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Visual kei is a phenomenon usually related to Japanese rock music, referring to a band where the primary focus of interest is upon the dress and appearance of the members. Their fans are almost exclusively teenage girls, and as such they can be considered a uniquely Japanese version of a Boy Band.
Members of visual kei bands often wear striking makeup, style their hair with elaborate colors, and wear theatrical-looking costumes. Recently a popular look is called Gothic Lolita. Although the whole appearance can appear feminine, almost all band members are male. Visual Kei, being based upon visual style, is a genre of band but not a genre of music, and the bands may play standard J-Rock (this is the most common kind), or synth-pop, or American-style heavy metal.
Western observers sometimes confuse Visual Kei bands with Goth bands because of the makeup and clothing, but most Japanese Goths do not consider Visual Kei to be Gothic, and there is very little cultural crossover between Japanese Visual Kei fans and Japanese Goths.
This trend was almost single-handedly started by X Japan in the 1980s and became popularized by 1990s bands like Malice Mizer and Dir En Grey.
Some Visual Kei Bands
- Aliene Ma'riage
- Baiser
- Blam Honey
- Blood
- Dir En Grey
- hide
- Kuroyume
- Lareine
- Luna Sea
- Madeth Gray'll
- Malice Mizer
- Moi Dix Mois
- Pierrot
- Plastic Tree
- Schwarz Stein
- Velvet Eden
- X Japan
External links
- Midi:Nette - record company started by Mana that produces visual kei bands.