Alternative idol

Japanese girl group Bis were the first major alternative idols to debut in Japan.

Created by Pour Lui and managed by Junnosuke Watanabe under Tsubasa Records, Bis introduced an image much darker than that of the traditional J-pop idol, initially seen as controversial they soon became known as the pioneers of the alt-idol scene.

[1] Seiko Oomori, who debuted in 2012 and has a musical style influenced by idol culture and punk rock, is also considered a pioneer of the scene.

To date, they have debuted a second and third generation of Bis, re-debuted Pla2me as Gang Parade, which had previously split into Go to the Beds and Paradises, formed Bish who disbanded at the end of 2023, Empire (now ExWhyZ), Mameshiba no Taigun, ASP, and the now disbanded Carry Loose.

[5] Generally alternative idols distance themselves from mainstream J-pop by venturing into heavier genres of music and making use of a darker and more unconventional onstage image to garner more attention.