BUCK-TICK is a Japanese rock band from Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture. Though they have never described themselves as such, they are widely regarded as one of the key founders of VisualKei, alongside bands like {{Music/X Japan}}, D'erlanger, and {{COLOR}}. They were also contemporaries with many of the artists in those bands and acts - specifically, the singer Atsushi and guitarist/theremin player/programmer/bandleader Imai were somewhat close friends of [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide]]. Formed in 1983, the band stands out amongst their peers for being relatively controversy free throughout their entire run, having had the same line up since 1985 with no break ups, hiatuses, deaths or other such misfortunes befalling them that are so common amongst other bands within VisualKei, save for band leader and lead guitarist Hisashi Imai getting arrested in 1989 for possession of LSD (Which, compared to some of the stuff other Visual Kei bands were getting up to at the time, is a rather minor infraction indeed). Going on for over 30 years, BUCK-TICK are the longest lasting Visual Kei band in the genre, beating out more well known acts such as XJapan and COLOR and are one of the most respected rock bands in Japan.

Every year, they host one of the few currently existent Visual festivals in Japan - Buck Tick Fest, where bands new and old are invited onstage to cover their songs and perform with them.

[[caption-width-right:350: BUCK-TICK circa 1988. L-R - Toll, Hoshino, Sakurai, Imai, Higuchi.]]

[[caption-width-right:350: BUCK-TICK circa 2000, L-R - Imai, Higuchi, Sakurai, Toll, Hoshino]]

[[caption-width-right:350: BUCK-TICK 2011. L-R - [[LongRunnerLineUp Imai, Higuchi, Sakurai, Hoshino, Toll.]]]]
* Atsushi Sakurai: Vocals (1985-present), Drums (1983-1985)
* Hisashi Imai: Guitar, backing vocals, noises and {{Theremin}} (1983-present)
* Hidehiko Hoshino: Guitar and backing vocals, occasional keyboards (1983-present)
* Yutaka Higuchi: Bass (1983-present)
* Yagami Toll: Drums (1985-present)

!!!Former Members:
* Araki: Vocals (1983-1985) [[ThePeteBest before Sakurai]]

!!!Studio Albums:
* Hurry Up Mode (April 4, 1987)
* Sexual XXXXX (November 21, 1987)
* Seventh Heaven (June 21, 1988)
* Taboo (January 18, 1989)
* Aku no Hana (悪の華; February 1, 1990)
* Kurutta Taiyou (狂った太陽; February 21, 1991)
* Darker Than Darkness -style93- (June 23, 1993)
* Six/Nine (May 5, 1995)
* Cosmos (June 21, 1996)
* Sexy Stream Liner (December 10, 1997)
* One Life, One Death (September 20, 2000)
* Kyokutou I Love You (極東 I Love You; February 2, 2002)
* Mona Lisa Overdrive (February 13, 2003)
* 13kai wa Gekkou (十三階は月光; April 5, 2005)
* Tenshi no Revolver (天使のリボルバー; September 19, 2007)
* Memento Mori (February 18, 2009)
* Razzle Dazzle (October 13, 2010)
* Arui Wa Anarchy (June 4, 2014)

!!!Remix Albums:
* Hurry Up Mode (1990 mix; February 8, 1990)
* Shapeless (シェイプレス; August 24, 1994)

!!!Related Acts:
* Sakurai Atsushi (Sakurai Atsushi solo, with various collaborations).
* Schaft (Imai Hisashi. Also featured Fuji Maki of Soft Ballet, members of Music/{{KMFDM}} and Raymond Watts of PIG).
* Lucy (Imai Hisashi. Also features Kiyoshi from [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide]] with Spread Beaver.
* Dropz (Hoshino Hidehiko, Also featured Cube Juice, and Kelli Ali of [[SneakerPimps Sneaker Pimps]]).
* Wild Wise Apes (Higuchi Yutaka).
* Yagami Toll and the Blue Sky (Yagami Toll).

'''Buck-Tick Provides Examples of:'''

