In the early 1990s, he stopped playing drums, studio band activities went blank for a while, and found himself working multiple jobs at once, among them as a sound technician at the studio. When was in his early twenties, in a music livehouse event he met a guitarist You Kurosaki, his future solo career support guitarist, and they formed the band Cains:Feel (with biblical reference to the story of Cain and Abel). Because of the mediocre acquaintances at the moment Gackt became the frontman, and the band went to record a demo tape.

In the upcoming year he was introduced to the visual kei band Malice Mizer which was on hiatus due to lack of a vocalist. Gackt moved to Tokyo, and joined them in October 1995. He was the singer-lyricist, pianist, and contributed only two, but band’s cult songs, “Regret” and “Le Ciel”. With him, the band’s fame soared, and at their peak, after four years and two studio albums, in January 1999 was announced that he left the band. According to his autobiography, the members differences, obsession, sudden income of money, and his isolation from the band, have led to his departure.

Gackt launched his solo career on January 1, 1999. After having completed his recordings, his first gig as a solo artist was the 99 Gackt Resurrection tour held in 12 locations across Japan. It was followed on May 12 with his debut release,extended play Mizérable. The album peaked at number 2, spending 12 weeks on the Oricon charts. It was certified gold, for shipment of over two hundred thousand copies, by the RIAJ. It spanned the same titled single “Mizérable”, which peaked at number 3, spending 9 weeks on the charts. In July he performed at Shock Wave Illusion in Osaka and Tokyo. On August 11, was released his second single “Vanilla”. It peaked at number 4, spent 10 weeks on the charts, and enjoyed considerable success. It was certified gold by RIAJ.

In 2000, on February 9 and 16 were released third and fourth single, “Mirror” and “Oasis”. They peaked at number 9 and 7, and both spent 6 weeks on the charts. On March 8 was released his fifth single Seki-Ray, which peaked at number 7, charting for 6 weeks. In the year’s beginning GACKT was joined by a support guitarist and associate producer Chachamaru, and for Caparison Guitars has designed two guitars named “Marcury” and “Venus”, which he occasionally uses in his live performances. On April 26, was released his first full-length studio album, Mars. It peaked at number 3, and spent only 5 weeks on the charts, but was certified gold by RIAJ. The following day went on a nationwide tour Mars Sora Kara no Homonsha -Kaisō-, which included 16 concerts, and on July 1 performed the final concert at Yokohama Arena. On August 30, was released the sixth single “Saikai (Story)”, which peaked at number 7, spending 6 weeks on the charts. On November 16, was released the seventh single “Secret Garden”, which reached number 10, and charted for 5 weeks. On December 16, was released the first in the series of Platinum Boxes.

In 2001, on March 14 was released his eighth single, “Kimi no Tame ni Dekiru Koto“. It peaked at number 6, and charted for 18 weeks, which was Gackt’s record until 2009. On April 25, was released the second studio album, Rebirth. It is Gackt’s first concept album, conceived around the fictional narrative during the time of World War II, named “Requiem et Reminiscence”. The album includes previously released singles “Seki-Ray” and “Secret Garden”. It peaked at number 3, spent 21 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On May 3, went on the Requiem et Reminiscence tour, which included 18 concert in fourteen venues. The final concert was held on June 23, at the Yokohama Arena. On September 5, was released his ninth single, “Another World“. It was GACKT’s first single to reach number two spot on the charts, spent 17 weeks on them, and managed to sell over two hundred and fifty thousand copies, being his best selling single. It was certified gold by RIAJ. After discovering the events of September 11th, 2001 in New York, GACKT wrote a song for a world peace. It was released that December as a single “Jūnigatsu no Love Song“. It peaked at number 5, and charted for 9 weeks. From 2001 to 2004, the single was recorded in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, all released before Christmas.

