Rock Band OLDCODEX to Disband After Second 'Free!: The Final Stroke' Movie's Theme Song

Tokyo-based rock band OLDCODEX announced on Monday that they will end activities on April 22, 2022—the release date of the second Free!: The Final Stroke anime movie and its theme song—marking it their final performance.

In a statement, the band apologized for the sudden announcement and thanked the fans for their support over the past 12 years. The official fan club OLDCODEX MOBiLE MEMBER'S and the OLDCODEX MOBiLE MEMBER'S. STORE will close in March 2022, ahead of their disbandment. The band reaffirmed that they will continue to produce music with a sense of gratitude and asked for continued support to that end. The original soundtrack of the second Free!: The Final Stroke movie will include the theme song.

The announcement comes approximately four months after OLDCODEX went on hiatus in August due to the vocalist Ta_2's (Tatsuhisa Suzuki) poor health. The band subsequently canceled their appearance at the Animelo Summer Live 2021: Colors music festival and the release of their 19th single Heading to Over - Version:Free, the theme song of the first Free!: The Final Stroke movie.

Suzuki also put his voice acting career on hiatus in August, citing the same reason. He has since been replaced in a number of titles, including Ultraman Season 2 by Tomoaki Maeno, Pokemon (2019) (Pokemon Journeys: The Series) by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, and Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha 2nd Season (The Misfit of Demon King Academy 2nd Season) by Yuuichirou Umehara.

The Tokyo Revengers production committee announced on Monday that Suzuki will be replaced as Ken Ryuuguuji in the second season, Seiya Kessen-hen (Christmas Showdown) arc. However, he will continue to star as Makoto Tachibana in the Free! anime franchise.

Suzuki launched OLDCODEX with producer, singer-songwriter, and ROSARYHILL's vocalist and keyboard player Ron, guitarist Yohske Yamamoto, and drummer Kazuhito Saegusa under Lantis' sub-label GloryHeaven in 2009. Yamamoto and Saegusa left the band in 2010, followed by Ron in 2012. Suzuki teamed up with painter and lyricist YORKE. in 2010.

OLDCODEX is best known for performing theme songs for the Kuroko no Basket (Kuroko's Basketball) anime series, the Free! (Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club) anime series, God Eater, Servamp, and Keishichou Tokumubu Tokushu Kyouakuhan Taisakushitsu Dainanaka: Tokunana (Special 7: Special Crime Investigation Unit).

OLDCODEX official site: https://www.oldcodex.com/
OLDCODEX official Twitter: @OLDCODEX_NEWS

Source: Music Natalie, Oricon News