The Rise & Fall Of Malice Mizer

[@graymads]

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[@KichirouTakahiro]

Thanks for telling about my favorite VK band!! Waiting for Dir en Grey history!)

[@pangkamotegames]

thank you ❤️ can you do l'arc en ciel ? because they are the first one listened to and the rest is history 💪🙏

[@mermorte3026]

Merci je me doutais bien qu'il y avait un parallèle entre Mylène Farmer et Malice Mizer. Thanks

[@ramudaamemura_]

@@pangkamotegames he's gonna pronounce it "ark in seal" 😭

[@robingort444]

Le seel? Try it in French, common!

[@darakuron5833]

Ahahaha I remember crying in the bathroom at school when I found out that Gackt left, and then again when Kami died, and then again when they disbanded... Malice Mizer and Plastic Tree were the first bands that I really connected with, and I'm still a fan now. Thanks for reminding me that I'm due for a full re-listen of their discography!

[@graymads]

Glad I could help. 😜

[@thegothgoat5353]

If gackt were to say that to them I’d call him a bitch, while their looks are very inspiring to me as a young goth especially mana it’s still so sad a member died. I’m going to fucking cry

[@shiftybat7318]

Klaha is still one of my all-time favorite vocalists. They were all obviously talented but I wanted to BE him.

[@kirablackstar6130]

@@shiftybat7318 I wanted another record with Klaha so bad 😞

[@auburn_and_cordsdude7415]

How old where you when they split?

[@mariefurukawa2627]

Mana has quite a storied career after Malice Mizer! His band Moi dix Moix is still active, and he's Kanon Wakeshima's producer. Mana isn't dressed 'in character', just wearing alt fashion. He's mostly known now for his work as a fashion designer and being an icon in the alternate fashion industry! He's the founder of the EGL (elegant gothic lolita) style and his fashion brand Moi Meme Moitie is credited with popularising the Lolita fashion movement in general.

[@60311]

I love him

[@Keurlock]

HE'S KANON'S PRODUCER? OMG NO WONDER CAUSE aI FOUND OUT HER SONGS 3 YEARS AGO AND LOVED IT CAUSE IT GAVE OFF LIKE VISUAL KEI VIBES 😭

[@zepolcin2412]

Mama-Sama is best

[@magicalenby23]

YUP

[@nicholesnow]

the work i used to have to put into finding moi dix moix things online in the early 2000s was astronomical. I' glad people still talk about it :)

[@aanya-tl9pl]

Klaha is an opera singer, his voice isn’t going to be eccentric like gackts, its going to be calming and pleasing to hear. It isn’t flat, just different from Gackts and Tetsus. Like in Bara ni irodorareta- his voice is nice even when hes speaking.

[@fomorians]

Gackt's voice isn't eccentric, it's pretty conventional even.

[@35mm21]

Is this guy talking shit about Bara no Seidou? That album is iconic and the look defined an entire fashion subgenre...

[@RM-qr7xo]

Which albums are in the Klaha era?

[@blackxprice]

@@RM-qr7xo Bara no Seidou

[@seraphoftheend5768]

@@fomorians Gackt's voice is very eccentric and unconventional in late 1990s and early 2000s. I remember the first time I heard his voice in 1999, I was surprised on how deep his voice was compared to other j-rockers in that era. Most of them were tenors or baritones trying to sound like tenors. Gackt made baritones mainstream in jrock.

[@ElectricShark]

Kami is still one of the best drummers I have ever heard. It is truly fucking sad he died so early in life. He was truly a talent.

[@thegothgoat5353]

I know I just got into malice mizer two days ago but they’ve already crawled into my heart. It’s such a tradgedy

[@hugonubario]

strangely he died at 27

[@Beyond1904]

@@hugonubario so is he a member of the club 27 now?

[@hugonubario]

@@Beyond1904 I would say yes

[@Spagnolero]

Sometimes I think what would have happened if he was still alive like would he start a solo career a new band or just start a family. I wasn’t even born but it’s so sad

[@Anna-wo9gb]

Mana’s concept for Malice Mizer was ahead of it’s time. They were huge in Japan, but if they released music now, they would be so much more popular since Japan has been more open to exporting music to the west. GACKT is such a legendary person. His look in Bel-Air (ver-ere) is unbeat and the energy he brought to live performances is unmatched. As a kpop fan, I’m convinced someone at SM decided to make Taemin their own GACKT because they are so similar (as music performers Idk either personally to state whether they are alike in that way). GACKT recently recovered from an illness affecting his vocal chords so he should be back to music within the next couple years. Ma cherie is an incredible softer song for people who don’t like the heavy songs.

[@Okayme8080]

As a Taemints yes SM did that for sure I see some similarities

[@felzito]

Specially in MOVE, Taemin could pass as Gackt's son

[@clau6023]

yess i've always thought they look similar!!

[@handsomeprince]

@@felzito Gackt's actual son lives in america 😄

[@felzito]

@@handsomeprince man I keep forgetting that man has a child lmao

[@makkurakurakura]

I cried a little every time you pronounced it “visual key” 😭

[@SarahRsache6644]

I know…it was a little off-putting

[@Moua]

Very offputting lol

[@kuraha22]

Or the way he pronounces "közi" as /cozy/ or malice "maizer" 😬😬😬

[@LotteReid]

Yes 🥲!! Trying my best to sit through the whole video but damn, it's so off-putting, makes me cringe 😬

[@neongenesis3.0]

@@LotteReid fr

[@PrinceDuCiel7]

I mean, Mana never stopped making music, designing clothing and generally being a staple in the gothic scene in Japan and for overseas fans. And some how I’m only JUST now being told he has a cooking channel? o_o

[@handsomeprince]

he used to cook during the pandemic, now he's stopped, a true tragedy for the humanity bc I feel like this was his comedic calling that man is HILARIOUS

[@Angelica_Darkheart777]

What’s the name of the channel I need to see this

[@ColorMeHoppy]

Wtf? Anyone has the channel name?

