I'm getting tired of this fish lips thing.

She's done fish lips since dawn of history in many past shots and looked like a fish way more in some of them and people adore them.

It's like it became a trend to hate ayu's fish lips shots since 2007-2008 or something as long as you keep adoring shots with fish lips before hand and adore other artists' fish lips as if they look better doing it.

:shrug

On R'n'R Circus it's barely does anything imo. She just has a make you curious glance (on the CD+DVD at least).
I understood the hate for (miss)understood's cd only cover, S/S covers (ew) and I understand people who are dissapointed with R'n'R Circus covers that they wanted more special/fierce thing or more circusy, but other then that I don't think that those are bad at all.

I think that ayu looks really pretty in both (specially the CD+DVD) in the CD only she looks more ready to be shot while giving a small smile (which is also the smile of the CD+DVD).

I've been fishing with my granddad for years...never seen a fish with lips as stunning as Ayu's. Sorry everyone.

^ LOL high-five! :P

@ayumisrael there's a difference between a cute pout face and one that looks "wooden" (as another member said) and unnatural xD

Haha, same here!

:spew

Fish lips or not, theres something odd about her expression...

That might be, but it's definitely not a 30-pound seabass' set of kisser-lippers :shakehead

If her expression is weird, then what is this?

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ng-postman.jpg

(I know, that's a bit extreme. But still; damn funny. And disturbing)

That you chose that picture as a rebuttal is even more disturbing.

I'm just happy the cover is like this, because after the title came out it would be the end of the world if the cover had any circus-themed stuff... XDD


and again... I want CD+DVD poster!!! >.<

People often tell me I lack a certain amount of logic.
But really. My post wasn't a comeback of any kind.

I'm a little dissapointed with the covers... I was expecting something more i don;t know... like a circus maybe....

Hm, I wonder if most people read the ViVi Deji Deji Diary where she basically said "We did the shoot for the entire album booklet/photobook/covers and here is what I wore!" haha.

Anyways, I wonder if by replacing blue with black in the Union Jack thing is giving the album that "Rock'n'Roll" feel, but just in a really subtle way, haha. And she's kind of also invoking colors from a circus with the red/white thing too... kind of.

@Kanzaki88
My mistake then. I mustve mistook "If her expression is weird, then what is this?" as a rebuttal instead of an invitation to comment on the singing postman. Poor fellow, but he's not pouting either.

But these pics would be fine and dandy in the album booklet or photobook. They just dont indicate a Rock n Roll circus of any kind. With the same set and clothes she could've still projected something ; energy, passion, excitment...

Exactly, it would be more horrible if there were clowns and elephants on the cover..that would have made it too obvious and tacky and maybe even disturbing

Both covers tie for me. It's nice. At least she didn't do the super obvious and have a full circus theme. Just a hat that kinda looks like someone in the circus would wear.

I would have liked one full body cover. Just to see the rest of the outfit though. The jacket photos probably will have one.

It's actually possible to have a full body cover on the limited box cover/lid.

The title Rock'n'Roll Circus isn't a reference to a circus at all, and the cover confirms that. It's just a vague reference to English rock. The Rolling Stones are likely to be as much an influence on Ayu as to many other Japanese pop & rock artists, and this is a nod to them, the culture they came from, and the culture they (and other english classic rock bands) created. The title has nothing really to do with a circus, just the crazy days of rock & roll music. The word "circus" doesn't have to be taken literally here, and I agree with many people's sentiments that it's probably a good thing it wasn't.

^ Yup, it's not a "circus" that many would think of right off the bat......and thank God for that, lol. I was praying she didn't mean clowns and monkeys and ****, lol!
'Regular' circus = big :no for me; Toned down 'circus' = :yes

I wasn't attacking you. Sorry you took it that way. :( I know you didn't straight out say it was ugly, but I just assumed that because you thought those were fish lips, then you thought it must be kinda ugly, hah.
I still say they aren't fish lips, at all. But weird expression? Yes, lol. I don't think it's that bad, though. Even the CD version is one of my favourite album covers to date, actually. :yes
:roflmao
Um........ How random, lol...

