This Week in Visual Kei: Festival Records & Farewell Moments — June 29, 2026
What a week for the Visual Kei scene. We’ve seen record-breaking festival announcements, unexpected band shifts, and some seriously nostalgic archival releases that’ll have longtime fans digging through their hard drives.
Let’s start with the big wins. BugLug’s Bagsami 2026 festival just shattered VK records with a jaw-dropping 94-band lineup—if you haven’t secured your ticket yet, you’re already behind. Meanwhile, indigo la End announced their largest venue show ever at K Arena Yokohama in 2027, and umbrella revealed an ambitious tour capped with a historic Osaka BIGCAT performance. The ambition in the room is palpable.
On the farewell front, ExWHYZ shared their pre-goodbye single “00:00” before their final show, while BabyKingdom announced activity suspension with drummer Toramaru’s departure. It’s bittersweet, but that’s the VK cycle—bands evolve, pause, or bow out, and the community moves forward together.
Release season is heating up nicely. COPES signed to No Big Deal Records and have a mini album WAO!! dropping in September, while Kuroyume’s tackling summer with two ambitious self-cover albums. GOTCHAROCKA teased new artist photos and a summer single, and ミスイ unveiled a fresh look alongside their limited CD ‘Genjitsu Houki’. SID’s Akki is also hosting bass clinics in September for those wanting to level up their craft.
The nostalgia wave hit hard this week too. X JAPAN revived classic MVs with a rare CLAMP anime collaboration returning to circulation, and Plastic Tree dropped 17 full-length MVs from their Victor era—a goldmine for archivists and longtime listeners. Speaking of Plastic Tree, their year-end request live is shaping up beautifully with flower-themed songs in the setlist.
Even anime crossovers are thriving: Karanoah scored TV anime tie-ups with “Bakemono” and “Sunaglass”, proving Visual Kei’s reach beyond just the live circuit. And if you missed it, the new Visual Kei DJ event launching on Twitch with DIR EN GREY and BugLug is a game-changer for how we consume VK online.
This week reminded us why we’re obsessed: the scene’s got momentum, bands are taking risks, and there’s something for everyone—whether you’re chasing new sounds or revisiting the classics.
Keep your eyes on festival lineups and autumn tour announcements—July’s going to be packed.
This Week’s Posts
