It’s a Jrock / Visual Kei announcement day! First, Kanon Wakeshima’s new album, Lolitawork Libretto, is finally out (pick it up here). To celebrate, I’m holding a giveaway contest with her record label Maru Music. Meaning you can win Kanon Wakeshima postcards autographed by the Gothic Lolita doll herself! Read on for details, and for exciting updates on the X Japan and D’espairsRay tours.

Kanon Wakeshima sings and plays Baroque cello, and is the prodigy-protegee of Visual Kei god Mana (Malice Mizer / Moi dix Mois). Above is the PV of her new single, Lolitawork Libretto, with French storytelling by Solita. Both her classical songwriting and Gothic Lolita princess dress are entrancing.

Here’s your chance to enter her lovely Lolita world — you can win an autographed 4-piece Kanon Wakeshima postcard set! Three of the postcards are photos of the adorable artist; one showcases an original artwork by her. And one of the cards is signed by Kanon Wakeshima herself.

HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST…
† Amazingly, Kanon began playing cello at age 3. How about you: what was your earliest encounter with a musical instrument? Please leave a comment in this blog post, sharing your story. If you don’t play any instruments, let me know what you’d like to learn and why.
† Please promote the contest in a blog or forum post, or link to it via Facebook, Twitter, Stumble or other social network. Include the link or username in your comment for verification.

Contest is open worldwide and ends Tues, August 3 at midnight Pacific Time. You may only enter once and must fulfill both requirements to be eligible. Winner will be picked at random. Email Carmina if you have questions.

I previously shared the news that Visual Kei legends X Japan will be touring North America in the fall. Here’s another exciting update: the band’s former bassist Taiji Sawada will join X Japan on stage as a special guest! He’ll appear for two concerts, held August 14 and 15 at Nissan Stadium in Tokyo.

It’s been 18.5 years since Taiji and X Japan last played together. Don’t you love the band’s hair-raising look in the 1980s? It seems like the increasing interest in Visual Kei outside of Japan is encouraging bands to reunite. And if the Kozi-Mana-Yuki love at the July concert was any indication, Malice Mizer is next… fingers crossed!

Finally, Askew Magazine has teamed up with D’espairsRay to create a special tour booklet. I’ve seen a preview, and it’s ultra-professional and made with love. The booklet contains entirely original photography and an in-depth look behind the creation of Monsters and the “Death Point” music video. This special edition item is only available via the merchandise table at D’espairsRay concerts in North America and possibly Europe — so head out to a show! And good news for fans who bought tickets to the cancelled shows (Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta) — Askew will send you a booklet for FREE (if you have proof of purchase and cover the shipping/handling). Head over to Askew Magazine’s site for more Visual Kei goodies.

Anyone pumped to see D’espairsRay live? Come enter the Kanon Wakeshima contest by commenting about your first musical experience and spreading the word on the giveaway. (I’ll get the ball rolling.)

Japanese Word of the Day: Zetsubou = Despair
Song of the Day: TAIJI with HEAVEN’S (from “The Birthday Eve” show in Tokyo on March 26, 2010).

Sad news, my friends… the iconic Takuya Angel shop in Harajuku will be closing soon.

Wait, don’t start bawling! Takuya Angel will no longer have a boutique by Takeshita Doori, but you can still buy his cute cyber designs via his online shop.

Takuya Angel can now concentrate on designing and selling internationally. My friends Kynt and Vyxsin modeled in his US fashion show, so they asked us to deliver a gift: a decorated a Lip Service calendar.

It’s sad, however, that we can no longer stop by the Takuya Angel shop to say hi. I’ll miss seeing the latest designs up close, such as this gorgeous silk crane jacket, made from vintage kimono fabric.

The neon decor and friendly staff always put a smile on my face. And the eyelashes are out of this world.

Yukiro modeled in Takuya’s fashion shows alongside DJ Chihiro, SiSEN and others. He says, “It’s been an honor to work with him, and I’m very sad that the store is closing down.”

