Soft Ballet
| Company type | Music ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Maki Fujii, Ken Morioka, Ryoichi Endo |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Electronic music |
Soft Ballet was an electronic music ensemble from Japan, established in 1987, comprising Maki Fujii, Ken Morioka, and Ryoichi Endo, along with additional musicians for live performances. While they never achieved mainstream chart dominance, they cultivated a devoted cult audience and were instrumental in shaping Japan's contemporary electronic music landscape throughout the 1990s.
Origins and Period with Alfa Records
Soft Ballet originated as a secondary project when Ken Morioka and Ryoichi Endo, both formerly part of Volaju, teamed up with Maki Fujii in 1987. Their debut single, Tokio Bang!, was issued in very limited numbers, later becoming a sought-after collector's piece. After the dissolution of Morioka’s previous group Granny Takes a Trip, Soft Ballet evolved into a full-fledged band. Their unique fusion of synthpop and European Electronic Body Music (EBM) set them apart within Japan’s music industry. Following initial independent releases, they secured a contract with Alfa Records in 1989 and launched their first album, Earth Born, which achieved commercial success, enabling extensive tours and the production of a professionally recorded concert video. During this era, Ken and Maki also partnered with video game composer Yuzo Koshiro on the soundtrack for The Scheme.
In 1990, Soft Ballet delivered two releases: the full-length Document and the mini-album 3 [drai], each featuring individual compositions that reflected the members’ distinct styles—Ken’s pop-oriented tracks, Maki’s industrial influences, and Ryoichi’s ballads—collectively defining the band’s eclectic sound.
Their 1991 release 愛と平和 presented a pronounced anti-war message against the backdrop of the Gulf War, emphasizing industrial and EBM elements. This album marked their first entry into the Oricon Top 10 charts and attracted interest from major label Victor Entertainment. Subsequently, it was acknowledged as one of the standout albums from 1989 to 1998 by Band Yarouze magazine.
Although Soft Ballet parted ways with Alfa by late 1991, Alfa Records proceeded to issue remix albums Alter Ego (1992) and Twist And Turn (1993), which featured notable Western remix artists such as Richard D. James (Polygon Window), 808 State, LFO, and Cabaret Voltaire. These projects represented one of the earliest instances of international remix collaborations involving a Japanese band and helped introduce Soft Ballet’s music to audiences outside Japan.
Era under XEO Invitation
By 1992, Soft Ballet had transitioned to Victor Entertainment’s newly established sublabel XEO Invitation. Their fifth studio album, Million Mirrors, was XEO’s inaugural release and again secured a position within the Top 10 charts. Although no singles from Million Mirrors were released domestically in Japan, the band issued "Threshold" as a 12-inch single in the United Kingdom via Blue August Records.
In 1993, Soft Ballet released their first singles under XEO—"Engaging Universe" and "White Shaman"—which became significant hits and led to television appearances. The follow-up album Incubate demonstrated their broadest stylistic range yet, blending alternative rock, jazz influences, EBM, and noise elements to create a mixture of both accessible and experimental soundscapes.
As internal disagreements intensified, the group paused activities in 1994. During this hiatus, Maki collaborated with Hisashi Imai from Buck-Tick along with British musicians such as Raymond Watts to form Schaft, while Ken pursued solo work in Europe. That same year, Soft Ballet participated in the sold-out LSB tour alongside Luna Sea and Buck-Tick—a landmark event in Japanese rock that also featured emerging bands like The Yellow Monkey, L'Arc-en-Ciel, The Mad Capsule Markets, and Die in Cries.
The members reconvened to produce a new album characterized by unprecedented collaboration—the first instance where all three jointly composed both lyrics and music. Creative roles shifted: Ryoichi took on composing duties while Ken and Maki focused on lyric writing. Despite this renewed cooperative effort, internal tensions remained unresolved. Following the release of Form in 1995—their most commercially successful record—they announced their disbandment. This was succeeded by Forms: Remix For Ordinary People, an album exclusively featuring remixes by non-Japanese producers through SSR Records.
Concluding their career with a three-night concert series in Tokyo, Soft Ballet officially disbanded on July 23, 1995. Their final release was a self-titled compilation (also known as The Ultimate Best Of Soft Ballet), predominantly consisting of newly recorded material—15 out of 22 tracks were re-recorded versions of earlier songs.
Activities Following the Split
Soon after the disbandment, Ryoichi established a new group named The Ends (later shortened to "Ends"), consistently releasing one album each year from 1996 up until their eventual reunion. Although Ends did not achieve the same level of commercial success as Soft Ballet, it stands as the most prominent post-Soft Ballet endeavor among the former members.
Ken explored a variety of musical paths, including launching a solo career and composing the soundtrack for the well-known anime series Kaikan Phrase. Additionally, he contributed as a session musician and producer for artists such as Demon Kogure, Feel, Hikaru Kotobuki, and Losalios. Ken also collaborated on projects like Suicide alongside Issay from Der Zibet for a tribute album dedicated to Japan.
Maki’s creative output was less frequent. He released Maki Fujii Assembled, an album featuring remixes of Soft Ballet tracks under pseudonymous titles. He also participated in recordings by Ryuichi Kawamura (Luna Sea), Mari Hamada, and Zilch. Maki produced Epidemic’s debut record and initiated the She Shell project in 1999, which yielded only two singles before being discontinued. Interestingly, She Shell was among the pioneers in remixing works by Ayumi Hamasaki.