CD+DVD version is much nicer than CD-only... I still need to get myself a copy before too long.

wait... I'M SO HAPPY IT'S NOT A CIRCUS THEME LOL i agree completely with everyone =]

diggin the title a lot more now >.>

lol you guys can hate but i think it is a lot more cooler that her circus kind of album is a different concept than an original circus

this

btw is her facial expression weird? I don't think so lol.
That's just photo's angle that makes her face 'strange'

You would make some sense if it weren't for the fact that these covers are essentially identical in basic concept to (miss)understood, which is before GUILTY and therefore "normal Ayu standards."

I dont think many people were looking for an actual circus ( I know I wasn't), but if what she said about the album content is true and if some of the Pvs are as dramatic as they seem, the covers don't really carry forward any real emotion, espicially not that of English Rock.

i just don't see (m)u in these covers :S
i think the concept is a bit diffirent, (m)u was her covering her face and looking straight in the camera with a giant fur coat and puffy hair. and the other version was that awefull big smile into the camera
These are allot better that (m)u in my opinion, in this CD only version you still get to see a bit of the phonebooth and her waist (unfortuantly this still doens't compensate for her bland facial expression)

I would sooner go for a comparisment with My story, then (m)u

maybe i'm the only one who doesn't see the (m)u cover back in these, but it's just my opinion

i like these! goodness ive been gone all day and havent gotten to see these ^___^
well the first one is preferred as i love her face and expression in it a lot

the second one is just kinda simple pretty but nothing special. but we can see more so i like that part of it.
i like the CD+DVD only cover better than (m)u, loveppears, memorial address, guilty, asfxx, secret . . .
i think its so pretty and different for ayu. and i like seeing something different from her. ^____~

god know why some people dont like the first one. XD

Wow, I really don't know what to say. If anything, Ayu's been on an upward trend and there's been like two or three people who absolutely hate what's been gvien to us so far, haha.

I suppose it's all up to the individual when it comes to whether or not they like something, but some people really just seem to hate anything that's "new" from Ayu, and that doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon. I don't expect it to after all.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!! I love them!!! I love both, but the CD+DVD is my favourite!! Oh they're so beautiful!!!

Well, that's totally true. But it's not the same people with every release (usually.)

Like, I normally am pretty pleased with what Ayu does. This is the first time I'm feeling this way about her new releases. I was disappointed by NEXT LEVEL and assumed that I'd be satisfied by the next single. Well Sunrise was fun for a while, but got old, and Sunset was always boring to me. You were... seemed to be a rehash of all the past winter ballads, except not as good, but I was really pleased with BALLAD.

Now the album is about to drop and I haven't been satisfied with any information we've gotten thus far, aside from the caps of the PVs. I think they look promising.

I just hope I'm not going to be continually let down by Ayu and if RnRC does disappoint me the way NEXT LEVEL did, that will be two albums in a row. :(

I dunno, I personally think that whenever someone gets let down by an Ayu album, it's because their tastes are changing and not necessarily because Ayu is declining since a lot of other fans seem to enjoy X album that X person hated. So it's not necessarily her fault, but yours ultimately.

Maybe Ayu is just done with the whole inovating style.
I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing, i see it more as ayu setteling down in a certain style that she seems to enjoy herself with.
Besides i don't really think you can blame her for it after 12 years being on top, maybe she is looking for a bit more comfort and safety, i don't expect ayu to be on top of al the trends anymore, there is a younger generation of artist that can to that, as long as Ayu just stays true to herself and does what see wants and feels comfortable with it. Ayu wil always be an individual in the J-pop industry and what she has done wil not dissapear, i jut hope people wil be able to see that and look past it to see the Ayu that is here now. i'm not lowering my expectations, i'm just fitting them towards Ayu.

As long as Ayu is enjoying herself, i think ll be able to hear that in her music and see that en her perfomances and that is why i love Ayu. m not saying i love everything she does, but is easier to appriciate her efforts if you can feel them, that's pure.

lol what on earth are you talking about? We have short previews of two songs, some pictures/covers and song titles.. I understand if you don't like them but how can those things "confirm" some sort of downward slope will continue?

I love the CD DVD COVER OMG i'm so glad this is the one I ordered:love:love:luv2

I believe with time we all change and that goes for Ayu as well if she starts making music different than when in the My Story era etc it is of our own choice and will to follow it or not. That goes for Ayu as well She creates music that appeals to her during these times of her life.

