Kazuki Arai, bassist of King Gnu and millennium parade, is one of the most influential bassists in today's Japanese music scene. Kazuki grew up with a mother who loved hip-hop and black music. He started playing bass guitar in junior high where he formed a band with his friends. During his high school years, he went to see a live jazz session, which awakened his interest in jazz, later becoming deeply devoted to black music.

With influences from Pino Palladino, Michel Ndegeocello, Marcus Miller, Ray Brown, and others, he is known for his melodious phrasing and deep grooves. He has expanded his musical horizons collaborating with a wide variety of artists since his participation in King Gnu.

The "Deluxe Jazz Bass® V Kazuki Arai Edition" was first produced in 2021 in limited numbers as his first signature bass. The new model featuring his favored original neck shape and dinky-shape body is now available as a regular product line with more friendly specifications.

The bass is equipped with Ultra Noiseless™ Vintage Jazz Bass® pickups and a state-of-the-art preamp. The new model is available in Black with a 1.2mm-thick gold anodized pickguard. A 1.0mm thinner pickguard is placed under the gold anodized pickguard to provide the same playing comfort as a 3-ply pickguard without sacrificing the appearance of the instrument.

The bass includes a custom neck plate engraved with Kazuki's signature, and a plain neck plate is also included to appeal to all bass players.