Editing Mr. Children (section)

===1987–1992===
The group's members first met in the year of 1987, when Sakurai, Tahara and Nakagawa were in  ''The Walls'',<ref name="thewalls">{{cite web | url=http://www.uta-net.com/user/artist_profile/artist_5.html | title=Mr.Children artist profile | work=uta-net.com | access-date=2008-05-08 | language=ja | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511192535/http://www.uta-net.com/user/artist_profile/artist_5.html | archive-date=2008-05-11 }}</ref><ref name="9295TF" /> which was originally influenced by the band Echoes. The frontman of Echoes, [[Hitonari Tsuji|Jinsei Tsuji]], was a political activist, and because of this, The Walls too became a political band. Drummer [[Hideya Suzuki]] was not an original member of The Walls. When the original drummer departed, the band recruited Suzuki, who went to the same school as the other members.<ref name="9295TF" /> In late 1988, The Walls disintegrated, while the remaining members formed Mr. Children in early 1989. The name of Mr. Children supposedly came about during a talk at a dinner where the group thought the word "children" had a nice ring to it, but because they were no longer children themselves, they decided to add Mr. in front of it.<ref name="thewalls" /> They credit this change as a new way they started to look at the group.<ref name="9295TF">''Mr. Children 1992–1995'' album booklet</ref>

After changing their name and overall sound, Mr. Children auditioned at a music club called La Mama, failing to pass the first time, but passing a second audition to play at the club. After playing in the club, they were asked to try and debut as professionals. Mr. Children sent out five demo tapes; all failed to generate record label interest, and the group took a three-month hiatus in 1991. Hideya Suzuki worked as a receptionist at an economy hotel, while Kazutoshi Sakurai worked with his father who owned a construction company.<ref name="MS2006">[http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/music/contents/lineup/0881/index2.html Music Station SP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224213921/http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/music/contents/lineup/0881/index2.html |date=2012-02-24 }}' – [http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/music/ Music Station], March 16, 2007, No.&nbsp;881</ref> When they returned, the group created a sixth demo tape and caught the attention of Toy's Factory. The label signed the group and had them play as the opening act for the rock group Jun Sky Walkers. It was also during this time that they were introduced to their long-time friend and producer Takeshi Kobayashi. Kobayashi was already known in the music industry as a music composer for [[Keisuke Kuwata]] of [[Southern All Stars]] and [[Kyōko Koizumi]].<ref name="9295TF" />