Triangle

KARMA seemed to have that effect on a lot of the foreign audience. But their most recent ventures like TRENDY and THE END OF THE WORLD are a little more rock oriented so maybe they'd be a good place for you to try again. Especially  TRENDY since its a mini and probably easier to swallow in a single listen. MUCC don't seem to have any intentions of going back to the dark places they ventured into for the early work, but if you could handle albums like Gokusai and Kyutai alright, they should be in that vein, at least they are for me. Just a lot more polished which isn't always a good thing when you liked their raw side. 
 
I personally love Houyoku as well. I love the folky side of MUCC a lot. It was what really helped them stand out from a lot of other "dark vk" bands at the time. So while it was shocking to see the difference, it was a welcome change for me. 
 
I will address the elephant in the room when it comes to MUCC. They release a LOT. And they release it on a pretty much set schedule. Every year, 3 singles, and an album. I think they have only taken 1 year off of this release schedule or bought a little time here and there by releasing their mini albums. This ultimately puts quantity over quality for their albums when I think they could have made a couple of truly amazing albums in the last few years if they took more time with them. KARMA, Shangri-La, and THE END OF THE WORLD all suffer from obvious filler tracks. I still think they hold a higher level of consistency than a lot of their peers but when you know what they are capable of, it still can end up as a disappointment. Especially for those of us so far away that don't get to enjoy how phenomenal they are live. Which to me, is ultimately their biggest draw as a fan. 

L'arc en Ciel's "Caress of Venus" apparently means so much to me I have the same version of the song twice on my playlist and I can't bring myself to delete one. 

Based on my iTunes :
1. MUCC - CLASSIC
2. MUCC - 家路-2017-飛羽
3. MUCC - 脈拍
4. MUCC - 秘密
5. MUCC - JOKER
6. AKi - Fairy Dust
7. LM.C - MONROEwalk
8. AKi - Be Free
9. MUCC - 瓦礫の鳥
10. MUCC - 悲しい話し
 

This was what my friend once sent me when I was feeling shitty XD It's a new year and I'm still not over it 😭💕

A Visual Roadbook by Steff Astan
 
Steff the crazy motherf*cker guy from Germany who did bring a lot of Japanese bands to Europe, mainly to Germany.
However also other countries such as France, Netherlands and Poland.
The tours where always crazy; less “free time” and crazy on the road to be on time for the next gig or getting an airplane.

Steff describes every event in his own words, from what he remembers;  Most things are written different from the truth, but it's still very near the truth and some stories are also mega funny. You also will learn why he and Kiwamu have such good relationship and how bands sometimes break their own ROAD to FAME.
Steff even did tour with Korean pop bands, who didn't differ much from the Japanese bands.
 
Sushi & Stromgitarre is a book you should read if you visited a lot of Steff concerts or if you simply want to read a story of a person who did tour a lot with Japanese rock bands.
However, there is one problem, you should be able to understand German on a high level to understand this book. The book isn’t written in little kiddo’s language, well it’s actually a book for adults, because yes also the topic “porno” in Japan and “Drugs” in Japan have their own topics in the book.
 
Sometimes Steff words are a bit chaotic written, going from a topic to a different topic, not mention all Staff and then suddenly a Staff name plops up out of nothing. And such of vague “need to read the sentence again” feelings happen while reading it.
 
If you didn’t bought the book yet, here is a preview of the book. It’s the price worth and you will laugh a lot while reading this book.
 
My review of the book will be in parts and the start of my review will be the Kiwamu story followed by a few other favorites.
I will tell you in short about what Steff wrote - But I will write that in a different part...

For now please enjoy the trailer of the book -
 
 
 
© 2017 by Verlag Stefan Mensing
Erstauflage (limitierte Photobuch-Edition)
Hardcover
Full color
204 page
Size: 21×21
Language: German
Official Facebook
Official Instagram
Official website

 

This was what my friend once sent me when I was feeling shitty XD It's a new year and I'm still not over it 😭💕

I used to absolutely refuse to get into kpop, but then in 2009 was like might as well... Now I'm just huge scum for BTS.
 
It does make me a little sad when younger fans don't know TVXQ/DBSK.
 
 

Maybe not the most beautiful to other people, but they are certainly my favorite.
 

the only thing worse than a chihuahua is a fucking spoiled chihuahua. 
 