[@iforgotmyusername11]

@@ColorMeHoppy it's moi-meme-moitie, it's an official channel for his fashion brand

[@Charles-qx6yz]

@@Angelica_Darkheart777 moi-meme-moitie

[@erie499]

I love how mana's classical music training transcended when it met gackt's and it created an amazing characteristic style for the band

[@GACKT_Archive]

Mana has not received musical training, he prefers to create sound through sequencing (打ち込み), but you could be right that his style meeting Gackt’s classical training lead to this unique sound on Merveilles in particular (also, Shimada Yohei’s arranging)

[@XiuFeanaro6]

Mana had classical training? Since when?

[@erie499]

@@XiuFeanaro6 didn't mana go to school for music? Also it's obvious from his way of composing songs and the references he uses in songs that he at least knows his way around classical music

[@GACKT_Archive]

@@erie499 No he didn’t, it’s been known for many years that he can’t read sheet music for example

[@Keo_X]

@@erie499 I believe manas parents were both music teachers which is how he learned abt classical music, though I don't gave a credible source on it.

[@marianix1591]

I adored Khala’a era. Yes, I got into Malice Mizer because of Gackt but Khala brought a very unique sound.. the last few minutes of this video made me so sad. Their final album is hauntingly beautiful. So different from anything else they produced.. I love this band so much!

[@xxshamoneyxx0650]

Same I wished they stayed together longer because I wanted more of Khala's vocals and inspiration

[@floating_spoon]

YESS klaha era is so underrated it's literally amazing

[@checkeredbandana5013]

Absolutely!! I feel like people really pay attention to only the Gackt era of Malice Mizer, but I really love the Klaha and Tetsu era.

[@anastasia4570]

i accidentally deleted my comment but i actually like the Bara no Seidou album, especially Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku. the sounds and choir in it are heavenly

[@EnderTux]

Yes I agree!! Mayonaka ni kawashita yakusoku is one of my favorites!

[@anastasia4570]

i literally ascend into a different dimension when i hear the song

[@calliacakess]

me too! klaha era was so magical imo. i love mayonaka ni kawashita yakusoku too, but kyomu no naka de no yuugi.. i'd gladly blast my eardrums with that song lmao

[@anastasia4570]

that’s another one of my favs along with Seinaru Toki Eien no Inori. atp i’m just gonna start naming every song on the album LOL. klaha era was incredible, it’s hard to choose an ultimate favourite song

[@DarkwaveMistress]

That's such a good song.

[@Megrez-Alberich]

Please forgive me if I've already said this before, but Gackt actually gave a reason why he decided to leave the band. He thought that with fame and success came greed and the other members had become more and more obsessed with money, going so far as to mock the fans behind their backs. Arguments got more and more frequent, and after a while he felt totally alienated, as the others would no longer speak to him. He felt extremely lonely and miserable, and when he couldn't put up with it anymore, he just left.

[@Megrez-Alberich]

@w The part about the other members becoming too focused on the money, I don't remember. Sorry ^^; The part about the arguments and him feeling more and more alienated and miserable: in the French fanzine Visual Rock. In 1999, they published a whole article about Malice Mizer after Gackt left the band, and they quoted excerpts from interviews with Gackt published in Japanese magazines...

[@Mlle.Lamarin]

@@Megrez-Alberich I always felt so interesting that knowing that, his first solo debut song was called Mizerable and in the videoclip, he kinda wears the same clothes he used to with MM (very royal french goth if I may say haha) , but there are also shots where he is "normal", like "himself" and this is how the videoclip ends : him, being the "poor" version of him, not the royal French kinda image he used to have with MM, and leaving for a new journey. Brilliant.

[@Mlle.Lamarin]

Et je viens de réaliser que tu parles français haha :)

[@superpanda3857]

​@@Megrez-Alberichlol this opinion is bullshit

[@cyberqueen201]

As a newer Malice Mizer fan: I heard about them having an argument, but the others getting greedy and mocking fans is something I'd never heard of before. Terrible if true, though I hope it's false.

[@fomorians]

One note about Gackt's history pre-Malice Mizer/Cains;Feel, he actually studied Sound Engineering in college while working at the casino, and had prior experience with music both in theatre and classical training as a pianist. As for Klaha, it's worth mentioning he was previously in a synth band called Pride of Mind. Japanese artists are extremely difficult to research due to the language barrier and many translated interviews are hidden in obscure corners of the internet, so well done on this. I also love the way you describe the music and the aesthetic of each album/era.

[@graymads]

Thank you for the info,! Yea researching this stuff tends to be a bit hard since a lot of it is behind a language barrier and its harder to verify what is fact and what is rumor. Either way its fun to do, glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@ThereAndBackAgain6]

I'm from Ukraine. I listen MM since probably 14 years old. Now im 26 and i listen them at least once a week. I cant even explain to you how much energy they give me. Its like a portal to another world. Peace, calm, immortal.

[@SymphonicMotion]

OMG, I’m exactly the same, down to the age!! Cheers from 🇬🇹

[@r4v3nzcr0ws]

im 14 and i listen to the lol, im from germany 🇩🇪

[@fan-of-fiction129]

Hello! I'm from Poland and I also started to listen to MM recently. Although I won't reveal my age, I am also still a quite young person so it makes me happy to see someone else who likes MM... And also someone who's from a country that is so close to mine. Sorry if I sound awkward, I'm not really good at speaking. May you have a nice day

[@bug_star666]

Hello I'm from uk i'm 21 and I have been listening to malice mizer for 19 years

[@nothingtotake]

Hi!! I am from Estonia and am 15. I knew about vkei and more about 2 yrs ago, but somehow only now came to listen to vkei (TT) and love Malice Mizer^^ Their music is heavenly!