In the second half of 2001, during the release of “Another World”, Gackt started his second concept, project “Moon”. In 2002, on April 24, was released his eleventh single “Wasurenai Kara”. It peaked at number 4, spending 5 weeks on the charts. On June 6 went on the nationwide live house tour, on which represented his new concept, and included 9 concerts in eight venues. The final concert was held on July 10, at Zepp Sendai. On June 16, was released the third studio concept album Moon. It is GACKT’s best selling album, it reached number two on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On September 22, at the Beijing Worker’s Gymnasium, in China, was held large musical event “China-Japan: Holding Hands, Moving Together” as part of “Japan-China Diplomatic Relations Normalization 30th Anniversary Commemoration”, and GACKT was among handful who represented his homeland. On October 14 continued the concept with the nationwide tour Kagen no Tsuki (下弦の月, The Waning Moon), which included 22 concerts fifteen venues. The final concert was held on December 24, at the Yokohama Arena.

In 2003, GACKT worked on his film Moon Child. He wrote the script, and did own action scenes on location in Taiwan. In collaboration with co-star Hyde, he also sang the film’s theme song “Orange no Taiyō” (オレンジの太陽 Orenji no Taiyō, “The Orange Sun”). Film was released on April 19 in Japan, and screened on May 13 at the Cannes Film Festival and on April 12, 2004 at Philadelphia Film Festival. On March 19 was released his thirteenth single “Kimi ga Oikaketa Yume”, which is the second of five to reach number two on the charts, spending 10 weeks on them. It was certified gold by RIAJ. On May 5 was launched the nationwide tour Jōgen no Tsuki (上弦の月, The Waxing Moon), continuing the concept of the previous one, and included 13 concerts in eight venues. On June 11, was released the fourteenth single “Tsuki no Uta”, which peaked at number 3, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On July 6, was held the final concert of the tour at the Yokohama Arena. On September 27, he performed as a special guest at the TV Asahi 45 anniversary commemorative “Kingdom Rock Show”. On October 2, Gackt performed the John Lennon’s song “Love” at the “Dream Power: John Lennon Super Live” concert organized by Yoko Ono in Saitama Super Arena. On September 26 was released GACKT’s autobiography Confession (自白 Jihaku). Besides the film and musical recordings for the project, in October was published a novel Moon Child Requiem (Moon Child 鎮魂歌). On November 12, was released his sixteenth single “Last Song”, which peaked at number 5, spent 13 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On December 3, was released the fourth studio concept album Crescent. It peaked at number 5, spent 11 weeks on the charts, and was certified platinum by RIAJ. On New Year’s Eve, he performed for the first time at the annual music show, 54th Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

In 2004, on February 25 was released his first compilation album The Sixth Day: Single Collection, which was a collection of the singer’s previous singles title songs, of some being re-recorded. It peaked at number 3, spent 23 weeks on the charts, which is his record, and was certified platinum by RIAJ. On April 29, went on the nationwide tour The Sixth Day & Seventh Night, which included 15 concerts in eight venues. On May 26, was released another compilation album The Seventh Night: Unplugged, containing the acoustic arrangements of previously released songs. It peaked at number 5, spent 8 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On July 4, was held the final concert of the tour at the Yokohama Arena. On October 27, was released the eighteenth single “Kimi ni Aitakute”, It peaked at number 2, spent 17 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On December 4, he appeared and performed at the M.net/Km Music Video Festival, where received the award for “Best Asian Rock Artist”.

In 2005, with the release of his previous single and the twentieth single “Arittake no Ai de” on January 26, which peaked at number 7, the unplugged theme was continued in the release of his fifth studio album Love Letter on Valentine’s Day. It peaked at number 5, spent 13 weeks on the charts, certified gold by RIAJ, and was re-recorded in Korean and released on June 16 for the Korean market. With the release of his twenty-first single “Black Stone” on April 27, GACKT switched to a more alternative rock style. The single peaked at number 3, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On May 25 followed the twenty-second single “Metamorphoze”, which was used in a Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam movie. It his fourth single to reach number two, spent 13 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On August 10, was released the twenty-third single “Todokanai Ai to Shitteita no ni Osaekirezu ni Aishitsuzuketa…”. It peaked at number 3, and was certified gold by RIAJ. On September 21, was released his sixth studio album Diabolos. Conceptually, it was a prequel entrant to the previous “Moon” albums. It reached number 4 on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ, his last album to achieve this. GACKT went on a, at the time, his longest nationwide tour Diabolos ~Aien no Shi~, with 36 concerts across Japan, which ended with a final New Year’s Eve spectacle at the Tokyo Dome, in front of more than forty-two thousand people.

