Or alternatively an original idea instead of using a tired old trope.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...portantHaircut

FLOWER: I can feel the mental, psychopath scary part of ayu from the PV. Well done. I have never felt that when I watch her PV

Mad World: I like she used her old videos in the PV. Simple yet meaningful.

I think the only one thing I don't like in this album is Winter Dairy PV.. I don't like that song and PV.

I've watched the videos at work, and did that now again. I have to say i really like these.

Flower was...how to put it. The first 20 seconds or so she's being so graceful and elegant and stuff, but it looks so...sarcastic. And then she just goes berserk. And that sort of amateurish fillming style. I dunno i love the raw emotion in it. Exagerated and overdid. It works perefectly for the song. And it does remind me of Lico from Helter Skelter.

Mad world, that one wa just beautiful. The subtle atmosphere and simplicity. It goes great with the song. And that Ayu portrayal versus Ayumi Hamasaki is very well done.

I think this whole album is mature but yet still very Ayu in all ways. There are a few details that could have been better, but this is by far the best for me from recent years. A trully solid pack of puzzle that go well together. And i'm actually kind of glad she didn't go the traditional rote. I think everything works really well.

Why does it need to be original or shocking to be a valid form of expression? I can see why you'd find it tiring, I just don't see why ideas can't be repeated as long as it isn't an absolute replica, especially as a mainstream artist.

Edit: Should also add, why not repeat them when the artist feels it is honest? After all, there's always a new group of people that won't have seen the trope before.

I like the previews, I don't have a problem with her acting in FLOWER. I think it suits the song and reminds me of her acting in Mirrorcle World like over the top on purpose. I kind of imagined Mad World to be something similar to what she did so I'm happy with it, and I love that she included the older clips in the background.

I agree.

I'm nothing but content with these PVs.

thank u

Also, just because she's doing something on purpose doesn't mean it's good LOL. She looks like a 12y/o singing karaoke in front of her webcam. The fact that people defend this let alone genuinely LIKE it makes me feel like I'm on a different planet from AHS.

I'm embarrassed for you too sweetie

omg yES!!! I was trying to remember who she was reminding me of in the video, and that's totally Lilico! Even the butterflies in her dress give it a Helter Skelter vibe.

But I really don't understand how Hikari is beautifully executed but Mad World isn't? Like, in what universe? Mad World is on par with many of ayus PVs old and new.
It is interesting to me and I really enjoy the vibe of it. It doesn't feel tired at all. I think what she is trying to say is as interesting as any of her other more simplistic PVs.

I can understand with flower because it wasn't executed well and her acting is too much. But Mad World? Hikari? Really?

And for whoever said ayu doesn't care about what anyone thinks so why would she portray legitimate emotions in music videos (and I'm guessing her music)? You sound someone in a relationship making some irrational arguments and connecting things that don't even make sense. Lol, ayu is a still a person, with connections to her music, opinions, emotions, views of the worldworld, etc. Not catering to certain expectations or desires does not equal not putting emotion into artwork. You just sound bitter that she even ever expresses negative emotion anymore because she's so privileged.

FLOWER PV: I thought she looked sooo beautiful in that video. I would say it is one of my favorite Ayu looks, the hair and makeup and dress just looked so good to me. When she started ripping up the dress I was kinda sad.:laugh I did not like the acting, I thought it was a little too much, making it awkward. But it's passable. So far not my favorite PV but it has some good qualities. I have to see more first.

MAD WORLD PV: I don't know what to think of this PV to be honest. The preview doesn't give away too much. Just black and white with Ayu standing there with retro footage being shown. Then this black ink like stuff appears.:confused I like it so far but I think we need to see the whole thing first to really understand it.

As for all the negativity in this thread. I can see why some people may not like these videos and some people list valid reasons why. But they are only PVs after all, don't freak out over it. One of the good things about being an Ayu fan is that if you aren't really in love with the current era, the next album is only 1 year away.
:grouphug

I find it ironic that everyone is saying she's overreacting in Flower. I can totally see here going"oh so that's what you want? is this hand graceful enough?no? how about now? Does that profile look good? Is my lipsynching perfect?" in a cutesy voice. And then she goes on and rips everything appart being ridiculously over the top like "Fuck you! I'm no longer taking all of this BS." This video can pretty much be taken as "I am tired of this whole nonsence, i'm just gonna be ME. Take it or leave.". It's like she's kinda laughing in people's faces in it. Kind of trolling everyone, on purpose. LOL Or maybe i'm just looking too much into it. But i like that.

