MALICE MIZER

MALICE MIZER

“Merveilles” The End and the Return TOUR '98 / 7.22 Yokohama Arena

A dangerous drug that captivates those who see it

Text: Roku Ono

Photo: Miwa Oya

"Starting around 4 PM i t began to drizzle which soon turned into a downpour. Even with umbrellas it was only a slight comfort against the incredible intensity of the rain. In the midst of it, girls, filled with thoughts of Malice Mizer and a desire to get as close to them as possible, gathered while desperately lifting the hems of their dresses and cloaks.

On July 2nd at Yokohama Arena. Fans gathered for the final of Malice Mizer’s concert tour “merveilles" The End and the Return~TOUR '98," forming a long line from Shin Yokohama Station. Commuters completely unaware of what was happening, passed by with looks of sympathy and curiosity at the girls dressed in the most inappropriate outfits for the rain. But they didn’t care about that. Ignoring the rain, the fans gathered..."

Malice Mizer Kami

"The number of outfits I have is quite impressive you know. I love shopping so I tend to make impulsive buys (laughs). Yeah I don’t dislike trends either. If I think something is good I’ll often incorporate it right away. But I don’t incorporate trends into my outfits behind the scenes. Fashion is something beyond trends so it’s not really in that dimension for me.

As for the obsession with costumes it can vary depending on the song but to express the essence of the song I focus on the character of each person and the concept of their image color. For me my image color is purple but that doesn't mean I’ll wear any shade of purple. I consider the story of the song and the color choices I make are in line with that.

The reason purple became my image color was during our debut. Before that most of my costumes were based on black or silver. But for the debut I thought, "Why not try a different color?" At first I resisted it with a smile but once I wore it it didn’t feel out of place at all so I decided to go with it and that's when purple became my color.

When it comes to costumes, there’s always some creative thinking involved. For example the costume for "Ver. Aile" had pants with a wide bottom part from the knee down. They were hard to pedal in so I made a foot strap in the same color as the costume (laughs). Before playing the drums I’d quickly turn around and put it on instant performance art (laughs). There are plenty of behind the scenes stories like that.

As for my favorite costume it’s hard to choose since I like all of them and each one has sentimental value... But the costume for "Gekka no YasoKyoku" stands out as one I particularly love. The lines are beautiful and the inner fabric is a lovely purple iridescent material there was a lot of attention to detail even in parts you don’t see. I think that costume has a very high level of completion. Also the white costume I wore this time is another one I really love. It's the one that came closest to my image. We always design our costumes ourselves but sometimes the final product isn’t exactly what we envisioned. But this time it turned out perfectly to the design and I’m really happy with it. It might even be a personal hit (laughs).

The part I focused on the most this time was the wig. It has a blue to purple gradient and up until just before the photoshoot I couldn’t find a wig that matched my vision. I was so worried. Then while I was walking around the city I found a purple wig displayed in a shop window. And the part of it lit up with lights was changing colors to a blue creating a natural gradient. When I saw it I just knew, "This is it!" Even though the store told me it wasn’t for sale I begged them to sell it to me. The shopkeeper asked, “Are you sure you want it with the color change?” and I said, “That’s exactly what I’m looking for!" (laughs). So I really focus on the details like that and I hope everyone will enjoy looking at all the little details too."

Credits to my friend for the photo

II Circo Strano booklet, 1998

I remember someone saying in the formus that Il Circo Strano was among the first recordings Malice Mizer ever released with Gackt, prior to "Voyage."

II Circo Strano~奇妙なサーカス〜

II Circo Strano is a 10-minute long track about a strange circus and its bizarre members. It was published as a special issue of Zappy Magazine that came with a CD. You can listen to an excerpt in the last slide.

Zappy Magazine, Novemeber 1998

I did a little translation of Yu~ki's interview. Feel free to correct me in my mistakes.

Interviewer: This outfit is your personal clothing, right? Is it for a party?

Yu~ki: It’s casual clothing for going out. My pants are showing a bit (laughs), it’s a little too much (laughs).

Interviewer: Are you planning to attend a Christmas party like this?

Yu~ki: Yes, I am.

