Y2K Aesthetic in Visual Kei Thread

[Himeaimichu 1535]

Recently, I've been getting more interested in the Y2K aesthetic. For those who don't know, the Y2K aesthetic is a collective term for the sleek futurism of the late 90's and early 2000's that manifested itself in music videos, fashion, and technology.

As Aesthetic Wiki puts it, "Y2K is an aesthetic that was most prevalent from roughly 1998 to 2003. Y2K aesthetics are often characterized by a distinct aesthetic period, encapsulating fashion, hardware design, music and furnishings shiny with tech optimism – sometimes literally. According to the Y2K Institute, some of Y2K's aspects include, tight leather pants, silver eye-shadow, shiny clothing, Oakleys, gradients, and Blobjects and Blobitecture. Most of Y2K aesthetics rely on the use of technology and slick futuristic looks, signaling the optimism a new era as people approached the millennium".

 

This thread is to discuss the use of the Y2K aesthetic in Visual Kei.

One of my favourite examples is the iconic music video for Yokan by Dir en Grey. This pretty much speaks for itself

And while this is definitely past the era of Y2K, the music video for Mikansei to GUILT by Phantasmagoria is definitely influenced by Y2k futurism.

 

[Arkady 396]

Gackt's Vanilla PV borrowed part of the aesthetic, even though you can still see the 90's here and there.

 

 

 

I feel like Tonight PV by Luna Sea would have liked to use the aesthetic too (at least for the parts with the band playing inside the "futuristic" room) but the director/post production didn't received the memo (they didn't even put the omnipresent cold blue filter).

 

 

 

 

OT: For the ones that don't know whats Y2K aesthetic is, basically the 2 biggest cultural spreader (and large scale influencer?) were Matrix and Bjork "All is full of love video" video, if my memory doesn't fail me. Good to know it has a name now, at that time I liked to call it the "aseptic futurism"

 

 

Edited June 22, 2020 by Arkady

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Laputa had some fun with futuristic visuals when they hopped onto the electro-rock train towards the end of their career.

 

For example:

Spoiler

 

(tho you can say this 2nd one is kinda more retro style)

 

[Katt 63]

👀 Nice phantasmagoria video 

[Himeaimichu 1535]

For music videos inspired by The Matrix, [KR] cube definitely takes the cake.

Solitude by Mystic Moon lowkey looks like a TLC music video.

 

[saiko 429]

 

 

These aesthetics are not the first thing that I would associate with Glay, but there you have them.

 

Btw, does this classic from Kuroyume count as Y2K?

 

 

Also, I think Pierrot had an interesting approach to Y2K, twisting it with magic and decadent, gothic tones (making their best era, imho):

 

 

 

Lastly, I dare to say that Y2K is one of the key aspects of softvi aesthetics.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by saiko

[Himeaimichu 1535]

On the topic of Kuroyume, the PV for BEAMS definitely shows a lot of Y2K futurism

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Himeaimichu

[Zalemu 236]

edited bc i don't think it actually fit the aesthetic after all lol

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Zalemu

[Jigsaw9 6783]

I just remembered ICEMAN, who were basically Y2K Aesthetic: The Band ...they're categorized as J-pop tho I think (well, they look and sound like very soft electro-infused vk pop if you squint hard enough). Anyway, I knew some vk fans who were into them long ago, maybe someone here will dig them.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Jigsaw9

[Katt 63]

I've noticed early 2000's Diru, as somewhat kinda previously mentioned by @Himeaimichu, has a very kind of Y2K vibe to it, in fact Kisou and MACABRE share similar vibes.

 

 

 

 

[Rahzel 110]

On 6/25/2020 at 5:32 PM, Jigsaw9 said:

I just remembered ICEMAN, who were basically Y2K Aesthetic: The Band ...they're categorized as J-pop tho I think (well, they look and sound like very soft electro-infused vk pop if you squint hard enough). Anyway, I knew some vk fans who were into them long ago, maybe someone here will dig them.

 

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Not just ICEMAN but a whole segment of 90s jpop - through names and acts such as AXS and, well, all of DA Family actually - was very... very Y2K vibes; but I used to think of vk as sort of the antithesis to it, as a whole. Like, where jpop was aggressively Y2K ~trendy bandomen~ were often just vampiresque lol.  So, sadly, nothing to contribute here but thanks for this topic, it's pretty nice!