History Music / Kyo

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: While he can be very shocking onstage, fans lucky enough to meet him report that he's actually a shy and reserved person offstage.

[[SelfProclaimedLiar Tooru Nishimura]], who goes by his stage name Kyo, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and poet, best known as the frontman and vocalist of the post-VisualKei heavy metal band Music/DirEnGrey. Prior to this, he has been a vocalist for the short-lived alternative rock band La:Sadie's and a roadie for the influential Visual kei band Music/{{Kuroyume}}.

Kyo is widely known in the heavy metal scene as one of the most talented and versatile vocalists currently active; his style, which ranges [[SopranoAndGravel from melodic singing to his signature unclean vocal style]], combining [[HarshVocals guttural death growls]], [[MetalScream screaming]] and [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl high-pitched shrieks]]. His frequent hospitalizations can be attributed to this vocal style: he has been hospitalized for hearing problems in 2000 (his left ear has remained partially deaf) and, in 2006 and 2009, received surgery for inflamed vocal cords. Of equal notoriety is his manner of performance, which involves [[FetishFuel plenty]] [[ParanoiaFuel of]] [[NightmareFuel shock]] [[NauseaFuel elements]] such as fake ([[NauseaFuel and real]]) vomit, spastic-zombie-like twitching, large, open wounds of varying levels of authenticity, heavy makeup resembling [[BlackMetal corpse paint]], and various acts of [[SelfMutilationDemonstration self-mutilation]]. However, he has recently toned down this violent stage persona.

* MrFanservice: He would often [[WalkingShirtlessScene take off his shirt/top/whatever he wears on his torso to show off his body]] and his tattoos as a form of FetishFuel.

* IncrediblyLongNote: One of the masters of this in the modern Japanese metal scene. There are only five Japanese vocalists who can come close at holding a note as long as Kyo does - [[ToshimitsuDeyama ToshI]] of Music/XJapan, Ryuichi Kawamura of Music/LunaSea, Eizo Sakamoto ex-Anthem, Koshi Inaba of B'z and Music/YamaB ex Music/{{Galneryus}}.

** This even goes toward ''his name''. Many people credit him as either Tooru Niimura or Tooru Nishimura, but [[LostInTranslation neglect to realize]] that Tooru Niimura is the name of a relatively famous Japanese pornography director, and that Kyo signed his name as Tooru Niimura on several occasions as a joke. That, in addition to Nishimura being a translation of the surname Niimura, has caused some confusion among international fans as to what his name is. Given that Kyo himself has blatantly admitted that [[ConsummateLiar we should never believe anything he says,]] not even the Japanese fans know what Kyo's real name is. The only thing people can agree on is his stage name being an homage to Kyoto, where he was born.

* OneSteveLimit: Played with. Signed his name as "Tooru Niimura" once as a joke (the name of a Japanese AV director), and everyone ran with it. See SelfProclaimedLiar below.

Tooru Nishimura , who goes by his stage name Kyo, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and poet, best known as the frontman and vocalist of the post-VisualKei heavy metal band Music/DirEnGrey. Prior to this, he has been a vocalist for the short-lived alternative rock band La:Sadie's and a roadie for the influential Visual kei band Music/{{Kuroyume}}

* BadLiar: He has a fondness for telling lies during interviews. They come across as being funny, however, to the point where it isn't all that difficult to not take him very seriously.

* ManOfAThousandVoices: Joins the ranks of [[Music/ScarSymmetry Christian Alvestam]], [[Music/{{Korn}} Jonathan Davis]], Music/DevinTownsend, [[Music/CattleDecapitation Travis Ryan]], Music/MikePatton, [[Music/{{Benighted}} Julien Truchan]], and [[EnterShikari Roughton Reynolds]] as one of the most versatile metal vocalists currently active.

* IndecipherableLyrics

* DyeHard: Has gone through a wide range of hair colors, ranging from black, brown, orange, red, purple and ''[[RealMenWearPink pink]]''

* FanNickname: Kyo-chan.[[note]]Comes from fans who find his [[FunSize small physique]] and delicate features cute.[[/note]]

* OneOfUs: Likes Manga/{{Doraemon}}, collects Franchise/StarWars merchandise, plays video games (and has a lot of them), and has a an odd liking for ice cream [[note]]It's odd, because ice cream is made from milk, [[BerserkButton one of his biggest dislikes]].[[/note]].

* PromotedFanboy: He is a fan of Music/{{Kuroyume}}, and was a roadie for the band in his early days in the scene.

* WhyFandomCantHaveNiceThings: The FunnyAneurysm moment, mentioned above, in addition to an UnpleasableFanbase. It has pretty much died down in recent years, though he very rarely responds to fan mail.
** Surprisingly, he is rather active on Facebook, being the one who posts most of the official updates for his band.

* ManlyTears: While Kyo sings many of his songs in a wailing, weeping like manner, there are times when it's obvious that it isn't part of his act. There are several live performances where he is visibly in tears.

