KinKi Kids facts for kids

KinKi Kids (キンキ キッズ, Kinki kizzu) is a famous Japanese music duo. It is made up of two members, Koichi Domoto and Tsuyoshi Domoto. They are part of a talent agency called Johnny & Associates.

KinKi Kids started in 1993 and officially released their first music on July 21, 1997. They have sold over 30 million records, making them one of the best-selling boy groups in Asia. They are also among the top 20 best-selling music artists ever in Japan. Even though both members have the same last name, Domoto, they are not related. They both come from the Kinki region of Japan, which is where their name comes from.

KinKi Kids holds two amazing Guinness World Records. They have the most No.1 singles in a row since they started (45 songs). They also have the most years in a row with a Japanese No.1 single (26 years, from 1997 to 2022). They have had 20 albums reach No.1, with 14 of them in a row. This makes them the artist with the third most No.1 albums in Japan. Since 1998, they have performed 60 concerts at Tokyo Dome. This means they have held more concerts there than any other artist.

Members

The duo KinKi Kids has two members:

• Koichi Domoto (堂本光一): He was born on January 1, 1979, in Hyogo, Japan.
• Tsuyoshi Domoto (堂本剛): He was born on April 10, 1979, in Nara, Japan.

History

How KinKi Kids Started (1991–1993)

Koichi and Tsuyoshi first met on May 5, 1991, at a concert. After that, they started appearing in magazines together. They didn't have a fixed name at first. They were called things like Johnny's Kansai Group or Domoto Brothers. By late 1992, they were called Kanzai Boya when they were backup dancers for another group called SMAP.

Their official name, "KinKi Kids," was announced on April 4, 1993. This happened on the first episode of SMAP's TV show, Kiss Shita? SMAP. Koichi and Tsuyoshi became regular guests on the show.

Becoming Popular (1994–1996)

From July to September 1994, Koichi and Tsuyoshi acted together in their first TV show, Ningen Shikkaku. The final episode was very popular, with many people watching it. The duo quickly became famous. They held their first concert at the Budokan on December 31, 1994.

In 1995 and 1996, Tsuyoshi played the main character Kindaichi in the dramas Kindaichi Shōnen no Jikenbo 1 and 2. Koichi also starred in dramas like Ie Naki Ko 2 and Ginrō Kaiki File. All these shows were very popular.

From April to June 1996, the duo acted together again in the drama Wakaba no Koro. They played friends from different backgrounds. A very popular music show called LOVE LOVE Aishiteru started in 1996. KinKi Kids and Takuro Yoshida hosted it. This show made many young Japanese people want to learn guitar. The duo also had their own TV shows in 1996, like Sore Ike KinKi Daiboken. On December 31, 1996, they performed as special guests at Kohaku Uta Gassen, a big music show.

Official Debut and Huge Hits (1997–1999)

Even though they were already famous from concerts and TV shows, KinKi Kids didn't release their first CD until July 21, 1997. They released two things at once: a single called "Garasu no Shōnen" and an album called A Album. Both sold over one million copies! This made them only the second artist in Japan to have their first single and first album both sell over a million copies.

From August 23 to 24, they were the main hosts for NTV's yearly 24-Hour Television charity event. From October to December 1997, KinKi Kids starred in their third drama together, Bokura no Yūki Miman City. Their second single, "Aisareru Yori Aishitai," was the theme song for this drama. It came out on November 12 and was No.1 for four weeks. It also sold over a million copies. By the end of 1997, "Garasu no Shōnen" was the second best-selling song of the year.

In 1998, KinKi Kids joined other Johnny's groups, V6 and TOKIO, to form a special charity group called J-FRIENDS. They worked with famous musicians like Elton John and Michael Jackson. J-FRIENDS's first song, "Ashita ga Kikoeru/Children's Holiday," sold over a million copies.

The duo's song "Zenbu Dakishimete/Ao no Jida," released on July 29, 1998, was No.1 for four weeks. It also sold over a million copies. On December 31, 1998, KinKi Kids held a concert at Tokyo Dome. They continued to have New Year concerts at Tokyo Dome every year until 2016. In 1999, their 7th single, Flower, also sold over a million copies. This was their fourth song to reach a million sales. They were invited to perform as special guests on Kohaku Uta Gassen again on December 31, 1999.

Asian Tours and Guinness World Record (2000–2003)

In 2000, KinKi Kids went on their first Asian tour. They performed in Taiwan and Hong Kong from February 22 to 27. Their second album to sell over a million copies was KinKi Single Selection. On March 8, 2000, they released their 9th single, "Sukininatteku Aishitteku." Tsuyoshi wrote the lyrics and Koichi composed the music. It reached No.1, making them the first Japanese idol group to have a No.1 song created by themselves.

After all 13 of KinKi Kids' singles reached No.1 since their debut, they were recognized by the Guinness World Records in 2002. They set the record for having the most No.1 singles in a row since their debut. They were the first Japanese music artist to get this recognition.

From December 2002 to July 2003, KinKi Kids held their first tour across five domes in Japan. This tour was called "KinKi Kids Dome F Concert 〜Fun Fan Forever."

"Anniversary" and More Records (2004–2006)

On December 24, 2004, KinKi Kids released their 20th single, "Anniversary," and their second collection album, KinKi Single Selection II. Both reached No.1 on the charts. This was the seventh time an artist had a No.1 single and album at the same time in Japan. It was KinKi Kids' second time achieving this. "Anniversary" was also the 6th best-selling song of 2005.