[@z0h33y]

"Bara No Seidou" is what really got me into Malice Mizer. Least favorite???? Hate???? That's so unexpected. Looking through the comments i see alot of other people saying how great the album is, or being confused about it having a bad rep.

[@user-ns9uw8zh4f]

Fr its literally my fav album

[@Megrez-Alberich]

French fan here, been listening to M+M since 1996. I remember that when Bara no Seidô came out, some fans thought the album was too dark and depressing, and they missed the lighter, poppier sound from the Gackt era. That's why everybody was thrilled when they heard Gardenia, because they thought that the period of mourning was finally over and that it meant the next new songs would start to sound again like Au Revoir, Ma Chérie, Égée, Bel Air, Gekka no Yasôkyoku, etc.

[@GACKT_Archive]

Some of the stuff on Gackt needed fact checking (particularly how he joined the band, I think he was scouted rather than auditioning) but besides that, very well done if perhaps a bit too short to do a real deep dive. I appreciate the attention to the lyrics where possible. Nothing can touch Merveilles but I enjoy Bara no Seido because it executed the gothic aesthetic in a way that vibes more with me than Memoire. I’m always clamoring for an edition of Beast of Blood with Gackt on vocals, he has an amazing lower register and can pack some grit that’s underused in MM ánd his solo work, sadly.

[@SkittleWolf]

Would love to see more VK deep dives like this, especially the 00s heavy hitters. I think PIERROT would be a hell of a one to do from their absolute bullshit way of ending it, rivalry with Diru, etc.

[@graymads]

I definitely want to cover more VK groups! Dir En Grey is my all time fav band but idk if I will do them anytime soon because there would be WAY TO MUCH to cover lol. That video would easily reach over an hour if not 2.

[@SkittleWolf]

@@graymads considering they are STILL going too. My oldest shirt I own is a Diru one from their US tour in 2007. I was very excited to see Plastic Tree mentioned (currently wearing a Pura shirt lol). There are so many to cover.

[@graymads]

@@SkittleWolf Plastic Tree is underrated as hell. Their album Echo is pure gold.

[@SkittleWolf]

@@graymads Legit one of my favorite bands. Like, they're only second to MCR (and I have 5 MCR tattoos so I REALLY like MCR lol)

[@REMspEEDfreaxx]

@@graymads and uh… 😅 hey!! Sorry to Hijack this conversation, but I would absolutely LOVE to see a video covering BUCK-TICK’s history/discography, ((since you mentioned their name within the Video, which BTW- love that! 😆💖 I’m a HUGE BT fan! 💖))

[@mootroidXproductions]

That one-R difference between prostrate and prostate claims another victim.

[@graymads]

You win. I laughed out loud to this comment.

[@cassius-v1g]

yeah that confused me too 😭

[@retroTiko]

malize mizer video on my recommended?? in 2022??? incredible. really liked the video! would love to see more videos covering VK bands/musicians

[@_krbrs_]

I know right? Back in the 2000s i was called the malicemizerologist in the very small vk italian circle. This video made me smile a lot, brought back nice memories

[@ivanmoguel]

Bara no seidou is one of my favorite albums of all time, I guess because it's right off my alley. Also, I feel it really set bases on what Mana did later with Moi Dix Mois. Being said this, nothing tops Merveilles. Malice Mizer will probably always be my favorite band of all time and it's always so cool watching new content that deeps into their mostly underrated gems.

[@graymads]

Bara is no means bad, I just personally am not a fan.

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

Same here. It’s very different from their other albums, but there’s something so majestic and otherworldly about it. Like I’m being transported to a beautiful gothic fantasy world.

[@pinkwigs]

@@graymads I'm still watching the video but I didn't appreciate that album until watching it live at budokan. That cathedral with their asthetic gets me emotional every time.

[@nickfrank7807]

Nicely done. Honestly, there isn't an era of MM I dislike. There is always something brash and beautiful. Thanks for covering a good chunk of musical history!

[@graymads]

Always :)

[@masterryoaska]

Really love this video! Rarely see anyone talk about MALICE MIZER these days. Please make more videos on V系 greats or maybe the genre in general :D

[@graymads]

Already planning on it, there are so many great bands that seem to be ignored here on KZbin and in the west.

[@GamingInChina-DanielCamilo]

Bara doesn't have a bad rep. First time I heard this. If anything, it's a fan favorite and a truly unique and masterful concept album that really goes hard on the dark/elegant gothic aesthetic while always remaining genuine and heartfelt. Tastes are subjective and to be respected of course, but one can't ignore how influential and popular Beast of Blood was/is among Jrock fans and for the scene in general at the turn of the century. Plus, imo, the Bara no Seidou live shows are some of the most incredible concerts ever made, in both production values, and musically. I can't even explain how much I would love to be able to watch that live. Having said all this...Merveilles will forever be their peak. Perfect album. Good video! Even if you totally skipped on a lot, mistaken the Budokan for a festival (it's an arena), and got some details kinda mixed up, I honestly really appreciate the work you put into this. Thank you.

[@z0h33y]

I was kind of puzzled when he said Bara No Seidou is the fans least favorite album. To me its their most consistent.

[@35mm21]

Is this guy talking shit about Bara no Seidou? That album is iconic and the look defined an entire fashion subgenre...

[@35mm21]

@@z0h33y I been out of the loop for a long time but it was always my impression that the Testu era was the least popular. Personally I don't think any of the eras are bad -- they are each just radically different. It's like three different bands.

[@Imapeash]

considering visual kei is a fashion/aesthetic based subculture i would've liked for this to touch on the fact that mana is one of the founding fathers of elegant gothic lolita and his contributions with his brand moi même moitié. In my opinion, It's really quite unfair to do a deep dive into this band without any mention of this.