I have yet to be disappointed with an ayu release I'm not saying I absolutely love every single song, because off the new single I love Ballad the most - Personal taste is all - My favorite album is Guilty and I'm no new ayu fan I've been a fan for years, Something about Guilty was so addicting for me where as I have read lots of ppl didn't like that album so much which is fine by me :)

I think she is still trying to be innovative, but things aren't as in our face as they were back when "X" album came out if that makes sense. I feel like people just compare too much when it comes to Ayu, and after 10+ years in the industry, I feel as though any comparisons between works before 2003 and works made now are just... unnecessary considering the changes she's gone through since then. Ayu's still Ayu and those are parts of her discography, but I feel like each album is like a "child" that should be treated as an individual, not to be constantly compared with the other children, but loved for what it brings to the table and so on.

It's not my taste changing. It's her music, and the changes in her music recently have happened to be changes that I don't like. That's my fault that I don't like them? That sounds pretty off base to me. We don't force likes and dislikes upon ourselves.

It's not my or Ayu's fault that I was disappointed with NEXT LEVEL and may end up being disappointed with Rock'n'Roll Circus.

That's sorta what i was trying to say, that she is inovating in her own way and that she wil still be an individual in the Jpop industry in her own way.
And as long as she enjoys herself and stays true to herself i wil try and appriciate the effort ... it's impossible to absolutley like everything she does, because there is always the issue of taste

cute!! (:

I don't think it's been a downward trend at all... to be honest I've liked/disliked all her album covers equally since.... probably MY STORY, I'd say. NEXT LEVEL was more interesting than usual, it was a very pleasant surprise. This one shows slightly more creativity in graphics and text placement, so it's a pleasant surprise too. But it's still not anywhere near the level of "Duty" through "A BALLADS."

And I agree that I'm happy as long as she's true to herself, but I don't think she IS being true to herself. I think the amount of control she gives to other people on her staff has become too high, I think she needs to be more hands-on with approving some of her team's creative work, even if she's not so hands-on with actually creating it. I somehow doubt Ayu and the graphics people had a meeting to figure out how these covers were gonna look, you know?

How does the covers being in the same "concept" mean that they're good? So what if they're meant to be the "same"? These pictures aren't good. Even though the CD only (miss)understood wasn't that great, they were still better than these. Period.
Sorry, but you're point doesn't make sense to me at all. Nice try though.

The bottom line is that YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE. Even if someone is the perfect example of perfection, someone will disagree. We're all individuals here and have our opinions. I for one love the new stuff, as much as the old stuff, I appreciate the differences and her growth and phenomenal dedication to her work, and I just hope most people love the new album. I think I will. :)

Then what about the people who do like NEXT LEVEL and will probably like Rock'n'Roll Circus? If there are hundreds of people saying that they like both albums and you're one in a handful who are so opposed to it... isn't something wrong there?

@Delirium-Zer0 I don't think I should have said downward trend, because I didn't mean it matter of factly. I mean like if I gave Secret a 10, GUILTY was a 9, NEXT LEVEL was 7, ect... I meant it to apply only to the way I've been receiving her work.

CD+DVD cover is my favorite but I love BOTH covers!!
nooow... can't wait!

when will we know the full tracklist??

I get what you mean, but what i meant with staying true to herself was more in terms towards her music then her graphics, because for me that ultimatly seems more important ^^;
But i do get that there seems very little Ayu touches in these covers

does anyone feel the cd+dvd is such a close up that it seems like it looks like any other picture of her face? LOL

anyways, i wonder why these pictures got released so early? hrmmm

What don't you understand about individual taste? My individual taste is to love everything from Duty ~ GUILTY and find NEXT LEVEL and the RnRC singles mediocre. That is MY individual opinion.

There are so many Ayu fans I'm sure you could find a fan for every combination of love this album/hate this album. I just don't understand what you're trying to say.

I'm honestly surprised that we have so many people that don't like these covers. I really like them, both of them. Sunrise Covers received much hate and I can see what was wrong with them - but these..... I don't know, sometimes I think people on AHS like to be disappointed.

