Make-Up (Japanese band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Hard rock and heavy metal music, anime theme songs |
Make-Up (presented as MAKE—UP) was a Japanese band specializing in hard rock and heavy metal, established in 1983. The group gained prominence for their contributions to the anime Saint Seiya by performing its theme songs.
History
The band MAKE-UP originated in 1983, deriving their name from a previous ensemble associated with members of LOUDNESS, Akira Takasaki and Munetaka Higuchi, before Hiroaki Matsuzawa assumed control of the name.
During their inaugural year, they held their first live show and launched two albums: Howling Will and Straight Liner. In 1985, they released Born to Be Hard followed by their last studio record, Rock Legend of Boys & Girls.
In 1986, MAKE-UP partnered with Nippon Columbia to produce the legendary tracks "Pegasus Fantasy" and "Blue Forever" for the Saint Seiya anime; notably, "Pegasus Fantasy" endures as one of the most iconic anime opening themes worldwide.
After issuing the soundtrack Saint Seiya: Hit Kyokushū I, the band dissolved, with members embarking on individual musical paths.
To honor their impact, Nippon Columbia issued a commemorative box set titled Memories of Blues: Make-Up 20th Anniversary in 2004, which included five CDs and a live performance DVD; however, no fresh recordings were created.
Vocalist Nobuo Yamada died from cancer in 2025.
Band members
- Nobuo Yamada (山田信夫 Yamada Nobuo) – Lead Vocals
- Hiroaki Matsuzawa (松澤 浩明 Matsuzawa Hiroaki) – Guitarist
- Yasuyoshi Ikeda (池田 育義 Ikeda Yasuyoshi) – Bassist
- Yōgo Kōno (河野 陽吾 Kōno Yōgo) – Keyboard Player
- Yoshihiro Toyokawa (豊川 義弘 Toyokawa Yoshihiro) – Drummer
Discography
- Studio albums
- Howling Will (April 1, 1984)
- Straight Linet (October 21, 1984)
- Born to Be Hard (May 21, 1985)
- Rock Legend of Boys & Girls (December 21, 1985)
- EPs
- The Voice from Yesterday (December 12, 2009)
- Collaborative albums
- Rock Joint Bazzar alongside Grand Prix (March 21, 1993)
- Compilation albums
- Glory Days: Make-Up Best Collection (August 1, 1989)
- Memories of Blues: Make-Up 20th Anniversary (December 1, 2004)
- Golden: Best of Make-Up (October 31, 2012)
- Soundtrack albums
- Saint Seiya: Hit Kyokushū I featuring Mitsuko Horie (December 21, 1986)
- Saint Seiya '96: Song Collection (March 20, 1996)
- Saint Seiya: Complete Song Collection with multiple artists (November 21, 2002)