[@soggyworm8054]

i was just going to comment this. while i think this video is pretty good for ppl simply wanting an introduction or basic knowledge on the band, calling Gackt the only member to be successful outside of MM (and the only member fans really cared about) is just really weird and felt poorly researched. especially since many Malice Mizer fans (myself included) can't shut the hell up about Mana Sama, his impact just can't be understated to "having a cooking channel on youtube". and the other members, even if not as successful to levels of Mana and Gackt, are still well loved as well.

[@pochen23]

I have to disagree on Illuminati, it remains my wife's favorite Malice Mizer song. It is so different and still so unique and brave. I think it is one of their masterpiece if not the best they ever produced.

[@kopokopu]

I still wish they had release a full or best of album before Klaha left the band for good. Instead we only have like 3 singles to represent his era....

[@suedeheadd]

every era drags a similar feel yet its so different... and i think thats what makes them so fun to listen to. am i feeling like listening to some romantic pop? BOOM, gackt. are we feeling like listening to darkwave? POW, tetsu. do u wanna listen to something that makes you feel like a vampire? KACHAW, klaha is there im just so glad i know about these dudes' existence. definetely my fav band ever... their music is just so inspiring, i love them so much

[@spicymints]

I can't even begin to express how happy I am whenever Malice Mizer gets the recognition they deserve, but the 'fall' section is cut a little short, in my opinion. Because Gackt didn't simply 'leave the band'(like Tetsu); it was a full-blown PR nightmare. It's a little hard to piece together after so long, but there are two crucial interviews about the split: Shoxx 8/1998 (Vol. 66) and Vicious March 1999***. The Shoxx interview is scanned and translated, the Vicious interview I've only ever seen discussed/transcribed in forums, so, eh. But apparently, Gackt had stopped showing up in promotional material in 1998 which started rumors; he gave an interview about his conflict with management and other band members and I would guess a giant shitstorm ensued because apparently no one even knew he was going to do that interview. Keep in mind that this was _before_ he officially departed. In the Vicious interview (if it's authentic), the remaining 4 express basically that they just didn't get it. It's a big, convoluted mess, but reasons were given lel Of course very shortly afterwards, Kami passed. EDIT: ***Got anxious whether I actually got the volume right, and I didn't. It was 2/1999 (Vol. 72). But the info, that he had disappeared and sparked a media frenzy can also be found on Wikipedia: 'In December 1998, he disappeared. It was reported in the media and on TV that he had vanished into thin air'. So, interview was after the official departure, but he had just 'vanished' before. Sorry about that! I don't necessarily agree with characterising Bara no Seidou's lack of commercial success (compared to merveilles at least) as 'the fall', either. Based on Mana, Yu~Ki and Közi's later activities, I don't think they really cared about that. And they still played Budokan with that album, even though they had returned to indie status after Kami's death. Personally, I think after all that happened through '98 and '99, their relationship with the band/name had just soured. They never wanted to replace Kami and you can't really be a full band with that anymore. Just my 2 cents. If you haven't already, I'd also recommend listening to the audio of Gackt's first live. Because it's just a fantastic trainwreck (in parts, at least). Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. Great video.

[@sacreddolls]

Where can I listen to the audio of gackt's first live?? I must hear!

[@spicymints]

@@sacreddolls It's on YT! Not sure how graymads feels about linking other channels, but the live is called kareinaru fukkatsu geki; shouldn't be hard to find

[@sacreddolls]

@@spicymints ahhh I found it, thank you!! :D

[@KatherineOfEden]

A history of Dir en Grey would be amazing. Or X Japan and Luna Sea 😌

[@graymads]

Dir En Grey is my favorite band of all time and I do plan on covering them, just holding off as I get better at this whole KZbin thing. I want to really do them justice.

[@fey_wolf6309]

oh my god, it would be beyond epic!

[@KatherineOfEden]

@@graymads No worries! Take your time!

[@bloodclot]

please don't overlook La:Sadie's when doing dir en Grey. old school vk at its peak

[@wemki_]

history of X would be nothing short of fantastic, my thoughts exactly!!! with all the insane things they went through together but managed to hold on for so long, just out of love for each other...

[@robertorban3730]

MM songs tended to be in triple meter and multiple minor keys, with fairly simple dominant-tonic modulations between one key and another. MM used this formula repeatedly. Gackt's writing was more harmonically sophisticated. Le Ciel, which the author considers the pinnacle of MM's songwriting, was clearly a Gackt creation--Gackt is credited with both lyrics and music, and stylistically it falls outside of the MM formula. Le Ciel points forward to the songs on Gackt's solo albums, starting with Mars, Moreover, Gackt's spectacular entrance in the live DVD (flying on wires from above the stage while costumed as a "destroying, vampiric angel"), looks forward to the same technique he used in many of his early lives.

[@--baphomet]

Gackt was the main reason, why and how I found MM in the first place. The song ‘Redemption’ is what lead me down to an entire vkei rabbit hole in my younger years and what ultimately ties into my fashion sense exc. I also found it weird, that on the forums a lot of fans did not like Tetsu’s voice??!!!! I loved and still do, love the way he sounded. There’s not an album or song I did not like from the MM saga. Klaha was another voice that I loved, and wished to hear more from. I do hope he’s doing well with whatever he’s doing, along with the other members of MM. 🖤

[@CharlesNotBronson]

That is not weird at all. IDK why he's that hated. Maybe because of his vocal style that somewhat is like a wrecking ball swinging around wrecklessly? Maybe the next 2 vocalist looks better than him? lmao.

[@xfranczeskax]

Tetsu's singing had one mode: loud. There was no nuance, I can barely listen to it. ^^°

[@CharlesNotBronson]

@@xfranczeskax What other vk bands do you listen to? Just curious.

[@tetsutobey]

@@CharlesNotBronson Tetsu having a more boyish tone to his voice really hits home in the soul department. I feel like he's appreciated because of the passion he puts into his music hence why quite a couple people think out of all the three eras, that he's sung Ma Cherie the best.

