Yoshiki, leader of the rock band X-Japan, paid his second visit to Anime Central this year.
In a year, this is my 4th time to come to Chicago.
Is there anything you're looking forward to doing this time that you didn't get to do last time?
Eating pizza.
[Cheers]
This summer will feature X-Japan's 2011 World Tour.
Our tour is going to start next month, start from London.
And with London to Paris, the Netherlands, then Germany.
Then going to Tokyo.
Tokyo and Osaka for Summer Sonic.
The shows in the UK and the Netherlands have already sold out.
The band is currently working on a new album, but as for a release date?
Just have to say it's getting closer.
So I've tried really hard.
So a few days ago I hurt my wrist playing piano too much.
So I got an injection to my right wrist, just 3 days ago.
It's getting better.
Yoshiki has been a big influence to many people, including Michael Jackson.
When I met Michael Jackson in Tokyo...
[Cheers]
Then I was wearing both of these wrist bands.
He thought that was a fashion thing.
I said this is medical.
A medical something, right?
But anyway, he said he wanted them so I gave those to him.
[Laughter]
If you see any of the Michael Jackson pictures he was wearing something like this.
That comes from me, actually.
Even Marilyn Manson walked the runway at Yoshiki's Asia Girls Explosion fashion show.
I feel... it was the first time I've walked on a fashion runway.
But it's a look that's similar to my show.
At the end of the day I think it seems like my calling that I should become a fashion model.
So I don't really want to see that happen to Japan
because I think Japanese fashion, Japanese culture, Japanese attitude, Japanese personality
it's very different from America.
You know, if it was New York or Paris or Los Angeles fashion show it wouldn't be this special.
As being here in Japan.
So I'm really, I'm just excited to be here for this.
Yoshiki recently started his new radio show on SiriusXM.
The president of SiriusXM came to our New York show.
Then he said he liked the show, he said he wants to be apart of bringing X-Japan to America.
So he asked me if I would like to do a radio show, if that's going to help X-Japan's music spread to America.
I said I'd love to do it.
The show airs the first Sunday of each month and features...
Mainly rock music but some of the music from Japan. Also some of them like we did today, some animation and voice over.
Yoshiki began composing music to deal with the death of his father.
I lost my father when I was 10 years old.
I didn't know how to conquer the sadness.
Actually I started writing songs around that time, 10 years old.
You know you can do so many things like punching the wall or whatever, just breaking [stuff] up.
Since I play the piano, maybe I should start composing.
That is the first time I started composing, when I was 10 year old after my father's death.
And now Yoshiki is using his fame to help others affected by loss and tragedy.
The Yoshiki Foundation has helped victims in Hong Kong, Kobe, Japan, and Sichuan, China.
And now the foundation is working to help Japan.
Yoshiki has auctioned off his crystal piano and more items will be auctioned as well.
It was lovely, very very lovely seeing you and then talking to you.
[Laughter]
Then you come to see me soon. Thank you so much for coming.
This was Melissa for KPG Productions.
[Applause]