The quick definition of osare kei

Osare kei (オサレ系) describes two distinct waves of visual kei bands who wore costumes based on street fashion. It is usually associated with the 2nd wave (2004~), who had cute, colorful, youthful aesthetics and played upbeat pop rock. The 1st wave (2002~) played irreverent jazzy rock and had cheeky aesthetics that challenged visual kei norms.

A brief history of osare kei

1st wave osare kei (2002~)

baroque (バロック) is almost always credited as the founder of osare kei. The band's members had sprung from the roots of kote kei (コテ系), but from their earliest activity they rejected the trends of that subgenre:

Macabre costumes were replaced by trendy street fashion; musical inspirations abandoned Western metal for Japanese jazz; poetic, fantastical lyrics became ironic nonsense phrases (that often mismatched what was actually sung). They even sported facial hair—a taboo within the established aesthetics of kote kei (コテ系).

Of course, this style was not created out of thin air. Certain members, while active in their predecessor band Clarity, roadied for Kagerou (蜉蝣), a super charismatic band who also pushed kote kei (コテ系) beyond its traditions. The influence of Kagerou (蜉蝣) could immediately be felt in the aesthetics and vocal mannerisms of short-lived follow-up band, kannivalism, and were then carried into baroque (バロック).

Additionally, guitarist Akira (晃) was previously in Shiver—and although that band was purely active within traditional kote kei (コテ系), their groovy and unusual compositions typified the baroque (バロック) sound.

In other words, Kagerou (蜉蝣) and Shiver were not osare kei themselves, but were pivotal in the aesthetics, vocals, and compositions that baroque (バロック) used in the creation of the subgenre.

If kote kei was considered an amplification of visual kei orthodoxy, this new style was a rejection of it: a rejection of both the melodramatic unoriginality of kote kei (コテ系) and the sanitized boringness of soft visual (ソフビ), which had ruled the genre for about half a decade. Within 2ch—the bustling BBS which had become the online home of visual kei fandom—fans settled on a tongue-in-cheek name for the new subgenre: osare kei.

Osare kei was also a rejection of “worldview” and of the conceptual separation between bands and fans. For the first time, visual kei bands broke the 4th wall, made fun of reality, and addressed fans themselves.

This disparity is demonstrated by the DEViL KiTTY song BANZAI Osharekei (バンザイお洒落系), which is styled as a back-and-forth between a kote kei (コテ系) musician and an osare kei fan. The kote portion is violent and speedy, and sung to the other character; the osare portion is jazzy and cheeky, and speaks in a meta way about how kote kei is uncool.

baroque (バロック) became popular very quickly and, barely a year after creating osare kei, they abandoned the subgenre on their path to a major debut. They continued to integrate streetwear into their looks, but adopted a more mature aura and switched to mixture rock.

Despite this, osare kei bloomed rapidly. Through 2002~2003, facing a decline in popularity of their own subgenre, many kote kei bands abandoned their original concepts and abruptly switched to osare kei—so much so that some fans coined the term “osare kei syndrome.” The sickness even infiltrated Matina, the label that was known as the standard for kote kei.

Taking Gill'e cadith as an example, despite their abrupt leap into osare kei, there was still a clear menacing aura retained from their kote kei (コテ系) background. And this was true of many bands from the 1st wave; in other words, what was called osare kei from 2001~2002 does not necessarily align with the now-common image of the subgenre.

In hindsight, it might make more sense to call some of the 1st wave osare bands a “0th wave” of koteosa (コテオサ) (as the term wasn't coined until years later). The more well-known form of osare kei came into focus with the 2nd wave of bands, which started with AN CAFE (アンティック-珈琲店-).

2nd wave osare kei (2004~)

Osare kei is much more commonly associated with the 2nd wave of osare kei bands, namely AN CAFE (アンティック-珈琲店-), who debuted in 2003. They maintained the vocal tics, Japanese jazz taste, street fashion, and boundless energy of baroque (バロック), but made cuteness, happiness, and youthfulness just as important.

Because the bands in this wave were young, cute, and popular, an “anti-osare” movement developed among fans and musicians that accused the bands of being talentless, lazy in their bid for popularity, or against the tenets of visual kei. (Funnily enough, the same was said of kote kei, and visual kei itself before that, and okeshou kei before that.)

Regardless of any internal pushback, in the mid-2000s, osare kei bands (especially centered around labels L∞p・Ash RECORDS and PS COMPANY) were some of the most popular in the scene.

Around 2005, the subgenre became especially associated with Harajuku (原宿) fashion trends, thanks in part to a three-part series of singles by AN CAFE (アンティック-珈琲店-) that celebrated the region. In following, a few osare kei bands emerged who were specifically inspired by decora fashion that was popular in the region; such bands were briefly expected to offshoot into their own subgenre, but this never happened.

In the following years, many osare bands went major or were active long enough that they needed to “grow up.” As such, they became more mature in their looks, sound, and persona. This in turn meant that the term osare kei lost some of its meaning, and was applied to almost any “low visual” band that might have been called soft visual (ソフビ) in the past.

It's generally agreed that osare kei was dead by 2007. Koteosa (コテオサ) had become the dominant subgenre, and the few new osare bands tended to differ from their predecessors. They were louder, more electronic, and flashier. The term wasn't yet coined, but we now recognize that this was a transitional period during which the glittering follow-up to osare, kirakira kei (キラキラ系), was forming.

