http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45a4Ou2g-ps
I never watch J-pop music vids; I hear some music but never look at bands or anything. Then I see this after checking out the ED music for Gundam 00, and I'm nonplussed to say the least. Is that lead singer supposed to be gay? Or is it heterosexually appealing in Japan for a man to look like a freaking woman? (Is that dress? And the hair!) L'arc-en-ciel DOES mean rainbow, after all... And the more I look around, the more I see that a ton of J-pop/rock bands are this way: androgynous at best.
What gives?
How do j-pop people get away with this?
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Godly Paladin - Posts: 2016
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 10:21 am
- Location: Missouri
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Fish and Chips - Posts: 4415
- Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:33 pm
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Yeah, yeah - it's not like the stork dropped me off earlier this morning. 
But are these groups supposed to be gay or what?
But are these groups supposed to be gay or what?
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Godly Paladin - Posts: 2016
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 10:21 am
- Location: Missouri
I am just ruining your day, aren't I?
Music scene fashion has always been pretty weird. Given what a fair number of American bands get away with, Japan really isn't much to write home about. It's outlandish and over the top because it's all part of the show.
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Fish and Chips - Posts: 4415
- Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:33 pm
- Location: Nowhere.
No members of L'Arc~en~ciel are gay. Hyde the lead singer is married and has I believe 2 kids...though it could be just one. Anyway, L'Arc is a band known at getting people's attention (i.e - weird outrageous videos or antics on stage). They're also known for Visual Kei but have since over the 7 years of being a band 'lightened' up a bit in their Visual Kei..I'd comapre it to a Good Charlotte kind of Visual Kei now or Green Day mostly eyeliner since they are "punk rock"...
The look they used in the video is Visual Kei a Japanese sub culture. Blurry Eyes is an older song off their Tierra album back when they were strictly Visual Kei (but not really). They were heavily Visual Kei in the 90s and alittle in 2001. Visual Kei can go either way sometimes flamboyant or utterly goth (makeup and such).
If you take a look at their recent videos: READY STEADY GO!, New World, Poem ~Jojoushi, or even go back a few years and take a look at "Stay Away" there is no hint of Visual Kei any longer.
Hope that helps you out in understanding Japanese subculture! ^__^
The look they used in the video is Visual Kei a Japanese sub culture. Blurry Eyes is an older song off their Tierra album back when they were strictly Visual Kei (but not really). They were heavily Visual Kei in the 90s and alittle in 2001. Visual Kei can go either way sometimes flamboyant or utterly goth (makeup and such).
If you take a look at their recent videos: READY STEADY GO!, New World, Poem ~Jojoushi, or even go back a few years and take a look at "Stay Away" there is no hint of Visual Kei any longer.
Hope that helps you out in understanding Japanese subculture! ^__^
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yukoxholic - Posts: 944
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:47 pm
It does; and that's pretty much what I figured. It would make me sleep safer at night if they were just gay, but ah well. Someone can lock this thread if they wish.
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Godly Paladin - Posts: 2016
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 10:21 am
- Location: Missouri
Men looking girly in Jpop bands! We must not let this happen, because the next thing you know, there will be girly men in anime.
Now for a non joke on this topic. I think it its just a thing that some bands like to do, just like some bands over here do things for shock value, but its just a subculture thing over there.
[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]
Now for a non joke on this topic. I think it its just a thing that some bands like to do, just like some bands over here do things for shock value, but its just a subculture thing over there.
[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]
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Roy Mustang - Posts: 6022
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:00 pm
- Location: Central
Let's see... Boy George, Marilyn Manson, David Bowie at various times in his career... yep, we wouldn't let any of OUR bands do that kind of thing...
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He cause His face to shine upon you.
May He lift up His countenance and grant you peace.
Feel free to visit My Writing.com Portfolio
Largo: "Well Ed, good to see ya. Guess I gotta beat the crap out of you now."
Jamie Hyneman: "It's just another lovely day at the bomb range. Birds are singing, rabbits are hopping about, and soon there's going to be a big explosion."
May He cause His face to shine upon you.
May He lift up His countenance and grant you peace.
Maokun: Ninjas or Pirates? (Vikings are not a valid answer, sorry)
EricTheFred: Vikings are always a valid answer.
Feel free to visit My Writing.com Portfolio
Largo: "Well Ed, good to see ya. Guess I gotta beat the crap out of you now."