1. MUCC - because to me there was never a band that captured my heart in few days and then one year later I see myself buying tickets for the European tour XD. I've also learned MUCC did one of my favorite endings from Naruto when I started researching more. Their music is beautiful, I think I've annoyed a handful of friends to listen to them after I got into them XDD. Their slow jazz-like songs are everything to me, along with the hardcore ones and the electronic phase they had.
 
2. L'Arc~en~Ciel - their music was with me since Rurouni Kenshin and then Fullmetal Alchemist and "Link" was my go-to jam when I wanted to bawl my eyes out. Their music always calms me down or is nice to listen on road trips. Recently I can't stop listening to "Sell my soul".  And "Caress of Venus" makes me emotional. Hyde's voice and Ken's godly guitar skills are truly playing with my heartstrings and I'm here for this ripping my heart away party. 
 
3. SID - who will always make me think of Kuroshitsuji when I listen to the songs they did as openings. Their songs have this gothy-black suits-in a bar-drinking-while jazz music is playing in the back and then bam some rock elements on the side and ballads sang by Mao's sweet voice that blend so well with the slow flow and some guitar magic there vibe. Love it. I love "Kill Time" from their new album so much <3.
 
4. BAROQUE - who are my all-time guilty pleasure. I got introduced to their music in Japan last year, so that means I listened to new songs first. And at first I thought that's how they roll and didn't mind. But then I went to one...two of their oneman gigs and my ears were crying of happiness (if that makes sense anymore) when I heard their oldies but goldies era songs. Damn they are good. I couldn't stop listening to them and I was literally upset a concert lasted only 2 hours. I could've stayed there the whole day. Kei's solos live were something I looked forward to hearing every time.
 
5. BUCK-TICK - have grown in my heart for quite a while now. I fell in love with their music when I watched their BUCK-TICK Parade in 2012 where MUCC covered "Jupiter". I wanted to hear more of their songs and I'm currently still searching for more good songs, so if one of the veteran fans here can hook me up with some jams I'll be truly thankful.  So far everything I listened to I absolutely love. I love this gothic, punk-rock with some electronic vibes (kudos to Imai-san for making me want to listen to his solos the whole day). They also have these nice slow jams that I enjoy blasting on a nice evening.
 
6. AKi - I love this solo project he has been doing for a while and I went to their oneman gig once and had so much fun. His songs are catchy and they're nice to dance on and also most of them are in English, which makes me kind of happy that he is doing fun things I guess. His latest song, "My Story" is my road trip jam. And I must admit I'm a sucker for AKi's husky singing voice. His bass solos make me happy.
 
7. LM.C - because sometimes I love blasting up some nice pop punk and electronic rock. They are also a band I got to listen more during my year in Japan. I briefly knew about them before but never looked them up. What a big mistake because I missed on so many nice songs. I love their colorful theme that they have both in their stage clothes and music (I low-key want a hair like Maya's hair, especially the new hairstyle he's sporting nowadays XD). At first I thought they looked weird enough for me to give the a chance and boy was I right. Out of all the songs they have, the one that got stuck in my head at first (and put me in this mess) was that sinful "Rock the LM.C" song XD. Goddammit that song is too catchy. Maya's rap made me smile though. But then "Double Dragon" was all-kill for my heart. I got hooked up after this song and I can't escape, but don't help XD.
 
8. Golden Bomber - gurl I can't even explain myself how much I got deep in the rabbit hole when I heard of them. I heard of them from a friend before going to Japan and liked their music and their fun performances and unique concept, but when I got in Japan they were literally everywhere. Like, I took one step and Arashi and Golden Bomber were on adds next to each other or at supermarkets. The first thing I bought in Japan was a gum packet with Golden Bomber on it XD. But, Sho's vocals are mad skills. Like proper nice and beautiful, especially the cover he did for MUCC's "Brilliant World" (made me cry for 3 weeks). I saw them once on Halloween Party and seeing them live was so much more amazing.
 