Years of Reunion
Following extended negotiations, Soft Ballet officially reformed in 2002 with Maki’s consent. Their comeback performance took place at the 2002 Summer Sonic Festival, followed by the release of Symbiont (EastWest Japan), an album showcasing a refreshed sound that incorporated advancements in digital music technology. While it attained moderate commercial reception, it did not reach their previous heights of popularity.
The band continued live performances into late 2002 and early 2003, issuing the single "Bright My Way". By mid-2003, they parted ways with EastWest Japan; subsequent releases such as "Smashing The Sun" were distributed through Warner Music Japan. Their final studio album, Menopause (2003), explored more mature themes and included "土縋り", their sole track titled entirely in Japanese.
After concluding a last tour in December 2003, Soft Ballet officially disbanded on December 17. This final concert was recorded and later issued on DVD in 2013.
Releases After Disbanding
Capitalizing on their dedicated fanbase, Soft Ballet continued issuing material following their breakup. Alongside compilation albums released around that time, they collaborated with Sony Music Direct to offer pre-order items that were manufactured as limited editions once a minimum order quantity was met. Key releases feature a DVD box set containing early live footage, remastered editions of their first four albums originally released through Alfa Records, and a DVD documenting their final 2003 show. The centerpiece is Index–Soft Ballet 1989–1995, an extensive 11-disc collection encompassing nearly all songs, live recordings, and remixes from 1989 to 1995. This set was remastered by Maki Fujii and includes detailed liner notes plus previously unreleased studio material. Due to its rarity, this collection commands prices close to 100,000 JPY on auction markets.
Ryoichi Endo
Following Soft Ballet's dissolution, Ryoichi Endo resumed activities with his band Ends, evolving their sound from earlier hard rock/classic rock influences toward an electronic style shaped by his experience with Soft Ballet. The 2004 release The Counter featured modern synthesizer textures combined with accelerated drum patterns fused with contemporary pop rock elements. In 2005, Found further embraced techno influences and remains Ends' latest studio album; the group’s most recent live appearance occurred in 2009. After a 15-year hiatus, Endo announced his return to music in 2024 via Visual Music Japan.
Ken Morioka
Following the breakup of Soft Ballet, Ken Morioka revived his solo pursuits, independently releasing a variety of singles and albums, which included collaborations with Daijiro Nozawa and the group ZIZ. He also took part in session work, contributing as a writer and touring musician alongside artists such as Mell, Tomoyasu Hotei, Kaya, and Buck-Tick. Morioka's work extended to soundtracks for the game Dream Club Zero, the film "記憶の音楽Gb", and the "Ghost In The Shell Tribute Album Ver 2.0.0".
In 2009, Morioka teamed up with Masayuki Deguchi, formerly of Grass Valley, to create Gentleman Take Polaroid, which produced a single album. By 2013, he was involved in two supergroups: KA.F.KA, led by Masami Tsuchiya, and a backing ensemble for a posthumous appearance by hide. The following year, Morioka partnered with Maki Fujii to form minus(-), releasing two mini-albums titled D and G. Morioka passed away from heart failure on June 3, 2016.
Maki Fujii
After Soft Ballet disbanded, Maki Fujii’s musical contributions became less frequent. He initially focused on solo projects for Atsushi Sakurai and Kirito while simultaneously building his band Suilen. When Kirito ceased his solo activities in 2007, Fujii dedicated more attention to Suilen, which debuted its first mini-album 音ヲ孕ム that year and followed up with three additional releases by 2009. That same year, Suilen also provided music for the Hellsing OVA series.
In 2008, Suilen shared the stage with acid android and Hisashi Imai’s Lucy project; during this event, Fujii reunited with Imai as part of Schaft for a special encore performance featuring "The HEROINside." Suilen’s last tour to date occurred in 2010, after which Fujii contributed to two albums by acid android before stepping back from public appearances. He reemerged in 2014 when Ken Morioka revealed their collaboration in the new band minus(-).
Studio albums
- Earth Born (1989)
- Document (1990)
- 3 [drai] (Mini LP) (1990)
- 愛と平和 (1991) (read as "Ai to Heiwa," meaning "Love and Peace")
- Million Mirrors (1992)
- Incubate (1993)
- Form (1995)
- Symbiont (2002)
- Menopause (2003)
Singles
- "Tokio Bang!" (1987)
- "Body to Body"† (1989)
- "Body to Body"† (1989)
- "Twist of Love" (1990)
- "Escape -Rebuild" (1990)
- "Ego Dance" (1991)
- "Final" (1991)
- "Threshold" (1993)
- "Engaging Universe" (1993)
- "White Shaman" (1993)
- "You" (1995)
- "Merchendiver" (2002)
- "Bright My Way" (2003)
- "Smashing the Sun" (2003)
†Two separate versions were issued in 1989: one on an independent label and another re-recorded under a major label.
Live album
- Reiz [raits] (1992)
Compilations
- Single Collection '89–'91 (1993)
- Soft Ballet (1995)
- Super Best Of Soft Ballet (1996)
- Soft Ballet 1989–1991 the Best (2003)
- Soft Ballet 1992–1995 the Best + 8 Other Mixes (2003)
- Index–Soft Ballet 1989–1995 (2009)
Remix albums
- Alter Ego (1992)
- Twist and Turn (1993)
- Forms (1995)