The duo held concerts called "KinKi Kids H TOUR -Have A Nice Day-" from December 2005 to January 2006. By holding 24 concerts at Tokyo Dome, they performed there more times than The Rolling Stones.

10th Anniversary (2007–2008)

To celebrate their 10th anniversary on July 21, 2007, KinKi Kids released a best-hits album called 39 on July 18, 2007. The numbers "3" and "9" sound like "Thank You" in Japanese. This showed their thanks to fans for 10 years of support. The album had 39 songs, including fan favorites and songs chosen by Koichi and Tsuyoshi. It sold about 301,000 copies in its first week.

In the same month, they were again recognized by the Guinness World Records. They extended their own record to 25 No.1 singles in a row since their debut. On July 22, 2007, they held a huge 10th-anniversary concert at Tokyo Dome. About 67,000 fans attended, making it the biggest concert ever held at the Dome at that time.

On May 31, 2008, the duo announced their first summer tour in eight years. The tour started on their 11th anniversary, July 21, 2008, at Tokyo Dome. This further extended their record for holding the most concerts at Tokyo Dome.

New Albums and Continued Success (2009–2015)

KinKi Kids released their 28th single, "Yakusoku" (約束, "Promise"), on January 28, 2009. It went straight to No.1, extending their Guinness record and their own record for most consecutive years with a No.1 single. Their 29th single, "Swan Song" (スワンソング, Suwan Songu), released on October 28, 2009, also debuted at No.1.

Their 14th album, J Album, was released on December 9, 2009, and reached No.1. At the end of 2010, they released their 30th single, "Family: Hitotsu ni Naru Koto" (Family ～ひとつになること, "Family: To Become One"). Tsuyoshi wrote the lyrics and Koichi composed the music. Their 31st single, "Time," was used as the theme song for the video game Dynasty Warriors 7. This song helped them extend their Guinness World Record again.

The duo released K Album on November 9, 2011, which also debuted at No.1. In 2012, they started the year with a new single, "Kawatta Katachi no Ishi" (変わったかたちの石, "Odd-shaped stone"). They released their 16th and 17th albums, L Album and M Album, in December 2013 and December 2014. Both of these albums also reached No.1.

20th Anniversary (2016–2017)

KinKi Kids began celebrating their 20th anniversary with the single "Bara to Taiyou" on July 20, 2016. This was followed by the album N Album on September 21, 2016, and the single "Michi wa Tezukara Yume no Hana" on November 2, 2016. All of these reached No.1.

From September to November 2016, KinKi Kids held their first arena tour in 16 years. They returned to the Budokan, where they had their very first concert in 1994. On December 31, 2016, the duo officially performed on Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time as main participants. They sang their debut single, "Garasu no Shonen."

On July 12, 2017, they released their 38th single, "The Red Light," which reached No.1. With a No.1 single every year since 1997, KinKi Kids became the artist with the most consecutive years having a Japanese No.1 single. The duo held their 20th-anniversary events on July 15 and 16 at Yokohama Stadium. On July 21, 2017, the exact day of their 20th debut anniversary, a sequel to their 1997 drama Bokura no Yūki Miman City was aired as a special TV show. Also, their old music show LOVE LOVE Aishiteru came back for one night.

Recent Years and 25th Anniversary (2018–2022)

KinKi Kids released their 39th single, "Topaz Love/Destiny," on January 24, 2018. This was their third song where Tsuyoshi wrote the lyrics and Koichi composed the music. It reached No.1 and was their best-selling single since 2009. The next five singles they released between 2018 and 2022 all reached No.1. This extended their record for the most consecutive No.1 singles since debut to 44 songs and the most consecutive years with a Japanese No.1 single to 26 years.

The duo released their first studio album in four years on December 23, 2020. It reached No.1, making it their 20th No.1 album. With 20 No.1 albums out of 21 released, they are tied for the third most No.1 albums in Japan.

On March 16, 2022, KinKi Kids released "Koujundo Romance" for their 25th-anniversary celebration. This single became their 44th No.1 song. To celebrate their 25th anniversary, an official YouTube channel for KinKi Kids was created. This made their music videos available for everyone to watch online. On July 21, the music show LOVE LOVE Aishiteru came back again. The duo celebrated by performing their debut single "Garasu no Shōnen" with special guest dancers. With their No.1 single "Amazing Love" released on July 21, 2022, KinKi Kids' total single sales went over 20 million copies.

Discography

Studio albums

• A Album (1997)
• B Album (1998)
• C Album (1999)
• D Album (2000)
• E Album (2001)
• F Album (2002)
• G Album: 24/7 (2003)
• H Album: Hand (2005)
• I Album: ID (2006)
• Phi (2007)
• J Album (2009)
• K Album (2011)
• L Album (2013)
• M Album (2014)
• N Album (2016)
• O Album (2020)

Filmography

For what Koichi Domoto or Tsuyoshi Domoto did alone, please see their own pages: Koichi Domoto or Tsuyoshi Domoto.

Television Shows (as hosts or regulars)

Television Shows (as actors)

Movies

• 1992: 200X Nen Sho
• 1994: Shoot!

Stage

• 1993: Another

Dubbing Roles

• 2013: Rush, Koichi voiced James Hunt and Tsuyoshi voiced Niki Lauda (Japanese dub #1)

Awards

See also

In Spanish: KinKi Kids para niños

• List of best-selling music artists in Japan