[@elektricki9258]

Other than your horrific pronunciation of "visual kei", (KAY not KEY) this short doc is pretty great. You clearly did your research! I definitely liked it. **EDIT your French pronunciation is terrible too but the same sentiment.**

[@Maki-00]

How do you mess up something so important? Not to mention the name of the band the video is about! 😫

[@Hellmiauz]

@@Maki-00 yeah... at least learn the name of the band...

[@Maki-00]

@@Hellmiauz The name of the band, the genre of music, the lead singer’s name, EVERY song and album title was pronounced incorrectly. What a mess!

The band stated somewhere that their name came from the French words "malice" and "misère" and should be pronounced as such. In fact in the very beginning of the video there's an advertisement for "Gardenia" where the correct pronunciation can be heard.

[@Maki-00]

@ Correct. I know French and Japanese and those pronunciations grated on my nerves! 🤣

[@beep7434]

Glad to see some Malice Mizer content! I started out as a die hard solo Gackt fan back in middle school, but over the years my tastes shifted towards his very early solo career (Mars, Rebirth) and eventually I got into his MM era, too. He is an amazing vocalist. Tetsu era was very nice, too. I never got to grow up with the band but I really miss them. I wish they were on Spotify...

[@saigonotsuki]

I was craving for VK content in KZbin. It's weird how hard it is to find videos about it. And, well, you got a new subscriber :') Malice Mizer is one of my favourite bands of all time and it's good to hear about them again.

[@graymads]

Welcome aboard!

[@IgorBilis]

^this!!

[@Mariooo57]

I wonder if it is a generational thing, considering how the internet used to be pre-social media or even in KZbin's infancy, in the sense that a lot of stuff didn't get archived properly over the years. I remember when VK exploded in my country, all the discussion about it back then was contained into now inactive or long gone forums and magazines. Even looking up certain acts that used to be so hyped back in the day, like Kagerou, seems tough nowadays. I don't know if I would go as far as to claim "lost media", but it seems close to me. Makes me think we're long due for a nostalgia craze about VK.

[@Multirm2]

I swear Gackts voice just makes me feel like I’m in a different world. There is just something magical about his voice, don’t know how to explain it.

[@stevenconrady1990]

It seems that Gackt’s lyrics were completely in-depth when it came to Malice Mizer’s catalog.

[@vale.v0id]

Le Ciel gives me the chills even to this day. It's such a beautiful, melancholic song. I love it. And I know it hasn't aged that well, but Illuminati is still in my top tier list of visual kei songs, it's just too fun to dance to. And Gardenia makes me feel like a victorian lady going to a masquerade LOL so I guess these are my top 3 Malice Mizer songs

[@autreelodia3456]

Bara no Seidou is my really favorite album of them. I think, it is very important to share it here, cause there always will be a grateful drinker for absolutely every cup of tea. Thanks a lot for the video! :-))

[@graymads]

Thanks for listening

[@ghostrabbits]

While Au Revoir & Le Ciel are up there among my fave tracks, I gotta say, Bara no Seidou is my favorite album. Might just be 'cuz I adore Vampiric aesthetic, but it's just so good to me. 😅 I grew up listening to Merveilles, and it will forever hold a place in my heart, but I rediscovered MM a few years back and gave BnS a full listen to. Literally a masterpiece in my eyes!

[@DarkwaveMistress]

Wow, I had no idea people hated Bara no Seidou. I love that album because it's so grand and goth, and it's also my favorite Mana fashion era. MM is in my top three favorite bands even today, it's crazy that it's been 20 years since I listened to Le Ciel for the first time.

[@spookymarirev]

Begging and on my knees for more visual kei deep dives, this was right off the bat a very entertaining video ^^

[@graymads]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@hauntedlunchable2121]

I am so glad this was in my recommended, I absolutely adore Malice Mizer and I'm so glad I can find more people talking about MM. It isn't often that I find people still talking about them besides about Mana or remaking their looks

[@YumeGt]

Mana do the right thing by killing band, Malice Mizer have no bad era. A 4th cycle would be a really decay. Malice Mizer will be allways remember as the greatest VK band off all time. Something Yoshiki never learn..

[@soloscape3]

Would love to see a video like this for Buck-Tick (although idk if they're considered a vkei band or not, either way it would be cool af) like a deep dive into their discography and such

[@knotthestate]

This was a really fun deep dive. i really enjoy the lyrics you chose to highlight in this video

[@oAPXo]

Yu~ki and Kami were the best. Just hearing Bel Air from their concert video is AMAZING, just pay attention to the bass and drums of that track and enjoy.

[@Pchan1609]

My favorite Band in Highschool. Malice Mizer ignited my love for Visual Kei and (to be cheesy) made me the person I am today and after almost 20 years I still enjoy their music. Really good video!! Thank you very much for this trip of nostalgia

[@Kylomew]

I had discovered malice mizer by their song ma Cherie I fell in love and listened to many of there songs I would say it’s probably one of the first times I’d gone so deep into a band/music and as I only discovered them a couple months ago I hope to continue to love malice mizer 💕

[@ManaBananalicious]

Bara no Seidou is *fantastic* in my opinion. Especially with the death of Kami in mind, the dramatic and dark theme just hits different, also: The vampire-theme with that music just gives me goose-bumps, too. The movie they made during Klaha era, which is basically Dracula made cheesy (lol), may not be that great, but aesthetically it is fantastic and really compliments the music. Generally, i just love how their aesthetic would always enhance the atmosphere of the music - it was always put together so well. Anyway, thank you for this video! It was good, even if some aspects were missing (like the movies. Not that they were so important, but i think it's just so awesome that they made 2 cheesy full lenght movies haha). And: Merveilles is still my favorite, too. :')

[@Charnel_Heart]

As someone who got into Moi Dix Mois first through Maximum the Hormone (specifically people giving wrong answers to ID the visual kei band in the zetsubou billy mv), and learned of Gackt through final fantasy 7 spinoff, this was both informative and overdue. Thank you.

