In 1997, Buck-Tick changed record labels from Victor to Mercury Music

In 1997, Buck-Tick changed record labels from Victor to Mercury Music Entertainment . The make-up shows for the previous year’s postponed concerts began in March, under the title Tour ’97 Red Room 2097. On November 12, they released their thirteenth single ” Heroin “. On December 10, they released the studio album Sexy Stream Liner , marking the maturation of their new cyberpunk style, which emerged in their visual image as well, with the band sporting fake tattoos and electronic gadgetry on their costumes. Imai began to incorporate the use of a theremin into Buck-Tick’s live shows and their recordings, beginning with the song “My Fuckin’ Valentine”. Two concerts were performed at the Nippon Budokan on December 26 and 27, as a prelude to the Tour Sextream Liner, which was held from February 4 to May 9, 1998. The band released the single ” Sasayaki ” and the EP LTD in March. On May 13, they released the non-album single ” Gessekai “, which was used as the opening theme to the anime adaptation of Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective . Shortly after this, on the wave of the anime boom, Japanese music began to gain popularity in the West via the internet, and “Gessekai” became the song that first introduced Buck-Tick to many foreign fans. Sweet Strange Live Disc , the band’s first live album, was released on August 12, 1998.