ANIMETAL is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1996, which debuted that same year with the single "ANIMETAL. " Their genres include heavy metal, power metal, and speed metal, and they are known for their unique style of performing metal arrangements of theme songs and insert songs from anime and tokusatsu series.The core members are Eizo Sakamoto (vocals), MASAKI (bass), and Syu (guitar). Their 1997 album ANIMETAL MARATHON peaked at No. 9 on the Oricon charts and became the flagship work of the series.Notable songs include "Animetal" (1996), "Eternal Future," "Let's Go with Tokusatsu!," and "Sentimental" (1997).Notable albums include *ANIMETAL MARATHON* (1997), *ANIMETAL MARATHON II* (1998), and *DECADE OF BRAVEHEARTS* (2006).Gaining popularity as a pioneering band that fused "anime" and "metal," they had a major impact on the Japanese metal scene of the late 1990s, selling over 600,000 copies in total across the series.
