Visual kei and... Oshare?

[Lady Blue]

I was looking for a band on the web and I crashed into this term. I know what visual kei is, but, What's "oshare kei"? Could anyone explain?:p

[Precious4e]

Taken from JRock Saga:

Oshare kei
"Oshare" literally means "fashion-conscious" and therefore oshare kei bands are recognized mostly for their snappy dressing styles, usually with emphasis on colorful and cute fashion. Their sound usually matches their visual too, with happy punkish songs and lyrics.

[Lady Blue]

Umm.. so, that would be like the known "happy punk" style?? Well, that's just as visual as Visual, but... should we say, the bright, sunny, happy brother of VK.. Mm.. I'm not much into punket style, but, are they as good as usual VK are?

[sunsweet]

Oshare is more cutesy. The best example (that I can think of now) of an Oshare Kei band would be Antic Cafe.

[brokencat]

Or Kra, if you know them.

[Kinsao]

Thinking about the music, I cannot say whether oshare kei bands are 'as good as usual VK' because it's difficult to compare; in any music genre there are some good bands and some bad ones and some just in between. :haihai: Personally, the only oshare kei band that I like is Kra; I find that the 'cutesy' vocals tend to be less good than the more deep and resonant vocals of eroguro/angura kei, but that is just my personal taste. :bluush:

[Hana in Plaid]

I personally love Oshare Kei! Oshare Kei was pretty much the first type of Japanese music I listened to! I know loads of Oshare Kei bands,If anyone wants to hear them :D

[Tomino]

tell me some ^^!

[Kinsao]

Some oshare bands are:
Baroque
Panic Channel
Kra
Alice Nine (although their recent style is less oshare)
Antic Cafe
Clavier
Lolita23q
Ayabie
Eimy
Shelly Trip Realize
Bis
Charlotte

(Actually, I do like the music of Ayabie, and Eimy and Clavier are quite good too. :cool: ... although I haven't really listened to enough of their music to call myself a 'fan'. IMO, oshare bands don't tend to be very experimental, but their music is quite fun. ^^)

[sunsweet]

I loved Clavier's music, they were probably my favorite "Oshare kei" band.

T_T

176BIZ is pretty "oshare kei" at times, ne? They ususally wear suits, though, so I'm not quite sure if they should be put in that category.

Oh goodness, I'm confusing myself ... classifications are so useless ...

[Hana in Plaid]

An Cafe, Lolita23Q, Shelly Trip Realize, Alice nine and Clavier are my favourite Oshare kei bands!

[MorganaBloodthirst]

how many "kei" are there? i have in my head sth like shibuya kei...

[yukio_michael]

how many "kei" are there? i have in my head sth like shibuya kei...Kei just means "type" or "style"---- I don't know what the origin of the word is.

Shibuya kei is a style of music that was made most popular by the band Pizzicato Five.

[Kinsao]

There are quite a few different kinds of keis...

There is also the genre angura kei or eroguro (angura from a Japanized version of the word 'underground', eroguro from 'erotic grotesque'). These bands often get mistaken for visual kei, when they are in fact a different genre from VK. I will now proceed to quote the mighty Jeftones, who not only has as big a bonnet-bee as I do about this mis-classification, but also is a lot more knowledgeable and articulate than I am, so without further ado:

"Angura as an school of thought started with theatre troupes in the sixties, the purpose was to help Japanese find a new unique national identity away from western influence. Eroguro nonsense as a school of thought has its origins sometime in the late twenties. and consist of erotic, grotesque, nonsense. It goes much deeper but i realy dont wanna get into that. Angura and eroguro are closely tied together musically.

It's unfortunate that angura/eroguro is seen by most as a subgenre of vk because it's more then what vk as a whole amounts to.

The visual aspect in angura/eroguro is only to enhance the music and give a more theatrical experience to the audience, and this is because the ideas of angura are rooted in theatre. Most angura bands will even drop the visual aspect because it's not needed, it's extra. The main focus of angura/eroguro bands is music, lyric, and live performances.

Personally I think angura/eroguro stands on it own as a genre because if there was no vk I still think angura/eroguro bands would exist. And angura/eroguro's root date back before vk was even remotely in the minds of its originators."