* ManlyTears: While Kyo sings many of his songs in a wailing, weeping like manner, there are times when it's obvious that it isn't part of his performance.

* IncrediblyLongNote: One of the masters of this in the modern Japanese metal scene. There are only five Japanese vocalists who can come close at holding a note as long as Kyo does - [[ToshimitsuDeyama ToshI]] of Music/XJapan, Ryuichi Kawamura of Music/LunaSea, Eizo Sakamoto of Anthem, Koshi Inaba of B'z and Music/YamaB ex Music/{{Galneryus}}.

* AscendedFanboy: He is a fan of Music/{{Kuroyume}}, and was a roadie for the band in his early days in the scene.

* {{Bishonen}}: Arguably so
** {{Biseinen}}: Oh yes.
* BornUnlucky: He had a fire extinguisher swung into his head, almost got alcohol poisoning the first time he drank, got into a motorcycle accident, got involved in a car accident (this time, it was because of bandmate Die sleeping on the wheel), had ear problems (and remained partially deaf in his left ear), contracted infections from having his eyebrows pierced, got hit by a girl, got hit by a guy in the rugby team, tripped over one of the crewmen who were cleaning up his vomit, is vertically challenged compared to the rest of his bandmates, and seems to be getting sick often. He also broke his throat many times in his musical career.
** There is also a recorded video of him collapsing on stage; the band initially thinking it was part of the show. Also, he had plans of getting married, only for his bride-to-be to walk out on him the day of the planned wedding. She ended up marrying one of Kyo's now ex-friends who was also a musician. Kyo candidly explained this incident as the inspiration for the song "Taiyou no Ao".

* FanNickname: Kyo-chan.[[note]]Comes from fans who find his [[FunSize small physique]] and [[{{Bishonen}} delicate features]] cute. [[BerserkButton Kyo doesn't really like the nickname that much, it seems]].[[/note]]

* FunnyAneurysm Moment: He didn't take a suicidal fan's message seriously. Said fan eventually committed suicide...
** [[spoiler:News of the suicide scarred him for life, and is frequently cited as one of the reasons he rarely responds to fan mail.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Was this to his bandmates in his early years, especially when he's fooling around or trying to get their attention, and sometimes [[ForTheLulz for no reason]]. Has led to his ButtMonkey status.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Back in the day...

* IncrediblyLongNote: One of the masters of this in the modern Japanese metal scene. There are only four Japanese vocalists who can come close at holding a note as long as Kyo does - [[ToshimitsuDeyama ToshI]] of Music/XJapan, Ryuichi Kawamura of Music/LunaSea, Eizo Sakamoto of Anthem and Music/YamaB ex Music/{{Galneryus}}.

* AnimeHair: He has always had an affinity for this trope, ever since he started his musical career. From growing it, to having it shaved off his head, to straightening it, to curling it, [[DyeHard to dyeing it in different colors]] and [[ImprobableHairstyle wearing it in different crazy styles]], he has done it all.

* OneOfUs: Likes Manga/{{Doraemon}}, collects Franchise/StarWars merchandise, plays video games (and has a lot of them), and has a an odd liking for ice cream.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: His stage persona is that of a bloodthristy zombie...that sings metal songs.

* ScaryMusicianHarmlessMusic: Zigzagged many times before, but currently inverted, as his public image leans towards "cute".

* ManOfAThousandVoices: Joins the ranks of [[Music/ScarSymmetry Christian Alvestam]], [[Music/{{Korn}} Jonathan Davis]], Music/DevinTownsend, [[Music/CattleDecapitation Travis Ryan]], Music/MikePatton, Julien Truchan, and [[EnterShikari Roughton Reynolds]] as one of the most versatile metal vocalists currently active.

* ManOfAThousandVoices: Joins the ranks of [[Music/ScarSymmetry Christian Alvestam]], [[Music/{{Korn}} Jonathan Davis]], Music/DevinTownsend, Music/MikePatton and [[EnterShikari Roughton Reynolds]] as one of the most versatile metal vocalists currently active.

* IncrediblyLongNote: One of the masters of this in the modern Japanese metal scene. There are only four Japanese vocalists who can come close at holding a note as long as Kyo does - [[ToshimitsuDeyama ToshI]] of Music/XJapan, Ryuichi Kawamura of Music/LunaSea, Eizo Sakamoto of Anthem and Music/YamaB ex Music/Galneryus.

Nishimura Tooru, who goes by his stage name Kyo, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and poet, best known as the frontman and vocalist of the post-VisualKei heavy metal band Music/DirEnGrey. Prior to this, he has been a vocalist for the short-lived alternative rock band La:Sadie's and a roadie for the influential Visual kei band Music/{{Kuroyume}}

* GratuitousEnglish: Very, very often in his lyric writing

* OneOfUs: Likes Doraemon, collects Star Wars merchandise, plays video games (and has a lot of them), and has a an odd liking for ice cream.

* TheUnintelligible: Even the Japanese don't understand him sometimes.

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