9. Girugamesh - I was soft for them since ancient times because my knowledge for vkey came from a lot of anime conventions I used to go to, and you could always hear one of their songs playing. And then I listened to more songs and really liked them. My ultimate song is "Zecchou Bang" because the lyrics made me soft and cry for hours when I looked them up. Their songs would always give me energy and I love listening to them especially when I clean my room. Their nu metal and metalcore vibes are my shit when I want something to make me head bang and jump for hours. I can talk years about their cover for MUCC's "Samidare" though and how I'm still crying at it. I also follow Ryo's youtube almost religiously and am looking up for more cover songs /quietly sobs/.
 
10. Lynch. - because I very recently (like few months ago) got into them and I have yet to listen to a lot of songs from them. But they are a guilty pleasure metal core that I like listening to. They are the first band that made me hop back into the metal core limo from time to time. And for some reason Hazuki's growl works for me well. I also once tried looking up the lyrics for "Creature" and got too embarrassed after I realized what lyrics were in it eheheh XD. But my guilty pleasure song from them will forever be "Sorrow". I love this rock ballad with romantic lyrics (and can we please appreciate that bass omgunfjdks XD).
 

Yes, really check them out. To be honest I started looking them up for study purposes because Tatsuro uses some nasty kanji and phrases and they're fun to research (I don't regret sounding like a nerd just know XD). Also Miya's songs are just...I don't know who did him wrong in the past but I'll find that person and hunt them down XD. Yukke's songs on the other hand are, to quote an intellectual (Tatsuro), "from another world", he has too many things to say XD. Satochi's style shows his child-like side and his somehow trying hard to blend in this world vibe (wow I need a hug too XD).  "Ieji" is basically a live proof of their feelings and evolution story, in my opinion that is. 
 
Monsta X's videos are really nicely done. I love it that they're keeping the classic themes of kpop instead of doing this "Hi we are 200 members who are in love with the same girl and it's not creepy yaaaaay balloons !" fanservice story (not that I don't watch those type of mvs...for the songs XD). Their uniqueness though, doesn't stop me from investing into good quality holy water 'cause goddamn their abs all over are just unfjdkd
 

Yes, really check them out. To be honest I started looking them up for study purposes because Tatsuro uses some nasty kanji and phrases and they're fun to research (I don't regret sounding like a nerd just know XD). Also Miya's songs are just...I don't know who did him wrong in the past but I'll find that person and hunt them down XD. Yukke's songs on the other hand are, to quote an intellectual (Tatsuro), "from another world", he has too many things to say XD. Satochi's style shows his child-like side and his somehow trying hard to blend in this world vibe (wow I need a hug too XD).  "Ieji" is basically a live proof of their feelings and evolution story, in my opinion that is. 
 
Monsta X's videos are really nicely done. I love it that they're keeping the classic themes of kpop instead of doing this "Hi we are 200 members who are in love with the same girl and it's not creepy yaaaaay balloons !" fanservice story (not that I don't watch those type of mvs...for the songs XD). Their uniqueness though, doesn't stop me from investing into good quality holy water 'cause goddamn their abs all over are just unfjdkd
 

Same, literally same XD. I even forced two friends to listen to MUCC and now one of them likes their music (especially Ringo and Wasurenagusa) and was captured by Tatsuro forever XD.
I listened to some of the songs live before they became an album and was completely in love with Myakuhaku the soon I had it. What I've always loved about MUCC is that in each album, the songs look like they were strategically placed there so that when you group each song's story they form a whole (if it makes sense XD).
When I listened to this album and looked up the lyrics, it kinda made me feel like the members were trying to tell their own stories and the band's. That or it just fitted the 20th anniversary mood of that time. 
Also I want to give Miya a big ol' hug because every damn song he makes just rips my heart into tiny little pieces ;A;.
 
As for the kpop part, MonstaX really need more attention in Korea. I was happy seeing them popular in Japan and outside though. I'm still not over DRAMARAMA though. The song is so catchy and nice to listen and has this "Imma fight chu but Imma be a classy gansta' so you better hide while you can" vibe to it and the MV is sinful and I'll watch it again if I have enough holy water on me.

Be warned all who enter here!
If you came looking for an objective list based on some popularity rating or sales criteria, you came to the wrong place! This list is completely subjective and a little fangirly, but I still hope you find a couple of things that are worth your time, anyway.   Also, sorry in advance if some of the previews are region blocked for your area. 
 
