https://tieba.baidu.com/p/7237898314

In baidu most Chinese fans think that new pic for make up SAKURA PV？

OMG those shots are gorgeous :love:love

A PV for Ivy with this look would be amazing! But agreed that it's most likely for a new song.

Can't she just change the cover to this please...

I hope these pictures are in the photobook.

The aesthetic is amazing and she looks gorgeous!

the new photos are GORGEOUS. they make me think they're for a part of Me sequel—like, the kimono and her standing next to a tree lol.

Stunning, I have no words :love

That was my thought as well.
The kimono shoot might be for the photobook, not a PV.

^they’re clearly stating it is for some kind of video. The photographer is a different person than the director, who is shimoko, as well. But surely the pics will end up in the book too.

A Ballads has two new songs. Rainbow and a cover song.

A Ballads 2 might have two new songs too.
Pray for you and this kimono themed song.

^ I forgot about Sotsugyou Shashin!

I really wouldn't be against a cover along with pray for you!

Definitely! This would have been something fresh and a cover we didn't have ever before. It's sad, really ;_;

These photos are so stunning. :heart

Dreaming that this will be "Haru yo, Koi" PV!!!!

I resonate with your vision here.
I'm looking forward to more pictures :yes

I am also hopeful these will be in the photobook.

Pregnant ayu is the best! Art direction for this series is perfection

Wow!! Spring Queen!! Imagine if this is the mv for Will~~(one can always dream lol)

YAS QUEEN

https://media.tenor.com/images/8369b...3508/tenor.gif

eggroll

Wow, this could be PV :)

^It most likely is one! :)

I would die if these shots came from a PV for Will

It's a SERVE! I'm really excited to see this pv, I hope she releases it soon... I like the idea of traditional ayu vs contemporary ayu.

This comment was already golden in context but I love it even more now that it's on its own x)

I've been exciting about this video all day, I really hope it's not just a TV spot or something like that!

That's gonna be one beautiful MV, if that's what's it for. I don't care if it's just her in that costume and a pretty background. I'll eat up anything that's traditional japanese style inspired :luv2
Aderianu is reading my mind. First thing i thought when i saw the images -those would have been perfect for the covers.



I agree with everything you said, and no, you don't always need a concept, but for something like compilations it definitely brings in freshness to the release, cuz everything else is recycled. And i know artists get burned out over the years of doing stuff, but i still stand my ground that just because she's not the Ayu from 2004 she doesn't have the creativity in her anymore. I think there's a lot more to it than just her being different - record label, people she works with (same ones over and over, without fresh blood), money, general state of the darn world.. And probably some marketing strategies, too..
On the lighter note though, despite of all of that i think as fans we will always have that bit of helpless hope simmering inside, that's probably what makes quite a few of us come back to check on her. I know that's what drives me lol I AM NOT GIVING UP ON HER :D

I'm not that crazy about the cover but the kimono shots are beautiful! hope it turns out to be a beautiful PV.

I forgot to comment here. :weep

There's nothing special about that cover, but she does look gorgeous. I'm excited to see what pictures they'll include in the photobook. Also, I wonder if it's going to be the same picture for every edition? :think That seems unlikely but at the same time, I wish they'd have shown all of them at this point.

The PV looks very promising from those pictures! :heart

A concept is definitely not necessary for someone to enjoy a release, but I think it's natural to expect one from Ayu since she delivered so many conceptual songs, PVs, albums, etc. throughout her career.

I am... still.. so... wow...

I actually really like this! I would have loved it if she would have gone in this direction!

I think this is a good point. People here are always jumping on those of us who are "complaining" and tell us not to come back. But I know that lots of fans are ONLY coming back, especially Japanese fans, because we still believe she can do this. If all of us would be like "fuck this, there isn't anything to expect from her anymore", she wouldn't even sell out halls anymore. Because we believe she is able to amaze us, because we are coming back every damn time, because lots of us are buying her releases even thoug we don't really like them and just for the nostalgia and because we are hanging on to this little hope, she is able to still be Hamasaki Ayumi.
Also, and this I find really sad, people are often like "why did you even expect anything more than this? You should know by now, be grateful she releases anything at all" - which basically says: "She once was a great artist, now she is just a mediocre performer and a has-been and is only able to release a song here and there because no one cares, therefore be glad anyone even cares to release stuff from a mediocre has-been". But I'm really not willing to see her like that. I always loved her because I KNOW she is a great artist and I don't need 5 singles a year to be satisfied. I just need the few releases she has to be Hamasaki Ayumi quality, because I know she has it in her and because I know she is able to amaze me.

I mean I'm just happy with whatever mostly since it means she's not retired/inactive.

Beautiful pictures!!
So I found myself wondering if Beloved and Sunset could end up on this release.

I love Sunset~love is all, and would go crazy for a good remastered version of it.