Jamie Hyneman: "It's just another lovely day at the bomb range. Birds are singing, rabbits are hopping about, and soon there's going to be a big explosion."
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EricTheFred - Posts: 1691
- Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:26 pm
- Location: Garland, TX
Roy Mustang (post: 1198055) wrote:Men looking girly in Jpop bands! We must not let this happen, because the next thing you know, there will be girly men in anime.
[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]
That really made me 'lol'!
yukoxholic (post: 1198053) wrote:No members of L'Arc~en~ciel are gay.
Hope that helps you out in understanding Japanese subculture! ^__^
This is comforting, and I'm glad this was posted. I was wondering about all of this myself, and now I know! ^^
[SIZE="6"]ily.[/SIZE]
[SIZE="3"]Genesis 27:4
"When you prepare the tasty food that I love, bring it to me, and I will eat. Then I will bless you before I die."[/SIZE]
[SIZE="3"]Genesis 27:4
"When you prepare the tasty food that I love, bring it to me, and I will eat. Then I will bless you before I die."[/SIZE]
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Sohma - Posts: 134
- Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:35 pm
- Location: In God's Awesome Hands
Sohma (post: 1198069) wrote:This is comforting, and I'm glad this was posted. I was wondering about all of this myself, and now I know! ^^
Haha! Glad to comfort you! But they do make some awesome music IMHO if you can look passed their "older youthful days" ^__^. I don't really care much for Visual Kei sub culture but I will say that I am a huge fan of L'Arc's music and like I stated before they don't do that at all anymore.
I don't even think they classify themselves as Visual Kei anymore. They're more punk rock.
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yukoxholic - Posts: 944
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:47 pm
EricTheFred wrote: David Bowie at various times in his career... yep, we wouldn't let any of OUR bands do that kind of thing...
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3622738176/tt0091369
Look kids, its our favorite anime villain Folken from Escaflowne the movie!
Oh wait a min, its just David Bowie.
[color="Red"]
[font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]
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Roy Mustang - Posts: 6022
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:00 pm
- Location: Central
Ahh yes, L'arc-en-ciel sure did a lot of strange things in their earlier musical days. Hyde didn't look that hot with long flowy hair and Ken had this tendency to have really bright-looking red lips.
They're not gay, they look much better today (less girly, more punk LOL) and their music still rocks. YAY.
I'm a happy Laruku fan.
There are many Visual Kei groups out there so consider this a warmup session. LOL
They're not gay, they look much better today (less girly, more punk LOL) and their music still rocks. YAY.
I'm a happy Laruku fan. There are many Visual Kei groups out there so consider this a warmup session. LOL
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Mave - Posts: 3662
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2003 9:00 am
man...that's pretty disturbing and creepy...not to mention illogical and pointless.
[SIZE="4"]*FASTING FROM CAA (9/25/08 - ???)*[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]
"Sometimes we don't present the Gospel well enough for the non-elect to reject it."
- John MacArthur
"In the total expanse of the human life, there is not a single square inch of which Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine'."
- Abraham Kuyper
"God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy."
- Westminister Confession of Faith (Chapter 5, Section 1)
"The wisdom of God has found a way for the love of God to deliver sinners from the wrath of God all the while upholding the righteousness of God!!"
- John Piper
"Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God!"
-John Piper
"The very One from Whom we need to be saved, is the One Who has saved us."
- R.C. Sproul
"All of Christian life is ceaseless worship of God the Father, through the mediatorship of God the Son, by the indwelling power of God the Spirit, doing what God commands in Scripture, not doing what God forbids in Scripture, in culturally contextualized ways, for the furtherance of the Gospel, when both gathered for adoration, and scattered for action, in joyous response to God's glorious grace."
- Mark Driscoll
"Believers do not pray with the view of informing God about things unknown to Him, or of exciting Him to do His duty, or of urging Him as though He were reluctant. On the contrary, they pray in order that they may arouse themselves to seek Him, that they may exercise their faith in meditating on His promises, that they may relieve themselves from their anxieties by pouring them into His bosom; in a word, that they may declare that from Him alone they hope and expect, both for themselves and for others, all good things."
- Martin Luther
"I have to tell you first that I am ready to die. I have put my affairs in order. Your supreme weapon is killing. My supreme weapon is dying, because when you kill me, people all over Romania will read my books and believe on the God that I preach - even more than they do now."
- Dr. Joseph Ton, the exiled Romanian pastor (quoted by James Montgomery Boice)
"The best prayer I ever prayed had enough sin in it to condemn the whole world."