 

MUCC ・ 脈拍 ・ VISUAL KEI
My entire 2017 really goes to MUCC, hands down. They took their 20th anniversary celebration and did it so big, I don’t think we’ll see any other band go to this lengths in quite some time. They re-released, re-recorded, and re-mastered most of their fan favorites between 新痛絶(Shin Tsuuzetsu), 新葬ラ謳(Shin Homura Uta), a second edition of their Best of and Coupling Best discs, a second PV collection, a tribute album, a self-cover album, and then there was this little gem of new material: 脈拍(Myakuhaku). No wonder as soon as it was over they unapologetically announced they’d be going on hiatus for 3 months. They deserve a break, to say the very least. But I digress! Myakuhaku may have been a bit lost in all the excitement for MUCC revisiting their roots, but it’s definitely something new and old fans alike can enjoy. 

The opening title track is clear and direct in its message, MUCC haven’t forgotten where they came from. They turned back time and stripped down to the quintessential visual kei heavy and melodic combination that gave the band the height of it’s popularity a little over 10 years ago. They then took that staple and folded into the mix of anime songs, ballads, and more recent metalcore-infused forays with this album. One of my favorite tracks is “EMP” since it's a total nu metal throwback. It has my 90s-lovin' name written all over it. There’s a lot of other fun musical nuggets packed in this album, “BILLY×2 ～Entwines ROCK STARS～” is a gritty little old fashioned rocker that gets you up and moving, and “孵化(Fuka)” is a surprise mid-tempo number that swells up into this crazy breakdown then veers hard left into a weird (but good) twangy guitar solo. You can tell MUCC pushed themselves to create something great for us and in my humble opinion they more than succeeded. I couldn't get enough of this album this year and, Mucker or not, I hope everyone checks it out. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

MONSTA X ・ THE CLAN PART 2.5: THE FINAL CHAPTER 'BEAUTIFUL' ・ K-POP
I think there were a few of my fellow MH members around in late 2016 who might remember when I fell down the MONSTA X rabbit hole and proceeded to become utterly obsessed. For most that probably don’t know, my love of K-Pop predates my registering for this forum, in fact one of my first avatars was of Chansung from the group 2PM with the u/n “digitalbounce” (also from a K-Pop song). But, it’s been a few years since I was this into a group. MONSTA X aren’t the most popular group around, though I think as far as third generation boy groups are concerned they usually make the top ten lists. Even then, I still consider them criminally underrated. 
 
The third installment of their The Clan trilogy is their strongest release to date, as far as I’m concerned. And even stronger if you count in the repackage version Shine Forever that includes two more songs (the last .5 in the final chapter). The majority of Beautiful leans heavily on R&B (“넘사벽 Incomparable”, “니가 필요해 Need U”, “Miss You”, “5:14 (Last Page)”) which creates just enough contrast with, but also compliments, the hip hop songs (“Oi”, “Calm Down”) that take advantage of the group having rappers that actually know how to rap. Last.fm doesn’t even have a true count of my plays (my phone's music app didn’t scrobble until recently when I made the switch to spotify), but it’ll still show you I played this album basically every day since it came out. Rest assured, I regret nothing. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

-真天地開闢集団-ジグザグ ・ 『メンヘラ』はじめました ・ VISUAL KEI
Zigzag makes me wish I was slightly more motivated to look up and translate lyrics, because I know I'm missing out on a lot when it comes to them. I can only imagine I’d like them even more, which is saying something because I have enjoyed everything I’ve heard from them over the last two years. I also have a huge soft spot for bands that don’t take themselves too seriously. Zigzag's tunes are pretty rockin’ to begin with, but when the band decides to get serious about showing off their musical prowess it's definitely no laughing matter. Their take on soft, melodic songs is simply beautiful, especially fitting with the traditional elements and instruments that are the backbone of their religious/idolatry concepts. Talent and humor? What’s not to love?
 