If you’re in Tokyo, stop by the iconic Takuya Angel Harajuku store before it’s gone forever.

Smile, my little panda bears… you can continue to buy Takuya Angel’s designs online, so please support him!

I leave you with a video of Takuya Angel Fashion Show #18 at Tokyo Dark Castle here. Can you spot Yukiro among the models?

Have you ever visited Takuya Angel’s store? Got any fond memories of the boutique?

Japanese Word of the Day: Tsume yasuri = Nail file
Song of the Day: Françoise Hardy – Comment Te Dire Adieu (the song in the video of the last Takuya Angel fashion show)

Last Saturday, Malice Mizer’s three founding members (Mana, Kozi, Yuki) reunited on stage for the first time in almost a decade. The Deep Sanctuary II concert was a profoundly moving experience -– not only for the audience, but for the band members as well. The trio performed Beast of Blood. They hugged. Mana cried. And Yukiro and Count de Sang were right smack in the front row, witnessing it all. Let’s hear their story. (All photos by Yukiro.)

COUNT DE SANG: The brilliance of the July sunlight added a dreamlike quality to the Akasaka Blitz venue. In spite of the bright rays shining down around it, a kind of dark energy seemed to be gathering force as black-clad figures swarmed toward the building where history was about to be made.

YUKIRO: It was great to see so many wonderfully dressed up fans, even though the weather was hot and the wind messed up our hair and make-up. I was wearing a classic Dravarious look, and Count de Sang was of course wearing only Moi-meme-Moitie: we counted and it was about 10-12 items. He bought a Dark Sanctuary II shirt for 4000 yen.

COUNT: My fellow darklings and I found our way to the front row, directly in front of the platform where Mana was to stand in all of his darkly effulgent majesty. But first, Közi was determined to get the party started with one Hell of a performance.

YUKIRO: After we waited almost an hour and a half in the heat, Kozi’s band went on stage. Drummer Cha-ji had extremely sick make-up and his energy was beyond comprehensible. He gave 200% all the time even in the slow songs — and the guitarist played barefoot! Kozi looked fresh and younger, and had a cool hairstyle: a teased, forward-bended brown Mohawk, and he had fashionable black and red garments wrapped around him.

COUNT: While last year’s Deep Sanctuary left me with the distinct feeling that Közi had somehow lost his musical edge, this year I was blown away by the high-energy, nonstop onslaught of pure delight as only he can deliver it. Közi brought the venue to a fever pitch as he mentioned the day’s special guest…Yu~ki!

YUKIRO: Kozi called him “Hakushaku” so we had to scream HAKUSHAKU! They were referring to the vampire movie they did.

COUNT: The next song was announced as the piece that Yu~ki composed for Közi’s album. It was a beautiful performance, filled with power and emotion, and it left everyone breathless as Moi dix Mois prepared to take the stage.

YUKIRO: They switched the background to a Dix-pentagram and we waited, hot and smushed from every direction. When Mana entered, everyone screamed MANA-SAMA and went crazy. Mana was wearing a scandalously short skirt with a black and blue transparent fabric over it so you could see his gorgeous legs. He had, of course, everything in black and blue and a shining blue cross on his stylish black guitar (he switched to one with a red shining cross for the last song). K and Seth and the other two were all in black and red as always, but their clothes were awesome. They’d put a lot more effort in their outfits this year.

COUNT: The tight lineup gave a solid performance that skillfully blended classics, such as “Ange” and “La dix croix,” along with standard Seth-era pieces like “exclude” and “Metaphysical.” The ritual song “dispell bound” and “Immortal Madness” served to bring the entire audience together as one with the band. The set list also included two unreleased songs and one all new piece, which are set to appear on the new album (slated for early October of this year). Whetting the audience’s appetite even more, Seth informed us that “the Count” would not be resurrected unless we called for him loudly enough. And so, with shouts of “hakushaku!!” the long-missing bassist of the legendary Malice Mizer was called forth from the darkness.