- John Bunyan
"If the Christian has lost sight of Calvary, that shows that he has lost his way."
- J.I. Packer[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]
"Sometimes we don't present the Gospel well enough for the non-elect to reject it."
- John MacArthur
"In the total expanse of the human life, there is not a single square inch of which Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine'."
- Abraham Kuyper
"God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy."
- Westminister Confession of Faith (Chapter 5, Section 1)
"The wisdom of God has found a way for the love of God to deliver sinners from the wrath of God all the while upholding the righteousness of God!!"
- John Piper
"Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God!"
-John Piper
"The very One from Whom we need to be saved, is the One Who has saved us."
- R.C. Sproul
"All of Christian life is ceaseless worship of God the Father, through the mediatorship of God the Son, by the indwelling power of God the Spirit, doing what God commands in Scripture, not doing what God forbids in Scripture, in culturally contextualized ways, for the furtherance of the Gospel, when both gathered for adoration, and scattered for action, in joyous response to God's glorious grace."
- Mark Driscoll
"Believers do not pray with the view of informing God about things unknown to Him, or of exciting Him to do His duty, or of urging Him as though He were reluctant. On the contrary, they pray in order that they may arouse themselves to seek Him, that they may exercise their faith in meditating on His promises, that they may relieve themselves from their anxieties by pouring them into His bosom; in a word, that they may declare that from Him alone they hope and expect, both for themselves and for others, all good things."
- Martin Luther
"I have to tell you first that I am ready to die. I have put my affairs in order. Your supreme weapon is killing. My supreme weapon is dying, because when you kill me, people all over Romania will read my books and believe on the God that I preach - even more than they do now."
- Dr. Joseph Ton, the exiled Romanian pastor (quoted by James Montgomery Boice)
"The best prayer I ever prayed had enough sin in it to condemn the whole world."
- John Bunyan
"If the Christian has lost sight of Calvary, that shows that he has lost his way."
- J.I. Packer[/SIZE]
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jon_jinn - Posts: 3261
- Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:49 pm
- Location: California
L'arc?! L'arc is NOTHING. Check out the REAL hardcore VK crossdressing j-rock. Gothic lolita with petticoats and frills and lipstick and the works.
Because nothing turns a heterosexual woman on like a hot man in a dress.
Because nothing turns a heterosexual woman on like a hot man in a dress.
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minakichan - Posts: 1547
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:19 pm
- Location: Tejas
Roy Mustang (post: 1198075) wrote:http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3622738176/tt0091369
Look kids, its our favorite anime villain Folken from Escaflowne the movie!
Oh wait a min, its just David Bowie.
[color="Red"]
[font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]
And yet another anime girl with freakish hair...
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1159843_3,00.html
No, just Bowie again. Oh, well.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He cause His face to shine upon you.
May He lift up His countenance and grant you peace.
Feel free to visit My Writing.com Portfolio
Largo: "Well Ed, good to see ya. Guess I gotta beat the crap out of you now."
Jamie Hyneman: "It's just another lovely day at the bomb range. Birds are singing, rabbits are hopping about, and soon there's going to be a big explosion."
May He cause His face to shine upon you.
May He lift up His countenance and grant you peace.
Maokun: Ninjas or Pirates? (Vikings are not a valid answer, sorry)
EricTheFred: Vikings are always a valid answer.
Feel free to visit My Writing.com Portfolio
Largo: "Well Ed, good to see ya. Guess I gotta beat the crap out of you now."
Jamie Hyneman: "It's just another lovely day at the bomb range. Birds are singing, rabbits are hopping about, and soon there's going to be a big explosion."