Interviewer: So, what comes to mind when you think of Christmas?

Yu~ki: Nothing much really. I’m happy because I get to eat cake, that’s about it. ...Though, it’s like, "you can eat cake anytime!" (laughs).

Interviewer: The lights are beautiful, right?

Yu~ki: Yes, they’re definitely beautiful.

Interviewer: Or maybe it’s about getting a lot of presents?

Yu~ki: I guess presents do arrive.

Interviewer: Do you have any positive impressions of Christmas?

Yu~ki: Well, not really. I don’t have any plans for this year either. It’ll probably be over before I even notice (laughs). The cold wind blows, the leaves fall, it’s a lonely season that makes you miss people. And since I look like Dracula in this outfit, maybe I should just go around sucking blood (laughs). But, yeah, it does kind of make you feel excited in a way.

Interviewer: It feels like we’re making you say that... (laughs). What’s a memorable Christmas for you?

Yu~ki: There was someone whose birthday was close to Christmas, so we had a party with a bunch of close friends. We exchanged gifts but it was all guys.

Interviewer: What about sweet memories with a girl?

Yu~ki: Memories with a girl... I can’t say there aren’t any.

Interviewer: Come on!

Yu~ki: I mean, I do have some, but they’re not sweet at all (laughs). Actually, now that I think about it, there really aren’t any interesting stories (laughs).

Interviewer: Until when did you believe in Santa Claus?

Yu~ki: Probably until I entered elementary school. My parents would always leave presents by my pillow, and maybe I pretended to believe for their sake. I’ve always been the type to look at things realistically from a young age (laughs).

Interviewer: That’s not very cute! So, what’s your ideal way to spend Christmas?

Yu~ki: Cake. ...Well, I don’t really care, to be honest (laughs). As long as it’s fun, that’s good enough, right? But is it normal for people to have plans for Christmas?

Interviewer: Even though your fans usually call out, "Yu~ki ♥," on Christmas...

Yu~ki: I hope everyone listens to a CD and eats cake alone. ...That’s what I’ll be doing! While thinking of my fans!!

Malice Mizer Magazines

(Part 2/6)

All the photo credits to voulerie on tumblr

"No one can dispute the beautifully androgynous Mana's strong influence on Lolita fashion from the very beginning, partially evidenced by the fact that a photo shoot with the musician and designer has been in every issue of Gothic & Lolita Bible since the first.

Many became familiar with Mana, who created both the terms Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGA) and Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL), when he was creating memorably flam Boyant costumes for his Gothic band MM, dressing himselt in Gothic Lolita and the other members in Aristocratic styles for their extravagant music videos and artistically inspired performance.

Since the music group's disbandment in 2001, Mana has remained focused on both music and fashion. He runs his own record label, Midi Nette, performs with his current band, Moi dix Mois, and acts as both designer and model for his clothing line, Moi-même-Moitié

We were pleased when this multitalented Lolita icon agreed to take time from his busy creative schedule to answer questions about his past, present, and future projects for our Western readers."

Kami

"On stage, I enter an unrealistic world, so sometimes when I see the audience, my excitement can drop, but I don't mean anything by it. By playing catch with the fans, we experience various things together to explore what it means to be human. Fans and Malice are like liquids, and in that, a formal relationship cannot be established.

From the 'transparent field' of 'Ville de Merveilles,' we are exploring one side of them but to be straightforward i try to ask Gackt about the meaning of the overall concept of the live performance. He often says that we get asked about the meaning of the concept but it would get confusing to talk about the answer if you don't understand the problems we are presenting. There's a time lag in our live performances and i think if you watch the performance you will understand what kind of problems we were presenting. Therefore, if you watch the next Budokan performance you will understand what it was last time. There, even if we don’t present the answer you may understand what the theme was. It might be something that you can’t grasp, because it depends on how a person feels. It's not just about watching the live performance having fun and that’s the end of it.

Mana also continues the conversation. 'There might be secrets on the top floor of Budokan. Malice is linked in various places...'

In fact, after this interview ended, Gackt asked me, 'Do we say too many things we can't say?' That might be true but conversely there may not be any other band that provides this much enjoyment in unraveling the mysteries. It could be said that they offer the joy of thinking together with them.

