Music & Subculture Magazines

Introduction

Visual kei (often abbreviated vkei) is a Japanese music movement that started in the 1980s. Bands like X Japan, Malice Mizer, Dir en grey, and later groups like The Gazette and Versailles created a genre that is as much about fashion and visual art as it is about music. Magazines like SHOXX and Cure are essential for vkei fans. They provide band interviews, photoshoots, fun facts, and a sense of community. These were prominent because the movement started in the 1980s, when print was more common. Studying these magazines will help me understand how to design for a passionate, subcultural audience. 

Examples of what Visual kei styles and bands can look like:

Research: Analyse Three Music Magazine Covers

Pick three magazines that cover different aspects of alternative/visual kei music.

1. SHOXX (Visual Kei / Rock)

Cover Style: Always features a visual kei band, often with dramatic makeup and costumes.

Typography: The masthead is bold with a signature font. It often matches the photo or main subject/s of the magazine. Little cover lines.

Mood: Intense, loud, exciting. The colours are often darker (black, red, grey) with high contrast.

2. Cure (Visual Kei / Indie)

Cover Style: Similar to SHOXX but sometimes softer, more focused on the artistic side.

Typography: Slightly more refined, but still uses bold Japanese typography. Sometimes uses fonts that match the image/band shown.

Mood: Artistic, devoted, stylized.

3. Rockin’ On Japan (Mainstream Japanese Rock / Indie)

Cover Style: More minimalist, often a band or single subject photo with clean typography.

Typography: Uses both Japanese and Western fonts, cleaner grid.

Mood: Professional, broad rock audience, less subcultural, leaning to a more general audience.

Reflection Questions

How do these magazines cater to dedicated fans? 

They show insight on things even as small as what makeup brands and products the bands use. They get personal insight into how their favorite members are like in their day to day life. These magazines can feature upcoming tours, performances, songs, teasers, and exclusive interviews. Updates, details, and news on their favorite bands gets them to buy these magazines.

What elements from SHOXX or Cure could I borrow?

I would like to borrow the artistic elements of Cure like including typography in the design and using artistic, expressionistic photography. I'd like to borrow how cover lines are compact yet minimal from SHOXX, as well as matching colors to the photo.

Visual kei often blurs gender lines. How is this represented in styling?

Band members often wear makeup and wear things considered feminine. They blur this line as a unique worldview through fashion. Their clothes are treated as a form of art and not just traditionally male or female. They often blend masculine and feminine clothing, makeup, and hair to create a hybrid sense of style. The subculture of vkei is a rebellion against Japan's traditional society. Vkei offers a sense of freedom and individualism that challenges conventional gender roles.

Examples of band members who have this style:

Mana-Sama of Malice Mizer

Sena of JILUKA

My Own Interest: Visual Kei & Alternative

I’m drawn to visual kei because it combines music, fashion, and art into a cohesive identity. The magazines treat the musicians as artists, not just celebrities. The photography is often dark, romantic, and dramatic. These are elements I might incorporate into my own magazine. Visual kei takes inspiration from androgynous fashion, rock, heavy metal, theatricality, subculture, punk, goth, and European aesthetics (all things I'm a fan of) and making it their own.

Potential Magazine Concept

Genre: Alternative / Visual Kei inspired

Content: fashion or music editorial in vkei style, products used, different clothing items, behind the scenes, fashion insights, music

Aesthetic: Dark colours (black, deep red, blue), gothic serif fonts with simpler fonts, high contrast photography

Audience: 16–25, fans of alternative music and fashion, maybe interested in Japanese subculture

Image Sources (respectively listed to order shown):

https://www.yokogaomag.com/editorial/visual-kei-vkei-japan

https://kprofiles.com/visual-kei-everything-there-is-to-know/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/SHOXX-Magazine-English-Language-Guaranteed/dp/B001RCKQ7M

https://www.suruga-ya.com/en/product/ZYAMU89809?srsltid=AfmBOophM8VuoMFn6DKCJWTOPZvCKWh4GwT_7j5Ecgp7c7Lrr54_tBj2

https://www.animebooks.com/shmama20vo19.html

https://www.amazon.com/CureJapanesquerockVisualStylingmagazineVol223THE-MADNA-Cure-Magazine-Japanese-ebook/dp/B0CZWST5M6

https://japanmusicmarket.com/products/08-2010-cure-kamijo-cover-japan-visual-kei-music-magazine?srsltid=AfmBOoqC6AR11GB76m412zjEHyUuH2PLYScw26f9STv5ZQtWP3cjzOJe

https://www.amazon.com/CureJapanesquerockVisualStylingmagazineVol209theRaid-Cure-Magazine-Japanese-Asiahousekabusikigaisya-ebook/dp/B0CZ3TV8S1

https://www.amazon.com/CureJapanesquerockVisualStylingmagazineVol210mioyamazakiainikunoame-Cure-Magazine-Japanese-asiahousekabusikigaisya-ebook/dp/B0CWQ9YKQQ

