Application of Genre theory in Scandal's 'Shunkan Sentimental'

     
      Scandal are a punk rock band formed in 2006 from Osaka, Japan. They originally played live street performances until they were noticed and signed to the independent label Kitty Records, and since 2009 have been with the label Epic, a Japanese company owned by Sony Entertainment. The band have performed the theme songs for many anime series, such as 'Shōjo S' and 'Harukaze' for Bleach, and 'Shunkan Sentimental' for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. 
  


     
      In the opening shots, there is little use of lighting of which creates a dark mise en scene for the video, of which may appear fitting for rock music videos and thus may be used as a convention of the genre. This is further reinforced by the use of steely blue tones added in post-production, the likes of which are utilised in horror films -such as Carpenter's 1978 'Halloween'- as to add an other worldly feel and build suspense; conventions of such films being popular in the alternative music culture. This reinforces the ideas of Katie Wales who noted that genre is an  intertextual concept, and John Hartley who suggests that we need to understand genre as a property of the relation between two texts.

      The use of location such as a dark, isolated building reinforces genre as it reflect the underground venues in which alternative music such as punk and rock had originated, which in turn connote a sense of anti-authoritarianism, as well as some aspects of Anarchism - ideologies of which are strongly associated with the Punk genre. This links to the French sociologist Maffesoli who coined the phrase 'Urban tribes' -example of an urban tribe being punks- of which he said were microgroups of individuals who share similar ethos, dress style, behavioural patterns; whose social interactions were largely informal and emotional. This vastly different from the late capitalisms corporal bourgeoisie cultures based on detached logic. This explores Gunther Kress' ideas on genre, of which he defines as a kind of text that derives its form from the structure of frequently repeated social occasion, with its characteristic participants and their purpose. An example of this can be seen in My Chemical Romance's video for 'Desolation Row'.

      Furthermore, the use of costume is used within the video as to reinforce the punk rock genre of the band. For example, the colour scheme of dark colours such as red and black, as well as the incorporation of tartan, is another feature associated with the punk genre. 'Royal Stewart Tartan was a popular pattern for the fashionable upper crust of British society in Victorian and Edwardian times. Its subsequent association with the aristocracy meant the pattern denoted civility and authority. Punks reappropriated the plaid, and wore the pattern in torn-up strips, as bondage wear, and other unconventional means. This was yet another way to give the middle finger to the established rulers of British society and showcase punk's dissatisfaction with the way things were' (Source). This is a clear display of Nicholas Abercrombie argument that genres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing certain programmes within a genre.