The covers didn’t do anything for me but loving the shots of her with the tree.

true.

omgggg gorg~~~!!! :luv2:luv2

Really excited for the new pv

https://i.imgur.com/Xa1Auco.jpg

��琳派の間��

Movie director/ Art director 
@kazuyoshi_shimomura

Stylist 
@abfabkei

Making photographer 
@masayukikamo

この屏風と床が素晴らしく美しすぎて歩くの緊張しました。。1テイク目はシモ子からカットかけ られました笑

I wonder if we’ll get the video early???
Like, I assume they had it planned to be released with the original release date (unless that was part of the production issues)—and we still have a long time before 4/8 lol.

I think I like tue white outfit a little bit better but she Looks so good in both. Can't wait to see how the Video will turn out to be.

I definitely hope we get a teaser soon! She looks stunning in all of the photos. :heart

what does that caption mean (琳派の間)? it could be the title of the song lol

we know after オヒアの木 that she's no longer averse to having song titles in actual Japanese characters.

琳派 (Rinpa) is the style of the art that she’s standing in front of.
I believe it just means like, being in the presence of rinpa (?) lol

Oh, the (original) art she’s in front of is two separate screens, so it could be literally “between rinpa” as well haha but I believe it’s a more general, “space of rinpa”, or “room of rinpa”.

ayu is such a great teaser!! Just tell us what song this is already XD

I honestly suppose we’ll get some kind of info about it on Saturday. I mean, we’ve been getting a new pic everyday so... it’d make sense to have two more pics tomorrow and Friday and some kind of preview/info with the next batch of info. Crossing fingers it’s for a completely new song in the vein of Will/green/ballad.

Don't you think ayu looks like a mannequin? It's only few making photos, but she just standing still and being beautiful, without any emotions. And with hand near face.

If it´s an actual wedding kimono Ayu won´t move much in the video either way,this things are quiet heavy and you can´t really make big moves in them.

I imagine the video is gonna be a part of Me x GREEN kind of deal... very grand, not a lot of movement from her other than gestures and maybe a falling scene?

That last pic with the red kimono :luv2

Hey guys, just made a wallpaper with the kimono picture (phone and desktop size available) I hope you like them and please feel free to use! :yes



For better quality (and both sizes) here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...CLEEoGGIGhI49B

I thought for sure becoming a mother, full Libra manifestation of the divine feminine via motherhood etc etc etc would get this woman inspired but holy fucking shit she is really high up on my list of people I admire across all art forms across all decades of modern society that have really seemed to irretrievably lost👏🏽their👏🏽spark👏🏽for👏🏽ever. But I keep coming back!! It’s so hard to give up on her because I love who she was so much at her artistic, risky peak.

Wow, this is beautiful, thanks!

wow thank you so much! that means it's unlikely to be the title of the song then :D

this is amazing! can't wait to see the version where she's holding a gun like on your profile photo :laugh in fact please make it please I need it for science

This is so gorgeous :love

lmaooo idk but this gives me some Tomb Raider vibes, i'd love to see it too

Enjoy :laugh

you are the most brilliant and I owe you all the happiness I feel today :roflmao

That's really pretty! I love the meme one as well :D


I'm reading the comments from the Baidu post from a couple of pages back. It's just google translate but seems the cfans are excited about it. it's not perfect translations but some of the comments seem interesting :)



People are betting on it being for theme of a-nation '03 and most of the comments were positive aside from a few deriding her for her pregnancies and the nutter who was complaining that Japan stole the hanbok from Korea but they also stole it from China first :rolleyes

the kimono + sakura tree shoot is almost certainly a video shooting for SAKURA. she just posted a short clip on ig with the sakura emoji as the caption (she could also very well just be referring to the literal cherry blossom in the video, but it feels like it’s emphasised a bit too much for it to NOT be for SAKURA the song)

^Sakura (cherry blossom) is part of Japanese culture, and the symbol of spring all over the country. It’s not like she invented Sakura with a song lol I don’t think it’s for that song, nor any old song.
Giving me Green vibes.

THAT PV LOOKS CONCEPTUAL!! i love the masquerade. And the western tux is such a juxtaposition with her oriental look

I'm beaming with excitement now ^^

she’s using the sakura emoji too much in all of her captions for it to be a coincidence. anyway that’s my interpretation. sakura also seems to be a bit of a slow burn fan favourite over the years so it feels quite plausible to me. it’s 100% not green that’s for sure since it already has a PV.

edit: could also very well be WILL since the lyrics reference flowers blooming and wilting, tho SAKURA seems like a more likely choice both for the album and for the PV

I don't think she would do a PV for SAKURA out of nowhere lol But I might be wrong...

Why so many are expecting a PV for an old song? I mean, yeah it would cool but I don't think that's the case. Also Shimomura-san just re-posted some IG stories that says "Pray For You"

Besides, SAKURA isn't even about the cherry blossom season IIRC. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it called that because SAKURA is the name of the restaurant that Ayu and her late friend went to?

I'm pretty sure this is not for an old song lol

I hope not for SAKURA - for whatever reason that song gives me fatigue.