I believe Flower is more about Ayu as a woman than it is about Ayu the superstar... Felt like she breaking down under the pressure of what is expected for a woman in Japan.

it's kind of the same thing though. She's supposed to be perfection either way and she hasn't been neither of those for the past few years in the eyes of japanese people. Even if you take it as a woman thing, the whole scenario fits just right for that too.

Rewatching Flower I can agree that the "amateur-looking" way of filming adds onto the overall rawness she's trying to show us, and that's
really good because thank god it's growing on me, I don't think I dislike any of the videos

As for mad world. With some saying how she was made in japan and destroyed by it. I think the whole song being a methaphor for her own career and life is a very acuraate guess. The whole entertainment industry is. They make these trees grow and bloom aka they let all these people reach for the sun and for their dreams, but if they don't grow in the direction they want, it's done. I mean look at how many idols and entertainment people have had sucess but then one single slip and it was all over because japan doesn't know how to forgive them? That video makes perfect sense. If the black ink is thrown at the "Hamasaki Ayumi" the Ayu that is "hiding" there is smeared up in the whole thing too. And it's not the image of the popstar that has to deal with it, but the human bechind it.

I thought it was obvious that the overacting in FLOWER was intentional, just like in Don't look back (that's the first example that comes to my mind). I also believe that the "amateurism" in the video makes it even more raw.

I know that people are entitled to their opinions but I find it impossible to understand how Hikari is "beautiful and well-executed" while FLOWER and Mad World are cheap and crappy. I bet y'all didn't find amazing a footage of Utada washing dishes back when the video was released :rolleyes

The thing is it's sort of forbidden to criticize any aspects of her work or reveal unpleasant truth on this forum unless you want to be attacked by diehard fans who can't respect opinions different from theirs.

:love less is more

Just gonna say she probably made these songs and videos for a reason and it has to do with a lot of the reactions we see here. I also hate the word blind in conjunction with fandom as if being dissatisfied makes you see things more clearly... Seriously?

As Ayu says in Mad World, tbh....

This era makes me sick to my stomach.

I, for one, can't stop watching these videos. :blove I hate how they cut off at such exciting moments, when it's all about to get so much better (especially for "Mad World") :grumpy But anyway...like I've said, I can't stop watching. :luv2 I just love the concept/theme/style of it all: they may be simple, but I've pretty much gotten used to these kinds of videos within the past two years. It's nice to have a bit of an difference, for a change! :yes I love the scenes of ayu (looking gorgeous! :heart) in that black dress, while in the ink in "Mad World" - and "FLOWER" has got so much going on with ayu, that I just reeeally want to watch more! :laugh I adore her very Japanese-styled dress/make-up, though...at least until it all gets ruined. :laugh

I'm seriously hoping the full videos will be available, pretty soon! But for now, it's repeating these short versions, I go~ :heart

I expected FLOWER video to go Japanese-y oriental-styled theme, but this one surprised me... in a better positive way. Somehow it reminds me of Ladies Night PV.. Maybe because of the hotel atmosphere/the butterfly detail. For Mad World, I really really adore her natural style in that white T-shirt. Made me curious the very beginning scene, where she come from before she walk into the stage..

"I don't like this work because this and that" = Ok

"She is lazy/ She doesn't care anymore/ This is so bad I'm surprised anyone like it/ She is embarassing/ I hope she could retire so she would stop to hurt her legacy/ This is shit/ This is garbage/ It feels like she is surrounded by yesmen who agree with any bad idea she has" = not ok

Also is not ok to act like your subjective opinion is a scientific fact.

Being blind to seeing how people -could- like something is just as bad, tbh.

This is a forum based on a specific fandom. Having people here defending said fandom should not be surprising. Especially after having been here for awhile.

