Visual Kei

Refers to Japanese bands with an image in between glamorous and dark. While not truly goth in a western sense (e.i. Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy), they do owe a lot to glam rock greats, David Bowie and T-Rex (as does Goth Rock.)

X-Japan (sort of), Dir en Grey, Luna Sea, Malice Mizer, Gackt, Kana, Buck Tick

by nanashi May 25, 2005

Visual Kei

Visual Kei is a fashion NOT a musical genre, any band of any genre can take on this styal and be called as such. However, the majority of bands who dress VK are of the Rock or experimental origin. Visual kei usualy has vibrent colors, feathers, and basically attention drawing features, this however is not true everytime, some VK is more subtle and sence VK is just visual fashion there really isn't a true deffinition. It evovles all the time and differs from band to band and person to person. Just look at all of VK's subgenres, even the subgenres have subgenres. Vk bands tend to be all male, however, if you no where to look you can find female ones to like Exist+Trace.

Visual Kei band/artist inculde Malice Mizer, Girugamesh, Mucc, The GazettE, X Japan (considered by some the father of VK), Miyavi, Gackt, Exist+Trace, Dir en Gray, and so on.

by RinChan December 22, 2008

Visual Kei

The best way I can put it is this. It's basically Japanese Glam Metal

Johnny: Hey want to listen to my Mötley Crüe CD?

Weeboo Kid: No that shit isn't kūru. Let's listen to Penicillin, Their music is so subarashii!

Johnny: Okay? That's Glam?

Weeboo Kid: No, It's Visual Kei!

Johnny: What's the difference?

Weeboo Kid: Ummm?

Johnny: Idiot.

by Bill the Patgoat March 2, 2011

visual kei

Having bad music and trying to cover it up with lots of blush.

Who cares? Visual Kei sucks sucks.

by clouds July 22, 2008

visual kei

A form of Japanese music that focuses heavily on a very ugly drag queen-esque look. Many vk fans may call this "Gothic" and the music "rock".
Fans usually are females who love the look of the band members, so they like the music. Many VK bands sound the same.
Some VK bands are Duel Jewel, Malice Mizer, Psycho Le Mu, BLOOD.
The only good vk band is Dir En Grey, and that's because they no longer look like tranvestites.

That 38 year old woman only likes visual kei because she thinks the guys are hot. >:(

by Stitches October 4, 2004

visual-kei

Literally means "visual type"; from a style/movement in J-Rock that started back in the 1980s, and became popular in Japan by the 90s. This style/movement has been largely credited to have been started by X Japan; which led to an uprising in the trend of the visual scene. It's characterized by bands (namely Japanese) that use dramatic costumes/hair/makeup to basically inhance their visual appearance. Although there are branches of Jrock, that have different classifications/characteristics that visual-kei. The style alone does not neseccarily have to do with the music; but more alone with its outlandish and unique clothing/hair/makeup-thats what its really known for.

Many visual-kei bands include: X Japan, Malice Mizer, Dir en Grey, Gazette, Phantasmagoria, Alice Nine, 12012, and many more to name.

by Dai-Kei May 22, 2006

soft visual kei

Soft visual kei is a vaguely defined sub-genre of visual kei (a type of Japanese music). Instead of elaborate costumes, the bands wear clothing "off the rack" and have simple, natural makeup. It is what people tend to think of when they think of mainstream or major visual kei, but it is very different from typical visual kei. The most important aspect of the music is the melody. The style pretty much died around the year 2000, when visual went back to having an independent focus. Sometimes shortened to "Sofubi."

Bands include Siam Shade, Glay, Sophia, Janne Da Arc. Contrasts with kote kei.

Calling "soft visual kei" bands a form of "visual kei" seems to be a marketing move more than anything; they don't have the same dark focus or elaborate costumes of other bands.

by Mahiro July 20, 2008