The Japanese rock band Acidman formed in Saitama Prefecture in 1997. Members Shiibashi Takeshi, Ohki Nobuo, Urayama Ichigo, and Satou Masatoshi began making demo recordings in 1998, although Takeshi left the lineup shortly thereafter, leaving Acidman without a lead singer. Nobuo took over his role as frontman, and Acidman continued developing a style that combined alternative rock with punk influences. "Sekitou," the band's debut single, was released in November 2000. A five-track EP, Sanka Zora, followed in March 2002, with the full-length debut album Sou appearing before the year was up. Sou reached number 9 on the Japanese charts, while its most successful single, "Sekitou," climbed to number 13. "Sekitou" marked the first Top 20 hit for Acidman, who scored a dozen additional Top 20 hits during the 10 years that followed. That same era also found the band releasing albums like 2003's Loop, 2004's Equal, 2005's And World, 2007's Green Chord, 2008's Life, and 2009's A Beautiful Greed, all of which reached the Top 10 on the Oricon Albums chart. Although Acidman's commercial success waned slightly during the 2010s, the band returned to the Top 10 with 2014's Yū to Mu, then reached number 8 on the Oricon Singles chart with 2020's "The City of Gray." Another studio album, Innocence, followed in 2021.
