A style of Japanese music that really has nothing to do with music. Visual Kei (VK) bands are generally rock or indies bands that dress in different types of elaborate outfits. Many conservatives shy away from VK bands because the men often wear heavy makeup and costumes that make them look like women. Basically VK = crossdressing Japanese rockers.
Vk bands dress in a feminine manner but can have many styles. Malice Mizer had more of a romantic/gothic/1800's feel whereas Dir en grey had a more of a slutty, vinyl miniskirts and thigh-high bitch boots style. Kagrra does more traditional clothing like colorful kimonos and Psycho le Cemu is just plain messed up with schoolgirl uniforms and outfits that look like cheap halloween costumes.
VK rockers are generally NOT gay/bisexual. They dress like women to attract record deals, attention, and fans, however, after signing a major record deal and going "mainstream" they usually lose the visual look and become "normal".
Vk bands dress in a feminine manner but can have many styles. Malice Mizer had more of a romantic/gothic/1800's feel whereas Dir en grey had a more of a slutty, vinyl miniskirts and thigh-high bitch boots style. Kagrra does more traditional clothing like colorful kimonos and Psycho le Cemu is just plain messed up with schoolgirl uniforms and outfits that look like cheap halloween costumes.
VK rockers are generally NOT gay/bisexual. They dress like women to attract record deals, attention, and fans, however, after signing a major record deal and going "mainstream" they usually lose the visual look and become "normal".
Dir en grey used to be a visual kei band becuase they dressed like women with heavy makeup, crazy hair, and feminine clothing.
by JellyMeh January 16, 2005
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.)
by nanashi May 23, 2005
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 20, 2008
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.
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 February 15, 2011
by clouds March 8, 2006
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.
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.
by Stitches October 4, 2004
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.
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 October 21, 2007