The vocalist of the visual kei “air band” Golden Bomber, Kiryuin Shou, publicly announced his marriage on his blog on September 4—the same day the happy occasion took place.
Although it is an event to celebrate, notably, there were many concerns brought to the surface by the vocalist. The announcement’s purpose was arguably not even made in celebration, but rather a precautionary way of potential damage control.
-
- Golden Bomber: drummer Kenji Darvish (top), bassist Jun Utahiroba (left), vocalist Kiryuin Shou (center), guitarist Yutaka Kyan (right).
In the blog post, Kiryuin Shou addresses his decision as to why he decided to tie the knot despite the ongoing pandemic, along with the reason why he has chosen to make it public even though his partner is a non-celebrity. In short, it’s because the news would likely have leaked eventually, so reluctantly, he wanted to do it on his own terms instead.
There are however many more concerns that Kiryuin Shou brings up. Some of them involve his priorities and the future of the band; disapproving fans who inadvertently got fed this news; how similar matters should be handled in the future.
You can read our English translation of the announcement here:
To all of our supporters, this is Kiryuin Shou. Thank you very much for your continous support.
I’m sorry to trouble you with such a personal matter during these incredibly difficult times, but I, Kiryuin Shou, got married on Reiwa 3 (2021), September 4.
There were many things that led me to this decision, but it is a decision I came to for my own reasons after much careful consideration.
Of course, I could have chosen to keep this private but I think that the news would have ended up on the internet either way, so I chose to expose myself rather than be exposed. Although making a formal announcement like this isn’t like me, I decided to make it in this way.
The other party has not been in the past, nor is currently working in the public eye, and is just a regular person. Therefore, from now on please refrain from violating their, or their family’s privacy.
Furthermore, after thinking about how much I should talk about this topic within the band’s activities, I came to the conclusion that there may be fans who do not wish to hear about it. For that reason from today, September 4, moving forward I expect to only speak on this matter in the event of childbirth, divorce, or if the safety of my family is threatened.
Although I am usually open to sharing any kind of news, I’m sorry to be so blunt and to the point regarding this particular matter. I imagine that fans will have many different reactions and feelings about this news, but I thought that this was the best way to announce it.
The thing that has top priority in my life is the band. This has always been the case, and will not change from here on out.
From tomorrow, as always, I will continue my activities with the band that is centered around laughter and music, Golden Bomber. I will continue doing my best to bring fun to everyone, so it would make me very happy if I can continue to have your support from now on.
To all the fans who continue to support us, I am very grateful.
Thankfully, when quickly scanning through the comments—among tens of thousands—made on the blog and on Twitter, we were only able to spot positive and congratulatory feedback.
For those who are fans of Golden Bomber, you are most likely familiar with how transparent the band normally is, so with private matters that also affect others, the case becomes a lot more delicate. This may be one of the reasons why the announcement was made in such an apologetic tone.