The french and the symbols

[Alice the Sister]

What's the obsession with it? Why the obscure symbols intermingled throughout the band names and the multitude of seemingly French (and sometimes German) band names. Seems like a common occurance. But what gives?

I suppose the same goes for English too, but the english ones are usually like one-word deals like with Deathgaze, Gullet, Lynch, or Blast. Then you have the semi-offbeat English stuff like By-Sexual or Malice Mizer which can confuse people.

But that's besides the point. Where did the overuse of the French names come from, and the obtuse use of obscure symbols originate? And why is it only that the most obscure bands seem to really have those qualifiers sprinkled throughout.

[Do As Eternity 6]

i dunno but if i ever have a band our name will be in hieroglyphics.

[klavierbarrette]

i dunno but if i ever have a band our name will be in hieroglyphics.

lol

it probably just sounds cool and different to them.  just like some stuff does to me, if i had a band, the name probably wouldn't be derived from english because that's boring.

[ghostface]

The elaborate names are an extension of the visuals I think.

I've been thinking about the random punctuation marks in band names and I may be wrong but I think the Japanese are more sensitive to the shape and form of signs which is probably related to their writing system. For us letters and symbols are basically transparent because we focus on the function, which is why we get confused by those names.

I agree, English, French, German names are probably considered cool.
Which makes Dir en grey an overkill 

[klavierbarrette]

^ i never thought about that before, but it makes sense that punctuation would make more sense to them and look well, better to them because of their language's characters.

[Alice the Sister]

From now on our band won't dress up, we'll just stick a question mark in our name, and we'll hit it big with the visual kids.


No relation to FAKE? intended.

[Do As Eternity 6]

The elaborate names are an extension of the visuals I think.

I've been thinking about the random punctuation marks in band names and I may be wrong but I think the Japanese are more sensitive to the shape and form of signs which is probably related to their writing system. For us letters and symbols are basically transparent because we focus on the function, which is why we get confused by those names.

I agree, English, French, German names are probably considered cool.
Which makes Dir en grey an overkill 

oh oh i like this answer xD even though i have doubts it's actually thought about that way when they choose their names T.T

[ghostface]

I don't think they think about it either. It's a convention just like the convention in the west is to use a noun or call yourselves the Rakes or something.

[Do As Eternity 6]

true i get that btw i wasn't clear about it i know  but when i was talking about them thinking about it in that way i was more-so  talking about the elaborate name as being an extension of their visuals ^^;;

[Culo]

I think they don't really think much when they add strange symbols... it's like making a logo for the band. Anyway japaneses don't have any problems pronouncing it because they always have the katakana.

I hate the french trend though... but I think it has toned down by now.

[signal to noise]

lets try to come up with as many "en" names as possible! ready... go!

Dir en grey
L'arc~en~Ciel
Rentrer en Soi

[nekki_chibi]

Do envy and Laliene count?))

And there're also Due le quartz, Psycho le Cemu and Celestia Le Ciel, wannabefrench too

[Alice the Sister]

La vie en rose
Merveille Magique
Versailles
Moi dix mois
medue obscur

I mean, I dunno if they're french or not, but they sound like it...


theres a band called vol de mort...

Seriously, you can go to visunavi and look at all the weirdness. It's kinda fund when you're bored.

[Champ213]

As I already observed elsewhere, the most recent trend is vk band names are random women's names, lol. Just have a look at Visunavi.

アネット (Annette)
Veronica
キャサリン　("Cathaline"/Katherine)
サディ (Sadie)
CindyKate (pun on 'syndicate', but no less....)
Jessica
LiZ
hannah
JULIETTE
Dolly
heidi.
Marie
LuLu
Rosanna


Nowadays the "weird french/german name with symbols and ungrammtical aposthrophes" is an almost 100% garantuee that the band is some sort of "old school vk" or neo-classical stuff. Notable exception: Die La'vice 

[Do As Eternity 6]

^ ah that's true *also ponders why she had no idea sadie was a girls name >_>*

and there really is a band called vol de mort? *runs to visunavi now*