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  • 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]

Yoshiki, leader of the rock band X-Japan, paid his second visit to Anime Central this year.

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