About this Site
Moon-Struck is a site dedicated to English translations of the works of Japanese artist GACKT. Its aim is to allow fans who do not speak Japanese to more fully understand and appreciate his lyrics, as well as to provide an accurate source of information for the curious as well as those who are just getting to know him, and to support his goal of world domination!
All translations on this site are the work of one fan translator, and have been extensively researched and revised, however if you have any questions, comments or corrections please send an email to admin@moon-struck.net
Special thanks to Val (excused-early.livejournal.com) for her assistance.
About 
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, model, celebrity, writer, and occasional clothing and jewelery designer, when he is not working he is also known to be a highly trained martial artist, a snowboarding aficionado, a skilled darts and billiard player, a collector of everything from weapons to DVDs to a 15th century bible, and an enthusiastic fan of anime and manga (in particular the Gundam franchise as well as the films of director Hayao Miyazaki). He is an extremely prolific artist, having released 7 full length albums, 6 live/compilation albums, one EP and nearly 40 singles over an 11 year solo career, as well as starring in a full length drama series, two movies and touring at least once every year since 2000. He also is able to speak in four languages; Japanese, English, Mandarin Chinese and Korean, and there is evidence he has some knowledge of Cantonese and French as well.
His music is largely considered to be difficult to describe or classify, with many fans joking that "GACKT" is a separate genre of music altogether. Nevertheless, it is largely based in the contemporary rock genre, with heavy influences from both western classical and traditional Japanese music, as well as use of electronic elements and a decidedly experimental flair on many tracks. Brought up listening solely to classical music and trained in piano and voice from childhood, among other things, he discovered heavy metal bands such as Metallica during high school and also became absorbed in mastering drumming. This technical expertise shines through in his songs, but they are far from being empty spectacle. Behind each of his albums lies a sci-fi or fantasy epic, the greatest being the long running MOON SAGA, which spans 3 albums (with another to be released) and follows a bloodline of often unwillingly transformed and persecuted vampires over a time span of 1,500 years. His deeply emotional music is a reflection of human nature at it's rawest, using the concept of a "monster" as a metaphor, he sings the lives of his characters, their joys and sorrows, loves and passions, losses and grief transcending time and place.
GACKT as a person is probably most famous for his eccentricity, but those who are in close contact with him personally tend to describe him as incredibly passionate and hard working, as well as a perfectionist, but generous, kind and encouraging to those around him who are working in lesser roles, and respectful and eager to learn from those with more experience. He believes that "Dreams are not something to be dreamt, but to be made true", and encourages his fans to go all out in achieving their goals, writing many blog entries and even a book on his views of life. All in all, quite a unique and brilliant man.
More information can be found at his official site gackt.com.
About the Translator
Your humble translator is generally known online by the screenname "Amaiakuyume", which is embarrassingly incorrect high school Japanese for "sweet nightmares". Having used this name online for 6 years now, I don't really feel inclined to change it…
I am 21 years old, Australian and a university student majoring in Japanese language with the eventual goal of becoming a translator or working in the music media industry in Japan. I am currently living in Tokyo and studying for JLPT 1-kyuu, which I hope to pass in 2011.
I have been a fan of GACKT since first visiting Japan in 2004 and picking up THE SIXTH DAY in a record store by chance. In February 2009, I finally got the opportunity to see him in person when I traveled across Japan for two weeks and attended 5 performances of the Requiem et Reminiscence II tour. Since then, I have also been fortunate enough to attend several shows on the YFC and Camui Gakuen de Fukinasai tours, as well as the stage play Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae and the 2010 Kenshin Festival in Joetsu.