That's one of the best summaries of angura/eroguro I've read. :cool:
Some good eroguro bands are:
MUCC
Merry
Guruguru Eigakan
Cali/gari
Metronome

Nagoya kei is made by bands from Nagoya (well duuhh!) and is usually darker, with more prominent basslines and a touch of jazz here and there. Nagoya kei often has an almost non-visual look, with suits and stuff and maybe a bit of eyeliner or lipstick. Some Nagoya kei bands are:
Berry
Kusse
Lynch
Deathgaze
Deadman
Lamiel
GULLET
Blast

There is also the genre kote kei, which I haven't found a satisfactory description of anywhere, except for a general consensus that it's more 'extreme' than your average VK band - gory, a bit 'dark', showy... ^^

EDIT: Wiki is quite useful here... :relief:

Wiki on visual kei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_kei)
Wiki on angura kei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angura_Kei)
Wiki on eroguro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EroGuro) (which as many of you know is wider than simply music. ^^)
Wiki on oshare kei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshare_Kei)
Wiki on Shibuya kei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibuya_kei)
Enjoy! :hey:

Oh, and really this thread needs moving.... DUTCH BAKA!!!!! :yeahh:

[Sid]

Hm, what about spooky kei? I´ve heard that somewhere... I think The candy spooky theater are spooky kei.. But i dunno... O.o

[Lady Blue]

Wow. there is more than the ear can hear. jejeje...

That's why you were and advisor, Kinsao. Don't ever leave forever. You left me homework!

[Another Aoi Fan]

An Cafe, Lolita23Q, Shelly Trip Realize, Alice nine and Clavier are my favourite Oshare kei bands!
:o :silly: Alice Nine? :mad: Whoah!! I never knew that! :o

[Kinsao]

Homework?! :eek: I'm sorry! ... lol
*puts specs on* Hmmm, I could get into this schoolteacher thing... :giggle:

But, I don't know any of that information for myself - I just quoted what Jeftones said. I don't know much about Jrock myself, I've only been into it for about 18 months.

About 'spooky kei'... I dunno if it's a genre. I mean, TCST aren't the first band to have done things like that, although whether they are the first Japanese band to do it I don't know. Genres can be made up as you go along, more or less... :relief:

:note:

[Lady Blue]

Which only makes it more confusing.

Music can be complicated. Clasifications can't.

It did amazed me too to hear Alice nine as oshare.. doesn't sound as happy to me... Or, am I still confused?

[brokencat]

Their earlier days were pretty much like oshare, but their style changed in two years.

[Lady Blue]

Ohh... I really need to sit down and get some information. It is soooo true we let ourselves be dragged by looks.. um.. Some just let you wonder.. I have never heard anything of Psyco Circus... what are they, anyway?

Sometimes I feel like a complete fool while reading threads.

[d'yAwNiE]

em..wad abt shikaku bands? it means visual kei am i ryt?

[Kinsao]

Never heard of shikaku bands... :mad:

[yamada]

I know litte about her. I saw her talking about a word 'obviously' in her lyrics in NHK. She explained it for 'ばればれじゃん'

[yomi20]

Wow! Kinda confusing....:souka: because i thought that Lolita23q are VK but now i read that are oshare kei.All these jrock genres sounds alike so is hard to realize which is which.But thank you very much for the info.I really needed.:-)

[shinjuchan]

Wow that's so confusing. Up till now I'd only heard of Visual Kei and Oshare Kei :blush:

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

haha,,this thread is dead!!gaaaa~

but ill start up a convo,,
hai!!
there are soo many "kei"'s!!
its quite ridiculous to classify,,i think.
but oshare kei is amazing!!

lolita23q and alice nine are my absolute favorites,,
however alice nine. has changed a LOTTT!!
they are awesome,,though!!