In 2006, he continued his tour with a concert on January 14, in Korea, at Fencing Stadium in Korean Olympic Park, which was his first Asian solo concert. In the same month was released the twenty-fourth single “Redemption”, which included theme songs of Square Enix game Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. On February 28, he appeared to promise he gave at the graduation of the Maiko High School in Hyōgo Prefecture. Besides the words of encouragement, he performed live an unreleased song especially written for the graduation. It was released the following year on February 7, as “No ni Saku Hana no Yō ni”. Since then he appeared in several graduation ceremonies.

In August, at an Otakon conference, it was publicly announced that he would form a band, S.K.I.N, with famous metal band X Japan co-founder Yoshiki. Although there were high expectations for the group, since their debut performance on June 29, 2007 at the Anime Expo in Long Beach, California, no further activities were announced. On December 24, he went on a small nationwide fanclub tour “D.r.u.g. Party”, which was also continued with four concerts in Korea and Taiwan.

In 2007, in January he played the warlord Uesugi Kenshin in the NHK Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan. On June 20, was released his twenty-seventh single “Returner (Yami no Shūen)”, and was the first in his career (both solo and in a band) to reach the number one spot on the Oricon charts. On August 23, Gackt was invited to perform his Fūrin Kazan television role at Jōetsu city’s traditional 82nd Kenshin Festival, with approximate 203,000 visitors. In October he held a press conference at the Apple Store in Ginza, Tokyo, where besides advertised the first iPhone, announced to have his entire back catalog, with new previous tour live song recordings, put up on the iTunes Store, as well that his “The Greatest Filmography” would be released on October 9 in the United States and Canada, while his album Diabolos on October 26in eighteen European countries. On November 17 and 27, he performed at M.net/Km Music Video Festival in Korea as the special guest star, and appeared and performed at the “2007 Japan-China Cultural Exchange Grand Concert Final” in Beijing. In Beijing he sang “Jūnigatsu no Love Song” in Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. On December 10, he appeared at the China Fashion Awards in Beijing, where was given the award “Japanese Artist of the Year”. On December 19, was released a compilation album 0079–0088, including songs used in the Gundam franchise. GACKT also performed on the 58th Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

The year 2007 also saw the creation of the “Save our Dears” charity to help the victims of the powerful Chūetsu offshore earthquake that struck the Niigata Prefecture.To raise funds for this charity, GACKT designed a keychain and bracelets, in addition, the charity also featured two Orico UPty MasterCard credit cards. Gackt’s fanclub Dears, raised ¥2,000,000 (US$26,041) which GACKT donated to the Jōetsu at the 83rd Kenshin Festival in 2008.

In 2008, on December 3 was released his twenty-eighth single “Jesus”, his first single release in over a year. It peaked at number 7, spending 10 weeks on the charts. On December 14, GACKT went on his longest nationwide tour Requiem et Reminiscence II -Saisei to Kaikō- (Requiem et Reminiscence II -再生と邂逅-, -Rebirth and Reunion-), which included over 60 concerts in more than forty-five cities. In 2009, on January 28 was released his twenty-ninth single “Ghost”, which peaked at number 6 on the charts. On May 18, GACKT was scheduled to perform a concert in South Korea at Seoul’s Olympic Hall, but due to the effects of the global recession the sponsors of the concert withdrew their support. In commemoration to his 10th anniversary as a solo artist, were released four singles, “Koakuma Heaven”, “Faraway”, “Lost Angels”, and “Flower”, a week after one another starting from June 17, and ending on July 1. They all managed to enter the top ten on the charts. On June 13, began the arena part of the tour, and on July 4 was held a fanclub concert to celebreate his birthday at the Yoyogi National Stadium. On July 11 and 12 were held the final concerts at the Saitama Super Arena.

