☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ OSHARE KEI ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
I've been wanting to do this for a loooooong time but thanks to +〈geek ink〉's post I was able to do it finally~ ♥
______________________________________________________
Oshare Kei is a legitimate term used in Japan by Visual Kei scene. But the sub-terms & sub-categorizations I'll use here is made by me & is not legit.
But if one is interested then they can use this info for their own benefit. Like I'm benefitted by it by being able to distinguish bands on the basis of their unique styles.
______________________________________________________
Oshare Kei started in early 2000. Before Oshare almost all bands (except SHAZNA) had dark and heavy philosophical themes in both their music & their looking style. Oshare happened in opposition to this.
POINT# Hence why their major focus is bubbly & happy things. They use positivity while negativity is either taken as comic or as introspective. Themes like love relationships, struggles of youth, fantasies, high school, anime, idols, everyday life and not metaphysical spaces are used.
Under Oshare Kei //
1) Old Oshare Kei
2) Transition Era
3) Neo Oshare Kei
4) Kote-Osa Kei
______________________________________________________
1) Old Oshare //
early 2000s (it's rare if any band now produce this era sound)
It is more of 90s sound since it happens simultaneously while the 90s sound is fading. Heavy enough sound in their own time space but not heavy like the today's Neo Visual bands. Neo Visual is more concerned with Metal while 90s was more concerned with Goth & Gothic (I mean in sound only & not aesthetic here).
The bands have //
1) heavy instruments as I mentioned earlier and soft instruments but not soft like simple rock.
2) singing styles were melodious and screams too but neither the heavy screams nor the emo type screamo either.
3) for themes refer to POINT#.
But some bands also included medicines as their theme, example - band Gill'e cadith
4) old oshare had streak of dark in their bubbly costume (refer to the basic Harajuku fashion).
// Some examples are bands - Me'Syu Dear, Hanamuke, Ichigo69。, Delphinium, Anjyu', Himeyuri, Milphinne, mareydi†criea', DEViL KiTTY, Dear Bitch, etc.
______________________________________________________
2) Transition Era //
late 2004 to early 2008
Now this Oshare is a bit difficult to explain because this phase was switching in between simple rock & light metal. Simple rock has never been part of Visual Kei scene. That's just J-Rock xD
The bands have //
1) Improvised simple rock & light light metal sounds. Use of computerized electronic sounds but in soft ways.
2) singing styles were melodious and screams too but neither the heavy screams nor the emo type screamo either.
3) for themes refer to POINT#.
4) as for their look style mostly mixed tanbi kei into them like bocchan look but no aristocrat, so that ways you can tell it's not Tanbi Kei.
// Some examples are bands like Soroban, Akihabara Shounen Dan Dennou Romeo, Hinawana, Kisnate, Charlotte, Maruru, Dolly, MAXE, etc.
______________________________________________________
3) Neo Oshare Kei //
late 2009 to present
There's a thin line between Neo Oshare Kei & Neo Visual Kei. Honestly don't get fooled by bands who are not Neo Oshare but sound similar.
Few bands like Pentagon, Royz, Codomo Dragon, Chemical Pictures, Fairytale, NiAS, Golden Bomber, etc. are NOT NEO OSHARE even though they have similar elements in their music, sometimes themes too.
The bands have //
1) metal instruments, simple rock is over xD lol! Use of computerized electronic sounds but in heavy ways.
2) screams, melodious singing, voice acting like singing too :3 I mean role play sort.
3) for themes refer to POINT#.
4) their look is highly oshare (stylish), dark aesthetics are quite less but when they are used it's in “cute monster" way. Of course animesque too.
// Some examples are bands like Canzel, Dog In The PWO, BugLug, ParadeiS, Tokyo Quartet, UNiTE, Glam Grammar, RoNoCro, etc.
______________________________________________________
4) Kote-Osa Kei //
erupted around 2005~2006
They are like your Neo Oshare in sounds but in themes they're quite dark and serious.
The bands have //
1) heavy metal pop. Heavy electronic computerized sounds.
2) screams and melodious singing.
3) themes are dark and serious. Like darkly sexualised, harsh deaths, a little of shock in visuals.
4) their look is highly oshare (stylish), dark aesthetics are used in both cute and scary ways. Of course animesque too.
______________________________________________________
An Cafe //
2003 - present
They are mix of all 3 sub categories. (Just like how Gaze has done all styles xD) An Cafe too has because they've technically lived through or have seen all the transition till now.
But they only stuck to Oshare Kei aesthetic wise & music wise.
Unique points //
1) use of Keyboard unlike other Neo Oshare bands. They too use electronic computerized sounds but rarely.
2) their compositions of songs without Miku-san on the vocals. The 4-member instrumentalists sing these.
______________________________________________________
Exceptions //
Band DecoLa Hopping use Tanbi Kei sounds with Oshare Kei aesthetics.
Band [Vani;lla] have also used Angura Kei in their many songs but they're Oshare Kei.
Band Sandwich de 120pun? are Eroguro Kei but they have lots of Oshare Kei sounds & singing style & themes.
Band The GazettE have used Old Oshare elements in their time once.
______________________________________________________
Thank you for reading till the end!!!! o(≧▽≦)o I hope this will help you enjoy the bands in their specificity~
Thank you +【MidnightRoseOfVersailles】 for the help with technical terms. I'll be honestly lost without you~ :*
I'll keep using these sub-categories but mind you people only Oshare Kei is a legit term xD so don't call any artist in front of them any of these sub-category coz they'll be confused!!! (^__^")
Happy listening!!!! ☆
#OshareKei #OldOshareKei #NeoOshareKei
No comments:
Post a Comment