[yomi20]

So i'm not the only one that had the feeling that the style of Alice Nine has changed? :relief:
True they are a very good band indeed even if lately i listen the ones that have a more harsh and dark sound i could say.:cool:

Edit: Well i gotta ask this because i don't know where else to do.
What songs from some bands that sings nagoya kei would you recomand to listen?
I know Lynch and Deathgaze...i look for the other bands but....nothing....:souka:

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

oh,,hi,hi:wave:
someone replies~
yay ^.^
haii!alice nine has changed!I wouldnt call them much
'oshare' anymore~:bluush:
Well i gotta ask this because i don't know where else to do.
What songs from some bands that sings nagoya kei would you recomand to listen?
I know Lynch and Deathgaze...i look for the other bands but....nothing....
errhhm::
to be honest,,i dont know any other nagoya kei bands!!
but help me out if you find them,,would you??:emblaugh:
because im starting to like lynch alot especially!><"

[Dove]

i know 2 bands only. There are The Studs and Deadman.
Deadman-additional cause for sorrow (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jFl98JbCzI)[pv]
The Studs - Creepy Crawly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7aHkDO3GJ4) [PV]
Still Deathgaze and lynch. are my fav nagoya kei bands:blush:

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

oh,,thank you much dove!!:balloon:
you're super helpful!

the studs are nagoya kei!?!:souka:
i likes them,,ne!:)

are!deadman sort of scares me,,,:worried:
hahah >.<"

hai!lynvh and deathgaze are my favprite,,to ne!:-)

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

ah,,gomen,,me again!:bluush:
isnt the lead of the studs daisuke of Kagerou!?!?:o
yes,yes!it is!
*shocked*
haha

[Dove]

ya the vocalist, Mako, is kinda creepy :worried:
I read someone's comment at YT that he turned into a salesman :lol:
I can't stop myself from laughing :lol:
oh ya u are right!! ( well, I know Daisuke from The Studs) and isn't it cool that he is back after the disbandment :-)
you know Kagerou's official page is so cool. I really like it.
have u listened to their music? what do u think of it? is it like the Stud's?

if u like Deathgaze's music, then don't miss their coming album :happy:

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

Hahahaha!!:D
a salesman!?!?
that's weird to think of him that way..ne!?:D
hai!i knoww,, its great!
because i loved kagerou,and was so upset when
they disbanded!!!:(
haha,,i loved the official page.
although its sad now,,because they arent together anymore*sobs*
ii know alot about them,,:haihai:
i have a picture of shizumi and daisuke on my wall!!:blush:
i wish i could send stuff on here!!:(
i have some good songs by them!!>.<"
but i dont find it like the studs at all!!:souka:
daisuke was alot 'screamier' in his early days of kagerou,,
and then he got sort of laid back,which i enjoyed a few of their softer
songs~:bluush:
i thought they were great.
although they weren't very loved by alot of other ppl~:(
honto??
im going to see into that!!thank you dove!:)

[Dove]

I know :D :D
i wonder if he could sell something :giggle:
I bet it is a rumor and someone is being sarcastic about the way he looks xD still it is so funny :D

don't worry, just few more posts and you'll able to share ur things in here:-)
so what are ur fav songs by them?

I really didn't know about them before and i thought kagerou and Kagrra were the names of the same band :p.
silly me :p

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

hahahha:D
i bet it isss a joke,,
haha,,but still hilarious,,hes so serious!!!
but its cute:cute:

yay!i cant wait!!:emblaugh:

hmmnn,, i like "Yuugure no shazai"...
which might take some getting used to,,
alot of kagerous songs really shave your brain!!*______*"
haha,,but i wound up really loving them!!
im so upset that they disbanded!!:(


haha!!:blush:
dont worry about that!!:)
it does sound a bit alike!!:bluush:

whoops!!
i just HAD to post one more time to tell you about kagerous"XII Dizzy" its an AWESOME
song~~

[Dove]

Oh my
kagerous's music is so cool *___*, i totally love it and it is cooler than the studs:cool:
the studs music is good but Kagerou's is great :cool:
even their pictures are cool *___*
too bad i discovered them after they broke up :(

thank you for the recommendation :rose:

[Hybrid_Icreamer :3]

haha >.<"
awh~
i know,,it sucks!!:(
i still listen to them though,,just to make
myself feel better,,haha *____*;

[Dove]

I don't blame you :(
their music is so good, i listened to it over 100 in 2 days *headbangs* :D :D

Btw, i think you'll able to share ur stuff with us since ur posts are over 15:-) *after she feels her neck sores >,<*

[jeftones]

nagoya has an esentially dead scene at the moment but there are still a lot of great nagoya kei bands. my favorite genre of what has been lumped into visual kei.

kein
lamiel
blast
gullet
deadman
berry
lynch
deathgaze
babysitter

there are lots more that is just what comes to mind at the moment.