Puffy (romanized as PUFFY in Japan), also known internationally as Puffy AmiYumi, is a Japanese rock duo formed in 1995 and signed to Sony Music Japan. The pair consists of Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura, nicknamed Jane and Sue, and their music spans j-rock, j-pop, and pop rock. The duo records in both Japanese and English, which has helped make its catalog accessible to listeners in Japan and abroad. In Japan, the act continues to use the moniker PUFFY, while the name Puffy AmiYumi is used internationally to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs.
The group was formed when Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura were scouted by Sony-affiliated talent agencies and paired as a duo, and that origin story became central to Puffy's identity. Their mainstream success in Japan arrived in 1998 with the release of the Jet album and the tour that supported it. Their first release, "Asia no Junshin," sold a million records, and the duo went on to release several more full-length albums. Altogether, Puffy has sold 14 million records in Japan, underscoring the lasting commercial strength of Puffy AmiYumi and their long-running presence in Japanese rock.
