VISUAL KEI HORROR BAND SATAN IS BREAKING UP. HARAJUKU GIRLS FASHION: STREET SNAPS OF SWEET LOLITAS, DECORA JAPANESE FASHION.
More shakeups in the Visual Kei world! I was at the Candy Spooky Theater and Satan concert tonight in Tokyo, and they announced that this was Satan’s final show with the original 4 members. Shiya and DK are leaving the horror metal band to pursue new projects. Mr. Satan and leader Hi-na will soon find new members and restart the project.
I’ll have videos, photos and a full report of the last Satan concert coming up on my blog. Until then, you can see Satan live in my concert video and article from last May (with GPKISM).
Back to the Sony Australia travel show shoot. I hardly had any sleep after partying at Decadance Bar’s Seileen release party (and filming it for the Australian travel TV show). No sleep for the wicked… up and at ’em! TV hosting and arranging is a marathon; one must be Strong to make it through. So I rolled out of bed and headed to Harajuku station.
Pirate military buttons top: Putumayo, from Closet Child
Red skirt: Emily Temple Cute, from Closet Child
Little red plaid hat: Putumayo, from Closet Child
Platform Mary Janes: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
Coffin backpack: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
Holy knee socks: old things
One of the Aussie hosts, Tim, thought the main shopping street (Takeashita Doori) sounded like “take-a-shit-a”… Hence the mature pose.
The heyday of Jingu-bashi is over. You’ll no longer find cosplayers and Gothic Lolita fashionistas congregated on the iconic Harajuku bridge. On this particular Sunday, there was a matsuri (traditional festival) on a make-shift stage.
However, in Harajuku, you can still see Tinseltown-baroque fashion moving about on two legs. On-camera, I spoke about the district’s history and the various fashion tribes that blossomed here. We interviewed these Decora girls, who mix Sweet Lolita (Angelic Pretty dresses) with a rainfall of kawaii kitsch accessories.
The spirit of Harajuku fashion is DIY. Experimentation. Choose your own adventure. I interviewed two horned and black-winged girls who called their style Devil Kei. This pink-headed lady from Nagoya calls her look Zombie Kei. Every aspect is brilliantly coordinated, don’t you think?
On the weekends, many Japanese girls dress up and shop in Harajuku with their friends. Angelic Pretty remains very popular among the Sweet Loli set. I’m personally more of a Goth-stomper-boots type.
The Pirates had made arrangements to visit Takuya Angel’s cyber Goth boutique. Excellent news: the shop is no longer closing. It’ll be in the same location, but now you use the back entrance to access it.
The Australians were blown away by Takuya’s cyber-techno designs.Next, we visited Sex Pot Revenge around the corner.
Many TV crews ask me to take them to weird Japanese theme restaurants, since I wrote a book about them. We ended the day at Kayaga, possibly the maddest, wildest bar in Tokyo. Vibrating beers!
The owner, Mark, stunned the Australians with his surreal kindergarten performance art (here is a video.) To boot, he’s a talented chef who whipped up one of my favorite foods — kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin. (I’m also obsessed with the citrus, yuzu, which is a Frappucino flavor at Japan Starbucks.)
Want to learn more about my company La Carmina & The Pirates? We offer coolhunting, translating, Japanese travel arranging, TV hosting and production coordination. Come aboard our fair ship!
Japanese Word of the Day: Ginga = The Milky Way
Song of the Day: Galyernus – Destiny (This Japan metal band is my new favorite.)
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JAPAN & GOTH MOVIE REVIEWS: GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, DETROIT METAL CITY, GOTH CRUISE.
Grab a bag of Trader Joe’s olive oil popcorn (or a skull of absinthe). It’s time for my latest Japan/Gothic movie reviews. (Thanks to VIZ Media, Tigerlily Films and Alliance Atlantis for the DVDs/passes.)
Is there anything more epic than Spinal Tap? Yes: a new Japanese extravaganza called Detroit Metal City. Negishi, a doofus with a mushroom haircut finds no success with his cheese tart love songs. Somehow, he’s roped into singing for a Visual death metal band. You’ll cackle like the evil record label boss as Negishi tries to balance his oshare (Daikanyama-trendy) and Satanic double life. The movie is pure camp: Negishi’s dorky running, the metal-heads screaming to “kill everyone” lyrics, and even a “metal buffalo.” Gene Simmons of KISS appears as the reigning metal god, alongside Marty Friedman of Megadeth — what more could you want?
San Francisco friends, there will be a screening of Detroit Metal City on November 4th, 7:15pm at VIZ Cinema in New People World. The DVD comes out from VIZ Pictures on November 9th, so you can order a copy here.
Cruise vacations make me think of retirees. Conga lines. All you can eat buffets. Lame. But what if one of these vessels were pillaged by a crew of Goths? Ingenious. Goth Cruise. The documentary follows a wide cross-section of Goths, from parents to crossdressers. We learn who they are and how they fell into dark culture. While I wasn’t inspired by the American Goth fashion in the film, the narrative is balanced and respectful, and has an A+ soundtrack that includes The Cure and The Banshees. Find out more on the film’s website (and also check out my 10 Quirkiest Theme Cruises article for CNNGo.)
I’ve been biting my nails in anticipation for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, the final film based on Stieg Larsson’s breakout novels. (You may recall that I reviewed the second installation, The Girl Who Played With Fire.) Lisbeth Salander, the defiant Gothic hacker, unintentionally sports a “guro” look as she recovers from severe wounds. In no time, she’s back in her platform boots, a deathrock hairstyle and several spiked necklaces: armor against the three murder charges that threaten to institutionalize her forever.
The problem with being a law school graduate is that it’s impossible to accept the liberties taken with proper courtroom procedure: such as broadcasting a video the prosecution has not seen, or surprising the court with evidence stolen by a hacker. Although there’s less action and mystery in the last installement, Hornet’s Nest succeeds in tying up narrative ends and resolving character questions — a hard task for a trilogy. I also felt for Lisabeth the most in this film, which shows her quiet strength as a survivor. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest is out today in North American theaters and on DVD.
Just released: the new PV (music video) of Calendula Requiem by KanonXKanon (the collaboration between Miss Wakeshima and An Cafe). What do you think?
Anyone excited about upcoming movies? Which films have you watched recently and enjoyed?
Japanese Word of the Day: Kiseki – Miracle
Song of the Day: KanonXKanon – Calendula Requiem
LA CARMINA
