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Malice Mizer, an example of visual kei during the 1990s.

Visual kei (ヴィジュアル系) which means "Visual System" in Japanese ^[1], refers to a sub-genre of rock music, originating from Japan in the late 1980's. Image File history File links Malice_Mizer_-_Au_Revoir_01. ... Image File history File links Malice_Mizer_-_Au_Revoir_01. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Characteristics

Visual Kei musicians are characterised by their unusual hair styles, elaborate costumes, and feminine make-up. Common themes include, Lolita fashion, androgynous beauty, the occult, and grotesque, or controversial imagery. While the music itself is often a mix between Pop music, Hard Rock, and Heavy Metal. However many bands also include Classical, or Industrial music in their songs. A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... If referring to a flower, see disambiguation under bisexual Androgyny is the state of indeterminate gender, or characteristics of gender. ... The word occult comes from the Latin occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to knowledge of the hidden.[1] In the medical sense it is used commonly to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e. ... This article is about the word itself. ... For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... Hard rock is a variation of rock and roll music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock. ... Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... The word classical has several meanings: Pertaining to the societies of the classical antiquity, ancient Greece or Rome. ...

History

In the late 1980's, various bands helped form what is now known as "Visual Kei", the band X Japan is credited with inventing the term "Visual Kei", which drummer Yoshiki Hayashi described as "Visual Shock" ^[2]. The band Colour is often regarded as influencing much of the femininity associated with modern Visual Kei, along with the bands D'erlanger, and Dead End. X Japan, or X which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). ... Yoshiki is a Japanese musician. ...

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. ^[3] X Japan, or X which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). ...

Back in 1986, Colour vocalist "Dynamite Tommy" formed his record company Free-Will, which has been a major contributor in spreading modern Visual Kei outside Japan. The question of free will is whether, and in what sense, rational agents exercise control over their actions and decisions. ...

In the mid 1990's, 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. X Japan, or X which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). ... GLAY （グレイ） is a popular Japanese rock (or J-Rock ) band, comprised of four main members--Takuro, Hisashi, Teru, and Jiro--and a changing cast of support musicians. ... Luna Sea is a Japanese hard rock band. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

During the same period, bands such as Kuroyume, Malice Mizer, and Penicillin, gained mainstream awareness, although they were not as commercially successful. Kuroyume: Hitoki and Kiyoharu Kuroyume (黒夢) was a Japanese rock group that formed in Nagoya during May 1991 and lasted until 1998, initially consisting of lead singer and founding member Kiyoharu, guitarist Shin and bassist Hitoki. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the Japanese rock band, see Penicillin (band). ...

By 1999, mainstream popularity in Visual Kei was declining, X Japan had disbanded, and the death of lead guitarist Hideto Matsumoto in 1998 had signaled what many called the end of Visual Kei. 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. X Japan, or X which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Luna Sea is a Japanese hard rock band. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

It was not until 2007, when annoucements that X Japan, and Luna Sea would reunite, that Visual Kei bands would see a boost in popularity again, which has been labeled as "Neo-Visual Kei" ^[4]. X Japan, or X which was their initial name, was a Japanese Visual kei band, the brainchild of Yoshiki (Yoshiki Hayashi). ... Luna Sea is a Japanese hard rock band. ...

See also

• Gothic Lolita
• List of visual kei artists

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This is a list of notable bands and solo artists which, at least at some point in their career, have been described as visual kei. ...

External Links

• The history of Visual Kei http://www.bounce.com/article/article.php/3419

References