Visual Kei and Role Playing.

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

So, this is one facet of Visual Kei I could never get into or understand. My lady friends love it, they call it musing and call their characters muses and have tried to get me into it but I just can't. The closest I've come to RPing was Dungeon and Dragons or just playing single player RPG games.

I've never been able to get a straight answer on what the appeal is, one says that she likes to write and it helps her writing. So if you RP as Visual Kei artists why do you do it? What's appealing about it?

Is it because Visual Kei is loosely connected with anime so a lot of fans that had already been RPing as their favourite anime toons could easily just switch in their favourite Visual Kei artist? But why Visual Kei? I've never seen jazz, pop or metal RP or other Japanese artists. No Borris, Sigh or Gallhammer RP. Maybe there is and I've just never been exposed to it. (Kpop doesn't count since a lot of fans are former VK/Jrock fans)

Is it because Visual Kei artists mask themselves with a somewhat aloof image and keep a lot of their life private so it leaves room for fans to speculate and imagine? I can see some artists like Malice Mizer members, Versailles and D that carry a strong fantasy image and build a world around it easy targets for RP. That I can totally understand that, I guess it's ones based off artists that just wear typical fashion brands like Vivid, Gazette or SuG.

Did I already answer my own questions?

[Nyasagi 259]

This is something I do almost every day, it's very addictive. I've never thought much about it why exactly vk musicians, but maybe it's about their fantasy images, they have many interesting photoshoots, dress up like demons, pirates, soldiers, etc. Not all people roleplay AU though, some do more 'realistic' thing, but I've never been into it. I roleplay, because it's as entertaining as reading a book (I won't compare it to watching movies, because you have to use your own imagination and in movies you can see everything), it also doesn't require much work, like writing a story. It's a nice cure for the boredom and helps to run away from the boring reality. I don't like anime, so I wouldn't use anime characters. I also think that visual kei bands are like rock idol bands, so it's easier to imagine them doing stupid things, than serious musicians doing it xD.

(I can totally imagine some people spamming the topic saying how stupid roleplaying is, by the way. Why didn't you just ask on lj or tumblr instead?)

[Number Girl 48]

In a way, I can see the appeal especially for people who were previously into roleplaying other things like anime. As you said, visual kei bands can adopt their own worlds, plots, and personas and that's probably where the excitement of RPing comes from. Or it could just be the fact that a lot of people like RP's in general and those bands just happen to be popular enough for people to participate hence why Dir en grey still has some RP's around despite not really being VK. I'm pretty sure if I tried to start a Boris RP, the only problem would be getting enough people who like RP's and who like Boris at the same time to join me, not developing the RP itself. Just a little imagination is all it would take.

I used to do chatroom RP's with my own made-up characters when I was younger, but I never got around to RPing visual kei or J-Rock. One big reason was that most of the people who did them were mostly interested in retarded yaoi shit when I could honestly care less.

[nekkichi 6043]

does wataru dressed as a nurse puncturing my ear-drums with his growls count as roleplay?

[LIDL 692]

I think it is just the pop culture of the Japan in general.

They will just cosplaying anyone famous as far as i know.

Or even cosplaying as doctors, nurses, or brides.

Maybe just for some activities/fun with friends,

or just they love to do this as hobby. Even fashion statement?

In the West, i kinda see that most people just following what the Japanese do.

And find the fun side of it that keeps them doing for more.

[Nyasagi 259]

Or it could just be the fact that a lot of people like RP's in general and those bands just happen to be popular enough for people to participate hence why Dir en grey still has some RP's around despite not really being VK. I'm pretty sure if I tried to start a Boris RP, the only problem would be getting enough people who like RP's and who like Boris at the same time to join me, not developing the RP itself. Just a little imagination is all it would take.

I don't agree with it completely, but I also can't say it isn't true at all. Everything depends on the person. Many people like using popular bands, but I don't and I know many people who don't do these popular bands either. There's too much of them everywhere, I'm sick of seeing the same faces and all this fangirling. I also don't mind when someone uses musicians I don't know, as long as we enjoy roleplaying something similar, like no "kawaii desu lovey dovey" shit for example.

[ficsci 50]

Yeah, I would say it's because VK has bands like Psycho Le Cemu or MALICE MIZER or NoGod with people who dress as monsters/vampires/brides/princesses etc that they attract role-players into a part of their fanbase XD XD XD . But I think you can do role play with just about anything if the fanbase likes doing RP.