I chose 『メンヘラ』はじめました(menhara hajimemashita) over their other release 糞麺氏ね(kusomen shine) this year only because it seemed slightly more musically cohesive, but I love them both and enjoyed them both immensely. | Preview: - 臨兵闘者 ～皆陣列在前～ ・ 『死にたい』御年頃 ・ 短絡的『絶望』
 
 

PVRIS ・ ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN, ALL WE NEED OF HELL ・ ALTERNATIVE
I wasn’t a big fan at first, it took a while for Pvris to stick with me. They came to me heavily recommended over the last couple of years, I checked a couple of videos, caught a couple songs live at summer festivals, but I just never seemed to be in the mood for what they were offering. I honestly didn’t get the hype. They seemed like another try-hard edgelord band ✞øø ℂvℓ✞ ƒøЯ ✞ℍîƧ ᏔøЯℓ∂. But this year it was different, I’m not sure if they matured more, or maybe it was just my tastes changing as well. But our paths crossed, and it's become a record I find myself spinning more and more often, even as we reached the year's end. I'm sure it will be coming with me into 2018.
 
Even though the title might suggest otherwise, this album is a lot less gimmick-y than expected. It's direct and raw in it's delivery, and densely atmospheric without getting overly cliché. It ends up being a strong rock record that's still dark, but full of heart too. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
 

EARTHISTS. ・ DREAMSCAPE ・ PROGRESSIVE METALCORE
Dreamscape was an early favorite this year and managed to stay afloat while most of my other usual metalcore bands didn’t quite do it for me. It’s probably more me than them though, with all the shit going on around here lately it’s best I don’t get too amped up. But Earthists have this nice cohesion of their melodic and djent-y elements that make them easy to listen to.  They do little things like adding piano into the mix or samples of wind blowing in the background that keep their take on the genre fresh and inspired and round out their sound. “Flux” and “Winterfell” are two favorites that I keep coming back to just for that damn cool piano riffing -- and it's not a cheap-ass synth piano either, it's a deep traditional, classical-sounding one full of punch and reverb (it’s likely a digital one but it sounds expensive and that’s what counts!). I’m just a little bitter it doesn’t look like they play it live, though it understandably doesn’t look as cool and progressive to be rocking out over as say, a guitar or whatever. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
 

HYUKOH ・ 23 ・ INDIE ROCK
Oh, Hyukoh. Another band who had a fabulous year. Hyukoh is the formal project of leader and chief song-writer Oh Hyuk (doyouseewhathedidthere), who decided a few years ago he was tired of going at it solo and opted to get himself a band. You really can’t hold this guy down, he collaborated on a massive number of albums this year, and I can’t blame everyone for wanting to work with him when his husky voice is this magical. It suits so many genres, I don’t get tired of listening to him either.
 
23 was a bit of a grower for me, hearing the singles alone didn’t spark much of my interest. It took listening to the full album for me to fully understand what they ‘do’. It’s not as in your face or flashy as some of the indie rock I’m used to, but Hyukoh’s style still keeps a common thread as it weaves through funky, retro vibes or the more experimental journeys like "Reserved Seat", not losing their emotional edge. “Tomboy” and “Paul” practically move me to tears with the melancholy that cuts through Oh Hyuk’s voice. I like Hyukoh so much, they’ve even gotten me to enjoy the folk-inspired side of their music I usually make an effort to avoid from other bands. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

DAY6 ・ SUNRISE ・ POP ROCK
As South Korea’s music industry grows, it has picked up a lot of tips and tricks from the ginormous music exporting machine next door, Japan. We’ve seen 12 month consecutive releases attempted a few times now in the vk scene, so when it was announced a K-pop band would be trying it, I was extremely curious how it was gonna pan out. Fortunately, it did rather well and DAY6 released singles containing two quality tracks month after month (on the 6th because “Every DAY6” was genius marketing) which ended up collected in two full albums; SUNRISE came out in June and MOONRISE in December. Both albums are fantastic, but we’ll just go with SUNRISE for now because I can’t afford them multiple slots. But if you enjoy this album, SERIOUSLY, go listen to MOONRISE. 
 
