Zytokine
(stylized as ZYTOKINE in all caps) is a Japanese Doujinshi music circle that specializes in Electronic Music and Rock arrangements of music from the Touhou Project series.
The origins of the circle date all the way back to 2005 when it was part of a larger unified circle named Cytokine, which was founded by Unagi Kabayaki and Linjin. Starting in 2006, Linjin headed the arrangement part of the circle and released several doujin music albums under the Cytokine handle up until 2011, when it was announced that they were discontinuing music distribution to focus solely on illustrative works instead. In response, Linjin created ZYTOKINE in order to continue on with his passion project.
Aside from Linjin (the main composer and solitary member of the group), the circle has featured many recurring vocalists over the course of its history, some of whom have become synonymous with ZYTOKINE's image.
Permanent Members
- Linjin — Circle founder, arranger, and lyricist. Also contributes arrangements to SOUND HOLIC, which tend to feature vocals by Nana Takahashi (cold kiss) or 花たん (Hanatan/YURiCa).
The "Big Four" Vocalists
While not considered true members of ZYTOKINE, for most of the circle's history, these four vocalists have nonetheless provided vocals for the grand majority of songs composed by Linjin, making them a core part of the circle's legacy. Several albums feature exactly these four vocalists, or one single of them. From 2019 onward, the circle started featuring other guest vocalists more, with aki and nachi taking a backseat and Nana Takahashi stopped appearing.
- aki — Best known for her contributions on SOUND HOLIC.
- itori — Known for her contributions on Studio "Syrup Comfiture", aka Syrufit. Has since taken the helm as ZYTOKINE's primary vocalist with the most spotlight.
- nachi — Formerly 坂上なち- (Sakaue Nachi). Best known for her contributions on Alstroemeria Records and is a frequent contributor to other circles. Also had her own circle twinkle＊twinkle.
- Nana Takahashi (cold kiss) — Also known for her contributions on SOUND HOLIC. Seems to have stopped contributing to ZYTOKINE after the 2019 album SURVIVAL IN RUINS.
Other Recurring Guest Vocalists
- 3L — Member of NJK Record and frequently acted as a guest vocalist for other circles, such as SYNC.ART'S. Her most recent contribution to a ZYTOKINE album was in 2019 with CURTAINS IN DUSK.
- 花たん (Hanatan/YURiCa) — Also known for her own circle THE OTHER FLOWER.
- irony — Also showed up on some albums by other Electronic Music circles, such as Amateras Records. Her most recent contributions to ZYTOKINE were on the circle's last two albums of 2019.
- めらみぽっぷ (Meramipop) — known for being a guest vocalist for a ridiculous number of other circles.
- nomico — Best known for her contributions on Alstroemeria Records. Her most recent contribution to ZYTOKINE was in 2019 with 白にも黒にもなれない君へ.
- ランコ (Ranko) — Best known for being the vocalist of BUTAOTOME. Has contributed two songs, with the most recent being on the 2019 album 白にも黒にもなれない君へ.
Former Contributors
- A～YA — Vocalist who contributed a few songs. Her last contribution was on LITTLE WHEEL EUCLASE in 2015 (not counting re-releases and remixes of her songs). Mostly known for her vocals on some SWING HOLIC songs, as well as some SOUND HOLIC swing songs.
- ドニィ・ザ・ダイナマイト (donnie_the_d) — Vocalist. Last known contribution to ZYTOKINE was LITTLE WHEEL EUCLASE in 2015.
- 綾倉盟 (Mei Ayakura) — Vocalist. Contributed a few songs to ZYTOKINE. Mostly known for being a member of Alstroemeria Records. Has also released a couple of albums under her own circle Meme in Wonderland.
- miko — Vocalist and a member of the circle Alternative ending. Last known contribution to ZYTOKINE was LITTLE WHEEL EUCLASE in 2015.
- SYO — Vocalist. Last contribution to ZYTOKINE was THE LEAP // NEXTRA in 2013.
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Discography (Cytokine 2006-2011)
- THE OUTSIDE (Reitaisai 3, May 21, 2006)
- A SATELLITE IN THE 2ND OUTER SPACE (Comiket 70, August 13, 2006)
- DEMO DISK-1 (Touhou Kouroumu 2, November 12, 2006)
- Third-Rater (Comiket 71, December 31, 2006)
- PRISMA (Touhou Fuhai Komachi 3, March 21, 2007)
- Virtual x Real (Reitaisai 4, May 20, 2007)
- Cubical another perspective has violated systematically (Comiket 72, August 17, 2007)
- 虹蛇 Translation (Touhou Kouroumu 3, November 4, 2007)
- hatch the new Flow (Comiket 73, December 31, 2007)
- ⑨ -maruQ- (Sunshine Creation 39, April 20, 2008)
- FLASHBACK to ... (Reitaisai 5, May 25, 2008)
- ± (Comiket 74, August 16, 2008)
- REINE OKTAVE (Touhou Kouroumu 4, November 2, 2008)
- hatch the new Fl∞w (Comiket 75, December 29, 2008)
- a+jugos (Reitaisai 6, March 8, 2009)
- bifurcation (Comiket 76, August 15, 2009)
- 492357816 (Comiket 77, December 30, 2009)
- The TOWER (Reitaisai 7, March 14, 2010)
- voice blinded color (Comiket 78, August 14, 2010)
- Dead man's hand (Comiket 79, December 30, 2010) (Collaboration with Studio "Syrup Comfiture", aka Syrufit.)
