"I Feel Like We're Searching For Something Beyond That."

Mana's Favorite Outfit

1997 at NIHON SEINENKAN & SHIBUYA KOKAIDO

Hair Accessory: An elaborate hairpiece featuring blue and black feathers, matching the outfit.

Collar: A luxurious design reminiscent of nobility, adorned with a gold brooch at the center of the ribbon.

Sleeves: Detailed with fine pleats to create a flared effect.

Skirt: An over-skirt with black feathers, giving the outfit a streamlined appearance.

Mana (from Stylist)

This outfit was inspired by the image of Queen Elizabeth. Despite being a dress the mini skirt element adds a unique touch. The over-skirt flutters beautifully when moving. It's rare to see a mini skirt on a dress, and I wanted to maintain a sense of elegance while showing some leg. The combination of a dress with visible legs adds a certain eroticism. It was especially memorable for me as it was worn on a major stage for the first time at the Nihon Seinenkan and Shibuya Kokaido.

YU-KI (B.)

1) August 8

2) Blood Type: A

3) Height: 175 cm, Weight: 58 kg

4) Shoe Size: 26.5 cm

5) Lark (Cigarettes)

6) Basically, can't drink

7) Likes sweets

8) Mushroom Family

9) Prefers people with beautiful hair, fair skin, distinct facial features, and those who are not too gentle

10) Interests: Clothes, etc. Cigarettes, clothes, etc.

T: MANA chan has a shortcoming! He never stops at the stop line. He stops right in the middle of the crosswalk (laughs).

Y: My shortcoming is that when I start thinking, I overthink endlessly. I get completely absorbed. My strength is that I’m usually calm and might not be thinking about anything at all (laughs). But I think I’m a pretty calm person. Though it doesn’t really mean anything in particular (laughs).

T: You're not listening, are you? (laughs). When we’re all talking together, I sometimes wonder if you’re seriously listening... I think, "Maybe Yu~ki chan will sum it up," but when I ask, "What do you think, Yu~ki chan?" you respond with "Huh?" like you weren’t listening at all (laughs).

K: My strength is that I don't overthink things. I quickly forget unpleasant things! That might be my strength. My weakness is that I'm lazy.

T: My shortcoming is that I talk too much and am noisy. But sometimes that weakness turns out to be a good thing, so it might be a strength too.

Q: Have there been any incidents around you lately?

T: When we went to Osaka, there was something we called the "Box Riding Incident" (laughs).

Q: Was that with the equipment vehicle? (laughs)

T: No, it was with a Benz.

K: A 560SEL (laughs).

T: And then our support member Yukyo-kun was zooming through the streets of Minami in Osaka, shouting "Yukyo!" (laughs).

K: That was a major incident, right? (laughs).

T: It was seriously a huge incident! We laughed so hard (laughs).

Q: Can you boast about yourself within the group?

T: Among the members, I’m the weakest and only have about two good days a year.

Y: Among the members, I’m the strongest. You can call me the "luggage carrying captain" (laughs).

K: I’m the most twisted among the members. My belly button is crooked and the crooked end is withered (laughs). What am I even saying? (laughs)

M: Well, I’m probably the most knowledgeable about horror videos. I’m a collector (laughs).

K: Yeah, you have tons of videos. Almost as many as a video rental shop (laughs).

Q: What’s next for Malice Mizer?

T: We haven't decided on a drummer yet, but once we do, we’ll let everyone know, especially our fans.

K: Once we have a drummer, we’ll start working hard. This year, we’re aiming to have our own solo concerts!

T: For now, we’ve done about 10 lives in March and April, so from around June, we’ll slow down to about 2-3 lives a month.

K: During that time, we’ll be planning various things.

Q: Any plans for a tour?

T: We’d like to go on tour around summer. We hope to visit Osaka, Nagoya, and if possible, the Tohoku region as well.

Q: Finally, do you have a message for your fans?

M: We’re putting everything into the music, so please listen with your whole body.

Y: Please come to our lives.

T: Listen to the beautiful, sorrowful Malice sound!!

K: Eat Yoshinoya’s Tokumori (extra-large beef bowl)!!

T&K: Très bien!

NOTE: T is for Tetsu and K is for Közi since this interview was back in Malice Mizer Tetsu era. I hope you enjoyed it xxx

"No one can dispute the beautifully androgynous Mana's strong influence on Lolita fashion from the very beginning, partially evidenced by the fact that a photo shoot with the musician and designer has been in every issue of Gothic & Lolita Bible since the first.

Many became familiar with Mana, who created both the terms Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGA) and Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL), when he was creating memorably flam Boyant costumes for his Gothic band MM, dressing himselt in Gothic Lolita and the other members in Aristocratic styles for their extravagant music videos and artistically inspired performance.

