Balzac is a Japanese rock band formed in 1992 in Osaka. The band was founded by singer and songwriter Hirosuke Nishiyama. From the beginning, Balzac was highly influenced by the sound and image of the famous horror punk band The Misfits and, especially during the very early years, Glenn Danzig's Samhain, adopting and combining the musical and visual style of both bands to create their own. To this day, they are considered by many to be the Japanese counterpart to The Misfits.