World's End Girlfriend (ワールズ・エンド・ガールフレンド) is the musical project of Katsuhiko Maeda, whose work blends elements of electronica

Electronica

Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...

, classical music

Classical music

Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...

, and post-rock

Post-rock

Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...

 to create a style reminiscent of several other modern day bands.

Band

World's End Girlfriend is a solo project by Katsuhiko Maeda, who hails from Nagasaki

Nagasaki

is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...

, Kyushu

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

 in Japan, and currently resides in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

. At the age of 10, he was inspired by his father's collection of classical music. When he was 12 years old he started composing on keyboards, guitar, tape recorders and computers. To date he has composed more than 600 songs.

Maeda is the older brother of musician Ryoma Maeda, who is better known as Milky-Chu or Milch of Source.

World's End Girlfriend's music has been featured in the Go Shibata

Go Shibata

is an independent Japanese film director.-Career:Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, he studied filmmaking at the Osaka University of Arts. His graduation film, NN-891102 screened at foreign film festivals and was released in theaters in Japan...

 directed film "Late Bloomer

Late Bloomer

Late Bloomer is a 2004 Japanese film by Go Shibata, about a handicapped serial killer named Sumida.Sumida is disabled with cerebral palsy, but all he wants is to hang out with his friends and enjoy beer, rock and roll, and women. When his best friend steals his secret love, he embarks upon a...

" (2004). He also composed the soundtrack to "Air Doll

Air Doll

is a 2009 Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda. It is based on the manga series Kuuki Ningyo by Yoshiie Gōda, which was serialized in the seinen manga magazine Big Comic Original, and is about an inflatable doll that develops a consciousness and falls in love. The movie debuted in the...

", a 2009 movie by award-winning director Hirokazu Koreeda

Hirokazu Koreeda

is a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. His films explore themes of memory, death, and coming to terms with loss.Koreeda originally planned to be a novelist, but after graduating from Waseda University instead worked as an assistant director on documentaries for TV Man Union...

.

World's End Girlfriend has performed live in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Macau, Spain (twice at Sonar festival), Switzerland, China, Taiwan, UK and the USA. He did a 32 date tour of North America with Mono

Mono (Japanese band)

Mono are a Japanese post rock band, formed in 1999 in Tokyo, Kantō, Honshū. The band consists of Takaakira Goto , Yoda , Tamaki Kunishi , and Yasunori Takada .Mono have released five studio albums...

 in 2007, with whom he also made a collaborative CD. In 2010 World's End Girlfriend played shows in Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.

Albums

1. Ending Story (2000)
2. Farewell Kingdom (2001)
3. Xmas Song (2001) (Released as World's End Boyfriend, reissued with 2 extra tracks in 2003)
4. Dream's End Come True (2002)
5. Enchanted Landscape Escape (2002) (Released as Wonderland Falling Yesterday)
6. The Lie Lay Land (2005)
7. Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain
   Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain
   Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain is the collaborative album by Japanese acts MONO and World's End Girlfriend.-Tracklist:-Personnel:MONO*Takaakira "Taka" Goto - guitar*Tamaki - bass*Yasunori Takada - drums*Yoda - guitar...
   
   (2006) (Collaboration with Mono
   Mono (Japanese band)
   Mono are a Japanese post rock band, formed in 1999 in Tokyo, Kantō, Honshū. The band consists of Takaakira Goto , Yoda , Tamaki Kunishi , and Yasunori Takada .Mono have released five studio albums...
   
   )
8. Hurtbreak Wonderland (2007)
9. Enchanted Landscape Escape (2007)
10. Seven Idiots
    Seven Idiots
    Seven Idiots is the tenth studio album by Katsuhiko Maeda's solo project World's End Girlfriend. It was released on September 13, 2010 on the Virgin-Babylon Record label and will be the first album by World's End Girlfriend to be released on the label...
    
    (2010)

EPs

• Sky Short Story (2000)
• Listening You (2000)
• Letter from Crying Klara (2001)
• Halfmoon Girl (2001) (split 12")
• Kira Kira Gibri, Nausicaa Requiem and Kimiwo Nosete (2007)
• Division EPs (2010) (six 3-track volumes)

External links

• world's end girlfriend's official Home Page