faq
This is just a basic FAQ I came up with, or a list of frequently asked questions. In the Hyde and Laruku fandom, I've seen lots of the same questions asked over and over again... so hopefully this page will help bring some answers to new fans or just those who have particular inquiries. If you have a question about Hyde or L'Arc~en~Ciel, or know of some other questions that are asked way too often, you can email me and I'll [try to] answer it.hyde
How does Hyde write all the English lines in his songs? Does he write them in Japanese and have them translated to English?Why does Hyde speak English so often?
- Hyde gets English lessons from Lynne Hobday, who also works on translating his song lyrics. His close friend, Anis (vocalist of Monoral), also helps him out. Besides that, remember that English is mandatory in Japanese schools so he had been learning the language in school as well (way back when).
Has Hyde ever lived/studied abroad?
- Yes, Hyde lived in London, England, for the recording of Roentgen around 2001~2002. He also had to be there for the filming of Kagen no Tsuki. He spent the filming of Moon Child in Taiwan. There's also the countless vacations the man's spent in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Morocco, etc. Plus, the filming of some PVs takes place abroad: New York, Las Vegas, Morocco, etc.
Does Hyde live with Gackt?
- I know this seems like a ridiculous question to some, but I've actually heard many fans mention how these two supposedly live(d) together. Well, no, wrong, sorry. Hyde's married and lives with his wife and child. Gackt lives... ummm... with his sister and bandmates, I think. The two never lived with each other; during the filming of Moon Child they had separate rooms.
Is 'Orenji no Taiyou' the duet of Gackt and Hyde confessing their love for each other?
- No, sorry, I know how much you want these two to get together, but it's not happening. The song was created by Gackt and Hyde for their movie together, Moon Child.
Why did Hyde dress up as a nazi and a pope for some of the AWAKE performances?
- Hyde has never answered this question exactly, but he mentioned during one of the MCs of the tour that he wore the uniform because he wanted to take it off. He says he wishes, in this world, that military uniforms didn't exist. Basically, it is an extension of the "Love & Peace / Anti-War" theme of the entire Awake tour.
Who is Anis?
- Anis is Hyde's close friend, and also the vocalist of Monoral. He works with Hyde in translating his lyrics from Japanese to English.
Who are Hyde's solo band members?
- Hiroki is the bass guitarist. Furuton is the drummer, formerly of the band Oblivion Dust. Kaz is Hyde's producer and extra guitarist, formerly of Spin Aqua and Oblivion Dust. For the recording of some songs on the FAITH album, Hyde used Americans as his bandmates. However, for concerts during that tour, he returned to using his regular band members.
What is Hyde's favorite cigarette brand?
- He changes it. Older interviews say Cherokee, but I think that company is out of business. Around 1998, he said Mild Sevens were his favorite. Later he said he liked Marlboro Lights the best. In a Roentgen (2002) live, he said his favorite was Phillip Morris Extra Lights (the same as Kyo from Dir en grey). Anyway, he changes his favorite cigarette brand often, but generally sticks to Lights since he claims his body is weak.
Does Hyde own a clothing line?
- Yes, it's called HYDEIST and only available for purchase through his official fanclub. If you want to be part of his fanclub, though, you need to have a Japanese address.
Is Hyde married?
- Yes, to model/actress Megumi Oishi since December 25, 2000.
What is the name of Hyde's son?
- No one knows. Hyde prefers to keep his personal life very private.
Where did Hyde's name come from?
- Hyde comes from Hideto, Hyde's real Japanese first name. Originally his stage name was Hide (directly taken from his first name), but once Laruku became major, he changed it to hyde. Or HYDE. However you want to arrange the capitalization XD
How is Hyde's name pronounced?
- Just like it sounds. Hyde as in Jekyll and Hyde, or Hyde as in the game, hide and seek (not to be mistakened with the jrockers of the same names XD). Due to the Japanese language, Japanese fans pronunce it Haido, since that's how his name is written in katakana. However, if you're not a native Japanese speaker, it'll probably sound awkward if you try to pronounce Hyde's name the Japanese way o_O;
Is Hyde 100% Japanese?
- Yes, he may look a bit foreign, but he is definitely 100% Japanese. His wife, though, is 25% British... but that's just an extra little fact.
l'arc~en~ciel
Who are the members of L'Arc~en~Ciel?
- Hyde is the vocalist, Tetsu is the bassist, Ken is the guitarist, and Yukihiro is the drummer. Former members are drummer Sakura (left in 1997), guitarist Hiro (left in 1992), and drummer Pero (left in 1992).
What does the name "L'Arc~en~Ciel" mean?
- It's French for "Arch in the Sky," or "Rainbow."
Who came up with the name?
- Tetsu, the bassist and also the leader of the band, came up with the name from the title of a random French film, because it sounded melodious.
Why are they sometimes called Laruku?
- The katakana used to spell L'Arc~en~Ciel's name is "Ra-ru-ku an Shi-e-ru." When foreign words are transformed into Japanese, all L sounds are replaced by R sounds. Laruku is the shortcut Japanese fans have given to the band, since it is short and easier to pronounce than the whole name.
What is P'unk~en~Ciel?
- P'unk~en~Ciel is L'Arc~en~Ciel's alter ego. They are the same band members, only with switched roles. Hyde plays guitar, Ken plays drums, Yukihiro plays bass, and Tetsu does vocals. They take L'Arc songs, remix and rerecord them, and then feature them as B-sides on singles. They also perform live, often in the encore of a regular L'Arc concert. During such live performances, Hyde usually wears an eyepatch and Yukki usuallly wears a gasmask. Don't ask why, because I don't know xD