YUKIRO: Of course they did the DIX ritual with the audience, and Mana gave a lot of energy, headbanging and spinning like crazy. It was wonderful to observe from up close.

COUNT: As the curtain closed on Moi dix Mois’ final song, the anticipation was nearly tangible as the entire audience stood with bated breath. The stillness was broken with only a few tones, soon followed by countless shouts of delight as the haunting melody of “Saikai no chi to bara” reached our ears. The curtains opened, and I saw a sight that I had never expected to see in my lifetime…Mana, Közi, and Yu~ki, on stage together for the first time in nearly ten years.

YUKIRO: Yuki to the right, Mana on the left and Kozi in the middle, each one with a red rose in his hand. Yuki wore a hat and his nostalgic Malice Mizer make-up. This sight was too much for me: the audience and I screamed my lungs out. When Kozi started to speak, we screamed so much that he wasn’t able to. It was so supreme and divine, it was like GOD himself had appeared in front of you and you just never wanted it to end. Pure ecstasy. There are no words to describe the feelings I had. It was too much; I could die happy now.

Mana started to cry and that was too much for me and I burst into tears again. But they suddenly got a hold of themselves and started to play a normal rock song, a bit Motley Crue-ish. Kozi’s singing is really amazing. They don’t need Gackt or Klaha; they could work as the three legends.

COUNT: The friendship and camaraderie between the three simply radiated from the stage. I was dumbstruck, and could only be carried along by the force and emotion of the music.

YUKIRO: After that song the most amazing thing in my life (so far) happened. They announced they were to play “Beast of Blood.” The audience held their breath for a nanosecond to comprehend what Kozi just had told us – and then we screamed more than we ever did! It was amazing; everything I’ve ever wanted it to be. Kozi could sing it as well as Klaha, and they had an air fog cannon bomb in the last chorus. The audience screamed “Malice Mizer” which felt magical. All we had been longing for, for the last 8-9 years, was right in front of us.

YUKIRO: When they were supposed to go off stage, everyone screamed and screamed so they changed their minds and went back and did a GROUP hug. Mana jumped on Yuki and Kozi; it was heavenly to see. We all started to scream “encore” and they went out one more time, but Kozi sad that they didn’t had any more songs to do — so they just thanked us and did one more group hug — and you can see that they were really feeling it themselves. I was speechless and in a shock, and about to faint, emotion overflowing. I couldn’t have dreamt of a live this good.

COUNT: The curtain closed on what was certainly an all-too-short reunion, but as the three gentlemen of Malice Mizer left the stage with their arms around each other, I think everyone present sensed a certain amount of hope for the future. According to Mana and Közi, malice and misery are the very essence of this life itself, and as long as we live on, the darkly beautiful spark of Gothic romance that Malice Mizer inspired in all of us will never die.

Thank you to both of you for the heartfelt reports! Did you get chills up your spine as you read about the powerful moments? What do you portend for the future of Malice Mizer?

Japanese Word of the Day: Eda = Branch (of a tree)
Song of the Day: Malice Mizer – Bara ni Irodorareta – Saikai no Chi to Bara (“Because here they stand like they did yesterday at the concert.”)

Japanese teenagers wearing “I ♥ Satan” t-shirts? V-fingers for the Devil? This ain’t no gathering for devil-worshippers, but at a Darkest Labyrinth Visual Kei concert headlined by SaTaN. (Or as they pronounce it, Sah-tah-nu.) GPKISM, Calmando Qual, LIX and Omega Dripp also performed, and I documented everything on video — so scroll on down for the story.

SaTaN has devoted following that showed up in band t-shirts and head-whirled like windmills. Ironically, instead of blood-dripping black roses, a fan left the band pretty pastel flowers and balloons.

Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo is a tiny venue; we could hardly squeeze past the merchandise tables. Wish you could get your hands on these CDs? HearJapan now stocks MP3s and releases from Darkest Labyrinth and Starwave Records! Come get your J-Goth-Rock fix from their online store.

Visual Kei is a small scene in Japan, as you can tell from the size and dumpiness of this venue. 90% of the concert-goers were — as usual — teenage girls. Not many were dressed up; the cosplayers and Lolitas really only come out for Gackt, Moi dix Mois and Versailles…

However, there were some cute Gothic Lolitas and a glorious Versailles poster. To see photos of our outfits that evening, click here.

Ok, shall we watch ze video? La Carmina and Yukiro wear scandalous clothing and run into walls as they report on the Darkest Labyrinth concert. (What drugs were we on that night?) The live concert footage includes GPKISM (Gothic Prince Ken and Kiwamu), Calmando Qual, LIX and the bloody SaTaN dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Hooray for horror J-rock!

We missed Omega Dripp but arrived in time for LIX. The band was pure raw energy, smashing into equipment and flailing their guitars around like a Japanese Nirvana. Calmando Qual (above) wore spooky carnival clothes and performed adequate Visual Kei songs. Nothing spectacular, unlike…

GPKISM, who swept us away to a haunted, romantic world. Gothic Prince Ken wore a princess Lolita dress and crown, and his voice resonated over Kiwamu’s electronic programming and guitars. What an experience: the concert footage speaks for itself. We went backstage to say hello afterwards, but GPK was a sleeping beauty… so we let him stay in dreamland!

We watched about 40 minutes of the animated Alice in Wonderland movie, which was broadcast over the curtains. Then SaTaN laughing spread his wings… and what an art performance! The spooky rock band dressed as an undead Alice, Black Rabbit and Mad Hatter. They waltzed. Spat blood. Tortured a baby doll. Put us through aerobic para-para moves. At the end, everyone was exhausted but dying for more.

Words can’t describe the experience, so please come view live footage from the spooky show! If you liked it, I invite you to subscribe to my channel.

Which was your favorite band in the video? Did you laugh at our silly antics? Yukiro’s short dress was red-hot…

Japanese Word of the Day: Mikan = Tangerine
Song of the Day: Marvel at GPK’s performance in the concert video.

Excellent news for you Visual Kei headbangers! Digital music label HearJapan has teamed up with Visual Kei / Japanese Goth music labels, Darkest Labyrinth and Starwave Records. Which means you can now get your hands on releases from bands such as Luzmelt, Suicide Ali, Calmando Qual, GPKISM, Seileen (SiSEN and Selia), Takuya Angel… has your head exploded yet? Come check out the compilation CDs and digital downloads on HearJapan!

HearJapan generously gave us passes to see the darkest and glammest of these bands perform at Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo. We were allowed to shoot videos of the performances — and boy, were they ever bloody. Check back tomorrow for a video of GPKISM, SaTaN, Lix, Calmando Qual, Omega Tripp and more.

Before the concert, Yukiro caused scandal and drama in the convenience store. He’s wearing the ridiculously short dress he got at the ridiculous Ridiculous store in Osaka.

The floppy hat is DIY-decorated with flowers and ribbons. Yukiro’s claws are always ready to scratch young boys.

Lolita dress: Moi-meme-Moitie… in my dreams! It’s Metamorphose temps de fille; got it for great price at Closet Child Harajuku. You may recall that this was on my Classical Lolita wishlist.
Jacket with trailing sleeves: Marble, from Marui One Shinjuku
Gyaru “bunny ears” headband: from Odakaya in Shinjuku. You see these “ears” all over Tokyo.
Tights: Vivienne Westwood, from Marui Shinjuku
Epic boots are epic: Alice and the Pirates, from Closet Child Harajuku

Makeup is simple because we had to rush out the door… blue eyeliner, false eyelashes on top, nude lipstick, a gem at the corner of the eye.

