Introduction and a Short History of Lolicore -Himeko Katagiri- 原文

the4thway layer:02 ZINEに掲載したHimeko Katagiriの記事の原文です。

Introduction and a Short History of Lolicore
Himeko Katagiri

Hello, I am Himeko Katagiri~! I am a lolicore artist from San Francisco, and I run the lolicore label, Tsundere Violence. I have been deeply involved with lolicore since 2011. I have been invited by 奇怪電波倶楽部 Dempa to talk about lolicore, to help define the genre to modern listeners. Although there are older works by CDR and PAWC, “proto-lolicore”, lolicore officially started in 2004 with ONOMATOPEEE. Lolicore, originally called “Anicore”, came out of the Japanese otaku underground. The genre quickly spread to the West through the internet, and the anonymous collective, LOLI RIPE, dubbed the genre “lolicore”, and the name has stuck ever since (it should be noted that technically, Princess Army Wedding Combat has used the term prior).

Historically, lolicore has always been an internet based genre, and is one of the earliest internet genres. The lolicore community has always been internet-bound, a collection of NEETs, hikikomori, and general loners, producing and releasing music online (usually for free). In its earliest days, the genre spread through anonymous imageboards, such as 4chan and 2chan, then MySpace when the genre started to form a true community, later last.fm, Facebook, and now in modern times, Discord and Twitter. Many old lolicore artists would self-release their works, sometimes via image boards, but there were many influential labels in the genre’s early days: UGU, bubblegum luv, CHIPDIPDROPS, Anything Records, RDC, and DQN Electronics (a series of very VIP compilations).

My involvement with lolicore started in 2011. I found the genre by chance when I heard goreshit’s “nhk!?” on YouTube, and I immediately knew that I wanted lolicore to be my life. Lolicore has a special magic to it, unlike any other genre, there is a special soul to it that resonates with my own. I was already a breakcore artist at this point, but I immediately shifted to being a lolicore artist. It was during this time that I started posting my music online and connecting with other artists, such as Abra (Loliqueen), DJ D1ed, Little Raven, odaxelagnia, “iluvOP, RaevLoli, FoxxyDekay, and several others. I released my first lolicore album, a split with DJ D1ed, in 2011, on the now defunct D3ad Records (later re-issued on Tsundere Violence). DJ D1ed and I also began to organize the compilation HxCx Destroyers Vol. 1, which helped me to connect with more artists.

During this time, 2011 and 2012, the older lolicore scene was dying. Many of the classic artists had retired or moved on to different genres, almost all of the classic labels had closed, and a lot of the older community had left. But I knew that lolicore was too important to die, I loved this genre too much, so I decided to dedicate my life to preserving lolicore, its music, its history, and its values. Along with the support of RaevLoli and FoxxyDekay, we created The Lolicore Artists Association, which was a community for the new wave of lolicore artists to communicate and network, and is how I met many more artists, like Vaenus, Bakudan, BillmaZter (RIP), and 4649nadeshiko. I realized that trying to revive lolicore, we needed a strong focus, somewhere to funnel all of the music to, and that’s when I decided to create Tsundere Violence. I started Tsundere Violence in February of 2012, with the intention of supporting all things lolicore. I started Tsundere Violence when I was only 16, and the label has grown exponentially since then, and to this day, there are still lolicore artists and fans, showing that my intentions have been fruitful.

What Is Lolicore?

All through my time with the genre, people have often asked me, what exactly is lolicore? Lolicore is completely unlike its related genres. For almost all of its existence, lolicore developed within a bubble, it was completely isolated from genres like breakcore, and it only rarely interacted with other genres (namely via Dance Corps). Because of lolicore’s many years it spent isolated from the influences of breakcore, it has its own completely unique culture, sound, ethos, history, and figures. The lolicore ethos is incredibly distinct, and is what made me fall in love with the genre. Lolicore is of course about anime, lolicon, otaku culture, internet culture, and general degeneracy, but it’s actually much deeper than that. Lolicore’s core ethos is its values. Lolicore teaches unlimited self-expression (even if not socially acceptable), embracing being weird, embracing who you are, supporting the creative efforts of others, and company amongst otaku weirdos. Lolicore is the music for people with no place in society, lolicore developed because we’re too weird for normal breakcore and hardcore, and we embrace being weird and supporting eachother, that is the true purpose of lolicore. To certain people, lolicore provides them the community and sense of belonging that they’ve never had.