[@peejees5946]

1. Please take constructive criticism in these comment sections. At least try to learn the pronunciation of Japanese words or French words. 2. You really have to fact check because some of the facts are wrong. Gackt wasn’t just a random dude trying to get into a band, his dad was a professional musician and Gackt has been playing music since childhood. Mana as well! Hence why they were able to make this kind of music. 3. It may be a personal opinion but Klaha does NOT have a nasally voice. I don’t know how many Japanese artists you’ve listened to, much less visual kei bands, but he does not sing nasally at all. If you want to hear nasally vocalists listen to D=OUT or AnCafe and compare. Japanese artists don’t sing from their diaphragm in general because traditional Japanese music is sang via the throat/head voice, so some might sound nasally than others but on the spectrum of nasally vocals Klaha is very very minimal. Even Gackt had to had nodes removed from his throat surgically around a decade ago because he didn’t sing with his diaphragm for years.

[@bluevacation9075]

KZbin needs more video essays on visual kei bands.

[@justinrgray4979]

Love this band so much. Gackt is an amazing vocalist

[@IiOnna222]

I'm so surprised to see a video about this band. Look, was listening to them since just before they disbanded back in 2001. Can't believe people still listen to them nowadays. Can't deny they were something indeed.

[@iamlucidess]

I loved Malice Mizer just as much as Dir en Grey, just as much as Gackt, just as much as The Pillows, etc. I loved many j-rock and j-pop bands, so thank you for covering this beautiful band! You deserve way more subs dude, your overall quality of the video and audio is top notch quality compared to other popular youtubers out there.

[@graymads]

Thank you so much!

[@chickennuggets8429]

Watching this video feels like when I first google Malice Mizer history, it still feels like going in a walk for fresh air! ありがとう^_________^

[@AkibaInk]

While no official reason was ever given for Gackt's departure... it's pretty obvious: creative freedom to do more styles and themes than the band was branded to handle. His early solo work swung wildly from sounds reminiscent of MM, to stuff that reflected many different sides of his personality. He often shared in interviews that he loved experimenting with his and GacktJOB's sound - and that's why he made 6 albums in 5 years... he had a lot of creative ideas of a wide range to express. I also think that this video could've used a bit more of a dive on the lasting impact that Mana had on the genre. Though he didn't go on to see the success he had in the Gackt MM era by any means, he's treated to this day as the de facto godfather of the style, to the point where he's referred to as Mana-sama within the scene. Just having him appear in a video or record a guest solo is seen as a valued stamp of approval, like in the case of Kamijo's solo career videos.

[@EwanderRonchi]

Official reason all sides gave. MM said he left suddenly without further explanation and they suspected it was because he had achieved popularity. Gackt in 1999 said he was expelled. As late as 1999 he said he used MM to increase his popularity. In 2004 he said that everyone already wanted a solo career. In 2010 he said that the record company wanted to end the band. In 2017, he said again that he was expelled. Well... xD

[@AkibaInk]

@@EwanderRonchi Well those would be people's individual sides of the story. An "official reason" would be the band or label putting out a statement, or agreeing on the facts. But yeah, Gackt likes to change his stories a lot, because it's part of his entertainment persona. He also said that when Moon came out in 2002 he'd been working working on some of those songs for over 5 years (which predates MM), and that Death Wish's drum rhythm was one of the earliest things he'd ever done as a musician almost 10 years before it came out.

[@xxpainal69xx31]

Tetsu was super underrated. His Era was super cool

[@35mm21]

IMO Testu's vocals are more interesting than Gackt's. Not that the Gackt era wasn't amazing for its own reasons, because it was.

[@marcokingaurelio]

I knew Malice Mizer in 1999~2000, almost at its end, unfortunately. Here in Brazil, specially in my city, internet was not that great and all-things undergrond was so hard to find. I met them because of my interest for japanese culture at that time and my love for music/metal. Don't know exactly how I got into that but I remember downloading Syunikiss in Soulseek and it was love at first hearing. As I was listening, I begin searching the Merveilles album and it became my probably favorite album ever, tied with Blind Guardian's Nighfall in Middle-Earth. Even today, I frequently listen their albums and eps, watch their shows (Merveilles show is breathtaking) and sing their songs (Bel Air, Gekka no Yasoukyoku, Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku, Garnet and Shiroi Hada ni Kurui... are the usual) in shower or karaokes. Malice Mizer has also a deep representation for me as it was also one of my great friend's favorite bands, who unfortunately passed away about five years ago. Illuminatti and Gekka often reminds me of him. More than twenty years later, here I am still listening, watching and talking about Malice Mizer. Malice never dies.

[@Kim_W]

Love seeing people still talk about Malice Mizer, I've been a fan for over 15 years and got my friends, parents and some of my dad's coworkers to be fans too, we still independently listen to the Klaha era music regularly. Overall great job, the pacing and editing were well done! Only wish you had taken a little bit more time for the Klaha era for the people that clicked on this not knowing much. Won't harp on the things others have already mentioned like the pronunciations and that the title felt a little misleading since it ended up being more of a 'my opinion on the albums' than really a rise and fall kind of documentary. I know some titles attract more clicks. I'm subscribed after watching another video, will be watching a lot more, and hope to see this channel grow!

[@crimsonr4in]

as a french person, seeing you kinda butcher the names icked me a little bit, but overall it was a really great video !! live laugh gackt as always

[@ride4speedrr53]

Came here for Gackt. I've been his fan since 2010.