But there’s always time to pose for photos! In the next post, we’ll bring you inside the Satanic concert with quality videos and a review.

14-year-old Amy sent me the gorgeous fanart on the right. It’s inspired by the Gothic Lolita outfit I wore on the CNN International shoot. I love the hime hair and kawaii eyes — you’re all so talented! If you’d like to see your Carmina/Basil artwork up here, send me an email.

Reiko Arashi also sent me a personalized trading card for Oshare Curry, her Visual Kei / Jpop social networking community. You can redeem it if you set up a profile on the site.

Have you ever been… Xperienced? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) JrockRevolution presents a new webpage dedicated to X JAPAN’s performance at Lollapalooza. Come read the latest news, share stories on the forums, and plan meet-ups at the concert. You can also purchase an exclusive fan package with a T-shirt, thundersticks, DVD and more.

Finally, some sad news… Daisuke, vocalist of Visual Kei band The Studs and Kagerou, was laid to rest today. The cause of death has not been released. You may leave condolences on the band’s website.

Stay tuned for videos of Gothic Prince Ken and SaTaN dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Which are your favorite Starwave/Darkest Labyrinth bands?

Japanese Word of the Day: Maou = Satan
Song of the Day: GPKISM – Atheos (you can buy the single on HearJapan)

X Japan has announced a NORTH AMERICAN concert tour! As you may already know, the legendary Visual Kei band will be at Otakon convention in Baltimore (July 30-Aug 1) and Chicago’s Lollapalooza (Aug 6-8). Now, they’ve announced a full tour across the US and Canada, starting in California on October 1. The cities will include Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Boston. (Source)

X Japan has been around since the dark ages (ok, they formed in 1982). Guitarist Hide (pronounced Hee-deh) tragically passed away in 1998 — thirteen years ago! But the band lives on, and is now finding new fans outside Japan. This spring, Marui One Shinjuku set up a special Lemoned Shop to commemorate Hide.

In addition to selling Hide merchandise, the store displayed the legend’s guitars such as the one played in Endless Rain.

While this was only a month-long special exhibit, you can always visit Hide’s Lemoned Shop in Harajuku, which sells goodies with a slightly worn or malformed aspect (hence the name “lemoned”). The boutique was also once Hide’s headquarters for his radio station, record label and tireless creative enterprises.

The logo — a bright, juicy lemon sliced in half — perfectly reflects Hide’s electric hair and showmanship.

Break out the… yen, if you want one of these rare Hide vinyls.

Fortunately, there are also affordable and cute little goodies for sale. Hoodies, t-shirts, pins, accessories, notebooks and kawaii bears. Perfect souvenirs.

Hide is alive… and on a t-shirt. Pick one up from the Harajuku shop if you find yourself in Tokyo.

We saw Kaya’s manly look… now let’s marvel at Yukiro’s! He was the model for Sembl’s new collection of Japanese deconstructed high-end mens clothing. (You can see the photos here.) The artsy video above was shot at Mt Fuji; poor Yukiro had to stumble around in icy water while chased by a shinigami (death god).

Are you looking forward to X Japan’s first “new” album in 14 years, to be released later this year? Will you be seeing them live?

Japanese Word of the Day: Higeki = Tragedy
Song of the Day: Kanon Wakeshima – Lolitawork Libretto (New PV from Mana’s cello-playing protege. What do you think of the music video and her Lolita clothing?)

Dear La Carmina,
I would like some advice on something. My question is whether or not to go Lolita. You see, I would really love to go into the fashion, but I’m sorta scared (although it does help a little bit to be able to read some of the Japanese sites). Partially because I’m afraid my parents wouldn’t approve and if it happens, teasing. Not only that, but I’m only 13 (which makes me have no income and no possibility to get a job) and I live on the East Coast (where there is not much influence from japan). I really appreciate any advice you have on the matter (and, THANK YOU for having such an awesome blog).
- Signed, A troubled Reader

Dear reader,
Please don’t be troubled! Lolita isn’t scary, and wearing the fashion doesn’t have to be like jumping off a bridge. As with any journey, the best way to go forth is by taking baby steps and enjoying every moment of the ride.