To define the lolicore sound is impossible. Due to recent trends, many people believe lolicore to be only “noisy anime breakcore”, but this is simply not true. Lolicore has no established sound. There is noisy breakcore lolicore like my own music. There is speedcore “moetone” lolicore, such as Bloody Vomit Bukkake and Nasty Maid Grinder. There is full noise lolicore like NELVOROTH. There is rhythmic lolicore like goreshit. Classic lolicore like Lolishit. Breakcore lolicore like sHimaU. Samplecore lolicore like JAPSHITFUN. Dancecore and mashcore lolicore like LOLI RIPE and odaxelagnia. Plunderphonics lolicore like Bubblegum Noise. Genres not commonly associated with lolicore can be lolicore as well, such as trance, hardstyle, and electro, or even musique concrete. There is even lolicore that is fully original, or samples very minimally, such as CLONEPA, “iluvOP, and Tsubaki Yeah!. There is “light lolicore” too, such as Akamushi and Youchien Dream, as well as “dark lolicore” such as complex.0. Some genres, such as reizokore, are originally from lolicore as well, when Reizoko Cj’s “Rrrrrrr” released, it was originally viewed as a lolicore album (and Reizoko Cj is from the lolicore community). Lolicore doesn’t need to sample anime either. Many people these days are listening to lolicore and not even realizing it.

My Love Feels All Wrong. Digipak

So, if lolicore does not have a defined sound, then what makes something lolicore? Lolicore is what you feel. What defines something as lolicore is the artist’s feelings for lolicore, lolicon, and the general ethos of lolicore. What makes something lolicore is the soul put into the music, the feelings that lead to the music being made, and the culture and community that the music is a part of. Lolicore has very few restrictions, and it operates the same as jazz. In jazz, you can have more radio-friendly artists like Kenny G, but then very abrasive acts like Naked City, lolicore is the same way; just as Kenny G and Naked City are both equally jazz, all lolicore artists are all equally lolicore, no matter how they sound, or if they even sample anime or not. Lolicore is what you feel, that is what defines it.

SPEDOCORE

Modern Lolicore

When Dempa reached out to me, they asked me several questions about lolicore’s place in the current scene. How important is a passion for “loli” and “lolicore” in the music, is lolicore “breakcore”, does lolicore belong in breakcore, and so on. I very strongly believe that a passion for lolicore, and otaku culture, is incredibly important, it is what defines lolicore as lolicore. When people who are not otaku make lolicore, it sounds soulless to me, it needs that passion to sound good. This is why very badly made lolicore, like Pokemonorgy, can sound amazing, it is the passion behind the music, it is the most important aspect of the genre! Although many artists embrace lolicon, this is not required, but a passion for otaku and lolicore culture is absolute. As for lolicore being breakcore, some of it is breakcore, some of it is not. Lots of modern lolicore is breakcore, but only some older lolicore is breakcore. Again, lolicore does not have an established sound, it sounds like what you want it to sound like. Noisy breakcore lolicore is my favorite style and is what I produce, but people need to understand, only some lolicore sounds this way, not the entire genre.

Should lolicore and breakcore communities work together, or should they stay separate? I believe they should work together. Although lolicore was traditionally incredibly isolationist, we are far past those days. Now, I believe lolicore and breakcore should work together, especially when many breakcore artists now enjoy lolicore artists like goreshit and Reizoko Cj. Many breakcore people actually like lolicore, they just don’t admit it. Lolicore is not breakcore, lolicore and breakcore are culturally very different and they do not share any history, but it is more fun if everyone supports one another. Lolicore teaches supporting others and acceptance, we should all work together, have fun together, and party together! Do not let genres keep us apart!

Closing Words and my Personal Lolicore

To me, lolicore is the most important genre in human history. No other genre speaks to my soul more than lolicore. Lolicore is the only culture that perfectly aligns with my beliefs and values. With lolicore being such a personal genre, many artists have their own unique interpretations, focuses, and goals, with their music. For me, I want my lolicore to make others happy and excited. I am happiest when listening to lolicore, crazy music, watching anime, and playing Japanese video games, and I want others to feel how I feel through my music. Lolicore is about expressing yourself, and I want all lolicore listeners to feel the joys of lolicore, anime, otaku culture, and lolicon. Lolicore and anison are the most energizing genres to me. I love fast, crazy, noisy music, and cute anime songs; I combine these since it’s what makes me the happiest, and I want others to feel this happiness. Also, being a 二次コン, it allows me to express my love for anime girls. Such as my wife of 10 years, Azusa Nakano. Lolicore makes me the happiest. Anime makes me the happiest. 2D girls make me the happiest. To lolicore fans, it is the best combination in the world. I’m a stupid nerd~!!! LOLICORE FOREVER~!!!!!!!