Comprising Yuki Isoya (vocals), Yoshihito Onda (keyboards), Kohta Igarashi (drums), and Takuya Asanuma (guitar), Judy and Mary played pop punk that was defined by Yuki's distinctive vocal style, superb musicianship, strong lyrics, and a look that was equal parts punk, glam, and goth. The group was formed the year after a chance 1991 meeting in Hokkaido between Yuki and Yoshihito Onda, where Yuki, still a junior college student, was on a film shoot. A veteran of many bands, Onda was playing...
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Comprising Yuki Isoya (vocals), Yoshihito Onda (keyboards), Kohta Igarashi (drums), and Takuya Asanuma (guitar), Judy and Mary played pop punk that was defined by Yuki's distinctive vocal style, superb musicianship, strong lyrics, and a look that was equal parts punk, glam, and goth. The group was formed the year after a chance 1991 meeting in Hokkaido between Yuki and Yoshihito Onda, where Yuki, still a junior college student, was on a film shoot. A veteran of many bands, Onda was playing bass for a group called Jacks'n Joker at the time, and Yuki later sent him a demo tape of her vocals. The group was officially formed in February 1992 after the addition of Igarashi and a support member on guitar, and independently released an album and video on the independent Chainsaw Records label several months later. With no major label support, the band began gigging in the Kanto area in May of the same year, winning over fans with their high-energy music and manic stage show. Asanuma was added as full-time guitarist in early 1993, shortly before Judy and Mary signed with Epic/Sony, adding another dimension to the group's sound an sharing songwriting duties with Onda. They released their debut single, "Power of Love", in September 1993, followed up in November of the same year by "Blue Tears". The band's first album, J.A.M., was released in January 1994. Judy and Mary toured heavily over the next several years, increasing their nationwide visibility, and released prolifically. Their big breakthrough came in the form of their February 1996 single "Sobakasu", which was used in the animation Ruroni Kenshin and sold over a million copies, establishing the band as full-fledged stars. Their newfound status was confirmed by an invitation to perform at the yearly Kohaku Uta Gassen. In March 19978, Judy and Mary released The Power Source, selling a whopping two million copies and touring much of the year in support of the record. In late 1997, the band had a scare when Isoya required throat surgery, and the band took some time off while she recovered, during which time Asanuma found the time to release a solo work under the name Robots. Isoya returned in the spring of 1998, and the band released their fifth album Pop Life. Coming after Isoya's surgery and the huge sales of The Power Source, Pop Life delivered, selling even more than its predecessor. The band toured the album aggressively, including a show at Tokyo's famed Budokan, finishing out the year with a sold-out date at the giant Tokyo Dome. The following year saw the band on hiatus again. Isoya was especially active with other projects, including a release with Chara and a band called NiNa with Kate Pierson of the B-52s and several members of Japan's The Plastics. She would later work with Chara again in Mean Machine. The group started up again in early 2000, releasing Brand New Wave Upper Ground and a best-of album entitled Fresh, again breaking sales records. In February 2001, Judy and Mary released their sixth and final album of original tracks, entitled Warp. Considered by many to be their crowning achievement, Warp was a document of a band on top of their game. After breaking up, the members of Judy and Mary have worked independently on various projects, the most visible being Isoya, who continues to sell well as a solo artist under the name Yuki.
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