Hysteric Blue (ヒステリック・ブルー) were a Japanese pop rock band formed in 1997. The group consisted of Tama on vocals, Naoki on guitar, and Takuya Kusunose on drums, and built its identity through a sound that sat between J-pop and pop rock. Signed to Sony Music, Hysteric Blue made their major-label debut in 1998 and quickly expanded their profile in the Japanese rock scene.
Their early momentum continued into the following year, when the band was invited to appear on NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, a major milestone that reflected their rise in national visibility. With Tama’s vocals, Naoki’s guitar work, and Takuya’s drumming at the center, Hysteric Blue became one of the better-known Japanese rock acts of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In June 2003, the band announced a short break, but by September of that year activity had effectively stopped after it was revealed that guitarist Naoki was under trial for several rape and obscenity charges. Hysteric Blue formally broke up on March 4, 2004, when a message was posted on their now-defunct website. After the split, Tama reformed The Screaming Frogs. The band remains remembered for a brief but highly visible career that moved from a 1997 formation and a 1998 major-label debut to national exposure on Kohaku before ending in 2004.
