#snakedlows

[theinarticulatemagicmarkerpen]

I've wanted to write something about Reita's passing since a couple weeks ago. I was seriously considering chucking this in my drafts forever, with my brain saying things like I'm not like a diehard fan, my thoughts probably don't matter.

However, rereading the translations of the tributes and feelings of his fellow juniors, and drawing a tribute piece desperately in-between real-life commitments, I felt the need for my words to go somewhere.

I needed to give myself an outlet and let my words and art reach somebody in the process.

I hope what I write brings someone comfort, no matter if you are a casual or hardcore fan, an older or a younger one.

I've calmed down considerably since the first draft of this, but my apologies for the rambly mess, and if there are grammatical mistakes or mistakes in expressions. I'm not sure if I'll keep this post up all the way, but yes.

It's a long one so, more under the cut.

I got the news slightIy after 1pm. I was working from home, eating my lunch.

Scrolling through social media, I saw the tweet. Taisetsu na oshirase. Couldn't mean anything that good.

I wanted to think the news was them disbanding.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the kanji on the announcement, which to my Mandarin-trained eyes, read as "asleep, forever".

Of course, I knew immediately it meant that he passed.

What? He passed?

I gasped audibly.

I texted my bestie who loved The GazettE.

"Say sike right now" I said out loud, to whom, I'm not sure.

I wanted Reita to pop out and say, no it's not true.

I checked his SNS and saw he just tweeted last night, in the early hours. Surely, this was some cruel, cruel joke.

Anger that this happened to Visual Kei, anger that my world, my working world was still running as per normal.

The rest of the working day was a blur.

As someone who has to check on social media and the news for work, it was insanely difficult for me to pretend everything was normal. My arms felt heavy as if sadness were a weight that pressed on my shoulders... and anger boiled over.

I don't want to see a social media obsessing a place giving out free ice cream scoops today!! Fuck the ice cream!! Reita passed away, he's gone, doesn't this world see that this man is gone? Can't anyone see that this man I believed would be around forever was gone?

So deep in grief I was, that I even shared about his death with colleagues. Of course, it wasn't information that had significance to them, but I just wanted someone, anyone to receive my grief.

Someone to hear about how unfair this was, from the metaphorical rooftops.

Doomscrolling just added to all the sadness I was experiencing, with no clarity to the confusion. I don't understand. I don't understand, I screamed into the digital void.

I still knew that he liked motorbikes, worked out, had a really cool brand called SNAKEDLOWS. Even if I didn't know every moment and every little fun fact about him, even if I mixed up his and Aoi's voice on the RadioJack clip my bestie references to me (damn that Sandra!), Reita was cool to me.

Indeed, I didn't.

Even though I had not followed The GazettE that closely, I still knew everyone by name, by role.

I still remember fondly that one screencap of a host asking him if he always had his noseband on. He responded: of course not, back in school(?), he had a black one. That will be my fondest memory of him.

Reita, and the rest of The GazettE were like old friends to me: that even if you didn't knew exactly what they were up to, the world doesn't feel the same if you didn't knew what they were up and doing.

I had fully expected them to exist forever together, you know? They were supposed to be 5 old men in a nursing home together, all senile, crinkly, and joking about the good old days. Who knows, in adult diapers, and attempting to croak out a ballad at the 4pm karaoke session in between feeding time or nap time or whatever, diaper changes and stuff. Annoying the staff for fucking pretending the games room was their changing room or Budokan, Maybe the staff would have to remove anything that remotely reminded them of being a band before they tear the nursing home down attempting to throw a live there. That's what I honestly expected.

We can probably all agree: there's no other guy with a noseband that will be as celebrated, cherished, and remembered. Even if it fucking sucks for me to say that he's gone, I still don't believe I have to talk about him in past tense...

The GazettE is the benchmark that every bandman wishes they could be. Of course, you had the legends, but this was the band that most younger bandmen would celebrate and emulate with incredible openness and candour; they are constantly on the lips and minds of anyone in Vkei.

Reita was the senior and friend and respected hero to my heroes. As someone who got into Vkei around the tail end of the Neo-Visual Kei era, it was obvious that The Gazette was everything a bandman could hope to be. PSC owned some of the most influential bands of that era. Some of the folks, such as Kagrra, and Alice Nine, worked closely with them or were at least, out there in the Vkei trenches with them at some point.

