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Trellia β Goth Type 6: The J-Goth
Published: 2006-02-26 12:18:54 +0000 UTC; Views: 111113; Favourites: 1096; Downloads: 1005
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Description
Of course, the majority of Goths are unique in their style and music preferences. However, within the subculture there are certain "types" of Goth with particular characteristics. And it can be fun to classify them. Naturally, classifications for each "type" vary from person to person, so you may disagree with what I say here!One of my favourite looks, thanks to the time I spent in Harajuku. Apart from the Lolita, it was really difficult to think up a typical "style" for Visual Kei - the movement's very eclectic.
As with all my work, please DON'T steal this! If you want to use it for whatever purposes, email me and ask me first.
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Comments: 152
Lovely series! Offensive? Possibly, as this type description seems more merciless than on the Vicotrian Goths, Cabaret Goths etc.
The connection to cosplay you mention is something most proper Lolitas would find unacceptable. Somebody who dresses up as Naruto or Sailor Moon or anything as geeky and a serious Gothic Lolita are worlds apart. Except for Chobits cosplayers, maybe. The ideas behind it are very different.
And the thing of "cheesy Euro-Pop", although it's sort of right. I might be offended as a European citizen, though. As if Americans never had cheesy pop.
But, I am not offended about either. 
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As I lived in Japan for a year, this description is very Japan-centric. And in Japan, Lolita is still hugely linked to the cosplay scene, and cosplay is not considered particularly geeky.
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Interesting. Wouldn't cosplay go along the lines of "otaku", though? I know that over here people call themselves that and are proud of it, whilst I heard in Japan it is still quite a negative term. If model-building, DΕjinshi-drawing folks with life sized chii dolls at home [sorry, another stereotype] are seen as negative, why wouldn't cosplayers be? Of course I have never lived in Japan, but I assumed.
I mean, it is always made quite clear in the Japanese Lolita magazines that it is a lifestyle coming with etiquette, furniture-sytles, a certain way of speaking, a mindset, and all that, and therefore substantially different from occasionally dressing up as a fictional character once in a while. Surely if a Lolita was to be called a cosplayer, she would correct the statement and say that she is just herself?
Apart from that - of course you are totally right by making it Japan-centric. They are the original, after all.
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Otaku and cosplayers are not necessarily one and the same. In Japan, imitation of art has always been considered as art itself, and the cosplayers in Harajuku certainly take it very seriously, form, and spend huge amounts of time and money on their costumes. For them, style is everything. The otaku, on the other hand, would rather spend their time and money reading or watching manga/anime, rather than dressing as characters.
Cosplayers can be seen mixing in equal numbers with Lolitas in Harajuku, and popular subcultural magazines such as CURE are aimed at Lolitas, cosplayers and Visual Kei fans alike. Like Goths, Punks and Cyber Goths in subcultural hot spots like Camden, the Lolitas, Visual Kei fans and Cosplays all mix together in Harajuku, and you can see a lot of cross-overs.
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eh, but anime/manga is almost the norm in Japan, i fail to see how that makes them otakus
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Ok, thanks for the info.
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I know a few Lolita types who are "proper" goths. There's a few that dress like that, what with blonde hair and frilly french maid type outfits, regardless of EGL too.
The picture for the guy in this is so dead on, though. I'll never understand what's with their hair.
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Haha these are absolutely great- I'm actually doing an essay for school atm concerning common myths about Goth culture.
The drawings are so cute, and the facts are great to read. I knew a lot of it already but it's so nice to see someone else making clear that we're not all Satanic Manson wannabes... XD
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aka gothic lolita, not just found in japan but places like germany, nerway etc.
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n_n my sisters loves j-rock.
i like Dir En Grey
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I love this. Visual Kei is impossible to explain though really, it's always changing. It's a stereo type for two complete extremesx].
Good work=]
<3
xoxo
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That's very true, no doubt this description and the pictures are out of date now.
Thank you!
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There's a Cyber Goth (Goth number 3) and Rivethead (Goth number 7), and I've got "Graver" on my to-do list...
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Kya, so cute. My friend showed me these once before. Very funny
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i love them!! gothic lolita i usually refer them as... mainly females
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That's why I called these J-Goths, and not Lolitas, because the male side of Japanese Goth is distinctive enough in its own right.
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good point
i wish i could go there and get those stuff
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Interesting! I've always wondered why they called it "Gothic Lolita."
