The Reverend 3566 Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) So it's end of the year best-of list time, and I wanted to get involved... but I realized with more and more streaming of music rather than mp3s, and more and more me being lazy and not really listening to as much new stuff as I should: my best of 2016 list would be incomplete and hard to make because what I've been listening to isn't as easily organized by year in Spotify. But I'm a narcissist who still wanted to get in on the fun and write *something* so I decided to highlight some of my favorite, or at least notable for one reason or another, looks from the VK world in 2016. Visual is in the name after all! I know hipsters, such as myself, say that the looks don't matter and it's all about the music, man... but I'll freely admit even though I'm not looking at a picture of the band for 98% of my listening to them, the aesthetics matter and part of the reason I like VK is that I enjoy looking at pretty boys in elaborate costumes rather than bearded dudes in black tshirts. With that in mind here is my partially tongue-in-cheek but also I seriously thought about it 10 Notable VK Looks of 2016: Garak’s Vocalist ジュリ I call this the James Dean x Jesus. Insanity Injection Vocalist Kyouka Because of that YouTubers react video, this look may be the VK shot heard ‘round the world. “Looks like Kerrigan” is pretty accurate shorthand for Kyouka’s possessed crab/snake cannibal spirit costume that is almost elaborate enough to explain what the hell he’s been doing for the last ten years. ペンタゴン Bassist Minpha The kawaii-ness is undisputed around these parts… I’m embracing dark Minpha and his crown of demonic scallop shells. 乙女国家 Band I know it’s a VK trope, but I seriously like it when band members all pick a different color and just commit. I’m never going to learn their names, so it helps to just be able to reference “the yellow one who borrowed some gloves from Ensoku’s This is a Pen PV”. Also for anyone else who’s been there: was this photo taken at the ramen ‘museum’ (read: food court) in Yokohama?? It kinda reminds me of that spot. Doak Band As a rapidly balding dude, I appreciate when even fake-baldness gets some shine in VK. Shout-out to the dude from Codoma A! Avelcain Vocalist Karma I bow at the altar of Avelcain… and I’m on the record as loving black-suit-wearing VK looks. Add some fucking palpable *zetsubou* and a sword for no real reason!?? I’m sold. Elysion Band They get my vote for best golden age Matina cosplay of the year. I saw them in June and there was just tons of vinyl and straps and lace and bare thigh and a frilly white dress and… there’s no joke here they just had an awesome/classic look. I don’t even remember what they sounded like, but I remember thinking their outfits and makeup had to take hours to get right before the show. Lack-co. Vocalist Tenten What you thought I wasn’t going to include this transcendent “it’s coming in nice” puberty mustache dyed red?? You don’t know me very well. He’s got some sort of black sequin freckles happening too for some Annie vibes. Nihilizm Band Just a look that I think really kills. Those red lace blindfolds are just cool IDK. The member with the bob is a cutie. ギャロ Vocalist Jojo I always love Jojo’s extremely sparkly lipstick…. And in this video (and others this year) he wins the award for most dangerously low-rise pants in VK. Got them side abs! I also don’t really understand his fork hat, but fuck it if you can’t get weird in VK where can you? Close but no cigar: Hollowgram's grown up/understated black looks, vocalist from More's curls and one satyr horn, Plastic Tree vocalist pushing the bounds of how cool he can make cutting his own hair look Purposefully Omitted: The Black Swan blackface, any boring not-quite Kamijo look Let me know why I'm wrong and what should have been on this list! Edited January 10, 2017 by The Reverend 20 platy, Karma’s Hat, sakuran and 17 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Komorebi 2193 Posted January 10, 2017 Ah, your reviews are always entretaining to read, and this was actually refreshing. Thanks! 1 The Reverend reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karma’s Hat 3107 Posted January 10, 2017 My good Sir, don't even entertain buying into that "looks don't matter" nonsense. The placement of every hair follicle is both an artistic as well as a political statement. Approach to taste should always be entirely holistic, and I refuse to believe there has ever been an auteur who has dressed bad. It is merely the mediocrity propaganda of idiots who think that when a visual element is so closely associated with rock music-the dressing up in cargo shorts and a backwards cap somehow transcendents these barriers to make the music "legitimate". With rock every promo picture, and even omitting to have them is a conscious decision in response to the tradition; even the most banal t shirt and shorts outfit is falsely considered a culturally neutral stance when in fact the opposite is true! Everything one does with ones appearance is a statement of values. The peacock who decides to not to ruffle its feathers will die childless! Colourful hair and leather pants are our strenght and virtue. 5 Biopanda, The Reverend, Komorebi and 2 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peace Heavy mk II 7200 Posted January 10, 2017 excuse me, but 5 Biopanda, plastic_rainbow, The Reverend and 2 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Reverend 3566 Posted January 10, 2017 ^ Points off for being knock-off Louboutins. Those legs though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doombox 4421 Posted January 10, 2017 4 hours ago, The Reverend said: 乙女国家 Band I know it’s a VK trope, but I seriously like it when band members all pick a different color and just commit. I’m never going to learn their names, so it helps to just be able to reference “the yellow one who borrowed some gloves from Ensoku’s This is a Pen PV”. Also for anyone else who’s been there: was this photo taken at the ramen ‘museum’ (read: food court) in Yokohama?? It kinda reminds me of that spot. I think this is supposed to be that Kawasaki Warehouse place? I just saw it show up on my twitter feed recently because a friend was talking about DOG inThe PWO filmed a pv there as well. Bless this list. lol. It was a fun read. I definitely needed reminding of some of these. That Tenten-stache whoo boy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Komorebi 2193 Posted January 10, 2017 4 hours ago, Disposable said: Colourful hair and leather pants are our strenght and virtue. This should be M-H's slogan LOL 1 len reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Biopanda 2675 Posted January 10, 2017 4 hours ago, Peace Heavy mk II said: excuse me, but fuck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plastic_rainbow 2162 Posted January 11, 2017 this should be a thing every year. we need more appreciation for the visualzzz (QUIT HIDING IT Y'ALL) anyway, lots of great picks! minpha and elysion (specifically the one on the left) would probably be in my tops too, despite not listening to elysion myself either. btw i also love me some black-suit kei looks *high-fives* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
