Visual Kei Survey - How to be a Fan
original: http://www.enpitu.ne.jp/usr7/bin/day?id=79023&pg=20031104

 


This is from 2003, and so not all of it is completely up to date I imagine. But these are things that do happen, or did happen at any rate. I've saku'd Tsubaki (Isola) online to virtually annoy everyone once (but they didnt know what it was so I failed)....and I think that's it.

2003.11.04

When you go to a visual kei live, there is a characteristic way of behaving. Today I have settled on that way of behavior and will introduce it to you.

Headbang

-It is done by swinging your neck during the intense songs at a live.Most of the time people do it lengthwise, but there are also people who swing their head like this --> 8
-It can be seen anywhere regardless of the type of band, or of their indies or major label status.However, there is one section of oshare-kei in which it cannot be seen.
-The members will be relatively glad to see it. There are some people who will get ill tempered if you stand in the middle and do nothing.
-It is important to note that the next day you may develop muscular pains, and so on the day that you've headbanged make sure to massage your neck well when you take a bath afterwards.
-In the same manner, shake your hands up and down reciprocally in timing with your headbangs. You typically see this in indies band lives, expecially oshare-kei.

Tesensu

-It is done by going limp so you can lift up your hands in dedication.
-This can be seen with major bands, and some indies bands. But these days you don't often see it with indies bands.
-The members don't particularly have any response to this. Even if you do or don't do it they won't get mad.
-There's nothing dangerous about it, but if only one person does it it's pretty funny. If you notice you're the only one doing it, you really ought to lower your hands.

Gyakudai

-When the fans turn from the guest seating to the stage and rush forward. In concrete explaination, the fans bend only one elbow and make a fist, and then in time with the song they push their bodies forward.
-This can be seen anplace other than a hall. It can be seen among major bands, but it's particularly seen among indies bands. After that, it depends on the type of band.
-Members either love it or hate it. The ones who like it will aoru with "Come closer!", and the ones who hate it will say during the MC, "It's dangerous and so we want you to stop."
-If I can warn you, excluding the times when you're being pressed and can't move, please push from your arm or back. If you use your elbow you'll cause those around you quite some trouble and be taken as vulgar. And again, be careful of the pose of a gyakudai elbow.
-An alternate way is standing there and not moving with one hand open and raised, and then crooking your elbow and making a fist, and then repeating that while moving your arm up and down. The people around me call those people "the ones who wash their hands of everything as they go down"

furitsuke (choreography)

-Repeat the choreography the members on stage are doing. You can also copy the fans around you, or the front row customers if it's an indies live.
-It can be seen anywhere.
-It seems they get annoyed if it's really weird or goes on for too long, but if you don't go that far there doesn't seem to be much reaction.
-If it's hard then there's no need to stress about remembering it. If you can't do it, it doesn't mean you're not a fan after all. It's expecially not necessary to copy the front row customers if you can't get the hang of it. In fact, you're better off not doing that. And it's okay to announce something you've done at a live, but according to the fans some will be exceedingly reserved so be forewarned.

saku (to bloom)

-done by crossing your hands in front of your body and swinging them out in arcs to form a V. You do it when a member's come before you during a live and you call their name, or when the call out "Ikemasu ka?" during an MC.
-Seen mainly for indies bands, and especially oshare-kei. After that, it depends on the type of band. However, there are some people who then go to major lives, and then there are some who wonder if this or that band's okay, and so I can't make a decision.
-Estimated member response is...
40% - what're you doing?
30% - Oh god
20% - no response
10% - better bloom
-There are a lot of bands and fans who don't like saku, and so try to do it after you've judged the atmosphere around you. So if the band says to stop it or the people around you start complaining, it's safest to stop.
-You can also open your fists while you saku.

Korodai (bodysurfing)

-To have yourself lifted above everyone else by people trained it the matter, and to then roll on top like korokoro.
-Done anywhere but halls. The number of visual bands where you see korodai is limited.
-The response is split with some people who like it and some who hate it. Those who like it will say, "do it again", and those who hate will say during the MC that it's dangerous so you should stop.
-If you do do it, take off your shoes. According to the band, there are some people who will think it's unacceptable to do korodai with them, and so only do it after you've looked around you.

And etc.

jump
monkey dance
carelessness
holding up index finger(with your thumb up too sometimes) and shaking hand
twirling your fist round with your index finger up
rasing your fist


Back to Index