PassCode
OriginOsaka Prefecture, Japan
Genres
Years active2013-present
Labelswe-B studios
Universal Music Japan
JPU Records
MembersNao Minami
Kaede Takashima
Hinako Ōgami
Emily Arima
Past membersReika Kanzaki
Saki Sakurai
Kyōko Kazuki
Yūri Kurohara
Yuna Imada
Websitepasscode-official.com

Passcode (Japanese: パスコード, Hepburn: Pasukōdo, stylized as PassCode), is a Japanese metal idol group that was founded in 2013.[2]

History

Passcode was formed in Osaka in 2013 and consists of the four vocalists Nao Minami, Kaede Takashima, Emily Arima and Hinako Ōgami. Passcode is supported by a backup band.[3]

After releasing several singles and albums on smaller labels, the group signed to Universal Music Japan and released their second full-length album Zenith in 2017.[4] In 2018 the band signed with British record label JPU Records and released a best-of record called Ex Libris Passcode in Europe.[5]

Their song "Ichika Bachika" became the opening song for the second season of the live-action film adaption of Kakegurui.[6] In June 2020, their ninth single "Starry Sky" debuted at number 1 on the Japanese Oricon weekly singles chart and the Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales chart, selling over 7,000 units in its first week after release.[7][8]

Musical style

The musical style of Passcode can be described as kawaii metal.[1] Some vocalists use harsh vocals next to cleans. Yuna Imada contributed the harsh vocals before her retirement in 2021, with the job now handled by former Ladybaby member Emily Arima. Kaede Takashima uses the harsh vocals in some tracks like "Taking You Out" and "Club Kids Never Die". The band uses Auto-Tune while singing.[3]

The band mixes metalcore with EDM and J-pop.[4] The songs are written in Japanese language and contain English-language parts as well.[3]

Members

  • Nao Minami – vocals, and dancer (2013–present)
  • Kaede Takashima – vocals, and dancer (2014–present)
  • Hinako Ōgami – vocals, and dancer (2015–present)
  • Emily Arima - vocals, and dancer (2021–present)

PassCodeメンバーの加入期間
Past members

  • Reika Kamisaki – vocals, and dancer (2013)
  • Saki Sakurai – vocals, and dancer (2013)
  • Kyōko Kazuki – vocals, and dancer (2013)
  • Yūri Kurohara – vocals, and dancer (2013–2015)
  • Yuna Imada - vocals, and dancer (2014–2021)

Discography

Passcode discography
Studio albums5
Live albums1
Compilation albums3
Video albums13
Music videos28
EPs1
Singles10

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon

[9]
JPN
Billboard

Hot
[10]
JPN
Billboard
Top
[11]
All Is Vanity
  • Released: October 1, 2014
  • Label: we-B studios
  • Formats: CD
Virtual
  • Released: May 25, 2016
  • Label: we-B studios
  • Formats: CD, digital download
43 60 28
Zenith
  • Released: August 2, 2017
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, digital download
20 27 19
Clarity
  • Released: April 3, 2019
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
10 7 8
Strive
  • Released: December 23, 2020
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
18 13 14
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or that the chart did not exist.

EPs

Title EP details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
[9]
JPN
Billboard
Hot
[10]
JPN
Billboard
Top
[11]
Reverberate EP.
  • Released: December 21, 2022
  • Label: Univerlsal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
18 19 17
Groundswell EP.
  • Released: June 21, 2023
  • Label: Univerlsal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
18

Compilations

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
[9]
JPN
Billboard
Hot
[10]
JPN
Billboard
Top
[11]
Locus
  • Released: February 28, 2018
  • Label: Univerlsal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
15 10 14
Ex Libris Passcode
  • Released: October 5, 2018[12]
  • Label: JPU Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Passcode the Best -Link-
  • Released: September 29, 2021
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Formats: 2xCD, 2xCD+DVD, 2xCD+Blu-ray, digital download
18 18 15
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Live albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
[9]
JPN
Billboard
Top
[11]
Passcode 2016-2018 Live Unlimited
  • Released: December 19, 2018
  • Label: Univerlsal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
93 79