The way people word their negative feelings is usually what causes the frustration. No one here has claimed these to be the best videos she's ever released. (Although even if they did this shouldn't be a problem)

They're not the most expensive the more beautiful the most exotic. But to use these things in order to claim that they're horrible thoughtless pieces of trash and to then insult the people who do like them as if their tastes are so awful and that we're planets away in terms of taste, is certainly going to push buttons. And I'm guessing most people know this when they post such comments.

i love you. :D

====

one thing for sure, when you have such divided opinions about something, that's art right there lol.

sorry to say, but something which has no meaning to person A doesn't mean it does NOT have meaning objectively. That's like saying a monument with historical significance has no meaning for you simply because you did not go through a certain era but you cant say it has NO MEANING at all because it does stand for something. And I think these videos do stand for something. Why not compare it to BLUE BIRD and see if that PV means anything.

and i think some people really ought to READ about the various interpretations around the thread. you are free to disagree but they are still interpretations, which to be honest, do make sense if you even bother thinking deeper than judge a video so shallowly.

I even think the one-shot amateur-ish camera can have some sense. Yes, perhaps in a crude way, it's a really fast job because it's one take. But on another hand, it seems to even hint at how people are simply judging her in ONE WAY. Do you even look at ayu from another perspective? No. You judge her based on what you see on-screen. She must be poised and gentle? Heck no. Ayu doesn't want to conform.

And, the deliberate monochromatic PV. You think it's lazy? Not at all. The mise-en-scène of the PV is incredible. Just look at the juxtaposition of ayu before and after. She was dressed in white. and then she gets dressed up by these tall people fully dressed in black. Almost suffocating because at one point, we only see her head. And then she wears a black gown. WHITE -> BLACK. It's so apparent. The symbolic use of colour and clothes.

Lastly i wanted to say. All these comparison to her past works. Touch your heart and ask, Im sure she has had worse PVs. I found NaNaNa and Shake It and XOXO to be absolutely void of emotion and content. Of course, some people may find sense in it. These PVs may not be on the level of pre-Rock'n'Roll Circus but they sure come off with some aesthetic. It seems that Ayu has spoilt us with her magnificence post-MY STORY but honestly, i do agree these PVs remind me of her pre-MY STORY works more than anything.

you can find meaning in anything, as long as you wish to.

(ayu better be washing plates next PV. im sure everyones gonna love it)

I would be more inclined to believe the overacting in FLOWER was intentional if she hadn't started the really-bad-overacting trend back around the time of Love songs/RNRC 7 days final.

Somebody mentioned in this thread earlier that FLOWER reminds them of Helter Skelter the drama. Really gotta agree with that, especially when Ayu started to have a violent outbreak and then ran to the hall, very similar to when Sawajiri acting as Lilico ran out then fell in the rain.

Helter Skelter was basically made for ayu haha, this era shows it even more.

The hair is also real dang similar to Helter Skelter's lead character's, lol.

Wonder if the end will have some weird eye stuff too.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jlbTGwhs1lA/maxresdefault.jpg

too much ressemblance :P:P

The fact is. .. ayu could film a dog's poop during 4 minutes some people here would still say that "it has so much meaning". OK avex has no money to spend for her anymore that is fair. At least be creative like Amuro was for Golden touch. Or don't shoot any PV.

The ultra low level of exigency here is amazing

Golden Touch was 100% the production company they assigned to it.

I don't know why anyone would randomly pop up just to make comments like this, tbh.

And I don't think many people got much meaning out of the Colours album PVs other than "Ayu is having fun" which is fine but that doesn't really make those videos meaningful. There's a clear intention for these even mentioned in the making ofs/previews on morning television, so unless you ignore all of that, it's pretty hard to say they're not trying.

^ Yeah my friend worked on that video (seriously!) it was all set up by the record company . He was given creative freedom but he wasn't allowed to use any clips of Namie without photoshop lol.

