JUDY AND MARY

Japanese pop-punk outfit JUDY AND MARY formed in 1991, after vocalist Yuki and bassist Yoshihito Onda met in a Hokkaido nightclub where the latter was playing with another band. ∙ Following the release of their 1993 single “Power of Love,” the band steadily climbed the Japanese charts, and their second LP, 1995’s Orange Sunshine, reached No. 5. ∙ “Sobakasu,” which served as the opening theme for the anime series Rurouni Kenshin, was JUDY AND MARY’s first No. 1 hit and sold more than 1 million copies. ∙ The success of “Sobakasu” made JUDY AND MARY one of Japan’s most popular acts and led to appearances on such TV shows as Kōhaku Uta Gassen and MUSIC STATION. ∙ The group topped the Japanese album charts four times, including with The Great Escape: Complete Request Best—a best-of collection released after their dissolution in 2001. ∙ Yuki released her solo debut in 2002, and since then she has become a Platinum-selling pop and fashion icon with multiple chart-topping releases under her belt.