GACKT Official Bitfan update. Translation below
On August 29th, the Osaka performance of “GACKT Maou Symphony 2026 -INFINITY- organized by billboard classics” was held, marking the final show of the nationwide tour.
15 minutes before the show began.
A strange voice, distinctly different from the usual pre-show announcements, echoed through the venue.
Standing silently in front of the closed stage curtain were staff members wearing white masks.
This bizarre sight made the audience feel as if they had wandered into a “ritual” in a world different from reality, rather than simply entering a theater.
The familiar “Bolero,” a staple at GACKT performances, played repeatedly as background music throughout the venue.
Then, the show began.
Suddenly, a buzzer blared throughout the theater, piercing the quietly building tension.
However, that sound was not merely a buzzer announcing the start of the show.
The sound gradually lost its pitch, twisted, and distorted, as if spacetime itself had begun to warp.
The boundary separating reality and the Demon King’s world began to crumble, and the otherworldly atmosphere of the entire venue intensified rapidly.
The lights went out.
The final ritual began.
A spotlight illuminated a single point on the stage.
Suddenly appearing there were clown-like figures, shrouded in an inhuman aura.
“It’s been a long time,”
“We meet again,”
These voices addressed the audience. One of them was the same strange voice that had echoed in the pre-show announcement. A strange scene, neither reality nor illusion, began without warning. The audience’s thoughts were instantly thrown into disarray, as if they had been suddenly transported to another world. At this point, it was still unclear who they were. It is later revealed that these individuals are the “Guardians of Memory.” A series of exchanges between the Guardians of Memory unfolds, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.
Soon, a majestic and leisurely melody from an orchestra begins to quietly resonate from behind the closed curtain. As if guided by the music, the Guardians of Memory slowly turn on their heels, as if nothing had happened.
One step, then another.
They proceed towards the closed curtain.
The moment they reach the front of the curtain, the stage goes dark. Almost simultaneously with the darkness enveloping everything, the closed curtain slowly begins to open. Responding to this opening, the Guardians of Memory quietly move to the left and right of the stage, disappearing from view. This is truly a literal “opening.”
The melody that resonated from behind the curtain eventually leads into M1 “ARROW.”
As the introduction played, smoke enveloped the stage like a sea of clouds, and GACKT slowly walked out from within, revealing himself.
At that moment, the audience in the first-floor seats rose to their feet in unison.
The venue’s energy surged, and the eerie, tense silence that had enveloped the hall until then was instantly replaced by frenzy. Responding to the introduction of “ARROW,” a roar-like cheer erupted, enveloping the entire venue. The stage was three-dimensionally constructed, with the orchestra and the YELLOW FRIED CHICKENz band members fused together as one massive ensemble, each highlighting the presence of the other. There was almost no sense of separation between the orchestra and the band. This “sense of unity” was clearly greater than in “Maou Symphony 2025 REVIVAL,” and the deeper connection between the two resulted in a significantly increased richness and power of sound emanating from the entire stage. The audience was simply overwhelmed. If I were to describe this scene, the word “overwhelming” would be the most fitting. I, too, am one of those who felt this way. I have never felt a single song pass by so quickly. Before I knew it, “ARROW” was over. It was so intense, yet so fleeting. The stage then seamlessly transitioned into M2, “NOESIS.”
GACKT, alluring yet somehow possessing a divine aura, was vividly illuminated by green and red side spotlights, and the stage lighting responded by shifting eerily. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, GACKT’s outline took on an unusual three-dimensional quality, creating the illusion that he was leaping out of the stage space itself towards us. The music, his voice, the lighting, and GACKT’s presence—all of these elements combined to create a performance where “NOESIS” felt like a story unfolding before our eyes. Track 3, “Inheritance of Sin -ORIGINAL SIN-,” opens with the low, undulating sounds of strings and wind instruments. The orchestra imbues the almost violent sound with a rich, sensual, and mysterious aura. Intensity and allure.
The interplay of these two contrasting elements highlights the precarious beauty unique to this piece.