- ぽっぷ!EP? Translation (Reitaisai 8, May 8, 2011)
- 1⑨ (Reitaisai 8, May 8, 2011)
- BACKFLASH Audibility (Comiket 80, August 13, 2011)
- C80会場限定おまけCD Translation (Comiket 80, August 13, 2011)
- We Are 21st Century lovers (Touhou Kouroumu 7, October 16, 2011)
Discography (ZYTOKINE 2011-Present)
- POP ICON (Comiket 81, December 30, 2011)
- ZEphyr (Reitaisai 9, May 27, 2012)
- gold* (Comiket 82, August 11, 2012) (Released alongside its sister album silver†.)
- silver† (Comiket 82, August 11, 2012)
- Double Key (Comiket 83, December 30, 2012)
- Dancing Dollz (Reitaisai 10, May 26, 2013)
- THE LEAP // SHOWDOWN (Comiket 84, August 8, 2013)
- THE LEAP // NEXTRA (Comiket 84, August 8, 2013)
- PIANO SKETCHES E.P (Touhou Kouroumu 9, October 13, 2013)
- I, SCREAM (Comiket 85, December 30, 2013)
- XXX (Comiket 85, December 30, 2013)
- MOTHER NATURE (Reitaisai 11, May 11, 2014)
- >>>> (Comiket 86, August 16, 2014) note
- DEATH (Touhou Kouroumu 10, October 12, 2014)
- PHOTOGRAPHIC DESTINATIONS (Comiket 87, December 29, 2014)
- hundred hundred (Reitaisai 12, May 10, 2015)
- LITTLE WHEEL EUCLASE (Comiket 88, August 14, 2015)
- LITTLE WHEEL ALMANDINE (Comiket 88, August 14, 2015)
- We Are 21st Century lovers 2 E.P (Touhou Kouroumu 11, November 1, 2015)
- BEAUTIFUL KILLER (Comiket 89, December 30, 2015)
- OVERFLOW XXXX (Comiket 89, December 30, 2015)
- THNQ -THE BEST of ZYTOKINE/CYTOKINE- (Comiket 89, December 30, 2015)
- THE OUTSIDE ANSWER to the Ultimate Question (Reitaisai 13, May 8, 2016)
- Liquid Total Reflection -THE BEST of ZYTOKINE/CYTOKINE2- (Reitaisai 13, May 8, 2016)
- Ћ⊿⊿θ▽△ (Comiket 90, August 13, 2016)
- PLEIADES (Comiket 90, August 13, 2016)
- KARAOKE/THNQ (Touhou Kouroumu 12, October 9, 2016)
- 46 ChordeR (Comiket 91, December 29, 2016)
- SYSTEMA SOLARE (Comiket 91, December 29, 2016)
- 4Q8Q (Reitaisai 14, May 7, 2017)
- NEWBORN CRYING (Reitaisai 14, May 7, 2017)
- 50/50 (Comiket 92, August 11, 2017)
- KARAOKE/LTR (Touhou Kouroumu 13, October 22, 2017)
- AREA LEVEL ONE (Comiket 93, December 29, 2017)
- NIRVANA (Comiket 93, December 29, 2017)
- JAPANIZED BLUE TRAVELLER (Reitaisai 15, May 6, 2018)
- ff (Reitaisai 15, May 6, 2018)
- PULSE2 (Reitaisai 15, May 6, 2018)
- SUITS (Comiket 94, August 10, 2018)
- BILLIONAIRE'S LAW (Comiket 94, August 10, 2018)
- 何度でも君/僕を壊/愛したい Translation (Comiket 95, December 30, 2018)
- CRYMEARIVER (Comiket 95, December 30, 2018)
- BIRTH IN DAWN (Reitaisai 16, May 5, 2019)
- JUBILEE (Reitaisai 16, May 5, 2019)
- JUST FLOWERING (Comiket 96, August 12, 2019)
- SURVIVAL IN RUINS (Comiket 96, August 12, 2019)
- 白にも黒にもなれない君へ Translation (Comiket 97, December 31, 2019)
- CURTAINS IN DUSK (Comiket 97, December 31, 2019)
- ♮ NATURAL (Comiket 98, May 5, 2020)
- DOPE ICON (Comiket 98, May 5, 2020)
- FLEX'N'CORD (Comiket 98, May 5, 2020)
Tropes that apply to Zytokine:
- Lucky Charms Title: Album titles: gold* and silver†. Exaggerated with ＞＞＞＞ and Ћ⊿⊿θ▽△.
- Rearrange the Song: Their Touhou arrangements.
- Remix Album: Their albums consist mostly or entirely of Touhou arrangements.
- The Unpronounceable: The album titles ＞＞＞＞ and Ћ⊿⊿θ▽△.
- Xtremely Kool Letterz: "ZYTOKINE" (instead of CYTOKINE). Linjin originally released albums under the CYTOKINE label. When that label stopped releasing music, he made his own circle and gave it a unique name by replacing the C with a Z.
