High and Mighty Color

High and Mighty Color
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Predecessor	Anti-Nobunaga
Founded	2003 in Okinawa, Japan
Founder	Sassy, Meg, Mackaz, Kazuto, Yuusuke
Defunct	2010
Fate	Disbanded
Headquarters	Okinawa, Japan
Area served	Japan, United States
Key people	Mākii, Halca, Yūsuke, Meg, Mackaz, Sassy
Products	Music albums and singles
Number of employees	7 (members)

High and Mighty Color (often stylized as HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR and abbreviated to H&MC) was a Japanese rock ensemble active between 2003 and 2010, notable for its dual male and female vocalists.

Origins and Early Days as Anti-Nobunaga

The band originated in Okinawa when members Sassy and Meg departed from a Metallica tribute group to pursue original compositions. They brought on board Mackaz and Kazuto, later persuading Yuusuke to join after repeated invitations from Meg. Initially called Anti-Nobunaga, the group spent approximately a year performing primarily in intimate venues. Although major record labels initially declined to sign them, a smaller label eventually took interest, allowing the band to extend their performances beyond Okinawa and secure a spot at the island’s annual Songs Day festival.

Addition of Mākii and Rebranding

During the summer of 2003 at the Okinawa music festival, Anti-Nobunaga performed to a fully packed audience—a rare feat at that event. A talent scout from a Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary offered them an opportunity to contribute tracks to the compilation album Okinawa 2003, resulting in the original pieces "Meaning" and "Hate You!". Vocalist Mākii caught the eye of the same scout during the Music Picnic Festival. Although she was initially reluctant due to plans for overseas study, she decided to join after witnessing the band’s energetic live show. With Mākii’s inclusion, the group adopted the new name High and Mighty Color.

After six months spent honing their musical style, the band transitioned from Sony’s minor label division to its major label roster, joining contemporaries such as Orange Range—another Okinawan group discovered at the same festival. This regional connection contributed to their reputation for blending diverse musical influences shaped by local culture and military presence. Late in 2004, they released their debut single "Over" exclusively through Tower Records; it sold out within a month and was reissued in 2005. The single held the top position on indie Oricon charts for an entire month.

2005 Developments

In 2005, High and Mighty Color launched their first major-label single, "Pride". Originally planned as a theme for a Japanese football event, it was ultimately chosen by a Sunrise music affiliate as the opening theme for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, then Japan’s highest-rated anime series. This exposure greatly increased sales, with "Pride" moving 223,208 copies, marking it as their highest-selling track.

The band undertook extensive promotional activities, appearing on programs such as Music Fighter, Music Station, and Hey! Hey! Hey!. In August, they released their fourth single, "Days", which sold 7,679 units but failed to break into Oricon’s top 20. Despite this setback, they received the Japanese Record Grand Prix's "Rookie of the Year" award; prior to their performance, Mākii paid tribute to her late grandmother.

2006: Release of Gou on Progressive

April 2006 saw the release of their sophomore album, Gou on Progressive, which followed only two singles. While it sold fewer copies than their debut album, it maintained a longer presence on Oricon charts and achieved a higher peak ranking. The lead single "Ichirin no Hana" was selected as the third opening theme for the anime Bleach and became one of only two singles besides "Pride" to enter Oricon’s top five. The band also performed their inaugural U.S. concert at an anime convention held in Houston on April 28.

They launched an extensive Japan-wide tour covering 65 venues over five months. Their seventh single "Dive into Yourself", released in August, served as the opening theme for the video game Sengoku Basara II. It ranked among their lowest-selling singles and peaked at number 24 on Oricon’s weekly listings. The eighth single "Enrai ~Tooku ni Aru Akari~", released on October 25, was used as the ending theme for the third compilation movie of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny: Special Edition and achieved a higher chart position at number 12. Additionally, "Energy," a B-side from "Style ~Get Glory in this Hand~", was featured on a tribute album dedicated to the film Death Note: The Last Name.

2007: San

Mākii made her acting debut in the December 2006 movie Anata wo Wasurenai (I Won't Forget You), with the band providing two tracks: the theme "Tadoritsuku Basho" and the insert song "Oxalis". These were issued together as a double A-side single titled "Tadoritsuku Basho/Oxalis". The film secured the 10th position at the Japanese box office. Furthermore, their song "Resistance" was selected as the theme for the Nintendo DS title Kokui Hirameku Requiem.