They have held the same unchanging theme of 'what it means to be human' since their formation, but i think they are trying to approach this grand theme from different angles in each part of their activities. If we compare it to a role playing game, if the mysteries scattered around the map were too easy to solve the game wouldn't work. The important thing is to think together with them, to send back the ripple as a mirror and the answer will come later.

In the album 'mer・veillea,' which will be released on March 18 various waves are included and the abundance of 80's electro pop style arrangements caught my attention. When i asked Mana who frequently mentioned the term '80s' this time , about it he responded, 'There is a bit of meaning in the number 80.'

This also allows the listener to imagine more. Finally, I will record a few more words from Gackt to stir even more imagination:

'Ville de Merveilles' is not just something futuristic. The beginning and the end are always back to back.'"

“People used to say we were heretical or something.”

“Rock is freedom.”

“Maybe Malice Mizer is pure rock in the sense that it breaks definitions.”

— So, you guys really got criticized a lot, huh?

Közi: Oh yeah, it was intense.

Mana: I often heard rumors like, “He hasn’t played guitar recently? Isn’t that kind of dangerous?”

Közi: And I’d be like, what exactly is so dangerous about that?

Mana: Rock is supposed to be about freedom, right? I mean, as long as it's for the sake of expression, I think it's fine to do anything. So the fact that people even think that’s “dangerous” I find that mentality itself kind of dangerous.

Közi: Exactly. So in that sense, what people call “rock” sometimes isn’t rock at all. Even if there’s something out there saying “this is what rock is,” I think real rock is about breaking that definition. That’s why I think Malice Mizer might actually be pure rock.

— Yeah, definitely in spirit.

Mana: Seriously, the feedback from live show surveys used to be so harsh. Like, “He doesn’t even play guitar anymore, he’s just happy wearing dresses, right?” I got told stuff like that. A lot.

— Whoa, that’s really rude.

Közi: Yeah, and when people who thought like that left, we didn’t try to stop them. But it was sad to be judged on just that one thing.

Mana: But who knows, maybe that same person who left back then is re-evaluating things now (lol).

Közi: Honestly, people tend to have such a narrow view of things , not just with music, but with everything.

— But at the time, you were desperately trying to express something through music. Still very much musicians then (lol). So, was the concept Mana had in mind back then already the foundation for Malice Mizer?

Közi: Yeah, it was. And that concept hasn’t really changed, even now. The name “Malice Mizer” comes from the idea of “malice and misery” , expressing the malice that lies deep within humans, theatricality, and the unpredictability of life.

Back then, we hadn’t developed the kind of staging we do now. We were closer to a traditional band, really. The music had classical influences, and we had twin guitars. Gradually we added in more theatrical elements. Even now, we’re still experimental , but back then, it was all trial and error.

— Were there any other bands at the time expressing themselves in such a comprehensive, theatrical way?

Mana: Well, we were part of the visual kei scene, sure, but I don’t think there were any others doing it quite like us. Probably not. There’s often this idea of “this is what a band should be,” but we really wanted to break that and create something new.

— So that was your youth…

Mana: Then I moved to Tokyo and became a madam (laughs).

— And that’s when you met Közi, during your “madam era.”

Közi: Yeah, Mana already had a well-defined style. I just kind of slipped into it. I thought, “Hey maybe we can create something really intricate together.”

— Did you listen to demo tapes back then?

Közi: Yeah. I also saw a video of Mana’s old band in Osaka. He was playing guitar like a rock , totally still (laughs).

Mana: Back then, it was all about the playing. I was still pretty inexperienced. I didn’t have any concept of staging or performance , it was just about the sound.

ESP Jeune Fille J:F-450

The model name is French for “young girl.” Its striking see-through blue finish matched beautifully with the elegant dresses it was paired with. From the logo on the headstock to the detailed position markers, every element reflects thoughtful design.

ESP Aka-Uzu-kun AW-550

With a see-through red finish that evokes the passion of youthful blood, this model features intricate inlays that seem to wrap around the body, and a swirling motif that gives it a sense of refined elegance. The name “Aka-Uzu-kun” carries a distinctly Japanese charm.