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cure

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRf9SoJEf8l/

https://www.facebook.com/ado1024.official/posts/ado-will-be-on-the-cover-of-the-july-issue-of-rockin-on-japan-the-issue-will-be-/122149662674104840/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334774682733

Japanese Fashion & Culture - Magazine Research

Why Japanese Magazines? 

Japanese fashion magazines are famous and well known for their diversity. Unlike Western magazines that often stick to a single “house style,” Japanese magazines serve tiny, passionate subcultures. You can find a magazine entirely dedicated to Lolita fashion, another for street snaps of Harajuku, and another for the natural “igari” makeup aesthetic. Studying them will help me understand how to target a very specific audience with a consistent visual identity. I picked these types of magazines as an option because I appreciate the niches presented and the graphic style of the magazines.

Research Task 1 - Choose three Japanese magazines

Three magazines that represent different subcultures:

1. FRUiTS (Street Fashion / Harajuku)

Genre: Street Snap Magazine 

Cover Style: Full page photos of individuals on the street, usually very minimal text except the masthead.

What to Notice: The absence of cover lines creates a pure documentation feel. The focus is entirely on authentic personal style without commercial advertising.

(Photos sourced from FRUiTS Magazine Archives Online)

2. KERA (Alternative)

Genre: Visual kei, gothic, punk, lolita, and alternative subcultures

Cover Style: Usually a visual kei band member or a model in full subculture outfit. Bold and chaotic layouts with layered text.

What to Notice: How the design mirrors the music. Energetic, rebellious, layered. The colours are often pops of neon, bright colors, or red.

(Photos sourced from KERA Magazine Archives Online)

3. LARME (Girly / Kawaii / Igari Style)

Genre: “Princess” style for young women; popularised igari makeup (natural, flushed cheeks, “just cried” look).

Cover Style: Soft pastels, dreamy photography, models with round eyes and soft lighting.

What to Notice: The use of soft, rounded fonts, lots of pink and white, the feeling of sweetness and fantasy. Every element is designed to feel gentle.

(Photos sourced from https://larme.co/magazine/)

Reflection Questions

Which of these Japanese subcultures speaks to me the most?
Visual kei (often shortened to vkei) is the subculture that speaks to me the most. I've been a fan of the vkei subculture from aesthetics to music for about 4 years. I like how it's bold, punk-like, alternative, and dark. Bands such as Malice Mizer, gulu gulu, BUCK-TICK, kaneto-juusei, Versaillies, and mamireta are my favorite bands for music and visuals. 

What can I learn from how Japanese magazines build such a strong niche identity?

I can learn from the different ways of Japanese house styles. Japanese house styles tend to not stick too much to the rules and they can also be inconsistent depending on the magazine. I can learn to not stick to traditional house style rules of Western magazines and use my own. I especially love how FRUiTS is simplistic yet the colors and picture tells you exactly what the magazine is about which may be something I'll consider in my final magazine.

Will I mix influences from several subcultures or focus on one?

I think I will mix influences from several subcultures as well as adding influence from other researched magazines like Western ones. Subcultures and visuals I'm considering are alternative in general but also indie, niche, gothic, vkei, etc.

An Advocacy Video About Digital Addiction

Introduction

A few weeks ago, my friend was talking about how she needed a better advocacy video. This advocacy video could be on any chosen topic and it was for the school's pageant. Since I wanted to help, had some ideas, and the fact that I'm taking media studies as an A level, I decided to step in and help her. We did a full production project, rushed, within a day. This video was called "Unplugged" and it focused on digital addiction, something almost every student our age can relate to. I ended up recording 90% of the footage, helping to shape the script, and collaborating on the overall concept. This blog post is a reflection on that process and how it connects to this blog and media studies.

Pre-production

Before we shot anything, we sat down together and thought of a basic concept and what we need to do to appeal to our audience. Our target audience is the judges but also students in highschool ages 13-18.

