Ali Project

Ali Project (typeset as ALI PROJECT) is a Japanese band with a strong Japanese Aristocrat-style image, consisting of Arika Takarano (宝野アリカTakarano Arika^?, vocals & lyrics) and Mikiya Katakura (片倉三起也 Katakura Mikiya^?, music & arrangement).

In the band's earlier days, their musical style tended towards light, cheerful and/or refreshing songs. However, the sound has changed in recent times to take on a darker and more mysterious tone. Takarano Arika, lead singer/lyricist, has termed this change as a transition from White Alice (白アリShiro Ari^?) to Black Alice (黒アリ Kuro Ari^?). Though there has been a general shift towards performing songs in the "Black Alice" phase, Ali Project has occasionally sung in the White Alice style as well.

Career

They made their indie debut in the charts in 1988 as Ari (Ant) Project (蟻プロジェクト Ari Purojekuto^?) with their album "Fantastic Garden" (幻想庭園Gensō Teien^?). The album was later included in Tatsumi Takayuki's book Philosophy of Progressive Rock (プログレッシヴ・ロックの哲学 Puroguresshivu Rokku no Tetsugaku^?), which led to the band being classified under the progressive rock genre.

Four years later in 1992 they changed their name and made their major debut with their single "Fall in love, maiden" (恋せよ乙女 Koi-seyo otome^?).

Most of their records are released by Toshiba-EMI, Victor Entertainment and Tokuma Japan. The band is notable in the anime community for having their songs featured in several animesequences, most notably in the series Noir, Rozen Maiden, Kamichama Karin, .hack//Roots, Linebarrels of Iron, Code Geass, Fate/Extra and most recently Another. Additionally, Mikiya Katakura has also provided the soundtrack to several anime series, such as Kaibutsu Oujo and Avenger.

Style

Although using flamboyant costumes on-stage and videos, Ali Project was never included into the visual-kei scene. However, during an interview for the V-Rock Festival 2011, they stated that they consider their style into this movement.

First U.S. concert

Ali Project played their debut concert in the United States at the 2008 Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington. Reportedly, the band itself insisted on making their debut performance in North America at the convention. After the performance, there was a signature session where fans could personally talk to Arika Takarano and get her signature on CDs sold at the convention.

Discography

Singles

• 1988-07-25: Flower Child (フラワーチャイルド^?) released under Polydor Records

Albums

Studio albums

• 1992-12-09: Crowd Under the Moon (月下の一群 Gekka no Ichigun^?) [TOCT-6008] [ZZCA-2002] [TOCT-11247]
• 1994-02-16: DALI [TOCT-8296] [ZZCA-2003] [TOCT-11248]
• 1995-12-06: Sonata of the Moon and Stars (星と月のソナタ Hoshi to Tsuki no Sonata^?) [TOCT-9273] [TOCT-11249]
• 1998-11-21: Noblerot [COCP-50006]
• 2001-04-25: Aristocracy [TKCU-77082]
• 2002-07-24: EROTIC & HERETIC [VICL-60903]
• 2005-06-22: Dilettante [TKCU-77126]
• 2007-08-22: Psychedelic Insanity [TKCU-77129]
• 2008-08-27: Forbidden Literature (禁書 Kinsho^?) [TKCU-77132]
• 2009-08-26: Poison [TKCU-77133]
• 2010-09-29: Pan-New Japanism (汎新日本主義 Han Shinnihon Shugi^?) [TKCU-77137, TKCU-77135]

Best albums

• 2000-08-04: jamais vu [ZZCA-2004]
• 2006-03-08: Déjà vu ~THE ORIGINAL BEST 1992-1995~ [TOCT-25923]
• 2006-07-26: COLLECTION SIMPLE PLUS [VIZL-198, VICL-61999]^[1]
• 2007-04-04: Rose Crucifixion (薔薇架刑 Soubikakei^?) [LHCA-35070, LHCA-5070]
• 2008-12-10: Poet Laureate Single Collection Plus (桂冠詩人 Keikan Shijin^?) [VTZL-6, VTCL-60080]
• 2010-01-13: La Vita Romantica [LHCA-5112, LHCA-35112]
• 2011-05-25: QUEENDOM [LHCA-5127, LHCA-35127]