DAY6 are a rock group from one of the 'big 3' idol companies JYP Entertainment (whose stubborn asses refuse to allow their artists’ music on Spotify and piss me off to no end), so their music isn’t necessarily ground breaking, but they do write it all themselves, play their instruments live, and basically function like your typical rock band. Though their songs are generally non-offensive relationship material (meet the girl, confess love to the girl, get dumped by the girl, wait for next girl to walk by…) they do know how to pour all of their emotion into it, and their layered vocals and compositions often remind me of The Beatles and/or other multi-vocalist 60s pop rock. | Preview: I Wait (아 왜) ・ I Smile (반드시 웃는다) ・ You Were Beautiful (예뻤어)
 
 

ザアザア ・ 不幸な迷路 ・ VISUAL KEI
My love for XAA-XAA isn’t really a secret. They’ve become a flagship band for me, though I’m worried about their future since drummer Roji’s departure. Drums are such a key part of their sound due to him, it makes this album even more special in my collection. Considering I've been following the members since they were Belmosaic, seeing him leave is just a huge blow. He's gonna be missed. As far as XAA-XAA releases go, this isn't the album I tend to return to the most, but listening to it again for this list reminded me of the quality compared to other albums I was considering. It still ends up being one of my favorite vk releases this year. 
 
Aptly titled, 不幸な迷路 translates to “unfortunate maze” and likewise this album is dark and twisted, even downright psychotic at times. Though, one thing I love about this band is no matter how crazy or erratic they get, catchy and melodic choruses remain paramount. The mayhem is balanced out with gorgeous ballads and fun jazzy numbers. XAA-XAA's diversity and strong sense of melody is something you can count on with each release so far. I only hope it remains that way. | Preview: 不幸の始まり ・ ぐちゃぐちゃ ・ 恋人ごっこ
 
 

SAWANOHIROYUKI[NZK] ・ 2V-ALK ・ J-POP
If you were waiting for something truly epic to come out of 2017, look no further. Sawano has outdone himself and created something that should be able to please the rockers, the pop kids, the anison lovers, and anyone who just enjoys badass music with some badass vocals soaring over it. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a pretty big fan of the vocalists he utilizes throughout this project. My only complaint is there was less Mizuki (ex.イツエ(Itsue)) than the previous [nZk] album o1, but newcomer Tielle carries the torch well and sings her ass off. So I can’t say I’m too upset. Judging by the amount of anime themes on this record, you probably heard her sing half the OP/EDs you watched this year too.
 
Sawano is sneaky and has 2V-ALK lull you into a bit of a false sense of security at first, “Amazing Trees” is a strong album starter but not a stretch from o1. It’s when “gravityWall” kicks in that you learn you're in for a rollercoaster ride.  This album is more female-fronted than previous releases as well, but it works for me. Even as someone who is a lot pickier when it comes to higher range singers nothing got too nasally or tin-y for my tastes, even with all the over-the-top belting going on. Overall, 2V-ALK is big, beautiful, slickly produced, and something you can become totally immersed in listening to. I don’t have words to express how much I love this album. Just play it, and play it really loud! | Preview: Spotify
 
 

EPIK HIGH ・ WE'VE DONE SOMETHING WONDERFUL ・ HIP HOP
Anyone who’s spent maybe a few minutes looking into Korean hip hop should be familiar with Epik High. They’ve been killing the game there for the last 15 years and continue to be one of the most relevant hip hop units out of Korea. They deserve to be globally relevant at this point, but I’m just gonna have to stay bitter about that for now. Not only have Epik High put out album after album of quality material, they go out of their way to work with the next generation of urban music artists and help cultivate the scene.  
 
Epik High keep a pretty classic, old school style but they know how to get dark, gritty, and emotional when the song calls for it. “HERE COME THE REGRETS” featuring vocal powerhouse Lee Hi is one of my favorites-- a definite stand out for the album. But so is “노땡큐 / NO THANXXX” because everyone needs to hear Tablo yelling “I AM GROOT! MOTHERFUCKER!” to add some extra badassery to their day.  And Hyukoh lovers can also catch ya boy Oh Hyuk lending his smokey vocals to "빈차 / HOME IS FAR AWAY". I told you he was everywhere. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
It was a weird year. I had a few more J-Pop albums I really liked: REOL's エンドレスEP (so sad they're disbanding, they were a killer match up), Junho of 2PM's 2017 S/S, and Miyavi's Samurai Sessions Vol.2, but 10 was a good place to stop and I wanted to give albums I actually played the most a priority regardless of country of origin. What did you guys like last year? What releases are you looking forward to in 2018?

Variety shows can be good for that because they use massive, easy to read subtitles to emphasize the important parts of what people are saying.
 
Ex.
 

Beyoncé takes pity on local talent but would never. 