* ADateWithRosiePalms: "Aikawarazu no 'Are' no Katamari ga Nosabaru Hedo no Soko no Fukidamari" (song) "Sasayaki" (song and video), among others. Vocalist Sakurai is also a master of the self-inflicted crotch-grab/fondle during live performances. There is even video footage from the old days of him with his hand fully down his pants in at least one performance.
* AliceAllusion: ''Alice in Wonder Underground,'' one of their earliest tracks.
* AnimeThemeSong: The band provided the OP themes for TrinityBlood, {{Shiki}} and {{Nightwalker}} and the second ED theme for {{xxxHolic}}.
* AxCrazy: A ''very'' common theme in lyrics. Has overlapped with GunNut (in ''Revolver'' lyrics and live where a gun is mimed) and KnifeNut (in ''Jupiter'' in lyrics), among ''many'' other insanity tropes...
* BadassBaritone: Sakurai, all the way.
* BadassLongcoat: Sakurai's wardrobe has featured a number of these over the years (along with one or two [[WTHCostumingDepartment not-so-badass ones]]), and he is adept at swishing and twirling them for dramatic effect.
* BandOfRelatives: The rhythm section, at least. Drummer Toll is the elder brother of bassist Higuchi.
* ClusterFBomb: "Nakayubi" ''is'' a ClusterFBomb. "My Fucking Valentine," also rather obviously, but "Jonathan Jet-Coaster" contains Atsushi repeatedly dropping one of these as the chorus.
* ConceptAlbum: Juusankai Wa Gekkou, though frankly it pretty much applies to all their studio albums from Taboo onwards.
* CoolOldGuy: How many 50 year old men you know still rocking the mohawk?
* CoverVersion: When the band started out, they played cover versions of the Japanese punk band The Stalin. They also recorded a cover version of [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide]]'s "DOUBT" for the "hide: Tribute Spirits" album and Michiro Endo's song "Omae no Inu Ninaru" for the "Romantist - The Stalin, Michiro Endo Tribute Album". Subverted for their 20th anniversary when they invited other bands to cover their music for the "Parade: Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick" albums, and with the covers of their work appearing on the recent "Crush!-90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs" album series.
* DeathBySex: Implied in ''Jonathan Jet-Coaster,'' though it could also be referring to [[TheImmodestOrgasm "little death"]].
* DistractedByTheSexy: Sakurai seems to have this effect on most women, with the exception of [[IgnoreTheFanservice That One Girl]] in the "Live At The Night Side" video.
* DramaticShattering: "21st Cherry Boy" PV.
* DramaticWind: Often made an appearance on live videos back when Sakurai was a LongHairedPrettyBoy.
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Sakurai and Imai, in some early photo shoots, to some people.
* {{Fanservice}}: Sakurai is well known for his tendency to "caress" other members of the band on stage. Initially mostly Imai, though he's also copped a feel or two of Hoshino and Higuchi at various times. And if a band member isn't available, a special guest will do, or even an inanimate object. He also makes good use of illustrative facial and hand gestures to great effect both on stage and in videos. He's also more than happy to engage in fanservice with women, either teasing the audience at lives by getting close enough to let them touch him or by engaging in risque behaviour in videos.
* FemaleGaze: The camera spends an inordinate amount of time on Atsushi's crotch, from as many angles as possible.
* FluffyFashionFeathers: Sakurai's feather boa accessory during the Tenshi No Revolver tour. Also his feather-trimmed hats.
* GenreShift: Started out as PunkRock, but have shifted to {{Industrial}}, PostPunk, Music/NewWave, AlternativeRock, GothRock, and now what Sakurai is calling "straight rock." In effect, almost every studio album serves as a NewSoundAlbum to some extent. They also reputedly started VisualKei somewhere in there.
* GratuitousEnglish: Most notably on "Love Letter", though their early work is smattered with English titles and random lyrics, often badly pronounced or nonsensical (or both). "Sexual XXXXX" for example, is often referred to as "Sexual Tacos" in Western fandom. Why? Go listen to it.
* GunNut: The variant of AxCrazy depicted in ''Revolver.''
* HarshVocals: Combined with HiddenDepths for both Sakurai and Imai. Sakurai ''can'' be capable of it, though he doesn't try that often. ''Detarame Yarou,'' however, shows him to be ''just as capable'' of HarshVocals as Kiyoharu or similar artists more well known for that. Another fine example is their cover of [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide's]] ''Doubt,'' where Sakurai on lead and Imai on backing easily hit hide's notoriously difficult vocals perfectly.
* HornyDevils: The theme of "Muma ~ The Nightmare," made most obvious in the 13Stairs live - the song is about an incubus/sexual vampire, and Atsushi plays the role as he sings it. Also the theme of "Devil'N Angel" except with a subversion - the "angel" is just as horny for the devil as he is for him or her.
* HoYay: See "Fanservice", above.
