Japanther was an American punk band formed in 2001 by Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, then students at Pratt Institute. The duo gained early traction with releases such as The Last of the Living Land Pirates CD-R and South of Northport EP. Their breakthrough came with the album Dump The Body In Rikki Lake, released in 2003. Throughout their career, Japanther was known for unique performance situations and collaborations with diverse artists. Notable albums include Master Of Pigeons (2005), Yer Living Grave (2005) (EP), Skuffed Up My Huffy (2007), Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt (2008), and Beets, Limes And Rice (2011). The band's song "The Gravy" was featured in the 2010 skateboarding video game Skate 3. In 2016, drummer Ian Vanek announced his departure from Japanther, effectively ending the band after 13 years.