I discussed some key media concepts to get her a better understanding of how to make the script and record. For audience, we're speaking to students who might feel attacked if we're too harsh. The tone had to be relatable and not judgmental. For representation, we had to think of how to represent phone addiction visually without stereotyping. For media language; every shot, edit, and sound choice communicates something.

I had a basic script idea, but me and my friend worked on it together to make it more visual. Instead of writing text that says stuff like "people are addicted to their phones," I wanted to show that visually through scenes that illustrated the problem.

The script was structured in three parts: 

The problem: What digital addiction looks like in everyday life

The consequences: What we miss when we're always looking down

The solution: Small steps toward balance, which is the "unplugged" message

Production

This is where I took over. I ended up recording approximately 90% of the footage for the project. An iPhone 14 Plus was used for this. My media studies lessons on camera work became immediately useful.

Camera techniques I applied:

Close ups: Used for showing emotions, screens, and scrolling. It works because it shows the isolating nature of phone use.

Long shots: Showing social situations where the phone is isolating the main subject, like in a classroom and cafeteria. It emphasizes disconnection even when surrounded by people.

Over the shoulder: POV shots of main subject on phone. Puts audience in main subject's position.

Directing

Since I was behind the camera, I also ended up directing my friend and the other students we recruited. Mostly, I let them use natural behavior/acting. It makes it more realistic.

Media Studies Concepts

Representation

We had to think carefully about how we represented young people. So many news and stories portray teenagers as helpless addicts controlled by their phones. We wanted to show the problem honestly but also show agency, the ability to choose differently. The final shot of the video is the main subject not picking up their phone and putting it on Do not Disturb mode. That was intentional.

Audience Theory

We applied Uses and Gratifications theory without even realising it.

Gratification                                    How our video provided it

Personal Identity:                             Students seeing themselves on screen through the scrolling and the isolation

Personal Relationships:                   The "solution" section showed real connection between people

Diversion:                                         The video was engaging enough to hold attention

Surveillance:                                    Information about digital addiction and its effects

Narrative Theory

We structured the video using Todorov's narrative theory.

Stage                            Our Video

Equilibrium                    Student addicted to phone, using it normally everyday

Disruption                       Showing negative effects

Recognition                    A moment where main subject realises what they're missing

Attempt to repair          Putting phone down, engaging with real life

New equilibrium          Balance, using phones in a healthy manner, not being controlled by them

Media Language

Every shot, every edit, every sound is part of media language. I had to think about:

Denotation: What's literally in the shot (student on a phone)

Connotation: What it means (isolation, addiction, disconnection)

Semiotics: How signs create meaning (phone screen glow meaning modern addiction)

Connection

These things from the experience of making this video can directly connect to my magazine project.

Lesson from Video                                 Application to Magazine

Every choice communicates                          Fonts, colours, and layouts send all messages

Know your audience                                      Design decisions should be made with the reader in mind

Show                                                              Images should do as much as words

Consistency                                                   Video had a consistent visual language; my magazine needs a                                                                                     consistent house style

Planning                                                          Pre-production saved us; I'll plan my magazine thoroughly

Conclusion

Helping my friend create "Unplugged" was one of the most valuable experiences I've had in Media Studies so far. It took the theories from discussions and made them real. I had to think about audience, representation, media language, and ideology because they actually mattered to the effectiveness of the video. I'm proud of what we created, and I'm grateful for the experience. When I start my magazine project, I'll carry these lessons with me. Media isn't just something you study. It's something you do.

British Vogue: Content Page Analysis #1

Introduction

A good contents page needs to be easy to navigate, visually consistent with the cover, and reflective of the magazine's personality. I chose three very different magazines to analyse: Vogue(fashion/lifestyle), TIME (news), and Empire (film). Each one approaches the contents page in a completely different way, which taught me a lot about how design choices reflect audience expectations.

British Vogue content page visual analysis using an info poster presentation style:

This is an info poster where I included a simple yet effective visual analysis of British Vogue magazine content page.

Vogue: Double-page spread analysis #3

 

Double-page spread visual analysis

A typical fashion spread in Vogue gives priority to the image. The layout usually has a photograph that fills one or both pages, and text is placed carefully to avoid detracting from the visual. The photography is most important, the other aspects support it.