It does seem Mad World could of been more. But the view of the PV usually comes from the director not ayu. Ayu will just approve it. It could just be ayu has too many yes man in her team, meaning people are to scared to say no to her. I think a fresh team could do wonders, but at the same time, ayu's PV's don't really compare to other artist who seem to put a lot more into the PV. If anything I would say budget was a thing, but that's probably because avex spends more when they expect a higher return, and this album has already essentially been released / leaked.
Ayu should travel for a little for music inspiration, and let her journey paint the PV's :), instead of these, what seem pretty average to what she has done in the past :)
Though ayu usually does a happy and sad PV, these both seem like sad PV's. I cant wait to see the rest :)

the thing is budget has not muc to do with the way the video turns out. I can tell for example that while Jewel is stunning visualy, i personaly never saw anything much in it just that it was beautiful visualy. In fact it's all about the ideas and excecution. Ayu have had big budget PVs and majority of them were just visualy rich or had a basic storyline. The videos that personally leave a much bigger impact on people are those that make you think. At least that's how it works with me.
And sure the view of the PV comes from the director, but Ayu's been in the industry for so long that she has much more power over what is done and how it's done. And i don't think she'd act upon something that she can't relate to.
And no, Ayu is actually known for having somewhat cryptic vidoes every now and them more than any other j-pop act. So i think people have a reason to look at some of her recent works and find a deeper meaning in them. She isn't Namie who's just dancing and looking pretty 99% of the time she's in a PV.

I'll lose respect to ayu if she film Namie-like pv

She did kinda do one with Lelio, didn't she?

got a sub file coming for Mad World short version (I can update it when the full one is out). A little stuck on placing a line

____________
back on track :)

sometimes you just need the words to make the PV feel whole :)

I wonder how the Japanese public will take these PVs. Especially FLOWER. You could get the feeling she's on the fence with Japan or even worse. :/
But on the other hand she's at a point it probably doesn't matter anymore.
Just hope not some of her Japanese fans get sad about thr meaning of the PV.

浜崎あゆみ - Mad World【Music Video】.srt (Short Version) with thanks to tenshi no hane for the help with what was used in the PV
https://mega.nz/#!KEsB1B7A!fUZ0gLmV8...ix0nFC0Tje8SqU

Video with hard subs
https://vid.me/PAct

浜崎あゆみ - FLOWER【Music Video】.srt English (Short version) I hope I did this right :P it was eaiser than mad world to do https://mega.nz/#!LFt3nCLA!TY2s1NQZw...kYLn0F55AL6yJw


Video with hard subs
https://vid.me/lzug

Wow! I'm so happy, I am actually very curious to see what happens in both these PVs. I like how she has incorporated visual references to her career in Mad World. Also, her second outfit in the video really reminds me of Curtin Call. :heart Overall, I am happy with what she has plated up; it has clear meaning...

It seems as if she feels very...oppressed by the first 'half' (i.e. 1998-2008) of her career, in that people (fans) continue to compare her to her younger self, and that she cannot do anything 'right' anymore? Or that her own legacy is suffocating her? That's my impression anyhow. Poor Ayu. You can't please everyone though. :shrug

I have no issue with pointed criticism that is thoughtful and self-aware. The problem on these forums (and pretty much everywhere on the internet, social media, comment sections, etc.) is that we all think of ourselves as arbiters of good taste. I will state my bias and why it's difficult for me to lend credence to the opinions expressed by most on this forum. When I see the same people always pooh-poohing Ayu's work posting in other threads praising third-rate J-pop and K-pop groups, their credibility is already vastly undermined. js_surrealism, for instance, has praised You & Me in several threads for being a fantastic song. That's nothing against him—but if you were to say "terrible Ayu song," that one would be the first to pop into my head (and I believe many others share a similar sentiment).

I think Delirium-Zero has said before "Ayu means something different to everyone," or something along those lines. It's very true. Ayumi Hamasaki has a very diverse fanbase, and our personal tastes often do not align. We're all approaching her work from vastly different perspectives.

It's also quite difficult (and perhaps somewhat dodgy and irresponsible) to attempt to objectively measure and critique substance (which could qualify as any one 'piece,' whether that be a song, an album, an 'era,' a music video, an album cover) isolated entirely from its form (that is, Hamasaki Ayumi—her original nature, her various complexities/idiosyncrasies, her artistic boundaries/limitations, public image, the cultural zeitgeist, etc.) Ayu is one of the most prolific living artists in popular music. She is creating a tapestry at lightning speed. Sometimes you don't even have time to reflect on a piece of it, because there's already a new piece of the tapestry being added. Context is incredibly important in assessing an artist's work, and even contemporary music critics have problems addressing this component with tact and fairness. Visceral, knee-jerk reactions to specific facets of her work are entirely understandable, but is that fair? I'm more interested in what I deem to be the "whole."

