Li-sa-X & Akarin

Japanese Guitar Virtuosity: From Groundbreaking Prodigy to the Next Generation

Li-sa-X (リサX)

Biography

Born in 2005, Li-sa-X took the global guitar community by storm at age eight with her viral, note-perfect rendition of Racer X’s "Scarified", earning praise directly from Paul Gilbert and Marty Friedman. Making her major-label debut with Sony Music Japan at age twelve and becoming the youngest artist to perform at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival, she has transitioned from a child prodigy into a premier voice in modern progressive rock and technical pop-metal as the co-founder and lead guitarist of KOIAI.

Key Releases & Discography

Serendipity (2017 | Sony Music) – Debut solo EP featuring a collaboration with Paul Gilbert.
WILL (2018 | Sony Music) – Full-length solo album featuring Billy Sheehan and Matt Bissonette.
KOIAI EPs: Love at First Sight (2023), Deep & Shallow (2024), Starting Over (2026).
KOIAI Live: LIVE TOUR 2026「Starting Over」in TOKYO -HEAVY KAWAII FES 2026- (Blu-ray).

Playing Style & Technique

Paul Gilbert-Style Alternate Picking: Clean, strict, and precise inside/outside picking across string jumps at extreme tempos.
Cross-Fretboard Sweeping & Tapping: Flawless multi-string arpeggio cascades seamlessly paired with two-handed polyphonic tapped accents.
Neoclassical Melodic Phrasing: Rooted in Bach and Vivaldi themes, tempered with vibrant modern J-rock and progressive pop sensibilities.
Gear: Signature Ibanez RG models with Seymour Duncan pickups, running through modern digital rigs and high-gain tube amplifiers.

Akarin (あかりん / akarin's guitar)

Biography

Akarin is a ten-year-old Japanese guitar sensation whose channel akarin's guitar has captivated audiences worldwide. Demonstrating an astonishing grasp of touch, dynamics, and advanced repertoire far beyond her years, she has tackled complex instrumental masterpieces by Eric Johnson, Mateus Asato, Guthrie Govan, and Andy Timmons. Her talent led to notable live collaborations with fellow young virtuoso drummer YOYOKA as well as a memorable surprise in-studio session with her musical hero, Li-sa-X.

Notable Covers, Collaborations & Originals

"omoide" (思い出) (2026) – Her heartfelt original instrumental composition showcasing mature melodic voice-leading.
"Electric Gypsy" (2026 | Live Cover) – High-profile studio collaboration featuring drummer YOYOKA and bassist Yoshi Sasaki, tackling Andy Timmons' expressive classic.
Key Repertoire Showcases: Note-for-note performances of Eric Johnson’s "Cliffs of Dover", Guthrie Govan’s "Wonderful Slippery Thing", and Mateus Asato arrangements ("Empty Hands", "How Deep Is Your Love").

Playing Style & Touch

Dynamic Touch & Edge-of-Breakup Nuance: Unlike many players who rely on compressed high gain, Akarin excels with clean-to-crunch dynamics, using pick pressure and fingers to draw sweet, singing sustain.
Expressive Vocal Vibrato & Bending: Precise microtonal bends, oblique bends, and smooth, wide vibrato directly inspired by players like Andy Timmons and Mateus Asato.
Hybrid Picking & Double-Stops: Fluid integration of pick-and-fingers to execute articulate chord-melody intros, snappy country-style runs, and clean pentatonic turnarounds.

Li-sa-X Surprises a Talented 10 Year Old Guitarist!

Chapter
00:00 Introduction
00:18 Opening / Explanation of the prank
01:10 The guitarist Akarin wants to meet
01:48 Hidden camera
02:15 Disguising as staff
03:09 Akarin arrives
03:25 Ready to infiltrate
03:47 Staff Li-sa-X infiltrates ①
04:43 After infiltration ①
05:22 Staff Li-sa-X infiltrates ②
06:12 After infiltration ②
06:23 Filming the fake opening
06:51 Disguise Removed ~ Standby
07:39 Heading to the Prank
08:28 Prank!!
09:33 Actually, There’s One More Surprise
10:04 Behind-the-Scenes Footage
10:27 Seated (Talk & Performance)
12:28 Song Performed Together
13:41 Polyphia Champagne: Dream Collaboration
15:20 Closing Li-sa-X
Li-sa-X