The image style is high level fashion photography, often by acclaimed photographers. Lighting is dramatic, and the styling is perfect. The model's pose is carefully planned. Every detail is perfect because these are not just article illustrations but also artworks that could be displayed in a gallery.

The clothing seems appealing and desirable. The viewer is not just seeing fashion, but a fantasy. The photography makes people want it.

The text is simple and stylish. The headline might be in a small space on the opposite page or subtly placed on the image in a nice font. The main text is in a readable font but in small amounts. Vogue trusts its photography to tell the story.

Quotes are used carefully and are made to add to the visual rather than interrupt. They could be in a narrow space or as a small part of the image. Nothing takes away from the visual.

Colour comes from the photography. Vogue's designers allow the images to guide the colour choices, often picking plain backgrounds that makes the clothing and model stand out. Gold, black, white, and cream are used often, giving a luxurious feel. When colour is used, it has a clear purpose.

I saw that they carefully consider the center crease where the pages meet. Good Vogue spreads never put a face or key detail in the crease. They design around it, so the image works across both pages without losing anything important where the pages fold. This care for detail shows skill.

Sometimes the spread will show a big image on one page and a smaller image on the other, which makes the layout look good through scale. Sometimes the image goes across both pages for a strong look. The variety keeps each spread feeling new while keeping the magazine's style.

Why it works

This approach by Vogue works because it views fashion as art. The reader can look closely at the image to appreciate the clothing, lighting, arrangement, and mood. It is careful viewing.

The small amount of text does not get in the way of enjoying the visuals. The words seem important because there are so few of them. Every sentence matters.

The fancy style makes the reader feel like they are seeing something special and exclusive. It's an involving experience that puts you in the world of high fashion.

What I Learnt

Let strong images stand alone. Great photography needs space to breathe. Avoid unnecessary design elements that might distract from it.

Less is more. Minimalism suggests quality. If you use minimal text, sufficient negative space, and simple typography, it projects confidence.

Expert designers think about how the magazine is made, considering the fold and possible loss of content. This detail sets pros apart.

Make every part essential. Only include text if it's needed. Only use colours that support the image.

Aim for feeling, not just information. Vogue spreads create a mood. Design should stir feelings.

Empire: Double-page spread analysis #2

Double-page spread visual analysis 

Empire magazine creates its double-page spreads to captivate its audience. The arrangement is adaptable, shifting to fit each piece's topic. A major film might get a layout focused on one striking picture. A feature with an interview may have several pictures in an artistic collection.

The pictures include studio shots, movie scenes, and behind the scenes views. Because Empire has access to top figures and movies, it uses them a lot. Pictures often fill the whole space, going past the edges of the pages for a complete feel. Images of actors are set on coloured backgrounds, making a visual, poster style.

The writing style is strong. Titles use fonts that match the movie's font when they can. Key quotes are made big and serve as design parts. The main text is in simple columns but might have boxes with facts, trivia, or quick reviews.

The movie on show sets the colour. A sci-fi movie piece might use cold blues and grays, while a historical drama could use softer, muted colours. Empire's usual red and white are in parts like page numbers or titles.

There are many extras. Each spread has more material like actor interviews, fun facts, hidden details, and quotes from the director. The way it's designed lets readers jump around, so they can read a lot or just look at certain parts.

Why It Works

Empire's readers purchase the publication for how it feels and what it says. They like feeling linked to films they enjoy. The many pictures, insider info, and excited tone all make it feel like they're involved in the film business. The design goes with the content. It’s interesting and made for fans.

What I Learned

I learned that a double-page spread can be more than just writing from Empire. It can be something people enjoy. The different ways to read it mean different readers can get involved in their own ways. Someone might read everything, while another person might just look at the pictures and quick facts. The design works for anyone.

TIME: Double-Page Spread Analysis #1

Introduction

In magazine design, the double-page spread (DPS) stands out as a key element. It functions as a smaller project inside the larger magazine. The most successful ones achieve a balance between images and text, capturing the reader's interest across both pages. I looked at spreads from TIME (news), Empire (film), and Vogue(fashion/lifestyle). Each magazine addresses the layout challenge in its own way. I gained insight into layout, hierarchy, and the overall aim of the design.

Double-page spread visual analysis

TIME’s articles are designed for ease of reading and to show they are an expert source. The design uses a strong grid, usually with three or four columns each page, which makes it seem structured and dependable. Text is most important, and pictures support this.

Images are like news photos instead of art. Pictures show what's important in the news, such as leaders, war zones, or historical events. They go with the writing and do not take over. Images usually stay inside the column lines instead of going across the page.