-
EricTheFred - Posts: 1691
- Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:26 pm
- Location: Garland, TX
Good to see this thread has stayed civil thus far; let's keep it that way! XD
Anyways, the style is known as Visual Kei, and yes, many bands dress like women. I don't really know the reason behind it, so I'll leave that for someone else to answer. Regardless, to my knowledge, either none or very few of the bands that use the Visual Kei style are actually gay, or even effeminate. Like I said, though, I don't really know a whole lot about it, so I'm going off of what I've heard, here. Also, definitely agreeing with those that brought up the bizarre clothing some American musicians wear. XD
And a bit off topic, but I've heard that song somewhere before, and I can't figure out where. XD
Anyways, the style is known as Visual Kei, and yes, many bands dress like women. I don't really know the reason behind it, so I'll leave that for someone else to answer. Regardless, to my knowledge, either none or very few of the bands that use the Visual Kei style are actually gay, or even effeminate. Like I said, though, I don't really know a whole lot about it, so I'm going off of what I've heard, here. Also, definitely agreeing with those that brought up the bizarre clothing some American musicians wear. XD
And a bit off topic, but I've heard that song somewhere before, and I can't figure out where. XD
[color="DeepSkyBlue"]4 8 15 16 23[/color] 42
[color="PaleGreen"]Rushia: YOU ARE MY FAVORITE IGNORANT AMERICAN OF IRISH DECENT. I LOVE YOU AND YOUR POTATOES.[/color]
[color="Orange"]WELCOME TO MOES[/color]
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Radical Dreamer - Posts: 7950
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- Location: Some place where I can think up witty things to say under the "Location" category.
Well, I mean, some male Japanese (and non-Japanese >_>) stars even fake-make-out with their male backups on stage, yet they remain straight and continue to have one-night stands exclusively with female stars and fans. *shrug*
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minakichan - Posts: 1547
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:19 pm
- Location: Tejas
[font="Palatino Linotype"]Heh.
*AHEM*
The picture attached is a MAN. His name is Mana. He is from the band Malice Mizer. (Don't listen to the music...*shudder* They's be kinda creepy)
He is also around...38-39 years of age?
This is nothing to me. I personally don't mind effeminate men.
But...this is maybe a little too extreme {{This is coming from a big Visual Kei fan}}
This is the Gothic Lolita style. Men do dress up like this. But most dress in the Gothic Aristocrat style.
But bands like Alice Nine, for instance, goes for the more boy-ish look.
And if you look for the band Antique Cafe (AN CAFE) one of the guys in the band looks feminine and they aren't really a Visual Kei band!
I think it's quite amusing, personally... ;D[/font]
*AHEM*
The picture attached is a MAN. His name is Mana. He is from the band Malice Mizer. (Don't listen to the music...*shudder* They's be kinda creepy)
He is also around...38-39 years of age?
This is nothing to me. I personally don't mind effeminate men.
But...this is maybe a little too extreme {{This is coming from a big Visual Kei fan}}
This is the Gothic Lolita style. Men do dress up like this. But most dress in the Gothic Aristocrat style.
But bands like Alice Nine, for instance, goes for the more boy-ish look.
And if you look for the band Antique Cafe (AN CAFE) one of the guys in the band looks feminine and they aren't really a Visual Kei band!
I think it's quite amusing, personally... ;D[/font]
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Hana Ryuuzaki - Posts: 546
- Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:20 pm
- Location: The Phantomhive Estate
>.> Hyde. Gay. lol
Crossdressing isn't new in Japan. It's been a part of theater and entertainment from way back, so it's uh, rather silly to assume a 'feminine' looking costume = gay guy in said costumes.
Crossdressing isn't new in Japan. It's been a part of theater and entertainment from way back, so it's uh, rather silly to assume a 'feminine' looking costume = gay guy in said costumes.
[SIZE="5"](*ﾟ∀ﾟ)ｱﾊｱ八ｱｯ八ｯﾉヽ～☆[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]DEBS: Fan of that manga where the kid's head is on fire.[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]DEBS: Fan of that manga where the kid's head is on fire.[/SIZE]
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Debitt - Posts: 3654
- Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2004 10:00 am
- Location: 並盛中学校
Yeah, if Mana and co dressed up as PRETTY girls instead of that kinda... creepy getup, I'd forgive them.
....I do think that Dir en grey's Shinya as Audrey Hepburn is very pretty. But that's IT, that's the limit, and Diru is scary as heck as a band.
Crossdressing's not new in the West, either. >DDD
....I do think that Dir en grey's Shinya as Audrey Hepburn is very pretty. But that's IT, that's the limit, and Diru is scary as heck as a band.
Crossdressing's not new in the West, either. >DDD
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minakichan - Posts: 1547
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:19 pm
- Location: Tejas
minakichan (post: 1198117) wrote:Crossdressing's not new in the West, either. >DDD
Didn't think so, though I'm less qualified to comment on the cultural implications of Western cross-dressing. XD[SIZE="5"](*ﾟ∀ﾟ)ｱﾊｱ八ｱｯ八ｯﾉヽ～☆[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]DEBS: Fan of that manga where the kid's head is on fire.[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]DEBS: Fan of that manga where the kid's head is on fire.[/SIZE]
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Debitt - Posts: 3654
- Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2004 10:00 am
- Location: 並盛中学校
[font="Palatino Linotype"]I actually like that style of clothing. (EGL, so to say.)