M(A)DE IN 30 MINUTES

I love when people who complains about lack of creativity uses really safe and in-trend stuff as a basis of comparation...

I'm not surprised about the (bad) reactions in this forum, where some people think Last Minute PV is also a bad PV, being one of her best in her whole videography.

Why a low budget is bad? Why a fast execution is bad? What makes something good or bad is the idea behind it. (And by "idea" i mean also how to execute that idea and everything else about the creative process)

Also the comparision with Hikari's PV is a lol

Ok... so than can someone tell me, where I can watch the Videos? I can't watch the Youtube-Videos because of GEMA.

http://ahsforum.com/forum/showpost.p...&postcount=139

:3

Ah.. Thanks. ^_^

Really love the songs, and the PVs don't seem too cheap or anything to me. The only thing is that I just feel like Ayu way over does the dramatics. Like, she knows we love her for being raw and emotional, but I feel like now she's doing it just to please us, not from a genuine place like it used to be. I appreciate the effort, but it takes something away for me.

They did Summer diary's PV filming iirc in like a single day, lol. Like 20 hours from morning to night?

I don't think she's taken 2 days for a shoot since probably FIVE.

Honestly, I'm glad Ayu still has a lot of her older fans but at the same time, I feel that many of them are sort of stuck and refuse to acknowledge Ayu as she is now, instead holding onto what they felt was her at her best even if it was more than a dozen years ago. My biggest frustration is that every release no matter what she does, it's the same people saying the same things every goddamn time. Like nothing will satisfy because in their heads they have this ideal Ayu that doesn't exist anymore because Ayu is ever changing.

I believe it's the opposite. She used to pretty much do things to please fans or try to one up herself but nowadays she's being more honest with her works, mainly since say, 2015.

I am glad those major music review websites do not hire any complainer from here to do music reviews. Otherwise the website can be down within few days.

obviously, these people have their opinions, but sorry ayumi hamasaki or any other performer in the world do not produce music, do music videos just for you.

I love both PVs, especially Mad World. It Reminds me her old stuff!

i dont get it, why does it look cheap? because of simplicity or what? ...

It doesn't look like PVs from the 2000s, basically.

we need definitely to pull ourselves together. This ain't correct, at all .

I think the last time she made super grand PV in the style of the PVs from that MY STORY/(m)u era was probably FIVE. And since then, she's been slowly trying to rediscover herself. I mean, yeah, she attempted some on Party Queen but I'd say she was trying a bit too hard to push out videos in that era. Similarly, LOVE again had some odd videos for Ayu especially all that DV during the 'new trilogy'. So many videos that were made... while she looked amazing, I wonder if she has a lot of regret in making You & Me / Wake me up / snowy kiss.

^This is just you projecting something you didn't like into something "Ayu regreats". We have no way to know what she enjoyed and didn't enjoy producing, and her interviews are most likely planed to please her fandom.

Oh, I thought they were okay since she looked great in most of them (but not fitting for the songs at all), but I was just curious if she regrets making those due to all the Maro in that trilogy. We have no idea and will never know, but I can still wonder, can't I?

I believe that during 2012-2014, she had lost direction as far as what she wanted to do for albums when it came to imagery and so on. And since A ONE we've at least had rough ideas of what she really wants to do in PVs aside from maybe Sayonara.

LMAO!!!!!!!! Haters want to have every single PV with Fairyland that budget.

^ "Haters" is not the right word to use in this context. Those that are usually displeased with ayu tend to be those who believe she is capable of more, and is falling short of reaching her highest potential. That's anything but a "hater."

There is a fine line between love and hate.

True, I should use the word "complainer" instead.

The thing is, "the highest potentianl" on her case is also something highly subjective. As Coelacanth said, her fanbase is very diverse and people are atracted towards her because of different aspects. For example: For some people she is at her best when she is releasing the pop anthem of the decade, for some people she is at her best when she is touching complicated social issues with her lyrics. She can't do both at the highest level at the same time. Some people like her best when she is working her signature sound, some people like her best when she is experiementing all the way, she also can't do both at the same time, etc.

For me at this point, I just want her to do what she wants.