As both GACKT and the Kamen Rider Series’ Heisei period run had its 10th anniversary, he became involved in the 2009 edition of the franchise Kamen Rider Decade to perform its theme songs. These are the first singles that were not written by him, and were released by Avex Trax and Avex Entertainment. In March was released his thirtieth single and the series’ opening theme “Journey Through the Decade”, which peaked at number 2, spent 25 weeks on the charts, and was certified gold by RIAJ. In August was released the second theme single for the Kamen Rider Decade film All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, “The Next Decade”. It peaked at number 4, and spent 9 weeks on the charts.He also appeared in the film as Decade‘s iteration of the character Jōji Yūki. The collaboration finished in January with the release of the final single “Stay the Ride Alive”, which charted the same as previous one.

In September, he performed as a representative of Japan at the Asia Song Festival in Korea. He also participated in the 2009 Animelo Summer Live concert. In October performed as the main artist at the “Wow Live! Thanks For Music” show held in Yoyogi National Gymnasium, in Japan. On December 2, was released his seventh studio album Re:Born, which continued the story he had originally created in 2001. It reached number nine on the charts, and compared to previous albums wasn’t commercially successful. On December 12, he held a fanclub cover concert conceptualized around fictional school, at the Saitama Super Arena.

The years 2010 and 2011 marked one of the most intense and multifaceted periods in the career of GACKT, defined by artistic transition, international expansion, theatrical commitment, and strong humanitarian involvement.

On February 14, 2010, GACKT represented Japan at the Asia Pops Festival in Niigata, held in remembrance of the victims of the 2007 Chūetsu earthquake. Only weeks later, on March 6 and 7, he performed the theme songs “Setsugekka (The End of Silence)” and “Zan” at a large-scale event organized by Koei at Saitama Super Arena, promoting the release of Samurai Warriors 3 for Nintendo Wii.

A major turning point followed on April 17, 2010, when GACKT officially announced his transfer from Nippon Crown to Avex Group, closing one chapter of his recording career and opening another.

Just one month later, on May 14, GACKT began an ambitious theatrical project, starring as the lead in the stage play Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae at the Nissei Theatre. The production toured seven cities and ran for an impressive 120 performances until February 27, 2011, drawing an estimated audience of 150,000 spectators and reaffirming his status as a performer capable of commanding both musical and theatrical stages.

Parallel to these activities, and prior to the Avex announcement, GACKT launched a separate band project titled Yellow Fried Chickenz, a concept born as a metaphor for human cowardice and the will to overcome it. Alongside domestic touring in June and August, the band marked a historic milestone in GACKT’s career: his first-ever European tour.

Starting on July 16, 2010, Yellow Fried Chickenz performed club shows in London, Paris, Barcelona, Munich, and Bochum, all met with strong fan response and laying the groundwork for a lasting European fanbase. On July 21, Nippon Crown released The Eleventh Day: Single Collection, compiling GACKT’s singles from the latter half of his time with the label.

That summer also saw GACKT’s participation in the 85th Kenshin Festival on August 23, where the event reached a record attendance of over 240,000 visitors. Later in the year, on December 14, he took part in the charity event “Message! to Asia” at Tokyo Dome, organized by DATV under the Hohoemi Project. During the event, GACKT auctioned his custom 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am MS6, which sold for over ¥6 million, with proceeds intended to support street children in Cambodia and the Philippines.

In 2011, following the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, GACKT founded the charity initiative Show Your Heart, actively leading relief efforts. In March, a convoy transporting approximately 33,000 kg of food and clothing was delivered to affected areas, alongside a nationwide street fundraising campaign. Through public collections and bank transfers, the initiative raised over ¥208 million, all of which was donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

That summer, Yellow Fried Chickenz returned to Europe for a second tour across multiple countries, followed by a Japanese tour whose domestic revenues were also donated to the Japanese Red Cross. On August 22, GACKT appeared once again at the Kenshin Festival, marking his fourth participation.