Since the music group's disbandment in 2001, Mana has remained focused on both music and fashion. He runs his own record label, Midi Nette, performs with his current band, Moi dix Mois, and acts as both designer and model for his clothing line, Moi-même-Moitié

We were pleased when this multitalented Lolita icon agreed to take time from his busy creative schedule to answer questions about his past, present, and future projects for our Western readers."

Klaha [MALICE MIZER]

●Klaha

“I'm not as delicate as everyone thinks. I've got pretty thick nerves.”

PROFILE

(From left): yu~ki (B), Mana (G), Klaha (Vo), Közi (G)

The band name, MALICE MIZER, holds the meaning of “malice and tragedy.” Their concept driven songs soaked in a medieval gothic atmosphere, and their live performances transcending mere “shows” are truly worth experiencing

“I've been influenced by the other members in a lot of ways.”

- Klaha who joined MALICE MIZER as their vocalist last summer had already known the members for some time before officially joining the band. But what led him to make the decision?

“I’ve never really been interested in the band scene. What I’ve always cared more about is simply wanting to sing. But I felt like, if it’s MALICE MIZER, they could help elevate my singing and that my singing might also deepen their musical expression. To me MALICE MIZER is a solitary presence radiating a unique, lonely aura that you can’t find anywhere else.”

- For Klaha joining the band didn’t just affect him musically it also had a major impact on his fashion sense.

“We actually go shopping together sometimes (laughs). Before that, I always wore all black like, even in summer I’d be wearing long sleeves, sometimes even a coat. But after joining that started to change thanks to the other members. These days I’m into more natural styles. Since MALICE MIZER delves into such a fantastical world, I think it's more interesting to keep things natural in daily life. The contrast feels really refreshing.”

- Klaha is currently exploring a fashion style he’d never embraced before. Naturally, that comes with some missteps…

“When I only wore black i could tell what suited me without even trying it on. But now, even when I’m sure something looks good I’ll try it on at home and the collar will look weird or something. I mess up a lot now (laughs).”

- What about his hair styling habits?

“Well i put some styling lotion in and wrap the ends of my hair around my fingers to give it a wavy look, like natural curls. But if I zone out, I end up curling it the wrong way inward instead of outward. When that happens, I just spray more lotion, run my fingers through it and mess it up like, ‘Whatever, good enough!’ Honestly, I can’t even draw a decent circle, I’m that clumsy. So if it’s not working out, I just give up and move on (laughs).”

- A great cook and athletic too. But a bit of an airhead!? Tall, slender and quiet, he might come across as delicate and highly sensitive. But Klaha’s real personality is surprisingly relaxed and easygoing.

“People assume I’m terrible at sports, but actually I’ve got pretty good reflexes. If there were a sports festival for visual kei bands, I’d totally want to join (laughs).”

- One of his talents is cooking—he says he can make almost anything without even looking at a recipe.

“I haven’t cooked for the other members or staff yet, so they’re all kind of skeptical about it. But what really gets to me is when people say I’m an airhead. They say the way I talk is kind of offbeat, but I’m like. What exactly about it is off? As far as I’m concerned, I’m explaining things logically. It all makes perfect sense to me totally perfect, actually (laughs).”

Klaha in SHOXX #121 (March 2003)

(credits to the one who has this photo)

Translation:

There were quite a few voices saying that Klaha’s live performance on the “MAR” day of the “Luawataru no Anchor” tour felt deeply connected to life itself. Regardless of whether the songs were previously released or not, the fact that he could convey each emotion through his raw, unfiltered voice, before the songs had even fully sunk into the audience’s bodies, seemed to have a deeply moving and positive impact.

The unreleased song “Romanciaisn ow leaves~”, which served as the gateway into the latter half of the main show, carried with it a luxurious charm wrapped in a soft, embracing fragrance—delivering an early Christmas mood. During “Chocolat”, a fleeting, delicate piece, Klaha sat on a raised platform at the back of the stage, showing an ennui-laced side of himself. There was even a glimpse of unexpected cuteness, and I couldn’t help but feel like I caught a rare glimpse into a hidden side of him. Or was it just me…?

Then came “Sayonara”, gently closing in on the show’s final act. As if to further paint the world of “Sayonara” in even more beautiful colors, the following “penguin” saw Klaha begin to inject dynamic movement into its romantic and lyrical atmosphere.

The final song of the main set was the aggressive, unreleased track “Prism of image”. With this song, Klaha radiated a kaleidoscope of emotional light, offering both intense passion and deep intoxication and the main show came to a dramatic close.