As someone who loved Kagrra and Alice Nine, seeing the members tweet about Reita killed me inside. Especially for the Kagrra members...how do you cope seeing your junior pass so young, when your own vocalist did, too?

And outside of it, too - in my country where Vkei hasn't had much of a hold in recent years, I'd run into or see GazettE fans in random places, like a train station, or while getting lunch at work. Cosplay acquaintances that rarely spoke about Vkei, spoke about The GazettE when he passed.

But alas, none of these, none of our sadnesses, none of our most desperate cries will bring him back. In a scene that sees so much talent come and go, so much news that breaks people's hearts, in a scene so fragile and full of reminders of our own mortality, how do we go on?

Sadie's guitarist, Tsurugi's (fun fact, Tsurugi is also in a band called RAZOR. RAZOR's vocalist Ryoga, was previously of BORN. BORN was under the same label as The GazettE then!) words at their comeback live on Mar. 17 resonated with me a lot, even now. Here's a rough translation:

I suppose this is the kind of time where I want to remember that this genre is still kicking. People care about it, even if it isn't all the same, even if it feels like things changed, and the areas and bands of focus have changed.

I brought myself to Japan again this year, for the first time in several years, and for the first time in my life, I attended Visual Kei events in Japan, 11 or 12 years after I first fell for the genre. I realised how much and how little I knew all at once, but I went home with so much hope.

”You may be in various physical conditions, but you are alive, and that is why we can meet again like this. I felt that we don't have to push ourselves, we just have to keep living and we can have a day like this. Many bands take a break or break up nowadays, but as long as they are alive, we may be able to see them again. We didn't know when we would be able to come back. But I guess that's the connection, isn't it? Please continue to live with us.

Thanks to The GazettE, their juniors, friends and contemporaries worked hard to become the bands I hold close to my heart.

Because of a scene influenced, energised and coloured by them, I ran into friends and formed my lifelong passion for Visual Kei, a genre that's so colourful and beautiful, despite every death, and every departure.

Bandmen sharing their good memories of him, bandmen encouraging and cheering fans on, all connected by the same thread.

If you're looking for a sign tonight to hang on, I hope this will be it. I myself am not doing so great, but, if my words can encourage someone here, somehow to hang on, then that will suffice.

I'm going a little off-tangent, but, maybe that needed to be said.

My advice for all of you feeling lost and in grief is to not fight your feelings. However, with each day, hang on and live to see the possibilities. Tsurugi was right. Maybe it's enough to be alive to meet your idols again. The GazettE will continue to move, so let's move along with them - not moving away from grief, but growing around it.

Reita would want that for all of us, to keep living strongly, to keep GazettE in our minds, and most importantly, to keep going. Even if you can't make it down right now to see your heroes, support them the best way you can, through your kind words, actions, thoughts, drawings, and above all - love for fellow family, friends and fans.

I believe in signs and things like that, so I'm gonna share some stuff that may be comforting to some of you, along with my personal experiences with grief, loss and comfort. Nothing religious or anything, but if you don't like that kind of stuff then you can stop here. I'll share the rest of my thoughts below.

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But first, Rest in peace, Reita. I'll post the completed drawing here soon. Take care. I think about you when I see cockatiels and motorbikes. Say hi to your heroes, and I hope you'll let your senior, Isshi, and your former bandmate, Yune know that somewhere beneath the moonlit sky, we're all hoping to see everyone again one day.

It's past midnight in Japan as well, so..happy birthday to you, fly high <3

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I read that some of you are worried that the members, especially Uruha, will feel so alone and desolate. I absolutely agree.

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Once again, only proceed if you're comfortable with me talking about stuff like signs and all that.

A year ago, 5 days from Reita's date of passing, I lost a close family member - my dad. It's a painful process, I spent so many years caregiving for him alongside my sister.

I want you to believe that someone has comforted the members, given them a hug, and told them that their best friend, their eternal member, is in a good place. And that he's always gonna watch over them.