Although the band would officially disband the following year at Nippon Budokan, the 2010–2011 period remains a defining era — one in which GACKT expanded beyond borders, embraced new artistic forms, and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social responsibility.

Between 2012 and 2014, GACKT continued to expand his artistic universe far beyond the boundaries of a traditional music career, deepening his involvement in theatre, large-scale live productions, and symphonic performances, while gradually moving toward full creative independence.

In 2012, GACKT announced the continuation of the Moon concept through a full theatrical stage production. The Moon Saga theatre performance premiered on July 15 at the Akasaka ACT Theatre in Tokyo, with its final two shows held on September 26 and October 2. The project further solidified the narrative and visual world that had long accompanied his music, blending storytelling, performance, and stage design into a single artistic vision.

Earlier that year, on March 18 and 19, GACKT appeared at the FilmAid Asia Gala Party and the 6th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, where he also performed as part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival. On March 29, he returned once again to the Tokyo Dome to perform Kimigayo, Japan’s national anthem, at the Major League Baseball season opening game — marking the fourth time he had been entrusted with this honor.

The year concluded with two significant milestones: on December 15, GACKT performed at the 45th anniversary concert of All Night Nippon at Yoyogi National Stadium, and on December 19, he released his 43rd single, “White Lovers (Shiawase na Toki)”, a song that would become closely associated with his winter-themed repertoire.

In 2013, GACKT returned to full-scale touring with Best of the Best Vol. I, his first national tour in four years. The tour began on May 11 and culminated on July 7 with three consecutive performances at Yokohama Arena, attracting a total audience of approximately 80,000 people and reaffirming the enduring strength of his live presence.

That same year, GACKT continued his long-standing connection with traditional cultural events, appearing on August 22 at the Kenshin Festival for the fifth time. Toward the end of the year, on December 26, he held a special live concert performing alongside the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra — an experience that marked a decisive step toward the orchestral direction that would later become a defining element of his work.

Throughout 2014, GACKT gradually transitioned toward full artistic independence. Beginning with the release of “P.S. I Love U”, his music started being issued through his own label G&Lovers (G-PRO), distributed by Crown Tokuma. This period also saw the expansion of the Moon Saga universe beyond the stage, with the release of its second novel, and the continuation of his symphonic collaboration with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra through a second orchestral concert at the end of the year.

Together, the years 2012 to 2014 represent a bridge between eras — one in which GACKT refined his identity as a multidisciplinary artist, blending music, theatre, literature, and orchestral performance, while laying the groundwork for the fully independent phase that would follow.

The period between 2015 and 2017 marked a powerful return to large-scale live activity for GACKT, alongside a deep reflection on the state of music and his own artistic evolution.

In 2015, GACKT celebrated the 15th anniversary of his solo career with the release of Gacktracks – Ultra DJ ReMix, a remix album featuring reinterpretations of his songs by prominent Japanese DJs, including DJ Koo, Taku Takahashi, Tomoyuki Tanaka (FPM), Jazztronik, and Marc Panther. Although openly critical of EDM and contemporary music trends, GACKT described the project as an experiment rather than a stylistic shift, choosing collaborators on a first-come, first-served basis due to the overwhelming interest. A release party was held on July 3, further underlining the celebratory nature of the project.

On October 7, 2015, he released his 46th single, “Arrow”. In the same period, he revived the Camui Gakuen cover concert concept, performing at major events such as VAMPS’ Halloween Party at Makuhari Messe and Niconico Super Party at Saitama Super Arena.

After nearly seven years without a full solo tour, GACKT made a long-awaited return to the stage in 2016 with Last Visualive Saigo no Tsuki – Last Moon. The tour began with a fan club–exclusive performance on March 19 at Misato City Cultural Hall, followed by the first public show on March 21 in Yamanashi. Spanning 42 concerts across 30 cities, the tour concluded with two consecutive shows at Saitama Super Arena on July 3, drawing a total audience of approximately 120,000 people. Discussions regarding a future world tour also emerged during this period.

