JRock fans unite!

[BigshotSpike]

I'm sure there has to be a couple on this site. I'm not talking about the whiney J-Rock used in anime themes, but the real stuff.
Everyone who's a fan of J-Rock list your favorite bands and why.

X-Japan (their music makes me laugh, cry, want to destroy stuff, get inspired, and puts me into a complete state of awe. They have great power metal songs like Kurenai and Dahlia, somber and touching ballads like Forever Love and Endless Rain, and orchestrated masterpieces like Amethyst. Each member is extremely talented in their own ways and all of them changed the rock scene in Japan forever)

hide (He is THE rock star, period. His outrageous outfits, his offensive lyrics, and his always cool pink hair made him an icon. He has cool punk rock songs like Rocket Dive and Lassie, rock hard anthems like Pink Spider and Hurry-Go-Roud, and gut-wrenching ballads like Flame and Goodbye. To sum him up in one quote would be, 'hide was just...EVERYTHING)

Dir En Grey ( I've heard them labelled everything from pop to glam to darkwave to goth to punk to god-only-knows what else. I can't label them either, which to me, is a sign of a great and very diverse band. They have extremely hard Marilyn Manson-esque songs like Hydra and Zan, weird songs like Embryo and Zomboid, and ballads like Ain't Afraid To Die)

Pierrot (Pierrot is a unique band, and anyone who wants something fresh and creative from most of the new visual bands is in for a treat with them. Aiji plays an extremely mean guitar. The vocals are great and everyjust...clicks. I swear, the guitar work done by this group is the best I've heard since hide)

The Pillows (Best known for their work on the FLCL soundtrack. These guys are a great rock group. They aren't Visual Kei like the above mentioned, but they still rock hard. Some of my favorites by them are Midnight Down, Crazy Sunshine, Funny Bunny, Blues Drive Monster, and (of course) Ride on Shooting Star. )

I have many other favorites but these guys are my top 5.

[kthulhu]

I saw a segment about Dir En Grey on "Japanorama", an interesting BBC series about the quirky side and history of Japan(look for it on the newsgroups or P2P networks). Apparently they don't like Marilyn Manson, strangely enough. Probably my top J-band is B'z. I like them for their late 80's-early 90's sound.

[KLin]

Here are my favorites:

1. LUNA SEA
2. Anything done by hide
3. Siam Shade
4. B'z
5. X Japan (Mostly their rock ballads)
6. Sex Machineguns
7. Lastier
8. Glay
9. Spitz
10. Dir en grey
11. L'Arc~en~ciel
12. Transitic Nerve
13. L'acryma Christi
14. Pierrot
15. Malice Mizer
16. Gackt

Favorite J-girl-rock bands:
1. Aikawa Nanase
2. The Brilliant Green
3. Judy & Mary
4. Hysteric Blue

(And yes I own Japanese CDs for all the bands listed above. )