* IntercourseWithYou: The aptly named "Sex For You" and "Sexual XXXXX", plus less obvious ones like "Chocolate", "Tango Swanka" "Cream Soda," "Kimi no Vanilla," "Jonathan Jet-Coaster," and from the new album, "Cosmic Circus." Frankly, a good portion of BUCK-TICK's songs are in this vein, one way or another (pun intended).
** ''Suzumebachi'' and ''Jonathan Jet-Coaster'' are what happens when IntercourseWithYou and HoYay get in bed together. Alternately, ''Cosmic Circus'' is explicitly heterosexual.
* ItsNotPornItsArt: This covers a lot of BUCK-TICK'S output. The rest is either porn or art or some combination thereof that cannot even be explained.
* JapaneseDelinquents: Sakurai's circle of friends outside of school, until he met Imai and the rest.
* JekyllAndHyde: ''J'' is about Jekyll from Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde.
* KindheartedCatLover: Sakurai is the poster child for this trope, though some might argue it crosses into [[CrazyCatLady Crazy Cat Man]] territory.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Sakurai, in his younger days.
* LongTitle: On the album Six/Nine there are two: "Aikawarazu no "Are" no Katamari ga Nosabaru Hedo no Soko no Fukidamari" (Translated variously as "As Usual, Once THAT Thing Comes, It Falls Back Down," "As Usual, 'That Thing''s Package, Idle at the end of a Spew Drift" or "The Ever-Unchanging Mass of 'That' Drifts at the Bottom of Selfish Vomit"), and "Mienai Mono o Miyo to Suru Gokai Subete Gokai da" ("Misunderstanding in Trying to see the Invisible, Everything is Misunderstood").
* {{Mangst}}: Sakurai's late father was a [[AbusiveParents violent alcoholic]], and Sakurai himself was a little on the wild side as a teenager, when he wasn't being [[FriendlessBackground That Silent Kid In The Corner]]. In interviews he has admitted to [[NoSocialSkills having problems]] as a result of this, but rarely dwells on it. He has also reflected on [[ParentalAbandonment the death of his mother]] in his lyrics. A touch too wry and self-aware to be TheWoobie, though that doesn't stop a lot of fans from wanting to give him a hug.
* ManInAKilt: It was more of a faux-tartan manskirt, but close enough. Manskirts have been a regular feature of Sakurai's wardrobe over the years, both plaid and otherwise. Other band members have also indulged, most notably Imai.
* MasqueradeBall: The theme of the songs ''J,'' ''Django,'' and ''masQue'' among others. ''Django's'' PV even centers around it.
* TheMentallyDisturbed: Probably one of the most common lyrical tropes the band uses. It's been combined with, among others, AxCrazy as mentioned above, FunnySchizophrenia (the song ''Physical Neurose,'') and ''many'' other themes. Strangely enough, though, unlike [[Music/XJapan other]] [[Music/DirEnGrey bands]] [[Music/IchiNiZeroIchiNi that]] focus on lyrics and songs about mental illness, none of the members have had an open or public struggle with it.
* TheMerch: BUCK-TICK produce a wide array of this, from the usual special edition [=DVDs=] and [=CDs=]; through t-shirts, towels and calendars; to jewellery/notepaper/bags/clothing designed by the band and the odd random thing like the grouchiest looking mini-figures you've ever seen. But no one seems to mind. After all, there's never been a lot of money in not being mainstream, and merch pays the bills.
* MohsScaleOfLyricalHardness: They range from a 3-4 (''Dress,'' ''Django,'' ''My Eyes And Your Eyes,'' ''Just One More Kiss,'' among others) to 7-10 (''Speed,'' ''Heroin,'' ''Machine,'' ''Nakayubi,'' ''J,'' ''Suzumebachi,'' ''Aikawarazu no 'Are' no Katamari ga Nosabaru Hedo no Soko no Fukidamari,'' ''Sex For You,'' etc...). On average around a 7 or 8 for sex, swearing, violence, angst, drugs, and frequent combinations of all of the above, though they do have some more lighthearted/less sexually explicit pieces.
* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: They have everything from a 2 to a 9. Looking for something soft and quiet? ''Romance'' (3) or ''Jupiter'' (3) or ''Dress'' (2) with TMR might be up your alley. Looking for fun, lighthearted pop rock? ''Django'' (3 bordering on 4) is your song. Want some Visual Kei HoYay fanservice? Try ''Suzumebachi'' (6) or ''Just One More Kiss'' (5) featuring Kiyoharu. Looking for a bit harder rock? Try ''Jonathan Jet-Coaster'' (5) or ''Speed.'' Looking for heavy, dark, Gothic atmosphere and staging that puts Malice Mizer to shame? ''Muma - The Nightmare 13 stairs live'' (6). Want some metal? ''Machine'' (7) or ''My Fuckin Valentine'' (6) or ''Heroin'' (8). Want something that borders on extreme metal of the weird variety? ''Detarame Yarou'' (9). Hell, want rap that ''still'' gets on that scale? ''Aikawarazu no 'Are' no Katamari ga Nosabaru Hedo no Soko no Fukidamari'' (4).
* {{Mondegreen}}: ''J'' features "Just my penis with me," which is actually "let's bloody dance with me."
* NiceHat: Sakurai has paraded a number of these onstage, most recently a top hat in the 2010 Razzle Dazzle tour. Drummer Toll, meanwhile, favors nice hats with the crown removed to allow his SpikyHair to poke through. It actually looks pretty cool.