I personally don’t think that “entering into Lolita” is an all-or-nothing leap. There’s no rulebook that states you must own certain items or wear expensive Japanese brands to enter this lovely world. Instead, you can make Lolita a part of your life in many small ways. And the further you explore this wonderland, the more your confidence will grow.

No pocket money? No access to Tokyo Lolita brands like Victorian Maiden? None of these should stop you from celebrating Lolita in your own personal way. Take, for example, Gothloli of the Week Anastasiya who is from Russia. She says, “I try to do my best with what I’ve got. Like making my bedroom as cute as possible.” You can do the same: put Mana-sama photos on your wall (like I did), kawaii toys on your bed, hand-made candy and crucifix necklaces on the wall.

Or you can also make tiny “tips of the hat” to Lolita fashion in your daily wear. For example, you might wear a big bow in your hair, or doll eyelashes, or a cute dress similar to the ones in the Milk catalogue above. My friends and I like to mix Lolita influences into our clothes; we don’t believe you have to look like an Angelic Pretty model in order to genuinely enjoy the fashion.

What about teasing and family disapproval? I’m not going to lie to you – even in the most open-minded cities, you’ll encounter stares and harsh words when you wear alternative fashion. But my friends and I keep strong because we must! Holding back this means of self-expression would crush us; it would reduce us to shells of ourselves. And you’ll discover a type of magic in having a “crew of spooks”, loving alternative fashion/lifestyles and celebrating it together. It’s something that someone in a Polo shirt would never experience.

But all that will come later. Remember, trying Lolita fashion shouldn’t feel like a fall down a hill, but a stroll through a rose garden. You can make Loli a part of your life in many subtle ways. So take your time, feel it out and let it slowly enrich your life. Good luck!

Everyone, what would you advise to this reader? How do you make Lolita fashion a part of your life?

If you have a question for La Carmina, email me (gothiccarmina {at} gmail) and I’ll answer it in a blog post. You can read my previous responses to Reader Questions here. (All the above images are flyers I picked up in Tokyo and Osaka.)

Japanese Word of the Day: Kinjo = Neighborhood
Song of the Day: Kaizers Orchestra – Maestro (Gasmasks!)

Several of you have asked me… what’s the steampunk scene like in Tokyo? Can you post more photos of alternative Japanese male fashion? Your wishes are granted! Introducing my electric-haired friend Kenny Creation, who you’ll always see at Tokyo’s Goth/Industrial club nights wearing the most sublime steampunk clothing. Read on…

Kenny Creation says, “I’m so into mechanical stuff — engines, machines, blabla — because of my job (engineer). Beautiful machinery made by brass; the gears and how they work. And I’m so moved by beautiful 19th century outfit and style. The two points mixed up become steampunk!” (Above, Kenny at Tokyo Decadance with Count de Sang. Yukiro and I ran into him while shopping at Marui One Shinjuku.)

“It’s a little hard to explain… it’s a world of retrospective taste. Ardent British to steam architect. So my style is steampunk, with a theme of the chaotic and experimentation.” (Above, with G-suS and DJ SiSEN)

“I’m glad that I am an engineer and can build up some mechanical stuff,” says Kenny. Let me add that Kenny also sings in a band and is an excellent dancer; he is very talented!

Here’s the sad news: according to Kenny Creation, the steampunk scene in Japan is non-existent. “When I went to Wave Gothik Treffen 2009, I saw a lot of people wearing steampunk! I’m just stunned. I cannot find a lot of steampunk supplies in Tokyo, so I would like to extend more steampunk culture in Japan.” (Above: with Ken, Luke Chaos and Hungry Ghost)

Kenny’s DIY steampunk outfits are divine, but it’s not the only look that he rocks. Here he is with candy apple red hair and punk/electro clothing.