Kimono scenes mixed with (gay) masquerade? Yes! Hopefully it’s for a new song with a special sound

I ask myself the same question eveytime i see it

ICONIC

because the only new song that we know of currently (pray for you) doesn't seem to fit the thematic in the clips so far, AND she's exhibited a complete lack of interest in producing new music lol.

of course, it would be a pleasant surprise if it turns out that there's a new track that we havent heard and the video turns out to be for that.....but i'm not hopeful.

......but i stand corrected. it does indeed seem to be a video for Pray for you based on shimomura's ig. what a waste of a good video.

edit: BUT WAIT! the choreographer's ig stories has the clip posted set to ayu's SAKURA... lol.

Y'all better be prepared for your clown makeup when you find out this is just a video for pray for you and not some old (or another new) song lol

Best thing I’ve ever seen in my life. This will be my cover on iTunes.

Im being called out. So true it hurts lol

Yes, I was just about to write this. =) Therefore I don't think that she would do a PV for Sakura that is so unpersonal and cliché with the motive.

I also don't think SAKURA will get a PV with this kind of visual - it's kind of a personal and emotional song for her....

a GENIUS! the wallpaper looks awesome too! thanks legend.

manifesting this NOT being for Pray for you because that bland song absolutely do not deserve these gorgeous visuals :luv2

as for the old song(s), I see the appeal and I certainly would be happy if she were to make videos for deserving underdogs like Will or Pray, but I don't think it would be the case here.

this summarises what I feel about that song.

Ugh I just want one alternate version of Pray. Lol

Yeah aside from the fact that I don't think she should have a video for an old song, this is what would bother me the most. She even withdrew the song from the tour at the time, making a PV for it with an on-the-nose theme would be really strange now.

I wish there could be another song but I don't really understand why she would have planned to push Pray for you at the last CDL if there was another new song getting a PV? Unless we're getting two videos of course, but if not wouldn't make sense to focus the promotion on one song?

Have we heard the complete Pray for you or why do people don't expect it fitting to that. It probably has to do with the lyrics.

Honestly, you can fit a sakura theme to every type of song. As someone mentioned a page early: its a pretty genereic (and probably stereotypical) thing in japanese culture. Its the time they plaster it on every product in existence. In culture it often relates to departure or a dying, but beautiful thing.

I think it will very well work with what we heard of Pray for you so far. I definitely want it to be for that song as this PV could elevate things even further.

I think it’s unlikely the PV would be for an old song, but it’s not unheard of. Namie shot PVs for Himawari and Four Seasons for the Ballada album, which was over 10 years after those songs were released, so you never know.

Well she kinda did it as well for Duty, but it was limited to her Pachinko (I think) but I'm sure this is going to be Pray for You PV :laugh

(Also I'm glad so many of you guys liked the wallpaper and the silly meme haha)

Wow, totally forgot about that.it was a cool looking video, though the CGI weas early 2000s video game quality if I remember correctly. Also, your wallpaper /meme is awesome.

Don't set your expectations too high guys

Your WP is awesome, it managed to kick "Levi cleaning my screen" from my lock screen and I have him there since 2018 xD

Is it too much to ask for phone wallpaper with dark background?

no problem! Is this ok or with like completely black background?



Poor Levi!!! :laugh I'm glad you liked it!

omg this is looking even better

I like it! Thanks

LMAO.

This made my day :roflmao:roflmao

Omg we stan a Yakuza Queen. Wish they’d hire you Evan :weep

Let's remember she was in the studio earlier this month...

^Could have been Pray for you, another new song, etc..

I also think it's VERY unlikely she will do a PV for an old song. Above all when it's as old as SAKURA or Will. Except Duty which had that Pachinko visual, I don't remember she's ever done it.

Either it's for Pray for you or another new song / cover.

I'll personally be more disappointed if it's the only new PV and it's for an old song. And please, I don't want Shimomura to potentially (and the chances are great that he'll do it haha) ruin the perfect gem that is Will. :dead2

Somehow this smells like preparation for new album or mini album. Just guessing.

pray for you would be the absolute worst case scenario. i’m hoping it’s a new song we haven’t heard, or an old song that deserves a video like this.

Yes, Namie's Ballada is my favorite Ballad Best Album，that no new song but make up 2 new PV for old songs (Himawari and Four Seasons) and re-recording 2 hit songs (Sweet 19 Blues and Can you Celebrate?)．So I don't know Why everyone doesn't like Ayu make SAKURA PV:no

Hope is the drug of the desperate. Please don't indulge my addiction lol.

I'm betting it's for Pray for you. Just from the instrumental I can connect those visuals with the music easily :)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLwI8oWh...=123vdtez2jwet
#excitement
Disappointing or not, this release has made me be the most active I’ve been in years on the forum. I’m hyped. (And haven’t lost my hope for new content yet, kinda)

Such a strange video after the build up throughout the week x) I'm really hoping for a snippet at least in tomorrow's announcement!

And same Toniayu123, I don't think I had posted this much on AHS in a long while! I can't say I'm hopeful for more new content on this release but I can't help but hope it'll be followed up by a single or a mini in the summer!

Same here, and I'm not even that excited about A BALLADS, just about the fact that she is doing something else than touring! :)
Really hoping a neat PV and new song!