From roughly 2010 onward, new bright/happy bands have generally been classified as kirakira kei (キラキラ系) by default. The only modern osare bands are those that specifically claim the subgenre, such as LAgtime.

Why is it called osare kei?

The word osare (オサレ) is internet slang that rose to prominence on boards like 2ch in the early 2000s.

It's a variant of the word oshare (お洒落) {fashionable}, but carries a certain sense of irony—as if the person being called “fashionable” really isn't, or their concept of “fashionable” is in opposition to what is actually fashionable in the mainstream. It therefore implies stylishness and attractiveness, but in a sometimes bratty or tongue-in-cheek way.

In other words, if you were to ask a 2ch user from the time if osare kei bands were fashionable, the answer would be a resounding no.

What are the other names for osare kei?

In the strictest sense, the correct term is osare kei (オサレ系) {“fashionable” style}, and you will see this term used a majority of the time in Japanese.

However, you may also see oshare kei (お洒落系) {fashionable style} instead. This version is more-often used among Western fans, but even some Japanese fans use it. The distinction between the two terms is subtle, but can be surmised by the DEViL KiTTY song BANZAI Osharekei, which uses oshare when describing fashion and osare when describing bands.

Still, even when written お洒落系, it is generally pronounced osare kei.

Early in the emergence of the subgenre, various alternate names were proposed such as ryouki kei (猟奇系) {abnormal style} and oshare kei (オシャレ系) (an even rarer spelling of the accepted name). Neither of these was widely used.

Around 2005, a very small number of bands adopted the decora fashion style, and some fans began describing these as decora kei (デコラ系) {decora[tive] style}. However, these bands remained small in number and did not differentiate themselves from osare kei in any other way. So it is not considered a subgenre, and bands such as Eimy→☆ (えぃみ→☆) are simply referred to as osare kei.

What does osare kei look like?

1st wave: essentially the same as 1st wave koteosa (コテオサ). Outfits with color, but not colorful; elements of streetwear fashion (circa 2002); plaid patterns; black-and-white stripes. Members have straight, negative, or goofy expressions, but cute makeup touches such as dots of color. Often accessorized with narrow glasses (often with red frames), bandanas, pin badges, wristbands, caps. Often one or more barefoot member in photoshoots; shoots often at the same sets as kote kei (コテ系) shoots.

2nd wave: the same elements, but brighter, more colorful, and happy/poppy. Members are often smiling, except for one or two designated “cool” members who may look stoic (but not scary). Accessories further include clips, bow ties, tiny hats. Fabrics (often including polka dots) are colorful, but generally matte—rarely sparkly or glittery.

Both waves frequently reference Showa-era “retro” Japan (1930s~1980s), with retro fonts and designs on covers, or anachronistic props in photoshoots (such as old-style umbrellas, retro radios, televisions, board games, or candies). Designs also often have a child-like DIY feeling (such as crudely-drawn illustrations).

Song titles for both waves often feature two kanji + an English loan word in katakana, e.g. Aimai DRASTIC NUMBER, Sakuran SYRUP. They often feature symbols like stars, multiplication symbols, periods. Unlike kote kei (コテ系), they do not feature crosses or accents, and verb stems are written in hiragana instead of katakana.

What does osare kei sound like?

Light, energetic, poppy; [Japanese] jazz and ska influences, especially shuffle beat; light touches of retro Japanese pop; catchy; happy, even if ironically so; cute, unrefined, possibly nasal vocals, with little emphasis on “singing.” Often rife with vocal tics and trills (in the lineage of BAROQUE and Kagerou (蜉蝣)). Instrumentation is rock, and may feel heavy for moments, but is generally pop rock. Never melodramatic or chuunibyou (see kote kei). Catchy choruses are a must.

Is osare kei a legitimate visual kei subgenre?

Yes, but with several caveats:

When people refer to osare kei they are generally referring to the 2nd wave; the 1st wave is essentially koteosa (コテオサ) before it had a name.

During the 2nd wave, bands that would have previously been called soft visual (ソフビ) were often called osare kei.

Lastly, some 2nd wave osare bands could also be called 2nd wave koteosa (コテオサ), or kirakira kei (キラキラ系).

Osare kei alignments

Very simplistic rock with heavy pop and jazz flavors.

Willing to break the 4th wall.

Looks made with specialty fashion brands.

Accused of favoring looks over technique, to a fault.

Introduced interaction into visual kei.

1st wave ironic or cutting, but 2nd wave terminally happy.

Meant to be always hyper.

Young members and purposely childish themes.

When was osare kei active?

Roughly 2002~2003 for the 1st wave (though some may say as early as 2001), and 2004~2007 for the 2nd wave (which is what most people imagine when they mention osare kei). It was dying by 2007, and completely replaced by successor kirakira kei (キラキラ系) from 2010 on.

What are the representative osare kei bands?

1st wave: BAROQUE (early), Gill'e cadith, Kra (early)

2nd wave: AN CAFE (アンティック-珈琲店-), Kra, Eimy→☆ (えぃみ→☆), HeaRt

Transition to kirakira: Arc

Edit History

• 2025-02-05: typos
• 2025-03-02: typos