J-core is the style of hardcore techno associated with Japanese groups and DJs from the 1990s onward. It is marked by its usage of samples derived from video games and anime, colorful kawaii imagery and album graphics, and the general borrowing of elements from denpa and otaku culture.^[1] J-core music is often found in rhythm games, and forms a substantial part of the doujin music scene.^[2]

DJ Sharpnel is considered to have pioneered the style in the late 1990s,^[3] and in the early 2000s it spread through Japanese peer-to-peer networks.^[1] As anime became popular in the United States and Europe, J-core would also find appreciation among anime fans there, allowing for the development of a Western, J-core-inspired remix culture, as well as for J-core's contribution to the nightcore phenomenon of the early 2010s.^[2]

J-Core's emergence dates back to the late 1990s, in the height of the hardcore and gabber techno scenes in Europe. Originally called Japcore, the name J-Core is the combined words "japanese", and "hardcore". J-Core is heavily influenced by denpa and otaku culture, usually taking visual or audio samples from video games, anime, and general kawaii imagery. It is often featured in rhythm games, especially those whose main audience is in Asia or Japan. The independent music label HARDCORE TANO*C, founded in 2003 by REDALiCE, has since then risen to be the dominant J-core label, collaborating with and publishing for a large number of producers known in the scene.^{[citation needed]}

• DJ Chucky
• DJ Sharpnel (Early pioneer)
• DJ Technetium
• DJ TECHNORCH^[4]
• Lemmy
• IOSYS
• m1dy
• REDALiCE (Founder of Hardcore Tano*C)
• t+pazolite
• Techn0rch
• Moro
• かめりあ (English name: Camellia)
• Laur
• USAO
• Kobaryo (and the other Hitnex Trax aliases)
• RoughSketch (and other Notebook Records aliases)
• Synthion
• Silentroom