While I do agree that overall she's doing more of what she wants to do, in regards solely to her "emotions" on camera, I think she's just hamming it up. I could be wrong, maybe she's not doing it for fans and she likes being over dramatic. Maybe she doesn't even notice. I would prefer that she didn't, but I am not too concerned, as I mostly just listen to her music as mp3s anyway.

I just want her to do what she wants to make herself happy.

Well, the highest potential they believe and/or know in their heart she is capable of. But even so, I'm saying in general, when a fan is displeased, it is because she is not excelling in the arena that they believe she at her best in. It's not hate; if anything, it's too much love.

^Too much love can be as problematic as hate... Mostly when it makes people wish for her failure because she isn't pleasing them. Or when they love her so much they feel the need to post every 5 minutes that they didn't like something.

I never said it wasn't problematic. That's why I wrote "too much."

People complain about ayu overreacting acting, but Asians are generally more passionate I guess you can say when they break down. From animes to dramas. I think ayus pv breakdown maybe a little heavy but I think it suits it. I think the look she does when she gets off the couch and moves to the mirror is exactly the right look to someone in that position. And also haven't you heard the saying 'don't be so over dramatic', people do get like that :P

I wonder how long till an Asian tabloid comes out saying ayu want to retire :P

I dont love them, but I like them.

I prefer simple low budget to an expensive shitshow. They are both simple and to the point. Not her best, but actually better than expected.

1. everyone knows Ayu was a constant creative output in her work, and how everything was so seamless and tight in concept and execution (LOVEppears - (miss)understood). I don't know if she's tired now or what, but let's not disagree that there is a drop in her standard since 2006 or so.

2. I've noticed this thing about Ayu since Love songs; she has many great and creative ideas, yet for some reason the execution is lacking. watching the previews for FLOWER and Mad World, or well most of her videos since 2010, it's like, I get it you know? I understood what she was trying to say, I just really disliked how she said it.

That seems to a recurring problem even for this time. FLOWER was honestly very interesting, you can see the contrasting elements, like how she, along with her background are so modern and "Americanized", yet the song itself, along with the subtitles on the side (never been done before in an Ayu video), and her movements (hand gestures, cutting of hair, etc.) are all pretty traditional maybe pretty "Japonesque" if you would put it.

But again, when they come together, in her execution, or her team's execution, something falls short. I suspect her newer team of "A CREW" or whoever the hell is it doing up her stuff since 2010 might not have been cohesive with the ideas in her mind. she needs to realize and fix that, if she wants to be better again.

3. i read about Amuro's "Golden Touch" and I watched it.. lol yes it's creative and good, but it's Namie Amuro. i'm sorry but i expect nothing from a manufactured pop star except for more good songs i can put on my playlist to run and work out.

i expect a lot more from Ayu because that's who she has been portraying herself to be.

A CREW only did stuff on Colours. It was basically just her and her dancers with a small budget.

I love the previews!!!! I really do :)

Best advice: Stay away from AHS or from most of the comment section at least if you want a happy and fun fan experience lol. Best thing I ever did. I can't believe there are certain people on here who after all these years are still doing and saying the same shit. "No ayu no life" it seems lol Even if they might be namie amuro stans :shrug

Yes, let's disagree, because this is your opinion, not a fact. To me, for example, her best concept execution started around 2010. On the same way I really dislike Secret and RNRC and some people find those the peak of her creativity, and that's ok. This seen to be an idea particulary hard for you to get considering you enjoy taking part entering in discussions about releases you dislike to say everyone who likes it are making up excuses but you are enlighted enough to see it for the shit it is, and this is really annoying.

Wasn't warning also done by them?

@Spancer - I disagree that there's been a drop in quality of her music. With the PVs ayu's never been consistent to begin with so I can't really see a pattern there...

Lol you know what's worse than those who complain about her work?

Those who complain about people complaining :cool

TBH since someone brought up Colours -- I thought the videos on that were, for the most part, pretty great. Feel the love was funny/cute, Merry go round was safe but pretty, the only one I was unsure about was Angel.

+1 to the first sentence!

