Ongaku Senkasha, the publisher of SHOXX magazine has filed for bankruptcy

Ongaku Senkasha—the publisher of visual kei magazine SHOXX, Pick-up Voice, ARENA37°C, and various other publications—filed for bankruptcy on September 20, 2016 and will discontinue to operate. The company is reported to owe an estimated 400 million yen in debt.

Ongaku Senkasha was founded in 1966 and SHOXX was established in 1990. That same year the first volume was published in October. In those times it played a key element in popularizing visual kei, back when information couldn’t be easily accessed the way it can today.

The first issue of SHOXX featuring ZIGGY as its cover artist

The magazine which ran for 26 years featured some of the most popular and influential bands of Japan, such as X Japan, NIGHTMARE, LM.C, the GazettE and many more. It was as important to the scene as many of its featured artists, and will be missed by visual kei enthusiast around the world. The latest issue of SHOXX (volume 285) is now on sale with the reappearing SuG on the cover.