We Are X
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Poster for We Are X
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| Directed by | Stephen Kijak |
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| Music by | X Japan |
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Drafthouse Films (US) Manga Entertainment (UK) |
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92 minutes |
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We Are X is a 2016 documentary film about the Japanese heavy metal band X Japan and its co-founder, drummer, pianist and leader Yoshiki. Directed by Stephen Kijak, it premiered on January 23, 2016 at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
X Japan's story is told through the life of Yoshiki leading up to their performance at Madison Square Garden on October 11, 2014. Tragedy follows the musician and his band; his father committed suicide when he was still a child, his childhood friend and X Japan co-founder and vocalist Toshi was "brainwashed" by a cult leading to the group's breakup in 1997, guitarist hide died five months later, and former bassist Taiji died eleven months after performing with the group for the first time in 18 years.
Principal photography began on October 11, 2014 at X Japan's concert at Madison Square Garden. The documentary was announced on July 4, 2015. Yoshiki was convinced to do the film by his agent, Marc Geiger of William Morris Endeavor, and was completely hands off according to Kijak. Director Stephen Kijak said he had never heard of X Japan before getting a call from his producer to make the documentary. But upon learning the band's slogan of "Psychedelic Violence Crime of Visual Shock" he wanted to be a part of it.
Kijak, who is known for music documentaries such as Stones in Exile and Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of, said in February 2015 that "I might have to quit music films after this one. The story is so unreal, I don't know where else I could go after this."
Despite having stopped listening to heavy metal at 13 or 14 years old in favor of new wave, Kijak listened to the band's music and was immediately drawn to it and surprised he had never heard it before. He bonded with some of the band members; learning that Kiss' Love Gun was the first album he, Yoshiki and Toshi had ever bought and talking with Sugizo about the British new wave band Japan and its bassist Mick Karn, who was a friend of the guitarist.
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Wikipedia