Strings albums

• 2003-04-23: Moonlight intoxication (月光嗜好症 Gekkō shikōshō^?) [AECP-1008]
• 2004-06-23: Etoiles [TKCU-72691]
• 2005-12-07: Twilight of the Gods (神々の黄昏 Kamigami no Tasogare^?) [TKCU-77127]
• 2006-12-06: Romance [TKCU-77128]
• 2007-12-12: Grand Finale [TKCU-77130]
• 2010-03-17: Gothic Opera [TKCU-77134]
• 2011-06-29: Les Papillons [TKCU-77138]

Other albums

• 1987-04-27: Some Girls -Rebel Street IV- (Album of the disorderly bloom of cherry blossoms)
• 1988-01-25: Fantastic Garden (幻想庭園 Gensō Teien^?)
• 1996-11-11: Fantastic Garden + 1 (幻想庭園+1 Gensō Teien + 1^?) [H33W-20004] [VMCH-1008] [PFR-6020] [ZZXA-2007]
• 2001-07-25: CLASSICS [ZZCA-2006]

Singles

#	Title	Release Date	Theme song featured in
1	"Koi Seyo Otome ~Love Story of Zipang~" (恋せよ乙女〜Love story of ZIPANG〜 Koi Seyo Otome ~Rabu Sutorī obu Jipangu~?, "Fall in Love, Maiden (Love Story of Zipang)")	1992-07-07	—
2	"Arashi ga Oka" (嵐ヶ丘?, Wuthering Heights)	1993-06-09	—
3	"Venetian Rhapsody" (ヴェネツィアン・ラプソディー Venetsian Rapusodī?)	1994-01-19	—
4	"Ame no Sonata ~La Pluie~" (雨のソナタ〜La Pluie〜 Ame no Sonata ~Ra Puryu~?, "Sonata of the Rain (La Pluie)")	1995-10-18	—
5	"Seitsugaya ~Lucifer Daiyongakushō~" (星月夜〜ルシファー第四楽章〜 Seitsugaya ~Rushifā Daiyongakushō~?, "Starry Night (Lucifer the Fourth Movement)")	1996-07-01	—
6	"Wish"	1996-12-04	Wish
7	"Peony Pink" (ピアニィ・ピンク Pianī Pinku?)	1997-05-21	Clamp School Detectives
8	"LABYRINTH"	1998-10-21	St. Luminous Mission High School
9	"Coppélia no Hitsugi" (コッペリアの柩 Kopperia no Hitsugi?, "Coppélia's Coffin")	2001-05-23	Noir
10	"Gesshoku Grand Guignol" (月蝕グランギニョル Gesshoku Guran Ginyoru?, "Lunar Eclipse Grand Guignol")	2003-11-05	Avenger
11	"pastel pure"	2004-08-25	Maria-sama ga Miteru
12	"Kinjirareta Asobi" (禁じられた遊び?, "Forbidden Game")	2004-10-22	Rozen Maiden
13	"Ashura Hime" (阿修羅姫?, "Princess Ashura")	2005-06-08	My-HiME Unmei no Keitouju
14	"Seishoujo Ryouiki" (聖少女領域?, "Domain of the Holy Girl")	2005-10-26	Rozen Maiden Träumend
15	"Boukoku Kakusei Catharsis" (亡國覚醒カタルシス Bōkoku Kakusei Katarushisu?, "Ruined Country Awakening Catharsis")	2006-05-24	.hack//Roots
16	"Yukyou Seishunka" (勇侠青春謳?, "A Song for Chivalrous Youth")	2006-10-25	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
17	"Baragoku Otome" (薔薇獄乙女?, "Rose-Hell Maiden")	2006-12-06	Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre
18	"Ankoku Tengoku" (暗黒天国?, "Dark Heaven")	2007-05-23	Kamichama Karin
19	"Hizamazuite Ashi o Oname" (跪いて足をお嘗め?, "Kneel Down and Lick my Feet")	2007-06-13	Kaibutsu Ōjo
20	"Kotodama" (コトダマ?, "Spirit of Words")	2008-01-23	Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed
21	"Waga Rōtashi Aku no Hana" (わが﨟たし悪の華?, "My Beautifully Elegant Flower of Evil")	2008-07-30	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
22	"Kitei no Tsurugi" (鬼帝の剣?, "Sword of Demon King")	2008-11-19	Kurogane no Linebarrel
23	"Rara Eve Shinseiki" (裸々イヴ新世紀 Rara Ivu Shinseiki?, "Naked Eve of the New Century")	2009-01-21	Sora Kake Girl
24	"Jigoku no Mon" (地獄の門?, "Hell's Gate")	2009-05-27	Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
25	"Senritsu no Kodomotachi" (戦慄の子供たち?, "Children of Fear")	2009-08-19	Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
26	"Datengoku Sensen" (堕天國宣戦?, "Corrupted Kingdom of Heaven War Declaration")	2009-10-21	Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
27	"Ranse Eroica" (亂世エロイカ Ranse Eroika?, "Chaotic Heroic")	2010-07-14	Fate/Extra
28	"Katana to Saya" (刀と鞘?, "Sword and Scabbard")	2010-08-25	Katanagatari
29	"Kyoumu Densen" (凶夢伝染?, "Nightmare Contagion")	2012-01-25	Another

