Malice Mizer was a Japanese visual kei rock band active from August 1992 to December 2001. Formed by guitarists Mana and Közi, their earlier music and themes were characterized by their strong French and classical influences, later moving away from deliberate French romanticism and incorporating Gothic aspects after several difficulties befell the band.
Moi dix Mois is a Japanese visual kei gothic metal band, founded in 2002 by Mana after Malice Mizer paused activities. The guitarist and sole songwriter has been the only constant member in a series of lineup changes, and the band's material is released on his own record label Midi:Nette.
Schwarz Stein is a Japanese visual kei electronic music duo formed by Hora (洞) and Kaya (迦夜) in 2001, who disbanded in 2004 and regrouped in 2014.
Mana is a Japanese musician, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer, best known as guitarist of the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer from 1992 to 2001. A year after they went on indefinite hiatus, Mana formed his solo project, the gothic metal band Moi dix Mois. His clothing label, Moi-même-Moitié, helped popularize the Gothic Lolita fashion movement.
Közi is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and DJ. He is best known as one of the guitarists for the 1990s visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After they went on indefinite hiatus in 2001, he formed the industrial rock duo Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career. Közi is currently in the bands Dalle, XA-VAT, ZIZ and Vamquet, while occasionally performing solo shows.
Masaki Haruna, known professionally as Klaha, is a Japanese former singer-songwriter. He is best known as third vocalist of the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer from 2000 to 2001. He was previously in the 1990s new wave band Pride of Mind, and started a solo career after leaving Malice Mizer.
Aristocrat is a Japanese street fashion that is inspired by what is thought to have been worn by middle class and higher social status Europeans in the Middle Ages, as well as the upper class in the 19th century. The fashion includes long sleeve blouses and shirts, long skirts, corsetry, and trousers and dresses that are styled similarly for men and women, since it is centred on androgyny and elegance. Most aristocrat fashion takes heavy influence from gothic fashion. Makeup, when worn with the fashion, is on the darker side, may be heavy, and can be worn without regards to gender.
Merveilles is the third album by Japanese rock band Malice Mizer, released on March 18, 1998. In 2004, it was named one of the top albums from 1989–1998 in an issue of the music magazine Band Yarouze.
Voyage ~Sans Retour~ is the second album by Japanese rock band Malice Mizer, released on June 9, 1996. It is their first album with second vocalist Gackt.
Mémoire is the debut studio album by Japanese rock band Malice Mizer, released on July 24, 1994 by Midi:Nette. It is their only album with original vocalist Tetsu and was reissued on December 24, 1994 as Mémoire DX.
Ukyō Kamimura, better known by his stage name Kami, was a Japanese musician best known as drummer for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. He died on June 21, 1999 in his sleep of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 27.
Kaya (迦夜) is a Japanese visual kei musician, who is a vocalist of the electro/dark wave duo Schwarz Stein, and also Meties and Isola under the alias of Hime. Kaya is also known for his androgynous appearance.
Dixanadu is an album released by Moi dix Mois on March 28, 2007. It contains re-recordings of "Tentation" and "Pessimiste", originally from the album Dix Infernal.
Shaura, formerly known as Juka (ジュカ), is a Japanese visual kei metal singer who first became known in 2002 when he was recruited by Mana for his project Moi dix Mois. In late 2006 he joined HIZAKI's solo project, HIZAKI grace project. He then started a solo career before pausing all musical activities at the end of 2007. He returned in 2009, after changing his stage name to Shaura, as part of the duo XOVER. After his last band VII-Sense disbanded on mid-2012, in 2012, August he officially wrote on his blog that his music career is finished and there was no reason for him to get back on stage, now he took up fishing.
Shinwa is an EP by Japanese rock band Malice Mizer, released on February 1, 2000. It is dedicated to the band's former drummer Kami, who died the previous year and composed two of its songs.
Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~ is a movie released by Malice Mizer on March 22, 2002. It is a silent film with a storyline similar to Dracula and other vampire-based stories with Japanese and English captions for dialogue. Malice Mizer's final album, Bara no Seidou, along with the song "~Zenchou~" from the album Voyage ~Sans Retour~, the previous to be released on the Midi:Nette, serves as the background score. Some of the tracks had been altered slightly to fit the pace of the movie and the scene. Many parts of the story are flashbacks.
Tetsu Takano is a Japanese rock musician and singer-songwriter. He first became known as vocalist of the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer from 1992 to 1994. After leaving them, Tetsu formed and performed with Mega8Ball from 1995 to 1997. From 1999 to 2002 he was part of the supergroup Zigzo, who became quite popular despite being an independent band and reunited in 2012. In addition to Zigzo, Tetsu is currently active in the bands Nil, The JuneJulyAugust and The Black Comet Club Band, all of which are on his record label Afro Skull Records.
Japanese youth culture is a style for the youth and teen. The youth culture include Japanese idol, visual kei, Gothic Lolita, Nagoya kei and gyaru. The cultures such as Japanese idol and visual kei began as youth culture in Japan.
Kamijo is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, and music producer. He is best known as lead singer of the visual kei bands Lareine and Versailles. He has also been the head of two independent record labels; the first being Applause Records, and currently Sherow Artist Society since 2006, being renamed to Chateau Agency since 2016. His music covers many genres, Lareine having mainly a baroque pop style, and Versailles a clear symphonic and neoclassical metal sound. He has an extensive discography with the bands Lareine, New Sodmy and Versailles, consisting of 15 albums, and a large amount of EPs and singles. In 2013, Kamijo began a solo career with his debut single "Louis ~Enketsu no La Vie en Rose~".
Cross-dressing in music and opera refers to musical performers or opera singers portraying a character of the opposite gender. It is parallel to cross-dressing in film and television and draws on a long history of cross-gender acting.