On February 4, previews for their third studio album, San, were unveiled ahead of its official release on February 21. This 15-track collection contained 10 fresh compositions and debuted at number 10 on Oricon's daily rankings, ultimately settling at 16th place in the weekly charts.

In March, Yūsuke teamed up with Masami Shiratama, former bassist of Porno Graffitti, for the single "Honnō", which was released on May 23 and highlighted Yūsuke’s signature rapid-fire vocal style.

The group made their second U.S. appearance by performing at the Anime Central convention held from May 11 to 12, 2007.

Their tenth single, "Dreams", launched on August 1, acted as the second ending theme for the anime Darker Than Black and debuted at number 24 on the Oricon charts in its first week.

On November 4, they revealed 10 Color Singles, a compilation featuring their initial ten singles plus an additional track, "Ichirin no Hana (Live Studio Version)". This release included a DVD containing rare music videos such as "Style", "Dreams", "Here I Am", along with a newly produced video for "Mushroom". In December, they contributed a cover of Luna Sea’s "Rosier" for the Luna Sea Memorial Cover Album -Re:birth-.

2008: Rock Pit and Mākii departs

High and Mighty Color’s twelfth single, "Flashback/Komorebi no Uta", was released on February 27, 2008. This double A-side track served as promotional material for the anime series Hero Tales. Their fourth album, Rock Pit, followed on March 19 but marked their lowest commercial performance to date.

The band commenced the fourth installment of their "Live Bee Loud" tour on March 17, 2008, beginning at Club Quattro in Japan and covering thirteen venues nationwide before concluding in their native Okinawa. Their thirteenth single, "Hot Limit", a cover of a T.M. Revolution hit, featured visuals paying homage to the original. Sony Music Entertainment produced a commercial for this release—the band's first since "Dive into Yourself"—which became their highest-selling single in nearly two years and debuted at number 20 on Oricon’s weekly chart.

On July 1, 2008, it was announced that Mākii had wed Dreams Come True bassist Masato Nakamura on June 22 and would be leaving High and Mighty Color by year-end. In her farewell statement, Mākii expressed gratitude to both her bandmates and fans for their continued support. The group planned a special graduation concert in her honor and intended to release at least one final single before starting auditions for a new vocalist in early 2009.

On August 15, High and Mighty Color performed at Zepp Nagoya alongside artists such as 175R, One Ok Rock, and Gollbetty during the "Steal The Show Friday Night" event. Their fourteenth single, "Remember", released on October 15, 2008, was Mākii’s last recording with the band.

2009: Halca's Arrival and the Release of Swamp Man

At the start of 2009, on January 1, the group shifted to Spice Records, a studio based in Okinawa that retained limited rights from their previous contract with SME. Their inaugural live DVD, which debuted on January 25, achieved a peak position of ninth on Oricon's daily rankings and secured the 11th spot on the weekly chart. After Mākii left the band, they conducted auditions to find a new female vocalist, announcing Halca as the successful candidate on February 9. To introduce her to fans, the band scheduled a summer single release along with a supporting tour. The track "XYZ," featuring Halca, became available on iTunes Japan and Australia starting July 8.

Their fifth studio album, titled Swamp Man, was released on September 2, 2009, and climbed to number 25 on the Oricon charts. Later that year, they issued "Red," a digital tribute piece dedicated to two well-known manga series; it was initially released on December 9 and later re-released on December 23 through iTunes Japan.

2010: Disbandment

On March 13, 2010, the band held a live performance named "Night Light Parade Vol. 1.1: One of the New Beginning" at Shibuya Club Quattro in Tokyo.

The announcement of their final single, "Re:ache", came on May 19, with a scheduled release date of August 11. The group cited "musical differences" and "future opportunities" as reasons for their dissolution following this release. The single included three new tracks plus a live rendition of "Red," accompanied by a DVD containing music videos for "Re:ache" and "Good Bye," as well as live footage from their 2010 Sakura-Con concert in the United States.

After disbanding, members embarked on individual endeavors; notably in 2017, Mackaz and Sassy reunited with former vocalist Mākii to establish DracoVirgo.

Members

– vocals
– lead guitar
Meg – rhythm guitar
Mackaz – bass
Sassy – drums, bandleader
– vocals (2004–2008)
Halca – vocals (2009–2010)

Discography

Albums

G∞ver (2005)
Go On Progressive (2006)
San (2007)
Rock Pit (2008)
Swamp Man (2009)

External links