X Japan (エックス ジャパン, X Japan ?), or X (エックス, X ?) which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). Their sound started as Japanese rock speed metal, and later gravitated towards alternative rock, but always retained a huge emphasis on beautiful ballads.
Plans for the band started in 1976, when its original members, Toshi (Toshimitsu Deyama) and Yoshiki were only 12. Initially they were simply named X.
Their first single was "I'll kill you" (June, 1985).