* NoEnding: The albums "Mona Lisa Overdrive" and "Kyokutou I Love You" were originally intended to be a [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]]. Though they were released separately, they are structured musically to feed into one another in an endless loop. The last track on each album contains musical elements that also appear in the first track on the other.
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Early in TheNineties, Atsushi suffered a RupturedAppendix and abdominal peritonitis while in Nepal. He demanded to be transported back to Japan because [[BuryMeNotOnTheLonePrairie he wished to die in his homeland]] from the almost-always fatal illness, but somehow began to recover and became one of the few survivors of the illness. (For reference, this is the same illness that killed AV actor Masaki Koh, and it has a fatality rate of nearly 80% once peritonitis has developed.)
* OdeToIntoxication: "Speed," "Heroin," "My Fuckin Valentine," ''possibly'' "Jonathan Jet-Coaster."
* OlderThanTheyLook: Applies to all of them to some degree, most notable with Higuchi.
* PaintedOnPants: Atsushi has worn these. Many, many times.
* PhraseSaladLyrics: Along with the later-mentioned WordSaladLyrics, something that Imai is famous for doing in almost any song he writes and sings. "Sid Vicious on the Beach" is one example, "Dada Disco G J T H B K H T D" is an even better one.
* PrecisionFStrike: "Sid Vicious on the Beach", "Cream Soda," "Living on the Net".
* PuttingOnTheReich: J-Rock seems to have a love affair with faux-Nazi uniforms, presumably for the shock-factor. There's a [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yoshikiatsushi_1945.jpg well-known photo shoot]] from the early days of the band that features Sakurai in one of these, looming over Music/YoshikiHayashi of Music/XJapan, who seems to be taking the role of the DistressedDamsel (or FemmeFatale, depending on how you view it).
* RapRock / RapMetal: Overlaps with SpokenWordInMusic. ''Aikawarazu no 'Are' no Katamari ga Nosabaru Hedo no Soko no Fukidamari'' and some sections of ''My Fuckin Valentine'' feature Sakurai doing something that, if not "technical" rapping, is very close to it.
* RockstarSong: "Itoshi no Rock Star".
* RuleOfCool: Used by the band in the early days to explain their ImprobableHair and make-up. Later used by Atsushi to explain his early lyrical output.
* RummageSaleReject: Imai. Dear God Imai.
* SexySaxMan: Sakurai has played sax live and on recorded tracks in the past.
* SharpDressedMan: Sakurai has embodied this for years in a million magazine shoots and on stage. Often combined with a WaistcoatOfStyle, [[WineIsClassy a glass of wine]], a cane and black nail polish to give an overall effect of WickedCultured. Once or twice he's successfully experimented with GorgeousPeriodDress or being a ManInWhite. Basically he looks good in a suit, whatever the style or color.
* SmokingIsCool: Played straight for years until most of the members gave up the habit.
* SomethingBlues: "Madman Blues".
* SomethingElseAlsoRises: BUCK-TICK's lyrics and videos are full of euphemisms, from the party popper in the "21st Cherry Boy" video, through the illustrative finger-sucking in "Zangai" to songs like "Cream Soda" and "Chocolate". Presumably this is helpful in GettingCrapPastTheRadar, though sometimes it's so [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything unsubtle]] that it becomes a LampshadedDoubleEntendre.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: While Sakurai fits, Hoshino IS this Trope!
* TheGruntingOrgasm: Atsushi is given to random grunts, growls and sighs during or between the more sex-oriented songs in their repertoire. Sometimes this spills over into TheImmodestOrgasm if it's a particularly intense performance.
* TightsUnderShorts: [[StockingFiller Fishnets]]. Under [[HellBentForLeather leather]]. Imai has worn some [[WTHCostumingDepartment interesting clothes]] over the years.
* VampiresAreSexGods: Which is presumably why Sakurai has absolutely no problem playing up to the physical stereotype - especially in the video for "Romance". In case you had any doubt about his sex-Godliness, he's also appeared in a [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448233/ short Japanese vampire movie]].
* WardrobeMalfunction: Rather famously, Atsushi suffered one of these partway through the Parade Tour, when his pants split from knee to groin during a show. Unfortunately for the audience, he managed to cover the damage until the end of the set by tying his coat around his waist.
* WarIsHell: While Buck-Tick generally is fairly apolitical (like X, unlike Loudness and EZO and SEIKIMA-II), they do throw the occasional anti-war ProtestSong out there. ''Revolver'' is likely one fusing GunNut, AfterTheEnd of a nuclear war, and AxCrazy with WarIsHell.
* WordSaladLyrics: Imai is a master of this. Some good examples include "Physical Neurose" and "Dada Disco G J T H B K H T D."
* YouBastard: ''Detarame Yarou'' translates to this and to "you asshole!"