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Artist
いきものがかり (ikimono-gakari) is a duo pop rock band (formerly a three member group) founded by childhood friends Yoshiki Mizuno (水野良樹) and Hotaka Yamashita (山下穂尊) in Kanagawa, Japan. The two began doing street performances in February 1999 and decided on the band name. Vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka (吉岡聖恵) joined in November of that year. They temporarily disbanded in September 2000, coming together again in April 2003 after finishing college. The group's name is a reference to ikimono-gakari (いきものがかり), a group of children who are responsible for looking after plants and animals in Japanese elementary schools. Yamashita left the group and retired from the entertainment industry after their June 10–11, 2021 performance. They were signed to Epic Japan Records and released their first mainstream single SAKURA in March 2006. The title song was used in NTT East Japan commercials and heard on various televised programs. Their 2nd single HANABI was used as the 7th ending song for the Studio Pierrot anime release, Bleach. Their 10th single Blue Bird was used as the 3rd opening for Naruto Shippuuden. Their single Kaze ha fuite iru was used by NHK as the theme song of their 2012 London Summer Olympics and Paralympics broadcasts. They have also appeared on the widely viewed year-end music show NHK Kôhaku Utagassen every year since 2008. On March 4, 2009, their first-ever collection of video works, "Tottemo Ēzō", was released. That year, Mizuno was put in charge of writing the song "Yell" as the