It will take me a whole year to get over the fact that X Japan will perform in the same day as Beyonce. 
I also want to see Beyonce and Yoshiki in the same picture doing the X sign

I was convinced that Akinori was done and Lynch. would just revert back to having only session bassists. When i seen this thread title I had to do a double take because of how harsh Japan is when it comes to drugs in general and past incidents (IE the former drummer of L'arc en ciel). For the first time ever (?) on here I can actually see both sides of feels expressed here.  This was a fairly big deal and a huge blow to long time fans, only to have dude come back a year later. Also on the flip side, facts is facts. No matter how you feel about Lynch's musical direction, AK is that missing piece that they needed for so long. He's a pretty kick ass bassist and on top of that, his personality and stage presence just blends well with the rest of the members. I also remember reading on here (i think @cvlticmentioned it) that having him around was great for fans as well. This whole situation is a nice lil testament to show that these guys are more than just band members and are willing to stick their necks out as a unit for one of their own. 
Turn your location on, bro. You sound like you need a long over due hug, lemme give it to you. This literally says "It sucks that they're no longer mad at this dude and the situation is resolved."

I don't know man, I was so happy for them and literally made my whole day better. What a great way to start 2018 ;A; !
Surely they know better what's best for their band and their music.

Hahaha same ! Even at school people would trade posters and someone would buy one number of the magazine and would get passed down to everyone in class XD. I miss Popcorn XD

I suppose you're right. I do remember it talking about their european tour. Wow what are the odds? I used to collect the posters that came with it... 

I think  we are talking about the same magazine. It had the same name and most of the interviews were from when bands toured in Germany and I think our ghetto people here just translated every number of the magazine and would sell it like that XD. Maybe that's why they stopped releasing it at one point /copyright got to them eventually XD/.

Having all sorts of feels ;A;
 

I could almost copy and paste what u wrote but with me it happened in 2009. I came across this german magazine called popcorn that was sold in a shop close to my middle school (yes I was that young). I saw an cafe on this calendar (this was january) and I thought they looked so different and very loud and colourful so I gave them a listen and was hooked from then on. I quickly got into d=out, sug, alice nine, gazette, dio and others. Haven't stopped listening since. 

Dude, I wish I knew this forum and this thread before going to Japan. There are so many gold nuggets in here, I loved reading everyone's experiences.
Last year when I went to Japan I was literally a n00b. I never knew there is this certain "etiquette" to follow at concerts.
Night buses were my best friends at one point during my year abroad. I'm usually super car-sick and it gets ugly, but I don't know what magic Japanese buses use, but I wasn't sick at all in them. The prices are kind of tricky, the sites I used required some "hunting" for cheap tickets XD (I used this little fellow here most of my year abroad http://willerexpress.com/en/   and also this bad boy : http://www.jrbuskanto.co.jp.e.wn.hp.transer.com/  )
They were really easy because you could either pay at any conbini or by credit card.
Also the bringing little gifts to other fans at the venue was so foreign for me. I felt so lost when some girls came up to me like "Here have these candies" XD. But good thing I came to Japan with some Romanian sweets and I impressed everyone with "exotic" treats XD.  If you're good at drawing you can gift people little drawings of the band you're fan of or something related to the concert you're seeing (I saw people all pros and printing them on nice paper and all that ).
And I liked the idea of giving bands little gifts or letters, to be honest. I used to find amusing the fact that there were boxes in the venue where you could put your presents. But it's cute nevertheless. I would mostly stick with traditional sweet treats, letters and maybe small things like I don't know a key chain or whatever. But I've certainly seen expensive gifts there like clothes of big brands. My exchange student ass didn't have that much money, but by all means, do you boo boo :).
Oh and other concepts that I can't wrap my head around even today are "irimachi" and "demachi". Basically waiting for the band to come in and out of the venue before and after the concert. I mean, I kind of get "demachi" (waiting for them to come out after the concert) because it gets all exciting and you get to squeal around with everyone else, but "irimachi" (waiting for them to arrive at the venue) is so tiring to me. But I get the excitement I guess? I mean you get to wave at your favs and give them letters and presents if you have the chance. It's really cute if you befriend some nice fans and you get to chat with them.
Another big tip for me was to make friends with older fans, because if you're nice enough and you like each other's company, they might give you some rare old merch that you never though you'd ever get your hands on and also you can find some old insiders facts and stories about the band XD