When people came to the funeral, while it was so sad, there were times when his good friends/students came. And there was one of his best friends. I usually keep my distance, but at this moment, I felt myself going forward, hugging her, telling her that my dad was in a good place.

My dad was likely speaking through me, and perhaps if that happened to the boys, that's really probably Reita speaking to them through that, as well.

Earlier in March, I had visited Hide's grave, yes, X Japan's Hide.

(*Important: Hide's family allows for visitations from fans, so long as you do not bring offerings, so this is permitted. If a grave of a bandman has not been publicly revealed or you were not given permission to visit or seek out the grave, do NOT trespass or do so.)

Running up to the grave, I sobbed, I sobbed so much and so loudly.

I was feeling a little sick so I didn't know if I'd make it, but I did...and it was beautiful, the entire process.

I was afraid that it being in a rather far-flung corner of Kanagawa, I wouldn't be able to make it with no one around, but it turned out it was kind of a period in time where many Japanese people who were doing grave visits. When I got off the bus stop, I decided to chat up a kind Japanese obasan who happened to go grave-visting that day. I was surprised that I was able to understand her well enough... she even spoke and knew a bit of my mother tongue, which she studied for years! She also clearly gave me directions to his grave....it was so serendipitous.

I told him to watch over my heroes, who I was in part here for, not so much myself.

The wind howled in my face as if he were saying that he heard me and wanted me to dry my eyes.

I felt that he was teasing me a little for crying so much just meeting him for the first time. "What's with the sad face?" I could almost hear it in the air.

I managed to finish what I needed to say, dry my eyes and compose myself for a few minutes, right before passersby came down the same way. They also took photos of the grave. I offered to help them take photos of them, to which they declined, but they offered to take photos of me instead.

I was incredibly lucky, but I'm more than certain that I was being watched over.

So for Reita, surely he must be watching, for you all. He's no deity, surely, but he's in a place he can hear you. Like Hide, your thoughts will reach him wherever you are.

So live strongly, ok?

You must continue living your life because that's what he would have wanted, for you to keep The GazettE's legacy alive, like his wishes, and also help another fan or friend get through another day.

The GazettE is not the same GazettE without his presence, but similarly, life is not the same if you are not here. Hang in there, friend. Sending you love.

Thanks for reading too, the ramblings of someone who grew up with Vkei even if I was always at the periphery of the fandom.

[burialapplicant]

(210610) Reita’s Instagram

T-SHIRT 21 / WH and SACOCHE This is in size L. It’s not cotton since I was being specific about materials that don’t wrinkle. I think it’s a good material similar to a uniform or wetsuit. The back print is a big SL print, the colour is white so it isn’t very visible. I want to do a LIVE quickly🔥 The sacoche in the 2nd photo fits my smartphone, wallet, etc, it’s the perfect size when I go out Best regards🤘🏻 #snakedlows #snkd #reita #power!

Kai’s comment

The 3rd photo is irrelevant lol

[togur0]

Snakedlows with model Reita 💪

[audio-heresy]

Please Help Us 6th Guns In HK

I am 6th gun from Hong Kong.

Hong Kongers are fighting this oppression by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) since last year. Every day, we protest. Every day we are being killed, beat by the police, and detained.

Now, China is trying to erode our freedoms even more because we want democracy. They tried to pass an extradition law last year to allow our citizens to be taken to China for trials. We stopped that. Now the CCP is passing a security law to fully take control over Hong Kong.

We are fighting for our lives here every day for just wanting human rights, freedom, and democracy.

RAD MARKET, NIL DUE NIL UN, and SNAKED LOWS all are making many items in China. This supports our oppression. the Gazette are very kind people but maybe not aware that made in China harms so many people. They even use childrens labor in China to make all the clothes!

Japan has better factories and no use of childrens labor for making the clothes and Japan has been ally of HK so it would be more better if merch are made there.

Ruki is so kind person. I think he just doesn’t know yet! GazettE songs get me through all of this so I love them very much.

Please write a message to RAD MARKET, NDNU, and SNAKED LOWS to tell them we want made in Japan merch!

http://rad-blackmoral.com/contact.html

http://nilduenilun-tokyo.com/contact.html

https://snakedlows.shop-pro.jp/secure/?mode=inq&shop_id=PA01442903

http://the-heresy.com/contact/

Thank you so much! To everyone in protesting in America, HK stands with you too! We all want human rights for everyone.

