Fukuro Release CHOCOLATE WAR Single and Music Video
Fukuro (梟) just served up something deliciously dark with their latest digital single CHOCOLATE WAR, complete with a slick accompanying music video that’s well worth your attention.
Released on May 19, the track marks another intriguing chapter for the Tokyo-based visual kei outfit, who’ve been steadily building momentum with their theatrical approach to modern rock. For those new to Fukuro’s world, the band blends the dramatic aesthetics and intricate arrangements typical of the visual kei scene with a contemporary edge that keeps their sound from feeling retro or derivative. Their visual presentation—as the name suggests, drawing inspiration from owls (fukuro)—pairs striking makeup and costume work with genuinely engaging compositions.
The CHOCOLATE WAR music video was helmed by director Kurokawa Yuuichi and produced by crap dolly, a production house known for working with various VK acts. The video format gives the band a chance to showcase their visual identity beyond the stage, and the single itself demonstrates their knack for catchy hooks wrapped in the kind of darker textures that visual kei audiences crave.
What makes this release significant is its positioning as a digital-first drop—a strategy many contemporary Japanese rock bands are embracing to connect directly with international fans who’ve made streaming their primary consumption method. It’s a smart move for a band like Fukuro, whose fanbase spans both dedicated domestic supporters and curious Western listeners discovering visual kei for the first time.
If you’re already familiar with Fukuro’s back catalogue, CHOCOLATE WAR should feel like a natural progression. If this is your first encounter with them, the single’s accessibility combined with its melodic complexity makes it an excellent entry point.
Head over to your preferred streaming platform to catch CHOCOLATE WAR, and keep an eye on Fukuro’s official channels for news on upcoming live dates and future releases. This is exactly the kind of inventive work that keeps the visual kei scene vital and evolving.