Metal is something of a niche. J-rock is even more of a niche. A progressive metal J-rock band that plays Anime themes – well, that's got to be the niche of all niches!

And finding a group that well – could anyone be so lucky?

Enter SAIGEN COMPLEX – these guys do it all, and they do it quite well. Playing themes from known Anime shows as well as their own (peculiar and unique) original material, SAIGEN COMPLEX are a joy to listen to.
 

Now, one of the main advantages to being niche, on top of being able to walk down the street without people wanting to sleep with you, is the fact your audience is there because they genuinely enjoy your music and because it speaks to them. SAIGEN COMPLEX's core fans are Anime fans – and these people know what loyalty means.

So SAIGEN COMPLEX keep a close connection with their fans – they talk to them (the low approach to the stage at the Ozen Bar allows for that), they smile and wave, it's all very personal. There are a lot of inside jokes, most I did not get – some were in Japanese and others were probably obscure references to some shows or some band-related lore.

The band's song list consisted mostly of Anime themes (finishing their show with the all-time favorite Dragonball Z theme), as well as their own material – which was quite good and annoyingly catchy, I have to say. Some songs stayed with me for days.
 

The band members' technical proficiency is high - each providing exactly what was needed for the songs to work, without eclipsing one another. This is a band, not a group of random strangers who happened to be playing together. Still, as the audience knew the band members by name (and appropriate, awkward nicknames), each were given a chance to showcase their abilities at various points.

Although acoustics were good as well as sound reproduction, the performance was marred by technical problems – but even this was approached with a lot of humor, and while the problems were being dealt with, some band members embarked on their stand-up comedy career, improvising jokes, much to the audience's delight. I bet you haven't seen much of that in rock concerts.
 

As far as style goes, SAIGEN COMPLEX have gained their own flavor over time – they now play with a distinct sound they did not have at the beginning. A sort of progressive metal hue, adding to their usual J-rock, even somewhat ditsy style. Their movements have become more complex, more daring even, as their confidence grew. At times, they even break the whole mold, and begin striking up bizarre tunes, seemingly unconnected to anything, as if to test the listeners' alertness.

All of this added to a very peculiar experience – eclectic, strange, funny, filled with esoteric references, good music and a lot of great atmosphere.  SAIGEN COMPLEX J-rocked the joint.