What I'm trying to say is that perhaps your individual taste is getting in the way of appreciating what Ayu is putting out which is what I've been trying to get across because your tastes aren't accepting what Ayu is putting out there.

You might not like it, but other people do. The fact that you don't like something/everything about a release doesn't make a release bad (in a general sense, maybe to you but not to everyone else) though.

LOL but at least the expression on that face is a bit better then one her face on the CD only version, but yes the discussion going on is indeed that it lacks of a bit of creativity ^^;

When did I say this was for sure going to be a bad release or that anything else was a bad release? All I ever said was that NEXT LEVEL disappointed me and that I'm afraid that RnRC may disappoint me.

So the second half of your post is irrelevant because I never tried to present my opinion as fact the way you make it seem I did.

And yes, my tastes were not too fond of NEXT LEVEL. But just because other people were fond of it doesn't mean there is something wrong with my taste. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with people who do like it's taste though either.

It's all opinions, opinions, opinions, and no one's opinion is right, no? So I really, still, fail to see your argument here.

well it's different for her ... kinda, (miss)understood lacks in the originality as well haha

but i like it.

not too keen for cd only, but it's not horrible haha.
i like the cd+dvd and how she isn't looking directly at the camera :)

Wow! I think ayu's very cute in these covers.xDDDDDDDD

Now we just need the tracklist :D.

I think the amount of people who love them trumps the amount who don't. I'm actually surprised at how many people like them. I expected people to be way harsher about them (especially the CD only)
Hell, even Sunshineslayer said she liked them, I was shocked lmao.

i know right. . .i looked and was like okay ehre we go. lets brace ourselves for the people who are going to do the typical and say "ayus album covers keep getting worse" or some other rendition of that. but theres lots positive views which is nice.

LOL at the amorphose/truehappiness argument. it went absolutely nowhere.

I think people may expect too much? I mean, just a little... I really love them, but I had rock bottom expectations... so I think the people who hate them must have expected far too much out of her

*lol* I just read the last few pages of this thread and it seems like many don't like them and they write loooong posts with reasons I just don't really understand. But in the other thread for album information people are more positive. hehe....

in the end it's al a matter of tase,
even tough i kinda have to agree with what Mai82go said about the people here wanting to be dissapointed.
Almost everyone was hyped about this album after seeing the deji deji pictures, and after seeing the the cover isn't a big masterpiece, there are already people saying that they are possibly going to be dissapionted by the entire album when there is still no tracklist, no new songs and no new PV's... after all the cover is just an image, i think it would be bad if i couldn't give the album an honest listen because i was pre-judged about the cover..
i know that there is a saying that a book sells by it's cover, but i'm one of those people that doesn't believe in this. and again this is just my opnion

Everyone stop *****ing, it's the music that counts!

That's what you don't seem to understand. I do not hate anything Ayu has done. I wasn't as happy with NEXT LEVEL or the new singles as I was with GUILTY, Secret, (m)u, and MY STORY-- all the stuff she's done since I've been a fan.

All I was trying to express was that I was disappointed that I haven't been able to get into the new stuff. I love Ayumi and it upsets me. I'm not hating on anything at all.

You just seem to be one of those people that loves whatever Ayumi does and for some reason feels the need to put down those who don't. (But I just didn't want to say that...)

i get what u were trying to say. but its hard to say word it in a poiltically (in AHS terms) polite way XD

i think amorphose is amorphose and his dislike for the covers is just that. his uh whole downhill ayu slide (which worded that way sounds like a playground toy) is just that. it killed my mood . . .but then ive noticed a few of his statements have already before so its no surprise

just like how i think shes going up up up!!! *giggles*
cant wait to hear the songs!!!

OMGG!!
soo cute!!!!!

