Passcode (group)
PassCode | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2013-present |
| Labels | we-B studios Universal Music Japan JPU Records |
| Members | Nao Minami Kaede Takashima Hinako Ōgami Emily Arima |
| Past members | Reika Kanzaki Saki Sakurai Kyōko Kazuki Yūri Kurohara Yuna Imada |
| Website | passcode-official |
Passcode (Japanese: パスコード, Hepburn: Pasukōdo, stylized as PassCode), is a Japanese metal idol group that was founded in 2013.
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.
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. In 2018 the band signed with British record label JPU Records and released a best-of record called Ex Libris Passcode in Europe.
Their song "Ichika Bachika" became the opening song for the second season of the live-action film adaption of Kakegurui. 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.
Musical style
The musical style of Passcode can be described as kawaii metal. 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.
The band mixes metalcore with EDM and J-pop. The songs are written in Japanese language and contain English-language parts as well.
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)
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 albums | 5 |
| Live albums | 1 |
| Compilation albums | 3 |
| Video albums | 13 |
| Music videos | 28 |
| EPs | 1 |
| Singles | 10 |
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon |
JPN Billboard Hot |
JPN Billboard Top | ||
| All Is Vanity |
|
— | — | — |
| Virtual |
|
43 | 60 | 28 |
| Zenith |
|
20 | 27 | 19 |
| Clarity |
|
10 | 7 | 8 |
| Strive |
|
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 |
JPN Billboard Hot |
JPN Billboard Top | ||
| Reverberate EP. |
|
18 | 19 | 17 |
| Groundswell EP. |
|
18 | — | — |
Compilations
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon |
JPN Billboard Hot |
JPN Billboard Top | ||
| Locus |
|
15 | 10 | 14 |
| Ex Libris Passcode |
|
— | — | — |
| Passcode the Best -Link- |
|
18 | 18 | 15 |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | ||||
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon |
JPN Billboard Top | ||
| Passcode 2016-2018 Live Unlimited |
|
93 | 79 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon |
JPN Hot 100 |
JPN Hot Singles | |||
| "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 | 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 |
JPN Blu-rays | ||
| All Is Vanity |
|
198 | — |
| "Trial of Passcode" Tour Final Tokyo at Akasaka Blitz |
|
— | — |
| Passcode 2016-2018 Live Unlimited Premium Box |
|
— | 58 |
| Passcode Miss Unlimited Tour 2016 at Studio Coast |
|
— | — |
| Passcode Zenith Tour 2017 Final Series at Tsutaya O-East |
|
— | — |
| Passcode Presents Versus Passcode 2018 at Bigcat |
|
— | — |
| Passcode Taking You Out Tonight! Tour 2018 Final at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo |
|
19 | 16 |
| PassCode Zepp Tour 2019 at Zepp Osaka Bayside |
|
24 | 23 |
| Passcode Clarity Plus Tour 19-20 Final at Studio Coast |
|
36 | 30 |
| Passcode Starry Tour 2020 Final at KT Zepp Yokohama |
|
23 | 12 |
| Passcode "Strive for Budokon Tour 2021 at Toyosu Pit |
|
10 | 7 |
| Passcode Zepp Tour 2021 at Haneda |
|
57 | 48 |
| Passcode Nippon Budokan 2022 |
|
17 | 18 |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||
Music videos
| Song | Year | Link |
|---|---|---|
| "Asterisk" (アスタリスク) | 2014 | [1] |
| "XYZ" | [2] | |
| "Over There" | [3] | |
| "Seize the Day" | [4] | |
| "Kiss no Hanataba" (Kissの花束) | [5] | |
| "Gekidō Progressive" (激動プログレッシブ) | [6] | |
| "Nextage" | [7] | |
| "Now I Know" | 2015 | [8] |
| "Orange" (オレンジ) | [9] | |
| "Never Sleep Again" | [10] | |
| "From Here" | 2016 | [11] |
| "Axis" | [12] | |
| "Ninja Bomber" | [13] | |
| "Miss Unlimited" | [14] | |
| "Bite the Bullet" | 2017 | [15] |
| "One Step Beyond" | [16] | |
| "Same to You" | [17] | |
| "Ray" | 2018 | [18] |
| "Taking You Out" | [19] | |
| "Projection" | 2019 | [20] |
| "Atlas" | [21] | |
| "Starry Sky" | 2020 | [22] |
| "Mantra" | [23] | |
| "Anything New" | [24] | |
| "Spark Ignition" | [25] | |
| "Freely" | 2021 | [26] |
| "Flavor of Blue" | 2022 | [27] |
| "Siren" | [28] | |
| "Clouds Across the Moon" | 2023 | [29] |