| Kazuki Watanabe | |
| |
| Profile | |
| Real name | Watanabe Kazuki (渡辺和樹) |
| Aliases | Kazuki |
| Date of birth | April 7, 1981 |
| Birthplace | Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan |
| Date of death | October 31, 2000 |
| Bloodtype | B |
| Height | 5'7 ft (175 cm) |
| Activity | |
| Years active | 1995-2000 |
| Current band | 百合十字団 Raphael |
| Occupation | guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, actor (retired) |
| Instruments | guitar, vocals |
| Website | OHP |
Watanabe Kazuki (渡辺和樹) was a Japanese musician better known for being the founder, songwriter and guitarist for the Visual Kei band Raphael. He remained active in the scene from 1995 until his sudden passing on October 31, 2000.
Biography[]
Watanabe was born on April 7, 1981 in Tokyo, specifically in the Shibuya district. From a very early age he began to enter the world of the public eye, not as a musician, but as a young star who played some roles in some television and film productions.
At the age of 11 in 1992, he was able to bought his first guitar and later in his adolescence, he completely moved away from the acting scene to head towards the music industry.
In 1995, at 14 years old, he formed his first band, playing covers of different bands. This band is where he met the bassist Yukito, with whom 2 years later he would form Raphael in March 1997. His role in this band was to be the leader, guitarist and write songs for a very young band, whose members were all 15 years old.
Within three years, Raphael would achieve enough popularity to play at the Nippon Budokan, a stadium renowned for having hosted the talents of several famous musicians who gave concerts, such as Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne.
He also had a side project called Yuri Juujidan (百合十字団), a band consisting of Watanabe on vocals, Kuruto (ex-Pleur) on bass and Mask on guitar. However, by the time they were making music, Watanabe passed away before he was able to record his voice.
Death[]
On October 31, 2000, Kazuki was found dead inside his room in Ebisu, Shibuya. Local authorities later declared that he had died from a sedative overdose, considering his death a suicide. He was only 19 years old at the time of his passing.
While the exact reasons for Watanabe's passing have never been determined, some believe it was due to stress and the heavy burden of responsibility he was handling as a musician with Raphael's ever-increasing popularity becoming a major band, as well as the time management between this and his side project Yuri Juujidan, while others point out that his death could have been accidental.
After his death, Raphael disbanded in January 2001, only to revive in 2012 for two concerts dedicated to him on October 31st through November 1st. They would then release a re-recording of their 1999 song, Eternal Wish (Todokanu Kimi e), as a single.
Band history[]
- Raphael - 1997~2000
- Yuri Juujidan - 2000
Gallery[]