At the end of “Inheritance of Sin,” a moment of silence falls, and just as everyone is about to applaud, something unexpected happens. The conductor violently raises his baton, and in response, all the instruments simultaneously unleash a torrent of sounds of madness and frenzy. A torrent of sound rages as if out of control. The audience responds, furiously raising their “keys of light.” The venue is instantly engulfed in a whirlwind of frenzy and ecstasy.
Then, as if to control the chaos, the Demon King GACKT let out a low, terrifying voice.
“Enter the world of ‘memory and rebirth’ woven by the Demon King.”
With these words, Demon King GACKT began to speak, one word at a time, as if to awaken the memories slumbering deep within the audience and liberate their spirits.
Each word, spoken slowly but with strong will, was met with loud cheers from the audience. Responding to these cheers, the orchestra, band, and even the lighting moved in unison, the entire stage beginning to move as if possessing a colossal will. It was no longer a one-sided call.
It was like a ritual exchanged between the Demon King and the audience. Indeed, GACKT had incorporated a “call and response” to unite the venue in this final performance.
Demon King GACKT fiercely questioned:
“Can you do it!?”
To that single word, the audience responded with deafening cheers.
And then, once more.
“Can you do it!?”
He pressed on.
“Can you do it!?”
With each repeated call, the cheers grew louder, and the boundary between the stage and the audience gradually disappeared.
The audience was no longer merely receiving the music. They responded to the Demon King GACKT’s call with their own voices, completing this space together. At this moment, the entire venue pulsed like one giant living organism, and that heartbeat instantly transformed into a fierce surge of frenzy.
Finally, the Demon King GACKT spoke softly and quietly, “Awaken your true, real self.”
As his words trailed off, a beautiful yet ephemeral melody of violin and harp began to play, leading into M4, “UNTIL THE LAST DAY.” However, the moment the song entered its main phase, in stark contrast to its delicate melody, an extremely violent sound exploded once again. It would be fair to say that the audience’s senses were already losing their normal boundaries. But even that confusion was already sweet. Beauty and violence, silence and frenzy. As the audience repeatedly oscillated between these opposing sensations, they gradually surrendered themselves to the chaos itself.
M5 “IN FLAMES” opens with a flute intro that seems to harbor madness.
From there, the song suddenly unleashes a divine aura, expanding its scale even further as it moves towards the second half.
Particularly impressive is the powerful drums intensely collaborating with the brass section.
The grandeur of the orchestra and the explosive power of the band clash head-on, propelling the entire song forward with overwhelming force.
M6 “LAST SONG.” This song was enveloped in warmth and grandeur.
There was no longer the sense of loss or sadness that this song once carried.
Rather, a gentle light, as if having accepted and overcome all of those things, enveloped the entire venue.
In the end, all that remained was an overwhelming sense of euphoria. On this night, “LAST SONG” resonated not as a song of sadness, but as a song about moving forward while embracing memories.
M7 “LAPIS.” The orchestra and the Demon King GACKT stood silently amidst a sea of clouds created by low-powered smoke. Just the sight of it enveloped the venue in a palpable tension, making everyone hold their breath.
As the chorus began, the cello and piano spun a fleetingly beautiful melody, further highlighting the song’s poignant sadness. Then came the outro. Amidst a quietly resonating piano solo, GACKT slowly descended from the stage and walked towards the conductor’s podium. As the audience followed him, they began to realize what was about to happen.
Yes, it led into M8 “FOUR SEASONS -Ⅰ-,” with the Demon King GACKT himself conducting.
Of all the songs in this medley, “Sakura, Chiru…” was particularly memorable. The moment the song reached its climax, the stage was instantly bathed in a cherry blossom pink light.
The lighting also responded to this atmosphere, dramatically highlighting the song’s transience and grandeur.
And for the final song of the medley, the Demon King GACKT once again took the stage. GACKT, seated on a floor-standing monitor speaker, sang this powerful song celebrating “life” with his whole being, savoring every note.
As the ending approached, his breathing became increasingly raw and visceral. He took deep breaths, exhaling each one. Every breath was transmitted through the microphone to the entire venue, as if GACKT’s own “heartbeat of life” was becoming a part of the music.