Please read my first posts a few pages back. I didn't say that the downward slope (which was imo anyway) was BECAUSE of the covers. I said it started with NEXT LEVEL (the album, not the covers) and I said the covers for this album were adding to it and I hoped for the album to be better. That's all.

i can't wait for the album to come out and everybody has listented to it to form a decent and wel build upon opnion and that al this *****ing about a picture can just stop because it is getting pretty useless and anoying

or maybe i'm just irritated because i'm tired and it's getting pretty late overhere ^^;

^ people have the right to express their opinion of a picture. that doesn't imply they are degrading the content of the album itself. :)

i just realized that anyone who thinks, like i, that the creativity could be lacking,
LOL i just realized

there is so much more style theme present in these, that it's actually kind of like an upgraded version of (miss)understood!
hands over face -> looking off to side with red bars and view of jacket
ugly smile -> blank stare but a sick background

LOL SEE! UUUUPGRADE. i'm very happy with these cover- ya they may be lacking but the photobook could most definitely make up for it

i guess these can be considered the opening picture to the rest of them? LOL yeee

i'm not saying that they can't or aren't allowed to do so, i'm just saying that the way it's going now is just way too hostile, because in the end it is just a picture and not the album itself.

I know it's all about taste and opnions i just said that myself ^^

i didn't mean that post to be *****y but i was just kinda getting tired of the hostile feeling/energy, and like i said maybe it's getting accross like that because i'm just getting tired in general ^^;

I just don't see how they add to it? They're just covers, not the music.

Very cute! But the CD only is too over exposed, it's too European for my taste~~~ The whole concept very european actually, I guess she had to visit the genre sometime. I still like the american and asian inspired themes better tho

i'm sorry but i have to disagree, i agree that it ads something to the image of the album but in the end it is just a picture and not the album itself. and in Ayu's case, for me, it's the music that counts.

Oh my.
I think people are taking things a little too seriously in here. Including Ayu's career.
It looks to me that nowadays Ayu is more relaxed and wanting to have fun and some people don't like that because of how serious she used to be in the past (in terms of her career).

I like it personally, it shows that Ayu has grown and , I think, been able to heal a lot of what was going on for her back in the day.

And this post has nothing to do with the covers so continue on poeople! :P

Actually i also think that Ayu's style has changed, but i don't think is a bad thing, i think Ayu's style changes with every album, there aren't any of her albums that sound identicall, and i do believe that there are people who don't like every style she tries out, Next Level was really diffirent then anything she did before, so i'm not surprised that it threw some people off, so in the end it isn't really strange that there are people who are a bit scared an sceptic towards this album, but is it really worth attacking people over, or forcing an opnion on to them ? because that's how it feels at the moment. or am i seeing it wrong ? and if i am, please try to explain it to me, because i am not trying to stop on anyones toes , okay ?

EXCATLY, as long as Ayu is having fun and can relax and really enjoy what she is doing, isn't that the most important thing, i remember posting something similair a few pages back, it definitaly shows she is at a comfortable spot in her work and life.

i love the covers and she close her mouth YEAHHHH ! lol

Well, I'm not exactly surprised by them... since we've already seen her in this outfit. And they're not the best she's had, but I definitely like the CD+DVD more than just CD only. :yes

Her face looks awkward but I like the style. I was afraid it would turn out to be over-the-top and tacky like the title suggests but I like this simplicity :) I think I like the CD only cover more.

anything beats the next level covers. tacky with a capital T. really really bad representation of the 80s if that is what she was going for. the TVs in the background was a good idea though.

Too European ? lol d rather say Too British then :P .. Europe is just a big mash of cultures, i would love her to do a Dutch look once, lol clogs, windmills, tullips and cheese :P i really wonder how she would pull that off :P

okay. about the change thing...i love ayu unconditionally. she is my life, however, i am still able to criticize her in a healthy manner. she/her music has DEFINITELY changed. you're in denial if you don't see this. everyone changes and that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. no one stays the same for all eternity. we grow and evolve, learning from our life experiences and adapting to new things we encounter. people just get way too defensive when it comes to ayu. i happen to love all of ayu's work but the prime example of her change would be the "NEXT LEVEL" album. lots of people don't like that album because it feels too 'new' and unlike ayu to them and that's ok. everyone doesn't have to like every album. i, myself, love the "NEXT LEVEL" album and thought it was a great change for her. it just shows what a great artist she is, in that she can adapt to different styles and still be good/successful. if you know ayu at all...you'd know that her entire being is about change and growing. she's shown us through the years that she is able to change, yet still keep the essence of who she is as a person.

trying not to hear nor read all this argument..

if some of u didnt like it just ignore it,, dont make any negative review bout ayu in d world of ayu aka ahs..or u will be smashed down with the others..LOL..XD..

