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Female Singing Unit Kalafina Disbands

Talent agency Space Craft Produce announced on its official website on Wednesday that the female singing unit Kalafina is disbanding. The announcement stated that the unit has been virtually inactive since Kalafina's founder Yuki Kajiura and part of the unit left the agency.

The agency has since examined all possibilities for the unit, including the possibility of resuming activities. However, it determined that it would be difficult to resume the unit's activities and decided to formally announce the breakup of the group.

Singer Hikaru Masai (left in image above right) announced on the unit's official website in November that her contract with Space Craft Produce ended without trouble on October 20, and that she has left the agency. The announcement did not specify if she was also leaving Kalafina.

Singer Keiko Kubota left the female singing unit Kalafina on April 1. The official website had revealed that the other two singers Wakana Ootaki and Hikaru would continue to work on musical activities. Ootaki announced her solo career on August 11, and will officially debut next year.

Yuki Kajiura, the founder of Kalafina, left the Space Craft Produce agency in February. Space Craft Produce stated to Oricon News after Kajiura's departure that Kalafina would continue working under the company.

Kajiura started the Kalafina music group in 2007 to perform the theme songs for The Garden of Sinners anime films. Kajiura produced, composed, and wrote the lyrics for most of the group's songs. The group started out with four members, with two of the four members — Keiko Kubota and Wakana Ootaki — having previously worked with Kajiura under her FictionJunction project. Maya Toyoshima left the group in 2009.

The group have performed theme songs for such anime as Sound of the Sky, Aldnoah.Zero, Black Butler, Time of Eve, Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, and most recently, Katsugeki! Tōken Ranbu. The group have released 21 singles and six studio albums.

Thanks to Mami Kawada Lover for the news tip.

Sources: Space Craft Produce, Sports Hochi