The writing looks serious and stays the same throughout. Headlines are strong but not too fancy, using a simple font without tails. The main writing uses an easy to read font with tails, with lines neatly lined up on each side to look clean. Short quotes are sometimes added but not too often, and they also fit into the grid.

Very little colour is used. Usually, the text is black on a white page. TIME uses its special red colour for titles, numbers, or important things in charts. Colour photos look real.

Something I saw was how they use charts and maps to show information. When TIME needs to explain hard stuff, they use clear charts or maps that you can quickly understand. These look the same as the rest of the article.

Why It's Good

TIME’s style is good since it focuses on being easy to read and believable. Readers want facts, not distractions. The regular grid makes people think the reporting is reliable. Reading a TIME article makes you feel like you can trust what it says.

What I Learned

I learned from TIME that it is good to keep things simple and the same. The grid is always followed, which makes the magazine look professional and trustworthy. I also learned that charts are just as important as writing for giving information. If my magazine needs to explain hard topics, I’ll remember to do it this way.

Empire: Content Page Analysis #3

 

Content page visual analysis

Empire's table of contents is exciting. It is active, fun, and full of energy, capturing what a film magazine should be. The design moves away from being too strict. Images are cut out and set at angles, text goes around shapes, and the overall feel is dynamic. This way generates curiosity before you read any article. The masthead, date, and contents title, are usually in similar places in every magazine content page.

The magazine uses many visuals. A single table of contents often includes pictures like upcoming film scenes, actor photos, behind the scenes shots, and production designs. Empire knows its audience values visuals as much as information, so they give a visual experience right on the contents page, like entering a movie theatre lobby. 

Typography is bold and made for the stage, inspired by movie poster styles. Section titles might use fonts similar to those of popular film logos, adding to the movie feel. Page numbers are big and creatively part of the design. They sometimes blend with the pictures, so being useful and interesting.

The colours vary, fitting well with each month's images. Still, Empire regularly uses red and white as its main colours, using them as accents to make everything match. The text is clever and full of feeling. Phrases make you want to keep reading, feeling the thrill in the writing.

How It Relates to the Audience

Empire's readers are movie lovers, not critics. They are very passionate about films and want to share in the excitement of upcoming films. The contents page appears as a fellow movie fan, eagerly sharing suggestions. The busy, image filled design imitates walking into a cinema lobby, where everything is exciting.

The language shows people who get excited about trailers, casting news, and secrets from film sets. It’s written by fans.

What I Learned

From Empire, I discovered that personality is key. The contents page does more than list articles. It builds interest in the audience reading them. The fun design and enthusiastic descriptions encourage me to read everything, and not just specifically what I was searching for.

I also saw organization within the energy. The page numbers are still easy to spot, the sections remain clear, and the most important stories have more visual attention. It's organised energy, active without being confusing. That balance is harder to get right than it seems.

TIME: Content Page Analysis #2

Content page visual analysis

TIME's contents page uses a design that values both efficiency and trustworthiness. The layout follows a column based grid, much like a structured briefing paper. Instead of a large, eye catching image, it uses small photos of people in the news or previews of stories found inside the magazine, placed to help with navigation.

The magazine uses simple and direct typography. The TIME logo is small, because the magazine's reputation speaks for itself. Red boxes/text mark sections such as Briefing, Features, and Commentary, guiding readers. This use of red matches TIME's brand and makes the page easy to navigate.

The colour palette is simple. Black, white, and TIME's defining red. Any other colours come from the photos and aren't part of the primary design. The content is informative and avoids exaggeration. This clear approach helps build reader trust.

How It Relates to the Reader

TIME's readers are typically busy and need quick updates on world events. They might read during short breaks and do not want to spend too much time searching for articles. The contents page helps them quickly find stories, understand their gist, and locate the correct page. The design avoids unnecessary elements.

The red section headings work as visual cues, leading the reader to different parts of the magazine. The short descriptions offer readers enough detail to pick what they want to read. The design implies respect for the reader's time.

My Takeaway

I learned that clarity enhances credibility. The straightforward design states that TIME is a serious magazine and doesn't rely on gimmicks. The regular use of red brings together the design without the need for pricy visuals or complex layouts.

I also noticed that the thumbnail images offer a preview of the content without being distracting. Each element serves a clear goal, and nothing is soley decorative. I intend to remember this controlled method.