What. Could you imagine Mana dressing up in pink?
At least they don't pick very girly colors.
But...we're getting more into Visual Kei than J-Pop...
But the funny thing is? Guys cross-dressing over in Japan is very popular with the ladies.
People over think a guy cross-dressing is creepy...>_> [/font]
What. Could you imagine Mana dressing up in pink?
At least they don't pick very girly colors.
But...we're getting more into Visual Kei than J-Pop...
But the funny thing is? Guys cross-dressing over in Japan is very popular with the ladies.
People over think a guy cross-dressing is creepy...>_> [/font]
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Hana Ryuuzaki - Posts: 546
- Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:20 pm
- Location: The Phantomhive Estate
How about THIS?
.rai//
.rai//
[raiden's liveJournal]
[color="Indigo"]"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you . . . stranger."[/color]
Strollin' in at dawn, wakin' up at noon's gonna catch up to me soon
'Just sleep when you're dead' is what I said 'cause I'm jumpin' off the moon
[color="Indigo"]"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you . . . stranger."[/color]
Strollin' in at dawn, wakin' up at noon's gonna catch up to me soon
'Just sleep when you're dead' is what I said 'cause I'm jumpin' off the moon
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Raiden no Kishi - Posts: 2518
- Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:45 am
- Location: Ticking away/The hours that make up the dull day . . .
EricTheFred wrote:And yet another anime girl with freakish hair...
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1159843_3,00.html
No, just Bowie again. Oh, well.
At that moment, David Bowie remembers that the casting call for cats is not untill next week.
[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]
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Roy Mustang - Posts: 6022
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:00 pm
- Location: Central
Dr. Butterfly? Nah, he's not in a skirt, that makes him normal. *dies*
The crossdressing stuff and the fakemakeouts are definitely more prominent in J-rock than J-pop. There's a reason I gravitate towards the latter more than the former, even if that makes me a loser.
The crossdressing stuff and the fakemakeouts are definitely more prominent in J-rock than J-pop. There's a reason I gravitate towards the latter more than the former, even if that makes me a loser.
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minakichan - Posts: 1547
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:19 pm
- Location: Tejas
Well, I say this. I'm a fan of the band Buck-Tick. They did the song called dress in 1993 or so that become the opening for Trinity Blood.
But if you love this song and don't want any nightmares, never never ever watch the music video that they did for that song. Because the leader singer is in a women's nightgown.
[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang [/font][/color]
But if you love this song and don't want any nightmares, never never ever watch the music video that they did for that song. Because the leader singer is in a women's nightgown.
[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang [/font][/color]
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Roy Mustang - Posts: 6022
- Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:00 pm
- Location: Central
These don't really bother me. I actually like them xD. But the first one reminds me of Orochimaru . . . that's kind of awesome. xP They aren't taking it too far, like Mana, *barf*. In my opinion anyway.
I think they are pretty and nice looking at the same time ;D (The first two anyway, the last one makes me think of a Japanese David Bowie.)
I think they are pretty and nice looking at the same time ;D (The first two anyway, the last one makes me think of a Japanese David Bowie.)
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[SIZE="6"]ily.[/SIZE]
[SIZE="3"]Genesis 27:4
"When you prepare the tasty food that I love, bring it to me, and I will eat. Then I will bless you before I die."[/SIZE]
[SIZE="3"]Genesis 27:4
"When you prepare the tasty food that I love, bring it to me, and I will eat. Then I will bless you before I die."[/SIZE]
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Sohma - Posts: 134
- Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:35 pm
- Location: In God's Awesome Hands
Ah, Dress... That's an ABS song to me. XD;;;
Yeah, sometimes the PV ruins the song; there's great JPop/JRock songs out there that just have terrible PVs, it's sad... Well, I guess I should just stop being so curious/ stop being such a PV addict. (And then there are those PVs that make the song 5000% better XD XD XD)
Yeah, sometimes the PV ruins the song; there's great JPop/JRock songs out there that just have terrible PVs, it's sad... Well, I guess I should just stop being so curious/ stop being such a PV addict. (And then there are those PVs that make the song 5000% better XD XD XD)
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minakichan - Posts: 1547
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:19 pm
- Location: Tejas
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