During the encore, he performed the unreleased, baroque-techno style track “Tamashii ga Irodzuku Shunkan” ("The Moment the Soul Gains Color"). For this one, he took up a guitar and sang while strumming, showing yet another new side of himself. Then, the live performance at Shibuya ON AIR WEST, where his journey first began came to a splendid conclusion with the fitting farewell number “Green Tsutaetai Omoi” ("The Feelings I Want to Convey").

Of course, the opening and ending songs that framed the concert were also works Klaha had crafted especially for this day. Visually the production was intentionally restrained, and performance wise he kept the setup simple with just keyboard and guitar backing him. It was a stage entirely focused on expressing Klaha’s voice and message conveying his emotions as they are now and where he’s heading from here.

And so, this day’s opening act will lead into the upcoming February 15th performance at Akasaka Blitz: “Nostailab Kaihō Prism”. Be sure not to miss how this journey continues.

STYLE MALICE MIZER

The act of "expression" is not something exclusive to a specialized field. For artists and creators involved in music if we were to put it simply, it is a means of offering hints and proposals that are deeply rooted in one’s personal sensibilities.

This series serves as a method to refine and cultivate those sensibilities in other words, it is a means of expression itself. Life itself is a style.

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Photography = Yohsuke Komatsu (印), Saori Tsuji (◇印)

Featuring MALICE MIZER

Guest = MALICE MIZER

Text by Kazumi Kanoh

Composition = Kazumi Kanoh

Photographs by Yohsuke Komatsu, Saori Tsuji

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ADDITIONAL SORROW

At first glance with their extravagant costumes and makeup, they may appear to be a theatrical troupe. At their live performance at Nippon Seinenkan in January of this year the stage was set in a medieval European aesthetic, reminiscent of a scene from a play.

The performance they delivered far exceeded the confines of a traditional rock band. With a spectacle that was breathtakingly opulent, MALICE MIZER has now drawn attention from various fields.

What do they think?

Where are they headed?

While retracing their past and present, we explore the "STYLE" that is uniquely theirs.

[ORIGIN]

Mana: "MALICE MIZER was formed in August 1992, with Kozi and me at the core. From the very beginning our concept was based on an image of medieval Europe. Nowadays we’ve started incorporating more pop elements but back then, we were fully immersed in Baroque and Gothic influences. We also incorporated a significant amount of classical music elements."

Közi: "At first there were no French influences like there are now. At that time there weren’t many bands focusing on twin guitar arrangements, so we wanted to feature guitar driven music."

Mana: "All of our songs were dark in tone."

Kami: "But even back then, we experimented a lot with unexpected elements."

Mana: "Our vocalist and drummer were different back then as well. In May 1993, Kami joined, and from that point on, we started playing more live shows. At that time, we didn’t have the money to advertise so the only way for people to learn about us was through live performances. So we decided to perform wherever we could. At that time, our concept was still very medieval Europe."

Kami: "We were already doing a lot with the stage back when I joined."

Közi: "We’d incorporate something special into our openings. We never made a typical rock band entrance."

Mana: "Back then, everyone was playing their instruments for the entire set, so the opening was the only moment we had to do something unique. But that was also the most exciting moment, so we wanted to make an impact right from the start. We started incorporating stage sets after we began doing one man shows but even before that, we tried our best to recreate our envisioned aesthetic in live houses. Before we became a one-man act we often opened for other bands during tours and even though we couldn’t build a full set we still decorated the stage. We wrapped it in vines, gathered tree branches from the forest, and placed them on stage."

Közi: "Yeah we’d wake up in the morning and start cutting branches (laughs)."

Mana: "Exactly (laughs). We also organized a series of events called "Tragic Banquet", hosted by MALICE MIZER, where bands like PENICILLIN and SIAM SHADE also performed. At the time, many band-led events were happening in Osaka and Yokohama, but we felt like someone needed to take the lead in Tokyo too so we took the initiative (laughs)."

- Fool's Mate 090

-As usual when i interview MALICE MIZER my mind starts to dry up a bit (laughs).

Gackt: If you don’t get caught up in rigid notions or long held beliefs i think a lot can be understood. People attach years to the concept of time for clarity but that’s just a human made record for our convenience, not a true representation of time itself.

- Is it that before crossing or not crossing the sky, it was never something that was defined in the first place?

Gackt: I wonder? Also, within this album, various characters and shapes come to light but i believe it’s important to note that everything is linked in some form.

-However, this album really delves deeply into everything from the concepts to the sounds.

Gackt: The sound is so rich that we didn’t have enough channels. Even in parts of the songs we didn’t touch on in this interview there're various mechanisms woven into the fabric.