[@meatballhead15]

There was a time in the early 2000s when myself and a group of my friends ADORED Malice Mizer. We even bugged a clothing company into re-creating Klaha's coat from the "Beast of Blood" video. It was my intro to the band, and I knew Gackt was more popular, but wow. Since the bad HAD split up and all they sort of fell off my radar but this video has totally given me the inspiration to go find their discography and re-discover them! I stand that Klaha's songs/time/aesethic was GOOD, but it was also my honeymoon with the band. Also I LOVE Mana, how he dresses androgynously had and he had a lot of success in the fashion/clothing area, I remember seeing him constantly in the "Gothic and Lolita Bibles" that I endeavored to collect.

[@shiftybat7318]

I can not stress the influence this band had on me. Everyone went off to do more amazing things. Tetsu's unhinged rock vocals found their place in Zigzo/NIL (Tonight I Will Fall is legendary), Mana formed Moi dix Mois, heavily influencing my own band of the time, Gackt needs no introduction, Klaha had one of the best voices of all time, Kozi's electronic dalliance was quite fun, Kami was so good other underground bands fought for his drum skills (similar to the bassist of Metronome), and Kamijo of Lareine/Versailles was Gackt's frickin' roadie. Everything they touched turned to ripples of gold and I will cherish them forever.

[@KeltronZX]

Really nice to see a video about Malice Mizer pop up in my recommended. Really enjoyed it, thanks for this :)

[@denisshahin6326]

We need more j-rock/metal bands. Excellent video.

[@Frustratia]

Would love one of these to be done on Grace Project and/or Versailles. VK doesn't get nearly the love or respect it should.

[@SymphonicMotion]

Beast Of Blood was my introduction to Malice Mizer so I’m naturally biased towards the Klaha era and Bara no Seidou is my favourite (though I usually go for single releases rather than albums when it comes to MM - my favourite being Gardenia, Shiroi and of course, Beast of Blood). I guess it doesn’t help that I kinda dislike Gackt as a person either.

[@yumallah]

I'm so happy someone made a video like this about Malice Mizer. My absolute favorite VK band of all, by far.

[@Arcanua]

Mana is probably the most successful of the remaining members outside of Gackt. It is really nice to see someone be more thorough about their stuff, not often you see someone go in depth with the albums themselves, and uh Mana dresses like that normally xD that's not so much a character thing that's the norm for him. ^^ Such a shame knowing they met the fate they did, they're the only band I've connected with on such a level as I did. Part of how I stopped trying to off myself was them and their music.

[@greentokyo]

Budokan is not a music festival, but the name of the arena where concerts and other activities are held. Its like a smaller Tokyo Dome or Saitama Super Arena which are famous venues for concerts as well. The Budokan seats about 10,000 people and it was the ambition of many indie and visual kei bands to play there as it is considered a marker of success.

[@Nocturnewashere]

It"s also like a very historical venue for japanese pro wrestling! Random fact.

[@aidangalvin8655]

I love that malice mizer is getting the love and attention it deserves

[@DerSkalde]

Malice Maizer was a great band. Outfits, Music and more - perfect combination. Your background music is very good. :)

[@JeinNoir]

I was really surprised to see this in my feed & seemingly in isolation on a channel from other vkei content. Thanks for taking and interest and giving MM the mentions they deserve as icons. I see some criticisms below, so I won't be redundant but at a quick passover before watching it all: visual kei is say like Kay, not key. And just in general since I replied elsewhere: They quickly became a favorite at 13 for me since they were so artistic. Mana's lack of smiling & wearing only dresses was so relatable & the old school guitar mixed with various traditional sounds was otherwise hard to find. The only subculture to put every genre on the table really is Visual Kei. Definitely would recommend. Lareine is a spin off in a sense formed by two of their roadies. They were much fluffier than even the Gackt era ever got lol. Also very important for Lolita fashion to keep growing. Today if you want vkei as unique as the 90s you need to listen to old standards like Buck-Tick or go underground. Definitely look into where Közi went, Dalle is one of my favorites.

[@kathylingerfield9836]

Malice mizer to me was the missing piece of the puzzle I was searching for. I loved The Cure and Siouxsie but there was a sound missing and the entire compilation of MM was what I was searching for from beginning to end. I fell in love with all their singers and mana and now support Mana with his Moitie brand. I'm so happy I found them, thru made me love music again

[@eiji.sbrana]

Au Revoir is My favorite Malice Mizer Song as well!!!😌

[@graymads]

Great choice!

[@XxMyvxRocksx382xX]

Never knew that Bara no Seidou had a bad rep, most fans I met or was aware of had enjoyed that album/era just as much as the others and even wish for Klaha's return. Great video though🤍

[@thesolosiren1605]

I know I’m in the minority but Bara no seidou is my favourite album followed by memories.

[@saber0089]

Great video, I ended up liking their last album more after more listenings. Definitely an acquired taste for many. I'm surprised you didn't mention Gardenia or the entire movie they made off the last album. When it comes to this band, I especially respect them for their theatrical live performances which is how I prefer to see them.

[@meowtrox1234]

Thank you Graymads. I sub to your CH . Nice video project of Malice Mizer . Tc! Best of luck!

[@graymads]

Thanks for the sub!

[@bingobongo1615]

Great video about my favorite band ever. Just one tip about pronouncing things: visual kei is spoken more closely to visual kay and malice mizer is spoken as malisu mizeru Oh and malice mizer and gackt produced an EP as well I’m the beginning uruwashiki kamen no shoutaijo

[@z0h33y]

He pronounced Malice Mizer correctly. Its English words. Not katakana.

[@bingobongo1615]

@@z0h33y nope. The band itself also pronounces it the katakana way. Also here for the prononciation: ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MALICE_MIZER

[@kaching4831]

Cool Video dude. I appreciate that it isn’t cringe which often happens when someone talks about v-kei. Very informative and well delivered with focus on the music and background itself. Nice one

[@geraldinedamianvasquez]

Thank you so much for covering them I love you so much !!!!

