Animegrind

This page needs work. Please help us by expanding it. If you aren't sure how to help, check the article guide Format and Content
Reason: Images/cover arts need crediting.

Sensitive Content Notice ⚠️

The following article contains and discusses content that may be distressing to some readers.
Reason for Warning: This page features depictions of gore and sexuality and can be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Animegrind^[1] is a cross-cultural niche subgenre of Goregrind music that focuses on topics of anime and Otaku culture, though primarily made from the point of view of foreign artists or bands (i.e., not Japanese).^[2]^[3] It was pioneered in 2006 by bands such as Jig-Ai, who frequently used grotesque anime cover arts in their music.

The genre was initially inspired by the experience of being an "edgy" teenager during the 2000s, such as listening to Goregrind while also watching explicit or gory anime content. There is a strong visual component to this genre, characterized by Kawaii anime characters juxtaposed with grotesque imagery, as well as Ero-Guro-inspired art.

The genre is primarily made by independent artists from the Southern United States, centered on platforms like Bandcamp.^[4] It frequently features references to Weebs and their online culture, and heavily relies on shock value.

History[]

Animegrind originated in the mid-2000s when Western musicians began incorporating anime themes and visuals into Grindcore music. Jig-Ai, formed in 2006, is among the earliest known examples. Their album artwork, featuring grotesque imagery and sexually suggestive themes, established a visual style that would become prevalent in the subgenre.

The term "Weebgrind" arose from online communities where fans of both anime and grindcore interacted. It combines "weeb," a sometimes derogatory term for non-Japanese people with a strong interest in Japanese culture, with "grindcore." While some consider the term offensive, others have reclaimed it, as seen in Impaled Ximena Records' compilation " Decade of Weebogrind."

Several record labels have supported the development of animegrind. Toxic Loli Records, based in California, specializes in anime grind and slam, releasing music from bands like Fucked, Bokunopicono, and Cheerleader Concubine. Stillbirth Records is another significant label, with Chinese band Dehumanizing Itatrain Worship among its roster. This band exemplifies the subgenre's tendency to pair technical death metal and brutal slam with graphic, yet colorful, anime-inspired artwork.

While some bands fully embrace explicit content, others, like Within Destruction, incorporate anime aesthetics more subtly in their music videos. Some draw inspiration from specific anime series. For example, both Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (OxEx) and Human Instrumentality Project are influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion, with the latter adapting the anime's opening theme into a Deathcore track.

Visuals[]

Animegrind album art frequently features grotesque and sexually violent imagery, often centered on depictions of disemboweled or mutilated anime-style schoolgirls. This draws heavily from Ero-Guro, a Japanese art movement of the interwar period that combines erotic and grotesque elements. Artists like Shintaro Kago, Uziga Waita, and Suehiro Maruo are known for their work in this style.

The use of such imagery in animegrind can be seen as an extension of the violent and sexual themes often found in Japanese hentai films. However, by utilizing fictional animation, the genre arguably operates with a greater degree of freedom regarding controversial content compared to other forms of extreme metal that may depict real-life violence or sexual acts.

Most album covers in the Animegrind genre are commissioned artworks that blend kawaii and gory elements. 南极君 (Nannkyokukun) is a notable artist in the scene, having illustrated albums like the Cheerleader Concubine / Dehumanizing Itatrain Worship split and OxEx's "Adoration of Decaying Innocence" EP. The latter features a smiling schoolgirl holding her own exposed viscera.

Music[]

Animegrind's core sound is derived from grindcore. It is characterized by extremely fast tempos, often exceeding 200 beats per minute. The drums frequently utilize blast beats, a technique involving rapid strikes on the bass drum and snare. Guitars are typically heavily distorted and down-tuned, producing a harsh tone. Vocals are generally hard, ranging from low growls and screams to high-pitched shrieks. Song structures in Animegrind tend to be short and concise, often lasting less than a minute. To emphasize the connection to anime, some bands incorporate samples from anime soundtracks or voice acting. Others might use high-pitched vocal techniques reminiscent of those often heard in Japanese anime.

Artists[]

@onisirige
AYAKASI KAGURA
Bokunopicono
BULMA ブルマ
Cheerleader Concubine
Dehumanizing Itatrain Worship
Fucked
GO-ZEN
Gorepot
Houkago Grind Time
Morbid Gorgeous Girl
Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Septic Karnage
Sugar Wounds
Tentacle Takanashi Takayasu
Urobilinemia
Uwu
Yanderechainsawregurgitationfactory

Albums[]

Criticism[]

Animegrind, while it maintains a niche following, has faced criticism for being "cringe" with its over-the-top shock value and emphasis on "waifu culture" (an intense devotion to fictional female characters from anime or video games). Some people have also characterized it as a low-effort genre, with no substance beyond its juxtaposition of cuteness with gore and edgy humor.^[5] Some fans of Goregrind and Grindcore in fact, do not consider Animegrind to be a "true" form of Slam Metal, and describe it as a distinct aesthetic rather than a Metal subgenre. Some songs have also been criticized for using really disturbing titles and lyrical content, often referencing concepts like "lolis," rape, and child sexual abuse.