# The Checkers (Japanese band)

The Checkers (Japanese: チェッカーズ) was a very popular Japanese band in the 1980s. They were a pop icon of their time as kids copied hair styles and fashion of the band members.
The band was formed in Kurume-city, Fukuoka Pref. by Toru Takeuchi, the leader and the guitarist, who asked Fumiya Fujii to start a band with him in 1980. They won the Yamaha Light Music Contest in Junior category soon after forming the band. Due to some of the members being high school students at the time they were approached with a record deal they waited until those members finished high school. They made a debut on 21 September 1983 and split up on 31 December 1992. All of their single releases entered top 10 in Japanese charts, many of them making it to No 1. Fumiya Fujii, who was the lead singer and the main lyricist, went on to pursue a successful solo career.
Although it was a band that, along with Hiroaki Serizawa, produced their own songs, they were frequently regarded as just male aidoru by Japanese rock fans because of their early marketing promotion.

## Members
### Past members

* Fumiya Fujii - vocals, chorus (1962-)
* Naoyuki Fujii - sax, flute, back-vocals, chorus (1964-)
* Masaharu Tsuruku - vocals, chorus (1964-)
* Yoshihiko Takamoku - vocals, chorus (1962-)
* Tohru Takeuchi - guitars, chorus (1962-)
* Yuji Ohdoi - bass, contrabass, chorus (1962-)
* Yoshiya Tokunaga - drums, percussion, chorus (1962-2004; his death)

## Discography
### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Format | Label |
| Year | Single | JPN Oricon | Format | Label |
| 1983 | "Gizagiza Heart no Komoriuta" (ギザギザハートの子守唄) | 8 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1984 | "Namida no Request" (涙のリクエスト) | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1984 | "Kanashikute Jealousy" (哀しくてジェラシー) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming, | Canyon Record |
| 1984 | "Hoshikuzu no Stage" (星屑のステージ) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1984 | "Julia ni Heartbreak" (ジュリアに傷心) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1985 | "Ano Ko to Scandal" (あの娘とスキャンダル) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1985 | "Oretachi no Rockabilly Night" (俺たちのロカビリーナイト) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download | Canyon Record |
| 1985 | "Heart of Rainbow: Ai no Niji o Watatte/Blue Pacific" (Heart of Rainbow～愛の虹を渡って～/ブルー・パシフィック) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1985 | "Kamisama Help!" (神様ヘルプ!) | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1986 | "Oh!!Popstar" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1986 | "Song for U.S.A." | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1986 | "Nana" | - | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1987 | "I Love You, Sayonara" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1987 | "Wanderer" | 1 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1987 | "Blue Rain" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1988 | "One Night Gigolo" | 3 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1988 | ""Jim&Jane no Densetsu" (Jim&Janeの伝説)" | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1988 | ""Sunao ni I'm Sorry" (素直にI'm Sorry)" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1989 | "Room" | 3 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1989 | "Cherie" | 5 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1989 | "Friends and Dream" | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1990 | "Sadame" (運命) | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1990 | "Yoake no Breath" (夜明けのブレス) | 2 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1990 | "Sayonara o Mō Ichido" (さよならをもう一度) | 7 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1991 | "Love '91" | 3 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1991 | "Mrs. Mermaid" | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1991 | "Furetegoran: Please Touch Your Heart" (ふれてごらん~Please Touch Your Heart~) | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1992 | "Konya no Namida wa Saikō" (今夜の涙は最高) | 5 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1992 | "Blue Moon Stone" | 7 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |
| 1992 | "Present For You" | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming | Canyon Record |

### Albums
#### Original albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Zettai Checkers" (絶対チェッカーズ) | Released: 21 July 1984 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Motto Checkers" (もっと!チェッカーズ) | Released: 5 December 1984 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Mainichi Checkers" (毎日チェッカーズ) | Released: 21 August 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Flower" | Released: 20 March 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Go" | Released: 2 May 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Screw" | Released: 21 July 1988 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 4 |
| "Seven Heaven" | Released: 19 July 1989 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Oops!" | Released: 8 August 1990 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "I Have a Dream" | Released: 21 June 1991 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 2 |
| "Blue Moon Stone" | Released: 19 June 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 2 |

