When, Where and How did you first discovered Japanese Music?

[DistraughtK 10]

Somewhere in the early 2000's like 02 or 03.

It was the second ending theme to Inuyasha and I fucking fell in love with it!

[ryoustyle 0]

Around 2006, girl I was kind of forced to hang out with had me listen to Miyavi. I didn't admit I thought he seemed kind of cool. When I was alone and was going to youtube him by myself I forgot how his name was spelled and forgot about it. Some months later I saw a banner with him on myspace and youtubed him and later found alice nine that became my first favourite vk band.

[Guest mitsubana]

When: 2005-2006

 

Where: German music forum (yes, really lol) / high school

 

How: I was really into German music and on a German music forum I asked about other foreign music. Some people suggested Dir en grey (for Japanese music). I checked them out, found out their latest CD was released in my country, and the rest is history. I've been a fan for such a long time and haven't gotten sick of Visual Kei / Japanese music.   

[Flame-X 441]

A time long ago, when I had 56k modem, when Kazaa existed, I searched for a Rurouni Kenshin OST song, then search results came up as "Heart of Sword" sung by T.M.Revolution, my first thought was.... techno music? So I gave it a listen and the tune turned out to be pretty catchy. That was my gateway to the Japanese music realm.

[Junpei'sGirl 5]

Sure I watched alot of anime (always subbed!) and liked alot of the opening and ending theme songs...would sing along to some of them even...but never really thought about it being anything more than part of the anime...

 

So the first time that I was introduce to/actually started listening to jrock (and other japanese music) was...

When: Fall 2009

Where: Seinan Gakuin University- Fukuoka, Japan

First Band/Song: No freakin clue, but high possibility it was a GazettE or Alice Nine song...

How: Another exchange student that I became friends with is a huge fan of jrock and has been for many many years...she introduced me one day to the music...and by introduced, I mean gave me a crash course one day a few weeks into our stay- we spent hours on her computer of her playing songs and watching pvs...probably had 20+ bands thrown at me that day...and countless number of songs. I was overloaded with information and therefore couldn't remember anything other than that it was love and I wanted more!

She sent me back to my room at the end of the night with a small portion, about 2 or 3gb, of her collection. I started to listen to the music almost non-stop, but with as many bands and songs as had been thrown at me all at once, it took about 3 weeks of constantly asking my friend to listen and tell me who was playing and a Saturday spent watching full concerts on her computer before I finally started being able to recognize a few bands/songs.

[Lestat 2167]

I got into X Japan and Loudness around age 10 or 11. I was typically following anything that was 80's based and those two fit the picture. It wasn't until three years ago though that I discovered the actual term of Visual Kei mostly through anime and friends' interests.

[hyura 465]

I became friends with some people from school who were a few years older and liked VK bands (especially Dir en grey) and gradually became fascinated with the unique sound and looks.
 

That was already 10 years ago!

[RoseOfHizaki 131]

I think I got into it through listening bands like DreamTheater, Symphony X & Angra - I did a little research when they did their japan tours and had a listen to the bands that were either headlining or supporting them. I cant remember the exact date though but definitely within the last 10years.

[rebelstrik 111]

Uhmm, i guess the first time was year 2005 when i saw mucc - saishuu ressha pv on german music channel (viva+). Even after the first listening i forgot the sound of it and i didnt typed down the name of artist/song, i wanted to hear it again and again. I remember back then i was rly bored from songs with english lyrics (was kinda pissed @ linkin park and soad for their "maturing" aswell). So i was up for something fresh. After a while i downloaded some more mucc songs on DC++ and i then i started to search for other bands and artists (girugamesh, vidoll, alice nine, hotei tomoyasu, blood stain child).

Then i found some more local jrock fans and we made a meeting at anime fest. Eh, those were mostly 13yo lolita wannabe girls and  me - "grown up" semi fatso mmo geek. It was kinda borring. Those girls were using "kawaii" and "nyappy" all the time and bragging how good they know japanese. When it was my turn to introduce myself i told that i only listen to the music, dont pay attention to the looks of vk artists and hate mana (ha ha, now i have almost all cd's of malice mizer and moi dix mois). At the end of the day i was kinda happy to get my beer served ice cold while watcing those kiddos slurp their tea.

As i know almost none of them listen jrock anymore. Some changed to kpop, some others to dubstep or something hipsterish like sigur ros.

[accede 3]

I believe my first experience with Japanese music was Girugamesh's "Music" album. I didn't know anything about music overseas at that point and was really turned off by the way they looked (VK). No offense to the genre or anyone on here, it's just not my thing. I loved the music though, but I drifted away from it since I thought all bands were like that. Some time later, it was either Crossfaith's "The Artificial Theory For The Dramatic Beauty" or Her Name In Blood's early demos that drew me back in, and forever in.

[TakaGacktHyde 19]

When: 1997 i was 9 or 10 at the time

Where: watching rurouni kenshin at home on toonami

What: i think it was the ending for the dub version which was heart of sword by t.m.revoution. i fell in love with his voice and the rest is history.

[Umi_Niwa 31]

If not for anime I would keep living happily ever after without knowing anything about Jrock or Jpop. When- sometime around 2004-5. Since the first anime I saw was Inuyasha the first songs I heard were by BoA and Ayumi Hamasaki it all rolled from there.
 

[beni 2149]

When: Around 2013.

Where: Watching Death Note, Naruto, Bleach and various other animes after getting into Pokemon at the age of sixteen and up (I was late to the party).

How: Loved the openings and endings of the said animes. Got cerial about looking into J-music after I heard Death Note's OST. 

[Deathtopi4 428]

In 7th grade around 2010, and it was Death Note for me too! Before I heard Maximum the Hormone there was no anime music I'd found that I liked enough to listen to more of the band's music. Not even Shiver by the Gazette was enough to get me listening to them at the time...

[MaikoMizu 167]

This was around the time of middle school. I discovered Japanese music thanks to my childhood friend introducing me to Death Note and anime in general. 
For some reason I was fascinated by the opening video and researched the band and that's what basically/somewhat got me started with Japanese music, Nightmare.

[tsuzu_kami 2]

In 2011,in my room, while watching Death Note.