Tattoos, gas masks, 19th century holsters, classic silver jewelry.

Above, with friends DJ SiSEN and Mistress Maya. No matter where he is or what he wears, Kenny Creation is always full of great energy! If you visit Tokyo, come to our favorite Goth EBM Cyber Industrial club nights and say hi to him on the dance floor.

Are you fond of Steampunk fashion? Which of Kenny’s outfits do you like best?

Japanese Word of the Day: Musu = To steam (food)
Song of the Day: Tool – Vicarious (piano cover – favorited on Kenny’s YouTube channel)

I love Tokyo party blogger Mai Sassy Girl! We met through work, and immediately hit it off. Mai photographs Japan’s electro/fashion nightlife, and her motto is: “Life is too short. Just have fun no matter where you are.” Now I can get behind that.

Makeup: I’m wearing the same dollar store fake eyelashes as in my CNN International/CNNGo TV shoot (close up photos here). The paw print stickers are from Daiso Harajuku, and the girly light pink lipstick is Kanebo, from a Japanese drug store.

I took Mai to the Ikebukuro location of Closet Child, my favorite clothing store on Earth. There are several locations in Harajuku and Shinjuku (see my photos here). The Ikebukuro one was recently enlarged and is not as heavily-trafficked, so I highly recommend that you make the trip.

To get here, ride the subway to Ikebukuro and follow the signs towards Sunshine City. Follow the arrows to Sunshine 60 Doori (street); you’ll see the giant shopping/entertainment complex, Sunshine City, ahead. A block before you reach the entrance, turn left and look for the Starbucks. Closet Child is on the third level.

Except for the inexpensive jewelry, everything in Closet Child is secondhand. There’s a fantastic selection of Visual Kei and Jrock used CDs and memorabilia, such as fan zines, T-shirts and tour merchandise.

It may be hard for you to fathom, but in Japan, Mana-sama is not popular any more. There are shelves of magazines and CDs for Plastic Tree, The Gazette and Arc-en-Ciel… but nothing for Mana’s bands. The Malice Mizer “Merveilles movie” was in the discount bin for 400 yen ($4). And look at the price of Gackt’s LP (1780 yen) compared to Malice Mizer’s (500 yen, which I bought). Tragic!

I ran into two sweet girls from Australia who read my blog! If you ever see me in the streets, don’t hesitate to say hi — I love meeting you.

Vest: Gramm, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Royal cat t-shirt: Banana Fish, from Closet Child Shinjuku. RIP! This brand is no more!
Lavender skirt: Algonquins, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Black knee highs with white hearts: from a cheap Ikebukuro accessories store

Ikebukuro’s Closet Child has a large selection of Gothic Lolita Punk brand clothing, and since everything’s used, the prices are 25-75% off. The styles may be from older collections, but the garments are in great condition. You can often find obscure/limited edition JSK prints and Lolita accessories.

Don’t forget to look at the kawaii and rocking horse shoes, and stock up on candy jewelry… This is the only Closet Child in Tokyo that has a section for dolls such as Blythe and doll accessories.

But sometimes you’ll find ridiculous items in the mix, such as this clothes hanger. Incredible. Who would pay 840 yen (about $8.50) for a normal wooden hanger that happens to have “Mary Magdalene” printed on it??

For more photos of Tokyo Gothic Lolita Punk stores, please take a glance at my shopping guide. More Tokyo and Osaka boutique photos to come.

Is it surprising to hear that Mana’s on the decline in Japan? Visual Kei is a relatively small scene over here…

Japanese Word of the Day: Oshiire = Japanese-style closet
Song of the Day: Madder Mortem – Where Dream & Day Collide (Gorgeous steampunky new video from the Goth/progressive metal band.)