10 Noteworthy VK Looks - 2017 Edition

[The Reverend 3566]

 

In what I hope will be an end of year tradition for years to come; here's my second annual countdown of 10 noteworthy VK looks. Some good, some bad, some ugly; all likely to elicit some sort of reaction. Let's celebrate the "Visual" in Visual Kei!

 

Obviously there are a lot of good ones I missed, so I encourage you to add the looks you think should be on the list in the comments below!

 

Thanks to the ORZ team for helping with the list, and especially to @platyand @suji for contributing ideas that I shamelessly stole.

 

ナタリー (Natalie) Guitarist める(Mel)

 

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It's like a future government created an android capable of infiltrating Nu-Goth Coachella 2052.

 

La'veil MizeriA

 

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At least one spot on this list is reserved for  a look I just really like, whether or not it does anything innovative. I miss that Matina aesthetic and am happy the boys in La'veil Mizeria are taking up the mantle vacated by Grieva and giving us some A+ kotekei cosplay.

 

 

マルコ (Marco)

 

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@suji: Their last look featuring all their members before their guitarist & drummer left ;w; also a huge step from their cheap shoots from the past, and these vintage military costumes were specifically designed by Saorina (ex-Kalavinka) who also designed the artwork for their best album(s) "穴二つ"!!

 

I enjoy a good military-inspired VK look. And I can enjoy this one without reservations because there's not a swastika armband to be seen!

 

D

 

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I feel bad for the rest of the guys in D. They are way too accomplished as musicians (not to mention way too old) to be continually buying into Asagi's fairytale bullshit. D can shred! And you would never guess based on these band promo pics.

 

R指定 (R-Shitei)

 

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@platy: This is one of the most accomplished looks I've seen in a while. Not only sleek, but because of the solid narrative present in just one picture. All we need is the PV.

 

This promo pic does indeed do a great job of telling a bit of a story in a still photo. R-shitei get props for having adopted many different looks over the years without coming across as too sell-out-y.

 

Psycho Le Cému - then and now

 

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Notable for the fact that PLC are still getting it in those mock school uniforms over a decade later, and for the fact that they're just back now? Like, tours and releases and maybe not just a cash-grab couple of shows??

 

0.1gの誤算 (0.1g no gosan)

 

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This image should pop up beside photos of capsule hotels and that ramen bath place whenever someone types the words 'only in Japan' on the internet.

 

Linaria

 

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@suji: I know this was meant to be a joke since they announced their new member and posted another new shoot later on but.....wow I never wanna see a checkered shirt and jeans in visual kei ever again.

 

As someone who as recently as last year was touring Tokyo in jeans and a plaid shirt.... I can't help but feel like I'm being made fun of.

 

Dezert

 

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I appreciate this look for deftly towing the line between "VK" and "we are starting to get too famous for VK"... something Dezert have been doing with their music of late as well.

 

Also, I gave a shout-out to bald VK dudes last year, so this year I wanted to recognize Sacchan over there for being an inspiration to bigger dudes everywhere. I get excited when I see a guy in an awesome VK band with a body type I'd describe as something other than "lithe".

 

Mejibray vocalist Tsuzuku and Lack-co drummer Higiri

 

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Edited December 27, 2017 by The Reverend

[suji 8317]

To add to my choice in the poll, the visuals matter just as much as the music. An ugly band like Linaria would make me turn around rather than listen to their music; mainly cuz if they don't put any effort into their lewks, then their music is guaranteed to suck just as much... (as shallow as that sounds)

26 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

マルコ (Marco)

 

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@suji: Their last look featuring all their members before their guitarist & drummer left ;w; also a huge step from their cheap shoots from the past, and these vintage military costumes were specifically designed by Saorina (ex-Kalavinka) who also designed the artwork for their best album(s) "穴二つ"!!

 

I enjoy a good military-inspired VK look. And I can enjoy this one without reservations because there's not a swastika armband to be seen!

I shamefully forgot to mention that this is their look for セイゾンノシルシ, which Saorina also drew the cover art for *_*

[doombox 4421]

This list cracked me up. Nice work, there are definitely looks that deserve to be discussed. Maybe some of these bands should have had discussions about them beforehand.

 

As for the poll, I put kinda. I will listen to a band with crappy looks if I like the music, and likewise, I don't care how nice their look is, if the music is shit, I'm out. Too many bands put way too much effort into their image to make up for the fact they can't play their instruments, and I hate that the scene has pretty much become a catch-all for subpar musicians like that.

Edited December 27, 2017 by doombox

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

I voted for "visual is in the name".

 

While the music definitely is what makes me like a band or not, a cool look adds an aura that I like. When you've been into vk for a while you can also sense if you will like a band who haven't released anything yet just by their looks, which I guess is both good and bad. 

 

That being said, outside of vk I do not care about how a band or an artist looks. 

 

The list itself self was also cool. I like that la'veil mizeria is there, we definitely need more matina-esque bands, both in terms of looks and music.

 

Also Karasuna Mei from Kuroyuri to kage in a bloody garbage bag needs to be mentioned as well. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by Takadanobabaalien

[Chi 2624]

I like Dezert's look 

i tend to like R-shitei's looks, although shoujosoushitsu's remains my favorite

 

Didn't pay too much attention to VK this year but I liked Arlequin's Makkana Uso

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[The Reverend 3566]

4 hours ago, Takadanobabaalien said:

I voted for "visual is in the name".

 

While the music definitely is what makes me like a band or not, a cool look adds an aura that I like. When you've been into vk for a while you can also sense if you will like a band who haven't released anything yet just by their looks, which I guess is both good and bad. 

 

Both what I voted for and pretty much how I feel.

 

I guess I've never considered whether being able to tell if I'll enjoy a band from their looks with like 90% accuracy is a good thing "hey saves me time" or a bad thing "kinda lose that magic of completely unexpected discovery".

[returnal 543]

Higiri's blackface is to say the least very bad*, but i do gotta s/o the band's look for 幽囚谷のバッタ; utterly out-there and it was beautiful seeing how divisive it was (i loved it)

*(i'm assuming that's the look you mentioned; tinypic sucks and is always down, like it always has been since like the 00s)

[platy 3018]

Worth mentioning that tsuzuku wore the look featured in this review on the last live show of their 2017 tour and we're getting this beauty immortalised on DVD

 

[Mamo 1172]

I feel like these guys and gal always get overlooked but they have consistently had the best looks in vk for years imo THE SOUND BEE HD:

THE WALKING DEAD

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ENDLESS DEAD

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Edited December 28, 2017 by Mamo

[blackdoll 907]

hold up, Tsuzuku is racist like? I can't tell if his attire is casual or mocking 2000's black/latino men cause the paint its self doesnt scream blacks, looks more like emotional/artistic expression(not to excuse).

 

 

It's also been brought up on this thread pre 2017 but i can't find any pics on twitter or through. Ugghhhhh i was really falling in love with his spirt too. fuck ill have to wipe him off my divices.  

 

Edited March 24, 2018 by blackdoll

[zombieparadise 487]

Couldn't agree more. It's almost comical when comparing D's looks to their talent. I think it's time for them to shed the VK and do something like, Buck-Tick or something.

 

I'm inclined to looks like R-Shitei and DEZERT, but TZK's just... Uhhh...