Gackt: Rather than mechanisms everything is inevitably included.

-It’s quite a niche no, a freaky endeavor, isn’t it?

Kozi: That’s MALICE MIZER’s characteristic after all.

Gackt: It can’t be helped. The people creating this are all quite freaky. After working on this album i realized something: discussions about MALICE MIZER often tend to concentrate on visual performances.

Mana: That might be true. But it’s more than that. It’s not limited to visual aspects; we aim to enhance our world in every way possible through all the elements we can use to create. This album made that very clear.

Gackt: Absolutely. Well, since our appearance is what it is i can understand why people would focus on visuals whether they say it’s impressive or over the top. However for MALICE MIZER we want to express our thoughts through sound and stage in all aspects, so if they can understand that it’s great. Of course i believe that in this album the individual growth and evolution as a collective are clearly represented. Given that it’s natural for the quality to rise.

-By the way, will there be any continued performances of "Bois de merveilles" in the future?

Mana: Who knows? (laughs)

Kozi: It’s too precious to just give away (laughs). I think there might be a performance around the next show though.

Gackt: I can’t say anything just yet.

Kozi: Plus performing the songs from this album live requires extensive preparation. They’re so intricate!

Gackt: Regardless MALICE MIZER inherently has the characteristic of deliberately taking a perplexing path.

- I think this has been discussed many times before but can you share your thoughts heading toward the final performance?

Gackt: Just remember that beginnings and endings are always back to back.

Mana: That’s right, everyone, please give it your all and feel it.

Yu~ki: Look forward to it.

Kozi: Absolutely!

Mana: What’s that in reference to?

Kozi: Well...

Gackt: What should I do? If it’s to myself (laughs).

Mana and Kami, capturing precious memories with their adorable photos from years ago such as posing in front of the Statue of Hachiko or in Shibuya in the Hachiko Family Mural.

Enjoy 💜💙

Malice Mizer has a grand theme centered around the question, "What does it mean to be human?" The band's very name, which translates to "Malice and Misery," originates from the depths of the human psyche. Their activities as a band can be likened to a journey undertaken alongside their audience in pursuit of answers to this question. Without keeping this context in mind, it would be difficult to truly grasp Malice Mizer's essence.

The theme comes first. To explore and partially highlight this theme, the core of their expressions is always rooted in a concept. For example until shortly before their major debut, they adopted the concept of "Voyage," based on their unique vampire inspired narrative. They released an album titled Voyage and conducted live performances that brought this concept vividly to life.

After their major debut, as is well known, they embraced the concept of "merveilles." Under this concept they released works and performed live, eventually reaching a point where they concluded that chapter of the concept.

The CD releases and live performances up to this point can be seen as keys to understanding and contemplating "merveilles" while approaching the grander theme of what it means to be human. CDs can be regarded as fragments of "merveilles" designed to appeal to the auditory senses while live performances are fragments that appeal to both visual and auditory senses. Even after the release of the album merveilles they continued to release reworked singles of songs from the album. This effort to emphasize fragments of their concept underscores the seriousness of their commitment.

It follows that the live video being released this time featuring tracks from merveilles as well as songs performed exclusively at live events is a natural extension of their concept. Everything they do is grounded in a unified concept.

Although they are sincere in their expression, their live performances are not merely rigid exercises in conceptual work. First time attendees are often stunned by the remarkable balance of artistry and entertainment which reaches levels far beyond what one might expect from any other band's performances. Similar to experiencing the works of progressive rock bands of the past, one does not need to dwell on the concept to thoroughly enjoy the show. "Enchanting noblemen are singing and dancing how wonderful!" That is enough to captivate. However the more you watch the more you find yourself drawn into pondering the concept as if a trap has been set. This depth of enjoyment is one of the secrets to Malice Mizer's popularity which this video release will likely help elucidate.

That said, this video should not be regarded as merely a fragment of a single concept but rather as a record positioned after the conclusion and resolution of a chapter. It serves as an opportunity to reflect on the trail of these men, sincere to the point of being breathtaking, and their artistic pursuit. A fitting end before embarking on a new voyage.

September 1998, Mitsuru Hirose merveilles Shūen to Kisū (merveilles: The End and the Return)

MALICE MIZER

"Rest of the aristocrats! Fans capture exclusive photos!! A new charm brimming in their post-concert appearance.

Please take a look at their rare unseen moments of rest.

The photo was given to me by a friend who used to follow Malice around back then. It’s from when i was just getting to know Malice so i couldn’t tell who was who without makeup. I even wrote their names on the back of the photo (lol). Looking back i realize how incredibly rude that was."