GIGS 1998

Check Out the Fashion of the Stars!

Vol. 5

Mana (MALICE MIZER)

Paying Attention to Invisible Style

Finally, the long awaited MALICE MIZER is here! This time we talked mainly about the costumes for their new song “The Blood and Roses of Reunion,” which will be released on November 3rd. Use it as a reference for cosplay. Also look forward to Közi in the issue coming out on November 1st and Yu~ki in the issue coming out on November 29th!

What About This Time’s Costume?

Mana: It’s inspired by “The Bloodline,” and we’ve unified the costumes for the three members. My role hasn’t changed. It’s supposed to be unclear whether I’m alive or dead...

Any Particular Details You Focused On?

Mana: The flouncy part of the mini skirt is a focus. This time, I wanted to create a sense of heaviness overall, so the fabric is relatively heavy, but the skirt is fluffy. Also, since the song is “The Blood and Roses of Reunion,” we’ve placed the emblem on each member's chest as a focal point. The color is blue, and I’ve also used a slightly darker lipstick than usual. And the knee-high socks—they’re worn over stockings. The color matches the blue theme. Even if they aren’t visible? It’s important to be stylish!

The Hair Roll Looks Great Too.

Mana: This time, setting the roll higher is key. Start by creating rolls at the roots, then curl them up and pin them. The number of rolls depends on the mood of the moment. The trick is to avoid making them too thick or too thin; use the curling iron carefully for each one. Straight hair is fine, but using the curling iron is tricky, so it takes practice. If you’re not used to it, it won’t curl easily. It’s better not to use too strong a hairspray; if it’s too hard it loses its natural softness.

It Won’t Show, You Know (laughs). This time all the lace parts of the costume are made from the same fabric and the headpiece is also made from the same lace.

You’ve Slimmed Down a Lot, Haven’t You?

Mana: I’m opening an original fashion brand shop (“Moi-même Moitie”), so the owner can’t be overweight (laughs). Plus gothic fashion doesn’t suit someone who isn’t slim. I’ve lost a few kilograms for that reason.

Are the Accessories for the Costume Store Products?

Mana: They aren’t store products; they were made specifically for this occasion. The earrings, rings, and necklace are all crosses, and they have a specific meaning. In “The Blood and Roses of Reunion,” the cross represents “spiritual communion.”

Regarding Mana’s Look...

Mana: It hasn’t changed; it’s the same (costume) (laughs). There are a lot of skirts. The points of style are mysterious, alluring, elegant, and extreme. The hairstyle is also carefully adjusted to match the occasion. It feels like “mysterious gothic horror,” right?

Any Future Challenges You Want to Try?

Mana: Maybe a pompadour. I really like pompadours. A big pompadour. It looks cool. I might incorporate that into a costume.

STYLE MALICE MIZER

The act of "expression" is not something exclusive to a specialized field. For artists and creators involved in music if we were to put it simply, it is a means of offering hints and proposals that are deeply rooted in one’s personal sensibilities.

This series serves as a method to refine and cultivate those sensibilities in other words, it is a means of expression itself. Life itself is a style.

---------------------

Photography = Yohsuke Komatsu (印), Saori Tsuji (◇印)

Featuring MALICE MIZER

Guest = MALICE MIZER

Text by Kazumi Kanoh

Composition = Kazumi Kanoh

Photographs by Yohsuke Komatsu, Saori Tsuji

---------------------

ADDITIONAL SORROW

At first glance with their extravagant costumes and makeup, they may appear to be a theatrical troupe. At their live performance at Nippon Seinenkan in January of this year the stage was set in a medieval European aesthetic, reminiscent of a scene from a play.

The performance they delivered far exceeded the confines of a traditional rock band. With a spectacle that was breathtakingly opulent, MALICE MIZER has now drawn attention from various fields.

What do they think?

Where are they headed?

While retracing their past and present, we explore the "STYLE" that is uniquely theirs.

[ORIGIN]

Mana: "MALICE MIZER was formed in August 1992, with Kozi and me at the core. From the very beginning our concept was based on an image of medieval Europe. Nowadays we’ve started incorporating more pop elements but back then, we were fully immersed in Baroque and Gothic influences. We also incorporated a significant amount of classical music elements."