[@818Kira]

Finally someone talks about Visual Kei lol Been a fan for over a decade

[@graymads]

Discovered VK in 2014 and been hooked ever since. My favorites are Dir En Grey and Dimlim, sad to say Dimlim is gone though.

[@animegothvampire1999]

Me too since high school tbh

[@chief_catguy]

Damn no love for Bara no Seidou… that album is so good too. Mayonaka ni kawoshita yokusoku is one of my favorites tracks, if not my favorite. The album is just so atmospheric when you listen through it, I can’t say how many times I’ve just put it on in the background of what I’m doing.

[@stevenconrady1990]

Kami’s passing is even echoed in Gackt’s solo major Debut:MARS.

[@cornbreadflapjacks]

It took me so long to watch this video because I knew it would make me cry. I love this band so much, especially the Gackt era but I do love the Tetsu and Klaha eras as well. Malice Mizer was part of the musical undercurrent of my formative years. Thanks for making this video; more people should know about Malice Mizer!

[@branny5820]

I was surprised to see this video pop up on my feed. I didn't think anyone was talking about Malice Mizer anymore. Mana-Sama defined my teen years and his body of work still haunts my mind palace. Wonderful video

[@rainbowjuiced]

Gackt is an all time favorite! great introductory video for MM If all the tiny heart commenters supported you on Patreon, you could probably afford to do a longer video 😂

[@graymads]

Much appreciated! And yea i wish lol

[@TheEvilKingStan]

Thank you for this video. I listened to malice mizer all throughout high school and discovered them through randomly downloading music on kazaa. I've hit a nostalgia streak and have been listening to them again so your video was posted just in time! I'm also loving the discussions in the comments section.

[@sing-sei795]

Thank you so much being so respectful and appreciative of the music and its members! Instant sub

[@isaterr1]

I feel like a deep dive on either acme or Velvet Eden would be interesting because ik there is some drama with that rn. Or maybe someone with a good amount of history like Miyavi

[@FlameG102]

I always liked Bara No Seidou, but then I discovered it around the time I was getting into Castlevania, and the two definitely shared headspace for a long while, though clearly not just for me and it's not hard to see why considering the look and feel of that album went quite well with the look of Castlevania at the time as helmed by Ayami Kojima. I very much remember no end to the "when will mana compose for castlevania?" notions, (which iirc, I think he actually did obscurely, for a mobile game) I always liked Klaha. He got a bad rap as just being a deliberate Gackt replacement, and while there's probably some truth to that, he was always played up a bit differently. Gackt had and is more remembered for a solid romantic tinge to his persona, which Klaha didn't have as hard. if Gackt was a romantic prince, Klaha was supposed to be a dark Count. A bit ironic considering his role in their self made Dracula movie was that of the Johnathan Harker character. Actually, I realize now my user icon is still Klaha in one of his Malice Mizer promo images. I set it probably back when I first found them, and never changed it. it's a cool picture. As for Klaha's voice, I always admired his incredible vibrato. I've still never quite heard something like that. Regardless, Malice Mizer is still one of the most varied bands out there, and it always disappointed me that Moi Dix Mois, the Mana follow up band was kind of one dimentional. It's initial configuration had promise, and felt really more like a continuation of Bara No seidou's style with more metal, but since that original setup, it kinda lost me. At a certain point it literally all started to sound the same, and look the same.

[@yanuardilaliwang8013]

I may be a minority here, but Voyage > Merveilles 😎

[@graymads]

Brave but valid.

[@bishulover]

AGREED

[@kr1ssss]

agreed omg

[@tetsutobey]

You're kind of spitting facts, stuff like Le Ciel, Aegen, Au Revoir, and Brise are the stuffs of masterpieces but the romantic vibes of Premier Armor and the intensity of No Pains No Pains cannot be beat! Claire is also probably not only my favorite Malice Mazir track, but favorite GACKT track overall in the whole of his discography.

[@Funkyct]

Never thought I would view one of these videos for my favourite band, you did an excellent job on the research and I found out about some stuff I didn't know before.

[@StaringElf]

This was such a great trip down memory lane and I learned so much, too! Thank you so much for making this video 😭♥️

[@MattalMusique]

imagine having goosebumps for 20+ minutes watching this video, good job! but there are some pronunciation suggestions: - Mizer > M"ee"zer, not M"ai"zer, there's a Kanji name of the band that matches the meaning of Mizer instead of Miser as well - It's G"ah"ckt, that rhymes his real name, instead of G"e"ckt - Merveilles, Le ciel, au revoir are purely French Others: - isn't it having an intro track there before Syunikiss, i.e. 〜de merveilles - Track 6 エーゲ〜過ぎ去りし風と共に〜 is also worth mentioning - to me, it's a perfect album I have ever bought, and it is still with me all these years!

[@moodledoodle4861]

Around 20 years ago I excitedly cosplayed Mana for Otakon, thinking I'd find other excited VK buddies, lol. Happy to have found our reunion here in the comment section!

[@crepuscularcreature1917]

Why am I not surprised that someone who thinks Illuminati "didn't age well" and wouldn't even touch on the subject also didn't like Bara No Seidou. Honestly this video started out alright and just kept getring cringier

[@ke1kk0]

personally i love gekka no yasoukyoku so much, ive listened to it about 500 times in the past week

[@MG_]

Loved this video. I look forward to more videos for Japanese bands. I would like to recommend a few ones I grew up with: Exist Trace, High and Mighty Color, Dir En Grey, and The Gazette.

[@graymads]

Dir En Grey and The Gazette are amazing! I gotta check out the other two!

[@MG_]

@@graymads High and Mighty Color is not visual kei, but they were a pretty notable band back in the day. Exist Trace is another visual kei band with all female members and have been through interesting transition of styles over the years.

[@kyrios0307]

I've been a fan of the GazettE since I was in high school back in 2006 lol. They're really good and each member is solid on their instruments + have their own unique style and wardrobe.