Other

• 1989-11-25: Kiki's Delivery Service Vocal Album
• 1995-12-06: Midoriyama High School Original Soundtrack [TYCY-5457]
• 1996-08-01: Birth of the Wizard (Eko Eko Azarak II Soundtrack) [POCX-1047]
• 1997-02-05: music tracks from Wish [VICL-2181]
• 1997-06-21: CLAMP School Detectives Original Soundtrack 1 [VICL-60046]
• 1997-10-22: CLAMP School Detectives Original Soundtrack 2 [VICL-60060]
• 1997-12-17: CLAMP School Detectives Vocal Collection
• 2003-12-03: Avenger O.S.T. [VICL-61218]
• 2006-06-21: .hack//Roots O.S.T. 1 [VICL-61989]

vocal tracks [GOD DIVA] [In The World] [Hakua Byōtō] and [Junkyōsha no Yubi], all instrumental tracks in the album done by Katakura Mikiya.

• 2006-09-21: .hack//Roots O.S.T. 2 [VICL-62089]

vocal tracks [KING KNIGHT] [Maisō no Mori no Tasogarezaka] and [Kegare Naki Akui], all instrumental tracks in the album done by Katakura Mikiya.

• 2006-11-22: Sleeping Castle (眠れる城 Nemureru Shiro^?) from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.4 - Souseiseki [LHCA-5055]
• 2007-01-24: Nameless Forest (名なしの森 Nanashi no Mori^?) from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.5 - Shinku [LHCA-5056]
• 2007-03-07: Spring Silkworm (春蚕 Shungo^?) from Rozen Maiden Träumend Character Drama CD Vol.7 - Barasuishou [LHCA-9003]
• 2007-10-03: Kaibutsu Oujo O.S.T. - Sympathy for the Belonephobia, vocal tracks: [Outeki Ketsuzoku] [Oumagakoi] and [Hizamazuite Ashi wo Oname], all instrumental tracks done by Katakura Mikiya.
• 2009-01-14: CODE GEASS COMPLETE BEST (includes their songs Yūkyō Seishunka and Waga Routashi Aku no Hana) [SMCL-163]