Is this so much pain in the *** to say I dislike something because I dont like the acting and the idea of the video? (Im talking about FLOWER, cause Mad World is simple and gorgeous)

I didnt said that it looked cheap. Some of her videos looked cheap and was amazing - hbya, Voyage, HEAVEN, rainy day, HANABI ~II~. Cheap doesn't mean bad for me.
If I could add something for "cheap" word, I would say that cheap is their creativity. She just used that methods before (its a mix of Don't look back, Last minute and Step by step) and (for me, obviously) her acting skills looks just awkward in this video. She could hire me as a scenario writer and I could think of more creative video for FLOWER with only a good camera and some clothes. I would just put her in to the white screen, and still think of better scenario than the god*** diva-hotel hair cut clique.

loving the videoooo

Since we're on the topic - my favourite PV with a haircut scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_hLfhccYf0

I really like the previews. I'm intrigued to see how FLOWER turns out. Mad World damn near made me cry. So many wonderful years she's given us.

As for the "drop in creative quality" over the years, I agree with the person who said she's never been consistent. There are PVs from her peak that I despise more than the ones she's come out with lately. The PV for SURREAL came close to ruining my all time favorite ayu song. It's really a hit or miss with ayu but I'm okay with that as long as she keeps coming out with new music. For me, there are always a gem or two every now and then. Even if it sucks, at least I get a good laugh. What's the harm, really?

Interesting point.

FLOWER sounds really cool and I like MV for Mad World - interesting concept, not digging the song itself much tho.

Oo, forgot about that one. I wonder why they didn't go with a usual director for those PVs, tbh.

You should know that you are not part of this issue, which is much more than expressing dissatisfaction, though it's more about the way it's expressed, the attitude that goes along with it, and the rate at which it happens. Somehow everyone who doesn't see issue with it is 'blind' and those who dislike it are able to 'see' as if they're enlightened to something everyone else isn't getting. In the end, it's up to Ayu. If this is what she wants, then no writer can convince her otherwise.

I love Ayu, but I swear it does get a little bit unsettling how 90% of her releases always come along with the same criticisms and it makes me not want to post here because somehow being a fan is a bad thing on a fan forum (??). She's changing all the time and she doesn't feel like she has to be who she was and instead is just being who she is. Even if that results in a cheapo video that you don't like, is it really that difficult for some to accept that there are people who are okay with what she's putting out? You can say your piece about how you hate it, but I don't really understand CONTINUING to do so for post after post telling people that they have shit taste and so on.

And other than KAYZU who was pretty much a big part of TeamAyu anyway or the tour logos that never really mean anything in the end, I hope no fans ever work for her.

I would say Ayu's music has always been great with about as many 'iffy' tracks that seem a bit lazy over the years like Curtain calls and such, but there are tracks that can go head to head with stuff she made in her peak. As far as videos go, she really has always been pretty inconsistent and only really had a few gems here and there minus that period where she was experimenting more with amateur movie directors (2003 and essentially 2005).

AHS needs more members like you.

AMEN

I can't stop laughing XDDDDDDD
PRRRFT... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

This... As I said before:

Or going on every single thread and posting over and over again about how much you disliked something until you hijack its theme. There's no need to be offensive while stating dislike for something, nor to flood the forum with the same complaining over and over.

Ummm nobody is not okay with people liking the stuff. You do you and I'll do me, man.

It really feels like the larger problem is rabid fans sweeping in to say "LEAVE AYU ALONE!". If there are some people who feel like she's being lazy, why is that not a legitimate opinion? If some people feel like there is a major drop in production values in her work (which honestly -- there is....), why is that a wrong view to express?

Nobody has ANY problem with people liking the stuff, but it does feel like many of the "lovers" (as opposed to "haters") get pretty riled up by the haters by:

1. Insisting that every single negative comment be explicitly caveated by "OPINION!!!!" even though every post is obviously going to be an opinion

2. Writing long lengthy posts explaining to us why we are wrong in disliking the stuff.

3. Complaining about how it makes them feel unwelcome, even though we say literally NOTHING about their opinions, and they are the ones constantly reminding us why we are such bad fans to criticise stuff that she does.

4. Cherry picking our criticisms -- which are largely of the music videos, and ignoring the near universal praise that the music (on MIJ) has received.