Back to topic..
i love d cd/dvd cover tough her smile it's a bit weired..haha..

YES! evolution!!

Always one of my favorite songs. :D

Will you marry me ?? :luv2

LOL just kidding, but this exactly what it is, and how people should try and look towards her changes, this is exactly what i was trying to say, and you found the right words for it : )

this!! this this!!

Well, I think a lot of people have left actually - the people with join dates from 08 to now seem to far outnumber those from say 2004 to now and to see anyone from before 2004 is fairly rare these days.

But I've always said, that if something is good, I'll praise them as good - I'm not out to hate everything. And I'm sure the people who are disappointed with these covers are not out to hate everything either. That's just stupid and pointless.

I also disagree with the assertion that its peoples tastes that have changed and not Ayu herself. If that were the case, those people would not like Ayu's past work anymore, but obviously they do.

Sorry this post is all over the place, haha. And yeah, these covers really are like an upgraded version of Miss Understood for me.

And btw: People really need to stop the name calling. This isn't kindergarten.

edit: and nice post Ayu Tenshi :)

Yes!! Ayu always has been about many, many changes, all the time, from one album to the next.
Maybe some people forgot about how big some of the changes were, though, since, after Duty and until MY STORY, she didn't have any as huge changes as, say, from A Song for xx to LOVEppears, or from GUILTY into NEXT LEVEL.


Oh. And I have to agree with all this (miss)understood talk. When I first saw these covers, that's immediately what I thought of, actually! Before I even read any posts talking about it. :yes

Thanks. :heart

I know a lot of people think I'm anti-ayu but...

OH MY GOD.

These covers are stunning!!!!! :D

Ayu_no_tenshi is a life-saver . . or maybe thread saver
yayz! :)

SURE! why not!? hehehe we can have a huge AHS wedding too! wait, are you a boy or a girl? i guess it doesn't matter. LOVE FOR ALL! :love

noooooo problem handsome :lech

well...most of it started because i made a comment about her weird expression and 5000 people jumped on me so i had to say something to show i wasn't trying to hate HAHA

all-in-all i suppose i don't really need to explain anything to anyone because i know where i stand with ayu ^^

lol little off topic *sorry for that* but i joined around 2006 because there were some troubles over at ayunite, which is unfortunatly no more : ( ayu fan since 2000, and proud off it ; )

LOL and oh i'm 100% Chick :P

^ 2000

no seriously 2000 is a while lol. im like 2008 *yes off topic*

to post something on topic: ayus face is so adorabel to me in the CD+DVD pic

Yeah, all the older members left because there are now too many immature trolls. That's why I rarely post too :(

I agree with everything you've said. I love ayu, and I have for years, and will for all the years to come. But that doesn't mean I'm going to love everything she puts out. Good or bad, I'll still stand by her. But it can't be expected that I'll praise her when I don't think it's deserving.

I also agree about the name calling, but hey. What can we expect from children? ;)

^ as if anyones gonna stop. were on planet ayu. (unfortunately the side with global warming)

10 years baby, i should have myself a 10th aniversary party this year :P

And also back ontopic : i wish i would look like that when i'm in my 30's

we should!!! lol

yeah. . .she looks sooo young. i wanna be like that. she looks 10 years younger than my 30 yr old aunt. especially in these pics

i lurked around a bit before i joined but my official join date is 2004 and i'm still around! yay!!! :D

and thanks! it was much needed, don't you think? :innocent

She looks younger then me and i'm 23 :shakehead , unfortunatly i do not have flawless skin :no

indeed!!! that's normal for most people and everyone has the right to express their opinion. that's the point of a forum. :yes

LOL totally! I get what you mean. It's like, if GUILTY was a new form of Duty (and rockier wan), then RnRC could be the new form of (m)u lol!

She's just sticking and perching her lips a bit in the cd only cover. I'd rather this than something fierce that people in Japan find her diva looking or whatever..and as a result, get turned off..

she has that shoko nakagawa look in the cd-only LOl

What I don't like about the covers is that they look like paparrazzi shots or something.

So boring cover. is kinda weird too. I don't like it at all, so disappointed to me.