On April 27, 2016, GACKT released his eighth studio album, Last Moon, a conceptually dense work closely tied to the themes explored in the tour. This narrative arc continued into 2017 with the release of his 48th single, “Tsumi no Keishō ~ Original Sin”, on March 22 — a song deeply connected to the album’s philosophical and symbolic universe.

In 2018, GACKT entered his 20th anniversary era as a solo artist. On July 4, he held the Last Songs concert at Shinkiba Studio Coast in Tokyo to celebrate his 45th birthday, with the event broadcast live on NicoNico Live. Later that year, between October 11 and 25, he performed eight shows of the Camui Gakuen live event, once again revisiting the concept in a more intimate format.

On December 31, 2018, GACKT performed Kimigayo at Saitama Super Arena ahead of Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa’s match against Floyd Mayweather Jr., also appearing as a special guest commentator for Fuji TV’s live broadcast.

Throughout 2019, anniversary celebrations continued. On March 22, GACKT represented Japan at the Hong Kong Asian-Pop Music Festival, and on July 4, he held a large-scale concert at Pacifico Yokohama to celebrate both his 46th birthday and 20 years of solo career.

In early 2020, he embarked on the Khaos national tour, which ran from January 11 to February 29 across eight cities, totaling 20 performances and attracting around 60,000 attendees. Later that year, GACKT provided the theme song “Exterminate” for the stage play Road59.

In 2021, he returned to live performances with Last Songs 2021, a joint tour with South Korean singer-pianist K, focusing on ballads and stripped-down arrangements. However, on September 8, 2021, GACKT announced an indefinite hiatus due to a long-standing neurological condition that caused severe dysphonia, preventing him from singing and continuing activities.

Despite the setback, GACKT reassured fans of his determination to recover and promised to return with new music and live performances. In May 2022, it was announced that while not fully recovered, he would gradually resume activities by the end of the year. By January 2023, he stated he had regained approximately 80% of his condition.

In 2023, GACKT officially resumed public activities. On January 28, he performed Kimigayo at the retirement ceremony of sumo yokozuna Hakuhō Shō. In March, he launched Last Songs 2023 alongside K, presenting emotionally driven performances centered on piano and string arrangements.

In September, he made a surprise appearance at the Thai-Japan Iconic Music Fest in Bangkok, where he took part in a talk show segment. In November, he published his second autobiography, Confession II, openly reflecting on his life, career, and hiatus, while expressing a renewed desire to perform worldwide.

February 2024 marked a notable collaboration with the band Tube on the single “Sayonara no Kawaii ni”, which later peaked within the Top 10 of the charts. The song was performed during Last Songs 2024 feat. K, further strengthening their artistic partnership.

In November 2024, GACKT announced the revival of GACKT Yellow Fried Chickenz, reformed with new members and introduced at Kishidan Expo at Makuhari Messe. The band declared a limited five-year revival plan, with headline concerts at Zepp Haneda in December and future tours planned across Asia, Europe, and South America.

The year 2025 became one of celebration and artistic culmination. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his solo career, GACKT released digital live recordings from the ninenine* era and official live videos from his early tours. Between March and April, Last Songs 2025 feat. K was held, followed by the unveiling of Gackt Philharmonic 2025 – Demonic Symphony, a grand rock-orchestral concert blending Yellow Fried Chickenz with a full symphonic orchestra conducted by Yoneda Satoshi.

The live album reached the Oricon Top 20, with video releases, revival concerts, and a nationwide Demonic Symphony – Infinity tour scheduled for 2026 under Billboard Classics. In parallel, a GACKT Yellow Fried Chickenz World Tour was announced, beginning in Japan in January 2026 and extending to China and Latin America.

Together, these years represent not just a comeback, but a reaffirmation of GACKT’s vision — one that continues to evolve across genres, borders, and generations.