Okay, last post I'm gonna write on this subject. I'm done.

in the same vein, the way you vehemently defend her lukewarm works from "around 2010" is really annoying because you rarely present your opinions as opinions, but as facts, and that if anyone disagrees with you, they're immediately viewed as some sort of troll or annoying personality.

I don't think that's true. I don't have a boner for her earlier works, and I don't dislike Ayu right now or think she's horrible. I still pretty much am a huge fan, and all I'm saying is - I don't really like her execution in the past 6 years or so.

you quoting what i typed, but only quoting a particular paragraph shows me that you're picking on my words and that you just don't like it when someone criticizes Ayu, which i find baffling.

if you work for her, and you're part of her crew, and so you end up praising everything she does, which leads to where she is today, I understand, cos you know, she gives you her paycheck.

but we're fans on a forum, and last i checked, a forum is a place for us to discuss opinions. i may have been a sarcastic person at times, but i don't think i've ever rudely criticized Ayu or say hurtful things like, "her career is over".

i like what i like, and i dislike what i dislike. if i give reasonable explanations to my preferences, i don't see how i am annoying.

this is Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai Forum, not the AHS Circlejerk.

yeah I was mainly referring to her PVs.. music has been top-notch as always.. just that even if she had really cheesy PVs like ANGEL'S SONG, at least the execution was fine and everything was clear and concise.. not a haphazard mess lol

Man, those Memorial address era PVs were TO DIE for.

oh, well, i thought HANABI ~episode II~ was pretty meh cos of the bad acting, but at least I got the storyline and it wasn't a sloppy production...

Oops, I forgot about that one. But forgiveness, BoY, Angel's Song, even GREATFUL DAYS were 100% ~greatful~ lol

lol I feel like I'm the only one that thinks Ayu has a pretty great videography and was super consistent for most of her career. I like 95% of the PVs from I am... until FIVE. I like a handful of the ones from before then (particularly appears, Boys & Girls, kanariya and SURREAL) and then she kinda dropped off before picking back up again starting with A ONE.

I think around that time during FIVE and after was when she was just putting out videos and music just because she felt she had to. You could feel that something was a little different compared to before.

I hope that in the near future, she wants to challenge herself once again with new directors and a new vision for her PVs, but for now I think since the 'reset' in 2015, she's doing fine.

Tbh I think it started even before, but to less extent, but it became really obvious when FIVE was released as Why was terribly executed, even though the idea behind it was really good.

Btw guys seems I am attending the Osaka dates afterall :luv2

I rolled my eyes when the chorus hit in Flower but I think Id like to see what will happen at the end. Dont look back Part II?
Mad world is such an amazing song and I thought the idea of making the PV this personal is great.
I have to say that with an album like this obviously expectations for these songs were high so I hope the rest of the PV measures up.

P.s. Its the ugly crying that makes Hanabi ep II so great

Ugly crying plus Ayu on guitar with the "gray" side of summer.

I realized that PV "Mad World" is lacking of the second part before coming to "たった自分ひとりだけが
立ち上がったとこで
意味はない
そうやって知らぬ誰かが
先に立つのを待つの？ " without the cutting part. I am worried that this PV will be as same as "SEASONS" 'one.

I didn't reply to the rest of your post because you were just explaining what you like and what you dislike, and again, this is not really the problem. The problem is acting like something you either like or dislike is objectively bad, like you do when you say her work is bad and we should stop prentending it isn't. Sometimes you also tend to flood threads about releases you dislike even when the main subject of the thread isn't liking or disliking that work.

There's a reason why the same 4 or 5 people are the ones people are always complaining about how negative the posts are.

I was always under the impression Hanabi II was a well received video o_o

Perhaps that's just because it's one of my favorites.

I'm weird though, because I list Daybreak as another one of my favorites.

The atmosphere of both those videos is something that just resonates with me.

I thought it was too... Daybreak is a tossup though. In the mid 2000s it was regarded as the Ayu + toilet paper PV that was questionable.

^ yeah back in 2004 when I became a fan it was certainly one of the videos on the bottom of the totem pole haha

Ayu seems to enjoy one take videos though.

Daybreak, HEAVEN, Sweet scar, FLOWER...

Although in FLOWER's case it seems to truly have been done just one time? Not sure about how many takes she did for the other ones.

And am I missing any? Were Angel and Curtain call one takes?