Közi: "At first there were no French influences like there are now. At that time there weren’t many bands focusing on twin guitar arrangements, so we wanted to feature guitar driven music."

Mana: "All of our songs were dark in tone."

Kami: "But even back then, we experimented a lot with unexpected elements."

Mana: "Our vocalist and drummer were different back then as well. In May 1993, Kami joined, and from that point on, we started playing more live shows. At that time, we didn’t have the money to advertise so the only way for people to learn about us was through live performances. So we decided to perform wherever we could. At that time, our concept was still very medieval Europe."

Kami: "We were already doing a lot with the stage back when I joined."

Közi: "We’d incorporate something special into our openings. We never made a typical rock band entrance."

Mana: "Back then, everyone was playing their instruments for the entire set, so the opening was the only moment we had to do something unique. But that was also the most exciting moment, so we wanted to make an impact right from the start. We started incorporating stage sets after we began doing one man shows but even before that, we tried our best to recreate our envisioned aesthetic in live houses. Before we became a one-man act we often opened for other bands during tours and even though we couldn’t build a full set we still decorated the stage. We wrapped it in vines, gathered tree branches from the forest, and placed them on stage."

Közi: "Yeah we’d wake up in the morning and start cutting branches (laughs)."

Mana: "Exactly (laughs). We also organized a series of events called "Tragic Banquet", hosted by MALICE MIZER, where bands like PENICILLIN and SIAM SHADE also performed. At the time, many band-led events were happening in Osaka and Yokohama, but we felt like someone needed to take the lead in Tokyo too so we took the initiative (laughs)."

- Fool's Mate 090

-As usual when i interview MALICE MIZER my mind starts to dry up a bit (laughs).

Gackt: If you don’t get caught up in rigid notions or long held beliefs i think a lot can be understood. People attach years to the concept of time for clarity but that’s just a human made record for our convenience, not a true representation of time itself.

- Is it that before crossing or not crossing the sky, it was never something that was defined in the first place?

Gackt: I wonder? Also, within this album, various characters and shapes come to light but i believe it’s important to note that everything is linked in some form.

-However, this album really delves deeply into everything from the concepts to the sounds.

Gackt: The sound is so rich that we didn’t have enough channels. Even in parts of the songs we didn’t touch on in this interview there're various mechanisms woven into the fabric.

Gackt: Rather than mechanisms everything is inevitably included.

-It’s quite a niche no, a freaky endeavor, isn’t it?

Kozi: That’s MALICE MIZER’s characteristic after all.

Gackt: It can’t be helped. The people creating this are all quite freaky. After working on this album i realized something: discussions about MALICE MIZER often tend to concentrate on visual performances.

Mana: That might be true. But it’s more than that. It’s not limited to visual aspects; we aim to enhance our world in every way possible through all the elements we can use to create. This album made that very clear.

Gackt: Absolutely. Well, since our appearance is what it is i can understand why people would focus on visuals whether they say it’s impressive or over the top. However for MALICE MIZER we want to express our thoughts through sound and stage in all aspects, so if they can understand that it’s great. Of course i believe that in this album the individual growth and evolution as a collective are clearly represented. Given that it’s natural for the quality to rise.

-By the way, will there be any continued performances of "Bois de merveilles" in the future?

Mana: Who knows? (laughs)

Kozi: It’s too precious to just give away (laughs). I think there might be a performance around the next show though.

Gackt: I can’t say anything just yet.

Kozi: Plus performing the songs from this album live requires extensive preparation. They’re so intricate!

Gackt: Regardless MALICE MIZER inherently has the characteristic of deliberately taking a perplexing path.

- I think this has been discussed many times before but can you share your thoughts heading toward the final performance?

Gackt: Just remember that beginnings and endings are always back to back.

Mana: That’s right, everyone, please give it your all and feel it.

Yu~ki: Look forward to it.

Kozi: Absolutely!

Mana: What’s that in reference to?

Kozi: Well...

Gackt: What should I do? If it’s to myself (laughs).