#### Compilation albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Non-Stop CHECKERS" | Released: 5 September 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, Cassette tape | - |
| "BEST The CHECKERS" | Released: 21 July 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "Checkers The BEST" | Released: 15 December 1991 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 11 |
| "The Checkers" | Released: 6 December 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 1 |
| "The OTHER SIDE" | Released: 16 December 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 11 |
| "Early Singles" | Released: 19 August 1994 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | 3 |
| "Ballade Selection" | Released: 1 February 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "Ballade Selection II" | Released: 17 March 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "ALL Songs REQUEST" | Released: 5 March 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "COMPLETE The CHECKERS all singles collection" | Released: 17 March 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "COMPLETE The CHECKERS all singles collection reverse" | Released: 14 July 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "All Ballads Request" | Released: 16 March 2005 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "THE CHECKERS SUPER BEST COLLECTION 32" | Released: 16 September 2009 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming | - |
| "THE CHECKERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY BEST～7X30 SINGLES～2" | Released: 19 July 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2CDs | - |
| "Platinum Best Checkers All Time Collection" (プラチナムベスト チェッカーズ オールタイム・コレクション) | Released: 17 June 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2CDs | - |
| "Checkers All Singles Special Collection" (チェッカーズ・オールシングルズ・スペシャルコレクション) | Released: 21 February 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: UHQCD4s | - |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

#### Live albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "The Checkers Final Last Budokan Live 1992.12.28 " (THE CHECKERS FINAL ラスト武道館ライブ 1992.12.28) | Released: 19 March 1993 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD | - |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

#### Soundtracks

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Checkers in Tan Tan Tanuki Original Soundtrack" (CHECKERS in TAN TAN たぬき) | Released: 27 April 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape | 1 |
| "SONG FOR U.S.A. Original Song Album" (SONG FOR U.S.A. オリジナル・ソング・アルバム) | Released: 21 July 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape | - |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

#### Box sets

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Checkers 7 Inch Box" (チェッカーズ 7インチBOX) | Released: 3 December 2022 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 7LP | - |
| "Checkers 40th Anniversary Original Album Special CD-Box" (チェッカーズ 40th Anniversary オリジナルアルバム・スペシャルCD-BOX) | Released: 21 September 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 11CDs | - |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Format | Label |
| Year | Single | JPN Oricon | Format | Label |
| 1987 | "Nanatsu no Umi no Chikyūgi" (7つの海の地球儀) | 4 | CD, LP, Cassette | Canyon Record |

### Albums
#### Original albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Shine Naru George Springhill Band Sama " (親愛なるジョージ・スプリングヒル・バンド様) | Released: 21 December 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: LP, CD | 1 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

#### Live albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| "Not Checkers: Endagasa Ekikangen Live " (NOT CHECKERS-円高差益還元ライブ) Released as Cute Beat Club Band | Released: 21 November 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: LP | 2 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||

## Videography
### Video albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | JPN Oricon |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1988 SCREW TOUR | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1987 GO TOUR | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1986 FLASH！！ TOUR | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1985 II PIRATES TOUR | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1985 I Typhoon' TOUR | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| CHECKERS ALL SONGS REQUEST: DVD EDITION | Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 I Blue Moon Stone TOUR I | Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1991 II I have a Dream TOUR "WHITE PARTY II" | Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1991 I I have a Dream TOUR "WHITE PARTY I" | Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1990 OOPS！ TOUR | Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1989 SEVEN HEAVEN TOUR | Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 VI Rec． | Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 V FINAL TOUR "ACOUSTIC COLLECTION" | Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 IV FINAL TOUR "ACCESS ALL AREA" | Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 III FINAL TOUR | Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD | - |
| THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 II Blue Moon Stone TOUR II | Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| THE CHECKERS BEST HITS LIVE 1985-1992 | Released: 19 September 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD | - |
| 1992 Blue Moon Stone TOUR I&II | Released: 7 June 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2BD | - |
| Checkers 40th Anniversary FINAL TOUR (Remaster Edition) | Released: 20 December 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2BD | TBA |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||