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
JPN
Oricon

[13]
JPN
Hot
100

[14]
JPN
Hot
Singles
[15]
"Nextage" 2014 165 Virtual
"Now I Know" 2015 111
"Never Sleep Again" 159
"Miss Unlimited" 2016 43 29 Zenith
"Bite the Bullet" 2017 16 86 16
"Ray" 2018 16 64 15 Clarity
"Tonight / Taking You Out" 12 65[lower-alpha 1] 13
"Atlas" 2019 18 20 Strive
"Starry Sky" 2020 1 1
"Freely / Flavor of Blue" 2021 12 15 non-album single
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

DVD / Blu-ray

Title Video details Peak chart positions
JPN
DVDs
[16]
JPN
Blu-rays
[17]
All Is Vanity
  • Released: March 18, 2015
  • Label: We-B Studios
198
"Trial of Passcode" Tour Final Tokyo at Akasaka Blitz
  • Released: July 22, 2016
  • Label: We-B Studios
Passcode 2016-2018 Live Unlimited Premium Box
  • Released: December 19, 2018
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
58
Passcode Miss Unlimited Tour 2016 at Studio Coast
  • Released: December 19, 2018
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
Passcode Zenith Tour 2017 Final Series at Tsutaya O-East
  • Released: December 19, 2018
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
Passcode Presents Versus Passcode 2018 at Bigcat
  • Released: December 19, 2018
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
Passcode Taking You Out Tonight! Tour 2018 Final at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo
  • Released: March 13, 2019
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
19 16
PassCode Zepp Tour 2019 at Zepp Osaka Bayside
  • Released: August 12, 2019
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
24 23
Passcode Clarity Plus Tour 19-20 Final at Studio Coast
  • Released: March 15, 2020
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
36 30
Passcode Starry Tour 2020 Final at KT Zepp Yokohama
  • Released: November 18, 2020
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
23 12
Passcode "Strive for Budokon Tour 2021 at Toyosu Pit
  • Released: June 9, 2021
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
10 7
Passcode Zepp Tour 2021 at Haneda
  • Released: December 22, 2021
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
57 48
Passcode Nippon Budokan 2022
  • Released: June 29, 2022
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
17 18
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Music videos

Song Year Link
"Asterisk" (アスタリスク) 2014
"XYZ"
"Over There"
"Seize the Day"
"Kiss no Hanataba" (Kissの花束)
"Gekidō Progressive" (激動プログレッシブ)
"Nextage"
"Now I Know" 2015
"Orange" (オレンジ)
"Never Sleep Again"
"From Here" 2016
"Axis"
"Ninja Bomber"
"Miss Unlimited"
"Bite the Bullet" 2017
"One Step Beyond"
"Same to You"
"Ray" 2018
"Taking You Out"
"Projection" 2019
"Atlas"
"Starry Sky" 2020
"Mantra"
"Anything New"
"Spark Ignition"
"Freely" 2021
"Flavor of Blue" 2022
"Siren"
"Clouds Across the Moon" 2023

Notes

  1. Only "Tonight" charted.

References

  1. 1 2 "The rise of kawaii metal this decade". JRock News. December 25, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. "株式会社 we-B studios PassCode". we-B studios. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Saskia (May 30, 2018). "PassCode – Eine Perle aus Fernost" (in German). Silence Musik Magazin. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Idol Chatter: PassCode Interview". Straight-from-japan.com. April 9, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  5. edoh (August 23, 2018). "PassCode joins JPU Records and announces compiled overseas album plus single". Jrocknews.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  6. Rafael Antonio Pineda (January 22, 2019). "Live-Action Kakegurui Series' 2nd Season Reveals Theme Songs". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. "PassCode、『STARRY SKY』で初のシングルチャート首位 三者三様な楽曲でライブ感ある1枚に". Real Sound (in Japanese). 30 May 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  8. "【ビルボード】PassCode『STARRY SKY』、自身初のシングル・セールス首位に". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "PassCodeのアルバム作品" [Passcode albums] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Peak chart positions for albums on Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart:
  11. 1 2 3 4 Peak chart positions for albums on Billboard Japan's Top Albums chart:
  12. "PassCode、本日10/5リリースの海外デビュー盤『Ex Libris PassCode』を日本でもデジタル配信開始!新録曲が聴けるダイジェスト映像公開も!" (in Japanese). Gekirock.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  13. "PassCodeのシングル作品" [Passcode singles] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  14. Peak chart positions for singles on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
  15. Peak chart positions for singles on the Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales chart:
  16. "PassCodeのDVD作品" [Passcode DVDs] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  17. "PassCodeのBlu-ray作品" [Passcode Blu-rays] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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