Keep Your Own Style

PsychoPrincess

Visual kei (vijuaru kei) refers to a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of eccentric, sometimes flamboyant looks.This usually involves striking make-up, unusual hair styles and elaborate costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics.Some sources state that Visual Kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of J-rock, with its own particular sound, related to glam-rock, punk and metal, and with strong emphasis on its unique style of dress; and some sources state that Visual Kei's unique clothing and make-up fashions, and participation in the related sub-culture, is equally as important as the sound of the music itself in the use of the term.
Visual kei has enjoyed popularity among independent underground projects, as well as artists achieving mainstream success, with influences from Western phenomena, such as glam, goth and cyberpunk.The music performed encompasses a large variety of genres, i.e. pop, heavy metal and electronica. Magazines published regularly in Japan with visual kei coverage are Arena 37°C, Fool's Mate and Shoxx. Notedbands who at least at some point sported a visual kei theme conține Dir en grey, Luna Sea and Malice Mizer. Popularity and awareness of such groups outside of Japan is sparse, but has seen an increase in recent years. While the successful X Japan launched an attempt to enter the international market as early as 1992, it would still take another decade until live concerts and regular domestic releases by visual kei themed bands in Europe and North America came to pass.

History of Visual Kei

Visual Kei emerged in the late 1980s, pioneered by the band X Japan. , along with others such as D'erlanger and Color, who are regarded as influencing the fashion and music associated with Visual Kei bands. X Japan's drummer Yoshiki Hayashi used the term to describe the band's slogan "Psychedelic Violence Crime of Visual Shock".
Color vocalist "Dynamite Tommy" formed his record company Free-Will in 1986, which has been a major contributor in spreading modern Visual Kei outside Japan.
In 1992, X Japan launched an attempt to enter the European and American markets, but it would take another 8 years until popularity and awareness of Visual Kei bands would extend worldwide.
In the mid 1990s, Visual Kei received an increase in popularity throughout Japan, when album sales from Visual Kei bands started to reach record numbers. The most notable bands to achieve success during this period included, X Japan, Glay, Luna Sea, and L'Arc-en-Ciel, however a drastic change in their appearance accompanied their success.During the same period, bands such as Kuroyume, Malice Mizer, and Penicillin, gained mainstream awareness, although they were not as commercially successful.
By 1999, mainstream popularity in Visual Kei was declining, X Japan had disbanded, and the death of lead guitarist Hideto Matsumoto in 1998 had denied fans a possible reunion. It wasn't long before Luna Sea decided to disband in the year 2000, and L'Arc-en-Ciel went on a hiatus the same year.
In 2007 the genre has been revitalized, as Luna sea announced they would perform a one-off performance, and X Japan announced they would reunite. With these developments, Visual kei bands enjoyed a boost in public awareness, described by the media as "Neo-Visual Kei".

Visual kei is associated with Harajuku, especially those who gather on "Jingu Bashi (“Jingu Bridge”), a pedestrian bridge connecting the bustling Harajuku district with Meiji Shrine." In attendance one will find Visual kei cosplayers (those dressed as their favorite bands) and those in the subculture known as Gothic Lolita based on Lolita fashion.

Often fans of such bands also will dress up for concerts, meet ups, and other events where they'll see other people who enjoy Visual Kei.
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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

smaraa · Moderator Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 7

i just love this style<33333
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God is dead!
pour le courage :)

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

who doesn't ahah

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Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

PsychoPrincess · Posted: 02/12/2007 15:57 Post subject:

THERE R MANY PPL WHO HATE IT. IN MY SCHOOL SOME PPL ACTUALLY MAKE FUN OF ME BECAUSE I LIKE VISUAL KEI, ANIME STUFF AND BECAUSE I LEARN JAPANESE. A FEW DAY AGO MY ROMANIAN TEACHER SAID I'M NOT SMART CAUSE I LEARN JAPANESE, ACTUALLY I'M STUPID CAUSE THIS WON'T HELP ME IN LIFE. SUCH A DORK 751

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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

o know how u feel i have the same problems with my classmates
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Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

PsychoPrincess · Posted: 03/12/2007 23:56 Post subject:

i usually don't give a damn about classmates ^^ when they piss me off i kick them and thet's all lol 751

but with the stupid teachers it's not so easy. aeris

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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

i usualy ignore both the classmates and the teachers
_________________
Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

PsychoPrincess · Posted: 11/12/2007 22:34 Post subject:

ugh...i wish i could ignore them :))) i get angry to fast...especially when they tell me that gazette boys look like girlz...grrrrrrrr fuyou_2

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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

the other day my mum saw a pic of aoi and asked me if hes a girl... but im used on that so i dont get mad when i hear that... specially with my mum
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Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

PsychoPrincess · Posted: 17/12/2007 21:53 Post subject:

lol i fight like crazy with my mom because she sais aoi belongs to her loooooolz =)))))) she can have it i like uruha anyway :)))) she has an account here but i think she forgot grrrrrrr
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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

wow i would like a mum like that!!!!!
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Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

PsychoPrincess · Posted: 30/12/2007 14:40 Post subject:

here, half of my city calls her "mommy". it's weird. a few days ago a girl gave me a comment on hi5 telling me " omg. mommy is so cool. oh..i forgot. it's your mom too" wah sometimes sucks -_________-"
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what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

katyka · Kid Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 38

=S that relly is bad
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Your beloved is Reita, the quiet, tall, strong, beautiful bassist.
what u have to know about visual kei ~read~ what u have to know about visual kei ~read~

animalplanet2 · Little baby Joined: 09 Jul 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Poland

I hope I will come to your site after a few weeks and find interest post like this again))) See you in a future)