Filming in Churches & Sacred Ground in Visual Kei

[secret_no_03 959]

So, I was sitting here and thinking about how many PVs have been filmed in a church and I honestly can't think of more than a handful. I also wonder how you get permission to record in a church, maybe they don't really care about the sacredness of the church in Japan, as in it's a place of worship, but for the right money you can film in there. Then again, there's been some pretty "evil" looking PVs filmed in churches, but Japan is generally secular, but also I'm pretty sure a Japanese church whether it's Christian (rare I know) or Catholic (even more rare? (someone who knows more about this than me can clear up my ignorance) would surely be a bit protective of their houses of worship? 

 

I suppose this topic is two fold then, a list of bands and PVs filmed in a church and how a bunch of guys dressed like demonic women can get a permit to film in a house of worship on sacred ground? Wow, now I'm reminded of bands doing the same thing on sacred ground in terms of temples and such. 🤯

[seys 139]

A lot of them aren't actually in Japan, from the top of my head the church/chapel in Dir en grey's Yurameki and Akuro no oka is somewhere in Europe.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

If I remember correctly most (if not all) VK music videos filmed in church-like locations are actually establishments that you can rent for activities like filming or hosting various types of events. Similar to that big "European" castle seen in some MALICE MIZER and Psycho le Cému vids, iirc.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Jigsaw9

[secret_no_03 959]

6 minutes ago, Jigsaw9 said:

If I remember correctly most (if not all) VK music videos filmed in church-like locations are actually establishments that you can rent for activities like filming or hosting various types of events. Similar to that big "European" castle seen in some MALICE MIZER and Psycho le Cému vids, iirc.

Oh, that's interesting, I actually didn't know places like that existed, I guess the only true sense of filming in a sacred place is probably Ryutaro performing at that chapel.

[secret_no_03 959]

Well, I guess now we can list off PVs with pseudo-church settings then.

[secret_no_03 959]

This comes to mind off the top of my head. 

 

 

 

[evenor 1655]

Chapel Goedele in Osaka has been a pretty cool/common PV location. 

[Kiryu999 3336]

Few PVs that comes off my mind but there's so much more

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

[secret_no_03 959]

Spoiler

 

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by secret_no_03

[Himeaimichu 1535]

I know some bands also film at Shinto Shrines. Shrines that are small will generally let you film if you ask

[Gesu 1537]

Man, a former friend of mine made an entire YT playlist dedicated to church PVs. I won't link it directly because I don't want to give away her YT account, nor will I include links to all the videos because this would be one loooong-ass post (even with a spoiler cut I think it might be a bit excessive) but excluding ones that have already been mentioned, they are as follows:

• MEJIBRAY - アヴァロン
• The THIRTEEN - アリア-Aria-
• Jupiter - LAST MOMENT
• Femme Fatale - JUDGEMENT-the die has been cast-
• Abingdon Boys School - Innocent Sorrow
• MALICE MIZER - Bel Air
• MALICE MIZER - 白い肌に狂う愛と哀しみの輪舞
• MALICE MIZER - Mayonaka Ni Kawashita Yakusoku
• DARIAN MARIAN - Poison
• R-Shitei - -ZANGE-
• Kagerou - XII DIZZY
• GALNERYUS - ANGEL OF SALVATION
• Versailles - Arisocrat's Symphony
• DELUHI - Two Hurt
• the GazettE - Reila
• KAMIJO - Nosferatu

[Axius 2019]

Im sorry diaura, mejibray and nocturnal bloodlust were the first two that came to mind. 

 

 

 

 

Im putting one of there pv's here but you minus well add most if not all their pv's. 

 

 

 

 

 

Minus well add half the starwave videos on here as well

 

 

 

 

 

[ghostpepper 158]

Those places in PVs are just rental spaces available for anything you want to do with them. Not part of any religious thing so technically they are not really churches, just spaces used mainly for marriage to match the western ideal. Just search チャペル レンタルスペース and you can find lots of the places used in PVs on spacemarket website. 

[Himeaimichu 1535]

Here is an old Kurara Zeroshiki PV filmed at some random Shinto shrine and train station.

There are also numerous PVs filmed at Buddhist Temples. I for the life of me can't remember the name of the temple these sets are trying to imitate, but it's a pretty famous temple in Kyoto (I think?) I'm sure I'll find the name soon

(The last one isn't Vkei but it still slaps. Also they definitely are at least partially inspired by CrowxClass lmao)

Edited March 24, 2020 by Himeaimichu

[secret_no_03 959]

Awesome, just my own list of everything we've found so far.

[xyzzy 1]

"Hana Saku Inochi Aru Kagiri" by Raphael