KAT-TUN is a Japanese male idol group which formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency in 2001 and debuted on March 22, 2006 with members Kazuya Kamenashi, Jin Akanishi, Junnosuke Taguchi, Koki Tanaka, Tatsuya Ueda, and Yuichi Nakamaru. The pop band’s name is an acronym of these original members’ surnames and reads like the Japanese pronunciation of the English word “cartoon”. Their 2006 debut album Best of KAT-TUN received Triple Platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Other notable albums are Cartoon KAT-TUN II You (2007) along with KAT-TUN III: Queen of Pirates (2008), and Break the Records: By You & For You (2009), among others which all ranked at Number 1 on the Oricon Albums Chart immediately upon the respective weeks of their release. Similar to other Johnny & Associates artists, the teenage pop idol appeal of KAT-TUN’s songs are huge hits to their fans whom they fondly call “hyphens”. Their style is made more remarkable by the infusion of rock sensibilities such as in the highly popular soft rock hit “Bokura no Machi de”, synth-pop and dance-rock single “Rescue”, as well as the orchestral rock-tinged “Ultimate Wheels”. KAT-TUN has also received several recognitions from the Japan Gold Disc Awards, such as “Music Video Of The Year” in 2006 for KAT-TUN Live Kaizokuban and “Single Of The Year” in 2007 for their debut single “Real Face”. In 2010, Jin Akanishi departed to pursue a solo career and three years later, Koki Tanaka was removed from the group due to contract violations. Junnosuke Taguchi also left in 2016, followed by KAT-TUN’s announcement of an indefinite hiatus. The group returned as a trio on January 1, 2018 with the song “Ask Yourself”. This was followed up three years later with the single “Roar” alongside its limited-edition B-side “Flashback”, ranking at Number 1 on the Oricon Singles Chart similar to all of KAT-TUN’s singles that were released prior.