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waaahahaha
gazette fits this perfectly
the pretty goths
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oh heres the gothic lolita card......whoops.....*whacks self in face for being sooooo stupid*
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A correction for you to note, is Malice Mizer is -not- "cheesy Europop". :/ They're more on the lines of gothic rock.
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I would have to disagree with you there. In my opinion, their music does have a quality that remnds me of cheesy old Europop at its worst (I'm thinking of several tracks on the Merveilles album). That's not to say I don't like them though, I think they're great
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I actually had a hard time listening to Merveilles, some of it seemed a little too silly? Transylvania & Bara no Seidou seemed to be more of the "heart" of Malice Mizer, if you get what I mean.
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Very true, we even get Lolita stylee goths in regular rock clubs near me, let alone goth clubs, not that they dance... no, that would damage the dress (although i doubt that thought is limited to just J-goths).
I now have to resist adding my two cents (sorry, that should be two pence) to all the pics in this series. so *ahem* cool series, I can identify with these and know people who fall into these stereotypes (though not through their specific effort) i think i myself have in the past travelled in and out of No. 5 (but from the hippy direction)
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Hehe! Sometimes that's so true about all the prettiest goths at the clubs!
Thank you so much for your comments! I'm always really glad when people can identify with these pics
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It's cool that you included this. I think that the Japanese have contributed to the fashion aspect of the Goth subculture, but not many people seem to recognise that.
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Thanks! I'm glad you feel the same way
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Gothic Lolitas are love *-*
Malice Mizer and Mana are sexyness *Β¬*
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Hi there..this will sound poser like..let's see...I am a goth and this style is most suitable for me ...and I must say that were often mistaken to be EMO and I hate that X(
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Hehe...actually, I'm thinking of doing an "Emo Goth" type, because so many people have mentioned it.
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I dun no it that is a good idea XD
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woa.. i would never say that a lolita is gothis beyond the only name of the style XD they're VK's creation and only that XD
even if i do love most of the visual kei styles and do not care about the lolita, i still think that is in some ways impossible to confuse them. I mean, has something about the gothic lolita style that says is is very japanese way of interpretation. I slike something always go a miis when the japanese try to absorb something from de ocidental culture XD
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You may be right. However, judging by how many European goths have adopted elements of Gothic Lolita, and by how many Gothic Lolitas in Japan adopt European Gothic elements, it is almost undeniable that there is a relationship between the two.
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true to be said. still, like i said, the true behind any style get lost when the style is popularized ( this word even exist?XD). anyway, i still agree with u, were just a point to stand out.
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Lolitas and visual kei people aren't goth at ALL by japanese goth standards.
Japanese goths have many ties into the drag queen scene and they tend to be more extra-crazy when they dress and or apply makeup but they only listen to western goth bands and or japanese bands that are concretely GOTHIC.
Most japanese goths hold a great distate for visual kei and all its fandom, thou small exceptions are made (like for Mana, who they now respect).
Some goth clubs forbid the entry to lolitas too, i've heard.
So yeah, the lolita movement may have started somehow from goths, or so it seems. But this isn't really the "J-GOTH".
Go check bands like Madame Edwarda, Eve of Destiny, Neurotic Doll, Auto-Mod, 2BULLET, etc to see what I mean by "J-goth".
Just thought I'd add my two cents on the matter.
--k
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Agreed. I'm here (Japan) now and yeh, there is a very strong difference between the two.
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Thank you for agreeing!
Have you gone to any goth/SM events lately?
--k
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Lately??? not very often. Would like to more. But, Im shaving my head these days and clubbers smokeing is making old me grouchy. I'm the "Grouchy Elder Goth"!!! Hahaha. I feel tired.
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Thank you for your two cents and for the fave
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--k
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This series of yours is da bomb!! I was a regular of Harajuku when in Tokyo, so this one particularly cracked me up! Brilliant. You must spend a lot of time in Camden, observing and sketching the regulars
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Thank you so much - praise indeed coming from a skilled artist like yourself
Yay, someone else who's experienced the joy of Harajuku!
I don't actually do any sketches, or indeed spend a lot of time in Camden - you can normally see a fair number of different types of people at your regular club.
I love people watching
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Camden is my favourite place to go when I'm in London. I hang out at the Devonshire inn and also remember the Dublin Castle, excellent place for people watching!
*Sigh* Missing it!
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I love the artwork in this one especially! How many more are there to come?
~G
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Thanks!
I've got about 27 more potential types to do, and since new styles are always emerging that list is easily extended!
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Wow that's quite a few o.O
I'm really looking forward to them!
~G
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I love these little goth annotations ^^ brings to light evrything people dont see about goths.
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