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Visual kei (ヴィジュアル系, vijuaru kei, lit. "visual system, lineage, group") 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 (a term referring to Japanese rock in general ), 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.

Popularity

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. Noted bands who at least at some point sported a visual kei theme include 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

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". .

Harajuku, cosplay and gothic lolita subcultures

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.

See also

• List of visual kei artists

References

1. "FreeDict Japanese-English Dictionary". Retrieved 2007-09-19.
2. "Jeffrey's Japanese<->English Dictionary Server". Retrieved 2007-09-19.
3. ^ "International Music Feed feature "J Rock"". imf.com. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
4. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "All Music Guide biography of Dir en grey". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
5. ^ Strauss, Neil (1998-06-18). ""The Pop Life: End of a Life, End of an Era"". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2007-07-31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
6. ^ Reesman, Brian (2006-11-30). ""Kabuki Rock "". grammy.com. Retrieved 2007-08-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
7. Heinrich, Sally (2006). Key Into Japan. Curriculum Corporation. p. 80. ISBN 1863667725.
8. Yun, Josephine (2005). jrock, ink.: a concise report on 40 of the biggest rock acts in japan. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1880656957.
9. "visual kei is a branch of Japanese rock (affectionately referred to by fans as J-Rock). ... it aims to experiment with various established genres such as rock, punk, metal, goth and glam in an attempt to create a wholly new sound. " For those about to J-Rock by Subha Arulvarathan , the Carillon, March 15, 2006, Issue 20 Volume 48, official student newspaper of the University of Regina.
10. "Josephine Yun, author of the book Jrock, Ink., explains that visual kei originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s as Japan's rock scene began cultivating its own identity. 'It was rock 'n roll, punk rock, glam and metal with a twist — a twist just as angry and rebellious as what came before it — but a poetic one, artistic, with painstaking attention to detail,' Yun explains." Kabuki Rock, by Bryan Reesman, Grammy.com, The Latin Recording Academy, November 30, 2006
11. a fleeting genre known to fans as “Visual Kei” (aka “Visual Rock”). Nonetheless, this fusion of metal, punk and gothic aesthetics ignited at least two generations of followers with its shocking visual appeal" X : Reliving the Height of Japan’s Superlative Visual Rock Band, By Minnie Chi, Asia Pacific Arts, bi-weekly web magazine, UCLA Asia Institute
12. "That's why Hide and others in the new rock movement are so important: they're original and they're selling millions of units. As the guitarist of X-Japan, Hide (real name Matsumoto Hideto) was a pioneering member of a new J-Pop sub-genre called "visual rock." Born of a combination of hard rock and metal, visual rock leans toward a more theatrical presentation emphasizing imagery as much as music. One only needs to watch an X-Japan video to recognize its decadent glam influences, as drummer Yoshiki is often decked out in lace stockings and torn black leather vests. However, the band's androgynous looks can be attributed as much to kayou kyoku (traditional Japanese pop) as to the eccentric costumes of '70s David Bowie and '80s hair bands. It is precisely this hodgepodge of international styles that makes visual rock such an noteworthy new genre. Couple that with the high-dollar, idol-influenced publicity that goes behind these bands, and you've got a new brand of rock that makes KISS look like shoegazers." Gibson, Dave Get ready America; Japan's J-Pop phenomenon has all eyes facing east. Retrieved Sep 10, 2007;
13. "Since it formed in the mid-1980s, X Japan went from playing loud, fast thrash-metal to stadium-shaking pop ballads, in the process pioneering its own genre, a Japanese equivalent of glam rock known as visual kei. For visual kei bands, outrageous, usually androgynous looks -- gobs of makeup, hair dyed and sprayed in ways that made Mohawks look conservative, and a small fortune spent on leather and jewelry -- were as important as music (or, in many cases after X, more important than music). " THE POP LIFE; End of a Life, End of an Era, By NEIL STRAUSS New York Times, June 18, 1998
14. "a representative slice of Japanese rock music as a whole. It’s a very diverse genre and, of course, Japan also now has its own sub-genre called 'Visual Kei ... 'Visual Kei' literally means 'visual style.' It’s a style of dress, there’s a lot of costuming and make up and it’s uniquely Japanese because it goes back to ancient Japan. Men would often wear women’s clothing; I guess if they were here today they would be the underground kind of independent anarchist type people who spend their time in coffee houses thinking radical thoughts for that time." - JAPANESE ROCK ON NPR, by Kristen Sollee The Big Takeover online music magazine, 25 June 2006
15. ^ "Most GothLolis cite that they are merely imitating their favorite bands from the visual rock genre, known as 'Visual Kei'. Although it seems an obvious reference to Vladimir Nabokov’s scandalous Lolita, many Gothlolis will tell you that books (other than manga, Japanese comics, which are also at the heart of the scene) and art are not a part of their inspiration. Music is a major force in its creation. Visual Kei is exactly as it sounds: Rock music that incorporates visual effects and elaborate costumes to heighten the experience of the music and the show. Visual Kei started in the 80s and became so popular by the 90s that the nearly all-female fan base started dressing up as their favorite band members (known as 'cosplay') who were often males that wore make-up, crazy hair, and dressed androgynously or as females (usually, the more feminine the rocker, the more fans rush to emulate them)." Pretty Babies: Japan's Undying Gothic Lolita Phenomenon, by Chako Suzuki, fashionlines.com e-magazine, January, 2007
16. Mascia, Mike. "Dir en grey feature interview". blistering.com. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
17. "Luna Sea at Yahoo Music". music.yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-08-21.
18. "Malice Mizer at Yahoo Music". music.yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-08-21.
19. Duffy, Thom (1992-09-05), "Home and Abroad: Warner Marks X from Japan for Int'l Success", Billboard, pp. p. 46 {{citation}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
20. ^ Dejima Kouji (出嶌 孝次) Bounce Di(s)ctionary Number 13 - Visual Kei Retrieved Sep 12 2007 (Japanese)
21. "Shinjidai ni Totsunyu! Neo Visual Kei Band Taidou no kizashi". Retrieved 2007-09-19.
22. Perry, Chris Rebels on the Bridge: Subversion, Style, and the New Subculture Retrieved Sep 10 2007

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