gakuto Oshiro (大城 ガクト, <i>Ōshiro Gakuto</i>, born July 4, 1973), better known by his <a href="/facts/Mononymous_person/jhn54bST">mononymous</a> <a href="/facts/Stage_name/XcxhFfYw">stage name</a> Gackt (stylized in <a href="/facts/All_caps/ASFdydxp">all caps</a>), is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. </p><p>Born in <a href="/facts/Okinawa_Prefecture/2PNlxv5K">Okinawa</a> to a <a href="/facts/Ryukyuan_people/oCd8tWza">Ryukyuan</a> family, Gackt learned the piano at a young age and was raised on <a href="/facts/Classical_music/oglVXmSb">classical music</a> and <a href="/facts/Enka/6nwzeUXb">enka</a> before becoming interested in <a href="/facts/Rock_music/zBM2guyQ">rock music</a> while attending high school. He has been active since 1993, first as the frontman of the short-lived independent band Cains:Feel, and then from 1995 the now-defunct <a href="/facts/Visual_kei/buteDsfP">visual kei</a> rock band <a href="/facts/Malice_Mizer/PKXrAWlx">Malice Mizer</a>. Gackt started his solo career in 1999 with debut <a href="/facts/Mini-LP/woy3URCg">mini-album</a> <i><a href="/facts/Miz%25C3%25A9rable_(EP)/b8yvj377">Mizérable</a></i> and first full-length album <i><a href="/facts/Mars_(Gackt_album)/dVtMchQf">Mars</a></i> (2000). He has released nine studio albums and, with forty-eight singles released, holds the male soloist record for most top ten consecutive singles in Japanese music history. They are mostly conceived around two conceptual stories "Moon Saga" (<i><a href="/facts/Moon_(Gackt_album)/8NjqSWSC">Moon</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Crescent_(Gackt_album)/mf8I7uu4">Crescent</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Diabolos/Qj5HKcCp">Diabolos</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Last_Moon/IWssdAh0">Last Moon</a></i>) and "Requiem et Reminiscence" (<i><a href="/facts/Rebirth_(Gackt_album)/KWbTCmuB">Rebirth</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Re%3aBorn_(album)/mNsUjkyN">Re:Born</a></i>) which are performed live in uniquely elaborate concerts. His single "<a href="/facts/Returner_(Yami_no_Sh%25C5%25ABen)/lHMaCwQx">Returner (Yami no Shūen)</a>" (2007), is his first and only single to reach the number one spot on the <a href="/facts/Oricon/MG3yvbdP">Oricon</a> charts. As a solo artist, Gackt has sold over 10 million records. In 2007 became a founding member of <a href="/facts/Skin_(Japanese_band)/7gmnS0k7">S.K.I.N.</a>, a Japanese visual kei rock supergroup, and in 2010 formed his own band project <a href="/facts/Yellow_Fried_Chickenz/j5gst7vk">Yellow Fried Chickenz</a>. </p><p>Besides being established in the modern entertainment industry and considered a pop icon, Gackt's music has been used as theme songs for video games (<i><a href="/facts/Dirge_of_Cerberus%3a_Final_Fantasy_VII/3Ld0jXKF">Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII</a></i>), video game films (<i><a href="/facts/Dragon_Age%3a_Dawn_of_the_Seeker/EmpJS02S">Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker</a></i>), anime series/films (<i><a href="/facts/New_Fist_of_the_North_Star/AWkNnuma">New Fist of the North Star</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Mobile_Suit_Zeta_Gundam/248kMb3G">Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Texhnolyze/DRHJIpUU">Texhnolyze</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Trickster_(Japanese_TV_series)/KRlbNHxz">Trickster</a></i>) and television series (<i><a href="/facts/Kamen_Rider_Decade/2r3waXbr">Kamen Rider Decade</a></i>). In addition to his music career, Gackt has voice acted (including characters inspired by him in video games like in <i><a href="/facts/Bujingai/cTqsHtcN">Bujingai</a></i> and <a href="/facts/Genesis_Rhapsodos/yNujTTfo">Genesis Rhapsodos</a> in <i><a href="/facts/Crisis_Core%3a_Final_Fantasy_VII/gYwIxBQF">Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII</a></i>), and live acted in a few films, including a film he wrote, <i><a href="/facts/Moon_Child_(2003_film)/uVLk4UxC">Moon Child</a></i>, his international debut <i><a href="/facts/Bunraku_(film)/5MsP3LlX">Bunraku</a></i>, <a href="/facts/43rd_Japan_Academy_Film_Prize/7XUHIcw0">Japan Academy award</a> nomination performance for <a href="/facts/Japan_Academy_Film_Prize_for_Outstanding_Performance_by_an_Actor_in_a_Leading_Role/NgQv8Im0">Best Actor</a> in <i><a href="/facts/Fly_Me_to_the_Saitama/5Wqpedm1">Fly Me to the Saitama</a></i>, and TV series most notably as <a href="/facts/Uesugi_Kenshin/hsqYJcwG">Uesugi Kenshin</a> in the <a href="/facts/NHK/3tUvzAQV">NHK</a> drama <i><a href="/facts/F%25C5%25ABrin_Kazan_(TV_series)/mY22cHNW">Fūrin Kazan</a></i>. He also performed live in <a href="/facts/Theatre/Tq0mvBI8">theatre</a> stage plays, <i><a href="/facts/Nemuri_Ky%25C5%258Dshir%25C5%258D/73Wa9VVJ">Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae</a></i> and a duology he has written, composed, and directed <i><a href="/facts/Mysteries_of_Yoshitsune_I_%2526_II/vypud1a9">Moon Saga: Mysteries of Yoshitsune I & II</a></i>. He also provided the voice samples for <a href="/facts/Internet_Co.%2c_Ltd./u5gnGMcD">Internet Co., Ltd.</a>'s first <a href="/facts/Vocaloid/D6EISYJ0">Vocaloid</a>, <a href="/facts/Gackpoid/d5j1WNxF">Gackpoid</a>. </p>