Adrian

In this interview Közi refers to KENZI as KEN-CHAN which really shows you how close they are as they’ve been friends for a long time. KENZI mentions he often attended MM shows, having followed the band since their indie days. The best thing about KENZI interviews is how straightforward and opinionated he is haha. I’ve taken a few excerpts that stood out from this interview and included the translations below: 

Kenzi: "There are people today who wear wigs or different performances, but I think MALICE MIZER were the pioneers who first started doing those kinds of things." / "For me, Visual Kei begins and ends with DIR EN GREY and MALICE MIZER." 

Közi of course questions why just those two bands. 

KENZI: "Bands these days are either copying Kyochan’s style, or a style like MALICE MIZER's—where it's not just about being over the top, but incorporating theater and performance into the show. In my mind, these two bands are the absolute peak. They perfected it. I don't think a band that surpasses these two will ever appear... at least, not in my lifetime." 

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KENZI: "...back during a gig in Kyushu, MALICE MIZER played the day before d.p.s (The Dead Pop Stars) did. You guys went out of your way to stay behind extra days just to hang out at our show and come to the after-party. I’ve watched you guys play everywhere from Meguro Rokumeikan, to Nippon Seinenkan, all the way up to Nippon Budokan. I know your history way better than any of the random crowds around today." 

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KENZI: "...When I listen to your CDs—people always assume I only listen to extreme, aggressive music—but I genuinely love your artistry (TL note: He uses the word 世界観 which translates literally to “worldview” but I think that doesn’t sound natural in English. To me it more broadly fits into words like concept or artistry). Even though it has this stylish feel to it, underneath it actually has some really extreme elements."

Közi: "Every time you see me, KEN-CHAN, you always say 'stylish, stylish,' but I wonder to myself, 'Am I really all that stylish?'"

KENZI: "I’ve absolutely thought that since your MALICE MIZER days. I mean, being able to do things that are that eccentric and totally different from everyone else—that’s exactly what makes it stylish."

Közi: "Well, we really did do a lot of studying beneath the surface back then. Musically, of course, we cast a wide net and listened to every genre under the sun, and we researched by looking through all kinds of fashion magazines. We really did. Even if I came across something and thought, 'This isn't my genre or style,' by exposing yourself to it, you always absorb something. And by running it through your own personal filter, it transforms into something entirely new."

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Közi: "When we were playing in the indie scene, the phrase 'Visual Kei' didn't even exist yet. We didn’t wear makeup with the aim to make sales; we just did it because we loved it, right? I still wear makeup today, and if people want to say 'that band is Visual Kei,' that's completely fine by me. I don't care what they say about me. More than anything like that, what matters to me is sticking to my conviction of 'This is what I believe.' That’s something you have too, KEN-CHAN. If people want to call this stance 'Visual Kei' because of the way we hold our ground, then I don't mind it at all. That's really how I feel about it now." 

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man idk

MALICE MIZER - Beast of Blood

MMCD-022

KneuKlid Romance

Fool's Mate vol. 201 (1998.7)

közi my love

1998.12.20 Ultra Veat

Interview Summary

Gackt felt MM's major debut and the decision to perform at Budokan were not special achievements ("not celebratory") and were delayed. He believed they could have played larger venues sooner, noting that tickets were difficult to obtain for the merveilles tour.

He felt constrained by the enormous costs of concert production.

He shares an idea for a live stage as a "single town," with the audience surrounding it (360-degree, three-dimensional), where the performance includes music, entertainment, and theatrical elements, viewed from various angles, similar to how a TV drama is filmed from multiple perspectives.

He highly values having staff who share his vision, acknowledging the current staff are excellent but wishes they were even more unconventional and willing to take risks. He stresses that professionals should be sought for doing "what has never been done before," not just repeating the past.

He realizes his visions are often hindered by restrictive regulations in Japanese venues and insufficient budgets allocated to the entertainment industry, suggesting that the perception of entertainers/artists in Japan is too low compared to countries like the US, where people are more open to new ideas.

For the Le Ciel performance, Gackt insisted that he should be able to fly at every venue, refusing to do the shows otherwise. The staff worked hard, even going to local venues to convince them, successfully overcoming the venue restrictions.

Mana-Sama