Cinema Staff

Current members

• Tomoaki Tsuji (born April 28, 1987) plays guitar and serves as the band's leader.
  • A native of Gifu Prefecture and a graduate of the Nagoya Institute of Technology, he is typically positioned in the center of the stage. In addition to his work in cinema staff, Tsuji has been active in the side project band "peelingwards" alongside bandmate Sohei Mishima since January 2013, where he handles guitar and backing vocals.
• Mizuki Iida (born April 8, 1987) is the lead vocalist and guitarist, positioned on the right side of the stage.
  • Also a Gifu Prefecture native, Iida is credited as the lyricist for several of the band's tracks, including "Cycle," "Mousou Kairo," "unsung," "somehow," and "Kuuhaku." On October 24, 2018, he released his debut solo digital single, "Genun" (Vertigo). Later that year, he contributed as a guest vocalist on the song "Rakuen no Kimi" by österreich, which served as the second ending theme for the anime series Tokyo Ghoul:re. His older brother is the singer and illustrator Toshiki Iida.
• Sohei Mishima (born August 30, 1987) plays bass and provides backing vocals, typically positioned on the left side of the stage.
  • Hailing from Mizuho, Gifu Prefecture, Mishima has been the primary lyricist and composer for the band since its formation. On September 16, 2020, he released his debut solo album, plan B, as a digital release. He is married to Hiromi Hirohiro, the bassist and vocalist of the rock band tricot.
• Youhei Kuno (born December 8, 1987) is the drummer, positioned in the center of the back row.
  • A native of Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, Kuno is also an accomplished illustrator and has designed original merchandise for the band, including LINE sticker sets such as "Doko Usa" and "Zankyo-kun." Outside of his musical activities, he is active as a video game streamer and commentator under the alias "Dokomusu" (ドコムス).

Early years and independent debut (2003–2011)

Cinema staff was formed in 2003 under the name "REAL" by high school classmates Tsuji, Iida, and Mishima. In 2006, as the members entered university, the group underwent lineup changes, including the addition of a drummer who preceded Kuno, and the band was renamed "cinema staff". In July of that year, Mishima recruited Kuno from the American Folk Music Club at Nanzan University, finalizing the band's current lineup. Operating primarily out of Nagoya, the group began performing at local venues and national competitions. In September 2006, they reportedly won the grand prize at the College Rock Festival 2006 national tournament held at Imaike Bottom Line, and in November, they participated in the national tournament of the Teens' Music Festival 2006. In November 2008, cinema staff made their independent debut through Zankyo Record. By March 2010, they held their first headlining concerts at Shibuya O-nest and CLUB ROCK'N'ROLL, both of which sold out on the day tickets were released. Their rising prominence in the independent music scene was recognized in January 2011 when the iTunes Store selected them as one of the top ten anticipated breakthrough artists for its "Japan Sound of 2011" list.

Major debut and commercial success (2012–2018)

The band received the Tokai Block Award at the 4th CD Shop Awards in early 2012. In June of that year, cinema staff made their major label debut under Pony Canyon. In August 2013, they released the single "great escape," which served as the second ending theme for the first season of the anime television series Attack on Titan and achieved notable commercial success. In October 2013, member Mishima initiated "OOPARTS," an annual self-produced music festival held in their home prefecture of Gifu, with the stated aim of contributing to the local community through their activities.

The band continued to release music and receive industry recognition, with their album Bokyo and EP Solution E.P. earning nominations for the Music Jacket Awards in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Solution E.P., released in December 2015, included the track "Kirifuda," which served as an opening theme for the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V. In November 2016, they released their first triple A-side EP, Vektor E.P., and celebrated its launch with a special event titled "Cinema no Kinema" on the release date of November 30. This was followed by the release of their sixth studio album, Netsugen, in May 2017. In January 2018, the band released the digital single "HYPER CHANT," commissioned as the official support song for the J.League football club FC Gifu.

Later years and disbandment (2019–present)

In September 2019, cinema staff released their first greatest hits compilation, Best of the Super Cinema 2008–2011 / 2012–2019. Their seventh studio album, Kaitei yori Ai o Komete (From the Sea Bottom with Love), was released in November 2021 under the label This Time Inc., with distribution by PCI Music. On September 23, 2026, the band announced that they would disband in 2027, concluding a 20-year career. Their final performance is scheduled to take place at a headlining concert at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo on September 12, 2027.

Studio albums

Mini albums

Compilation albums

Extended plays

Singles