[rakugakineru]

Me invitaron a un proyecto de dibujitos para el cumpleaños de Reita. uvu 💜 #Reita #thegazette #digitaldrawing #illustration #bassist #reitathegazette #sketch #doodle #vkei #snakedlows https://www.instagram.com/p/CAMBs3lJkE2/?igshid=11ju98baxpp3n

[project-dreams]

#Repost @reita_the_gazette_ (@get_repost) ・・・ SWEAT T-SHIRT 20 / BK 他の2種類より敢えて大きいシルエットにしてます。 元々フリーサイズのみで考えてたん だけど、やっぱり小柄な方の事を考え急遽Mサイズも作りました。 生地はスウェット生地で少し厚めなのでやや気温が低い時や朝などは丁度良いかと思います。 6月7日 PM12:00からスタートです！ #reita #snakedlows #tshirt https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGTbDNJfouwLOyzQNSwfsH5PwGy6uGwGygvN80/?igshid=1w8p720u74nr3

[pinkyheaven]

Reita: CHIPPED STAR PIERCE:WITH STUDS

When swaying, the studs look very jewelry like because of the light reflection, but also the broken star as a stud gives it a rock accessory kind of vibe to it, so I think it goes well either way.

If I have to say, I think this type of earring is mostly made for women to wear, but isn’t it okay for guys to wear it as well? 🤘🏻

If I can wear it, you can wear it 🏋️‍♂️

#reita #snakedlows #pierce

(May 29, 2020)

[rad-is-more]

I LoVe You So Much.In My Loving Face. snakedlows.

[vkeikloud]

[mecki]

Got my necklace and bracelet and a few new thingies from the collection of #reitathegazette #snakedlows 2day. Thanks #dealdesignjoker #ikebukuro #❤️

[burialapplicant]

(211203) @snkdofficial Instagram

VELOUR SET UP I wanted my own loungewear set so I made one. I think the soft velour feels amazing on skin💪🏻 May everyone have a good dream🛏 #snkd #snakedlows #reita

[rakugakineru]

Me gustaron un buen las fotitos del @reita_the_gazette_ :c 💜💕 #reita #chibi #fanart #snakedlows #digitaldoodle #digitalart #sketch #visualkei #thegazette #uruha #aoi #ruki #cute https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ZHxgSpuJk/?igshid=18en0rdkwwlrm

[project-dreams]

#Repost @reita_the_gazette_ (@get_repost) ・・・ LAME T-SHIRT 20 / BK VINTAGE T-SHIRT 20 / WH 172cm 68Kg 着用サイズはLです。 この2種類はサイズ感や形は同じです。 黒の方は後ろの星だけラメ仕様になってて、ほんのり輝く感じです。 欠けた星でも光るんです、と言いたい。 白の方はバックに大きくプリントされてひび割れた感じのペイントになってます。 Mサイズだと160cmないぐらいの人が着て俺の着てるサイズ感と同じぐらいに見えるかと思います。 #reita #snakedlows #tshirtf https://www.instagram.com/p/CBDfIuHJe5OLxeAuBUByLI9T7yx_yHoZfKMerE0/?igshid=143oo3xa5ljkn

[pinkyheaven]

Reita: CHIPPED STAR PIERCE:SMALL/BK

CHIPPED STAR PIERCE:SMALL/SV

STAR STUDS EAR CUFF

This is the size of the piercings.

I hope you’ll choose the direction of the star by yourselves, but I usually wear it like this 🤘🏻

Because of the structure of my ear, the ear cuff is the most difficult for me to wear, so I wore it here.

Also, this time I was wondering if there could be a black version of this and decided to make it as well.

I think it looks good with a cap 👍🏻

#snakedlows #reita #earrings #actually, it’ the undercut

[the-gazette-never-dies]

the GazettE Reita -  SNAKEDLOWS http://deal-design.jp/ic/27156

[darkyume666]

My version of Reita collection of Snaked Lows... Called me crafty cheep, but its close to me. The left and top right are originals. Bottom right is made by me. 😊😄 #Reita #thegazette #snakedlows #creative #craft.