Okay, I've been trying to avoid this, but it's about time I got this out of my system. The jrock fan community has really been pissing me off lately, but I didn't want to say anything. However, it's gotten just ridiculous, and I need to vent. This was inspired by a lot of nonsense lately at the J-fan message boards. To make this easier, I'll divide my rant by topic.

X Japan's Yoshiki

I. Fangirl/fanboyish-ness

In the anime community, people sometimes call themselves otakus. They think this means something like the ultimate fan, like a Trekkie. However, in Japan it is an insult, as it carries the connotation of dork who is completely obsessed. Some jrock fans are also otakus, and they are becoming really annoying. I am convinced that half of these people rarely listen to real jrock and instead just sit around looking at pictures of their favorite rocker all day. Now, I also surf a bit looking for pics and wallpapers, but only when I am really bored and have nothing better to do. Also, they seem to be able to splurt an endless stream of random facts, like what size underwear SUGIZO wears or how many cavities Kyo has. What is the point of all this if you don't actually appreciate the music? Too many jrock fans seem to base their preferences on which band looks the coolest or has the prettiest visual style. I hate to pick on the fans of a particular group, but a lot of Malice Mizer fans strike me this way. Gackt fans too. It's okay if you think Gackt or Mana is pretty, but what about the music?? Do you even listen to it? When you do, do you automatically think every song is a masterpiece? I wish fans would use a little critical thought once in a while.

II. The Malice Mizer/X Japan Debate

Who is the best jrock band ever? The camps seem to be split between X Japan fans and Malice Mizer groupies, with a small minority gunning for Luna Sea. All good choices, but is this even a valid question? No! Why? Because it's subjective and based entirely on personal opinion. A person who likes metal is naturally going to gravitate toward X Japan. The goths will choose MM. You can never pick a "best band" in any genre. You can point out which sold the most records, or was the most influential to later bands. In the end, however, saying you think one band's music was better than another is just an opinion. X Japan may be my favourite jrock band, but that doesn't mean I think everyone should agree with me.

X Japan fans tend to have this complex where they think Yoshiki was the greatest composer ever. Yes, he was amazing, but don't get carried away. By the same token, Malice Mizer fans tend to think Mana is God. Also a great musician, but come on. Oh, and if one more MM fan tells me how they were the most influential VK band, I am going to scream. MM was barely known in Japan. They've only gained real popularity in the West.

III. Is it rock? Pop? Visual Kei?

Why does everyone seem to think this question can only be answered in terms of black and white, one or the other? A song can be somewhere in between rock and pop, like some of L'Arc~en~ciel's or Glay's songs. It's a continuum, people. Shades of gray. And since when does pop make it automatically a lower form of music? Sure, cheesy Britney Spears pop pisses me off, but well done pop music by Every Little Thing or Gackt is great. Here's a news flash: you can like rock AND pop without being a sell-out.

Part two of this question involves visual kei. People, visual kei is just that: a VISUAL STYLE. It actually has nothing to do with the music. Now, it is true that most VK bands make music that is goth, metal, or rock, but look at Psycho le Cemu. Their latest singles have been pop-dance music. Yet, they are still considered "visual kei." I will reiterate one last time, VK is NOT a musical genre.

IV. Who are we to criticize?

Well, simply put, we are the fans. If anyone is going to criticize the music, it's us. Everyone has that right. By offering honest and intelligent criticism, we can help other fans understand the music better.

HOWEVER, most fans lately seem incapable of this. That is because they don't bother to actually listen carefully to the music. The mental attitude is "Oh, it's Dir en Grey, so it must be good." (Or any band, for that matter.) If you aren't capable of being truly critical and picking out the bad from the good, then you have no business making judgments. That may seem harsh, but I put a lot of work into the reviews I write for my website. I wish other people would at least TRY to do the same thing. Do you have to have a degree in musical theory or play an instrument to be a music critic? No. What you do need is the ability to be objective and recognize your own biases. That is why I didn't score the hide BEST~Psychommunity album. I knew there was no way I could be objective. I know this is hard to do, but it is possible, and by listening to music with a critical ear, you will come to appreciate it more.

That's all for this rant. I could go on and on, but I think this covers all the main points. I'm not trying to offend anyone, I am just giving my honest OPINION. If this tirade actually made you think, then I guess I accomplished my goal.