M9, “STAND ALONE.” This song is the theme song for the Fuji TV Monday 9pm drama “Black Trick: The Lawyer Who Manipulates Judgment,” starring GACKT. The opening string intro is truly symbolic. Its magnificent yet somewhat tense melody gains even more depth and scale with the addition of the orchestra, showing an affinity as if it had been created specifically for “Demon King Symphony” from the very beginning.
The band, the orchestra, and GACKT’s vocals.
When all of these elements come together, this song transcends the boundaries of a mere drama theme song, transforming into a piece that symbolizes the world of “Maou Symphony” itself. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it the “anthem” representing this performance. The guitar and bass are strummed with GACKT’s dreadlocks wildly shaking.
Then, the powerful yet tight drums join in, and the song’s intensity increases dramatically. As Maou GACKT begins headbanging furiously, YELLOW FRIED CHICKENz’s performance accelerates in response. The entire stage becomes one massive impulse, surging towards the audience. And at the start of the chorus, all the YFCz members simultaneously raise their arms straight up, almost piercing the sky. At that moment, the band, the orchestra, Maou GACKT, and even the audience are united in a single beat, and an overwhelming sense of unity fills the venue.
Track 10, “CLAYMORE.” What leaves a particularly striking impression in this song is the heavy yet brilliant sound of the brass section. The sharp, cutting brass sounds add a bold color to the song, allowing you to fully feel the dynamism unique to an orchestra. The crisp drum beat is added to this, creating a weighty yet light momentum. The dazzling sounds of the brass instruments, strings, and guitar, along with the tight rhythm, intertwine, making the dynamism of “CLAYMORE” stand out even more vividly. And then, the final song. Track 11, “LOST ANGELS.” This song, befitting a finale, has also been performed in the two previous “Maou Symphony” events held in 2025, and is, in a sense, a song that symbolizes this performance. “I will never forget you.” Maou GACKT conveys this strong message directly to the audience, pouring his feelings into each and every note. And then, the ending arrives. The layers upon layers of band and orchestral sounds converged into the final note, and everyone, without a moment’s deviation, stopped perfectly. This act of stopping wasn’t limited to the musicians; the conductor, too, froze at that moment, still holding his baton. It was as if time itself had been abruptly cut off. All the sounds that had filled the hall vanished, leaving only a fleeting silence and the lingering echo of the final note. The conductor slowly turned around and raised both hands high.
At that moment, a thunderous applause erupted, shattering the silence. Amidst the continuing applause, the stage curtain slowly closed from both sides. However, it didn’t close completely, leaving a small gap in the center, and stopped moving abruptly.
At that moment,
with an inorganic sound like a high-voltage circuit breaker tripping, the hall suddenly went dark.
Then the circuit breaker blared again, and as the lights returned… the “Guardians of Memory” were standing on the platform. Their conversation, as always, was somewhat inconsistent, blurring the lines between truth and fiction. The more one followed their words, the further away the truth seemed, until eventually the viewer was led to a single answer. It was a “destiny” born from contradiction. Those who witnessed this ritual once would be drawn back to this place, regardless of their own will. No one knows when that will be. But when that “time” arrives… we’ll see you again at the venue.
Furthermore, the Tokyo performance of “GACKT Maou Symphony 2026 -INFINITY- organized by billboard classics” will be recorded and released on Blu-ray and DVD this December.
【SET LIST】
M1 ARROW
M2 NOESIS
M3 The Inheritance of Sin -ORIGINAL SIN-
M4 UNTIL THE LAST DAY
M5 IN FLAMES
M6 LAST SONG
M7 LAPIS
M8 FOUR SEASONS -Ⅰ-
Hakuro -HAKURO-
Akatsuki Tsukiyo -DAY BREAKERS-
Sakura, Chiru…
M8-2 Setsugetsuka -THE END OF SILENCE-
M9 STAND ALONE
M10 CLAYMORE
M11 LOST ANGELS
Photo by Lestat C&M Project
Text by T.NAITO
Source: GACKT Official Bitfan
Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
Translation © GACKT ITALIA