Unfortunately I'm really not! You have no idea how high the rate of (undetectable) HIV-infected gay guys in sex clubs like that is, and those who don't have it take PREP to be able to have unprotected sex anyway. "Anti-drug rules" get avoided anyway by taking it with you in your underwear or whatever and then taking them quickly in closed rooms etc. and that shit can make you stop worrying about STDs and agree to do crap you'll regret later, hence the "dancing" ban Japan did on 2-chome.

Of course not. If she wanted to specifically show a leather-clad club (which is bad taste imo) she sorta got it, but to me it seems more like she wanted to make it clear it was a gay club so she dressed everyone up in leather and drag haha. Which is kinda stereotyping as the majority of gay clubs have people dressed normally but, again, I'm not bothered by it.
We all know Ayu has a fetish for leather (see: every concert of hers since 2005 lol) If I want to watch a PV that handles the subject in the opposite way I'll watch how beautiful you are.

Time for me to stop talking about the subject lol. It's just a videoclip with bad execution like Feel the love haha. ^^b Meltdowns in a topic about meltdowns, woo! (jk jk)

The director of this MV is gay himself so... of course it's stereotyped but I don't blame Ayumi for this in the making of you can see that's the idea of the director !

Out of curiosity, Kazuyoshi is the director? Isn't that the perv who did Super Mannie and made Ayu look like a blowfish in photoshoots for 2 years or am I confused? If so that explains loads LOL. He's like an Asian Terry Richardson.

He's probably just poo pooing because ayu found and has a working marrage with an american husband :P , but he is the one who seems to post to her and tease about his past relationship

wait what?

Party Queen. As I've mentioned before in another post, this album did not at all feel like it belonged to Ayu. Not every song was bad; the ones I liked, I listened to on a loop. But the overall feel of the album as well as the cover art I found really off- putting. I get what she was going for with this album, and the art kind of gives off an Edie Sedgwick vibe, but in my opinion, Ayu looked like she was crazy uncomfortable. I was a little upset with Avex trying to market her like that. Everyone knows that she's not sleazy; that's one of the main reasons I'm such a die- hard fan, and frankly, I think the whole "suggestive poses in her undies" look is something that was utterly unnecessary and insulting to Ayu's persona in general. There's a difference between being flirty and playful and being trashy. I don't know why they decided to go the latter route with this one.

Party Queen.
First marriage.
Maro.

Timmy.

I wonder if it was more of a move on her own part since we know Party Queen had a different shoot that became SUPER Ayu (and probably was for the most part going to be a part of that Party Queen photobook that never got released). I also am thinking that maybe Leslie had something to do with the cover art tbh.

Maybe she got into drugs. <_< The album certainly sounds like it.

It's not because she takes focus over a particular crowd of people. It's how the video overfocus mainly on that theme: gay people, party and leather. Anything else may happen in the video but it absolutely has no relevance because the video direction does not lead you to pay attention to other details, maybe everyone else wasn't even in leather, I don't even remember, but what lingers in the end is leather=gay people=party. Even ayu loses her shine in the PV because the rest is too flashy. I don't care what she says in her lyrics, the PV says otherwise (from the lyrics) for the title:yes doesn't matter if it's judging a book by the cover, maybe that was intentional like making something bittersweet for provoking? I'd bet on the easier route though: lousy PV with lousy direction. It's just like gay parades that are supposed to promote diversity but focus on showing steroid built shirtless men, a lot of colorful stuff, in a huge party with electronic music; at least the ones that happen here only reinforce stereotypes even though the goal is supposed to be the opposite.

ayu loved the Party Queen cover art and strongly defended it when people misunderstood it and claimed she was using sex to sell. She was never uncomfortable with it, she's far too powerful to agree to something she doesnt believe in.

^

That doesn't take away the fact that she looks uncomfortable. Plus the whole concept seems contrived. The "I'm a lonely queen" crap. She's always been singing about stuff like that, but in a more mature, better way. Proclaiming yourself as a "lonely party queen"... She never even was a party queen. How can you make an album around the idea of having a "fake party queen mask" when you don't have one? The album would've made more sense coming from Kumi or Namie. The covers just look like she's a prostitution queen, not a party queen. (No problem with slutty covers, I love Kuu, but just sayin' the concept was very poorly executed. IMO. Well, not even just imo; it was the general consensus...)

+1000000

Perfect reply. *applauds* The gay prides here are terrible, too. They're like an ironic confirmation of the existing stereotype of gay guys. Those prides always irk me.

Actually what IS the song about anyway? The translations are terrible and make no sense to me.

I've always assumed that the lyrics to Lady Dynamite were about individualism and refuting the the majority; being the person you want to be in spite of outside pressures.

...who even are you.

But no, Kazu did not shoot Super Mannie.


This thread is officially a trainwreck.

LOL agreed.

Leslie Kee made Super Mannie. There was a big drama about it.

That was the first thing that came to mind, probably because the covers still don't have a single redeeming quality and they show up more frequently than references to real world messes or chart placements, so I can't even forget them like bad boyfriends or drama about sales.

About ayu being a party queen, November4, ayu can actually be quite the partier. At least that is what I can imply from what I know of her. And then there are times when she really is. And I really don't think she's uncomfortable, whether or not people like the covers. Just like I don't think she's uncomfortable with her Facebook profile picture being her ass.

To say that it would fit kuu and namie more just seems like a way to brand them based off their general image.

And idk what you're even talking about regarding gay stereotypes. Well, I think I do. But I'm not about to discuss people being irked by others fulfilling a stereotype on the forum for ayu.

Ironically I was just looking for "funny Ayu pics" and ran across those old photos of her partying, drinking and smoking. So yeah she might be a "party queen" in real life, but I don't think she's ever been branded as one. She was always branded more as a down-to-earth girl or flashy diva with ballads and happy tracks, right? Whereas Kumi and Namie have been branded as "party queens".

You're right about personality, that might be completely different from the branding. But because of the branding, I think the Party Queen concept kinda failed... About the ass pic: lol! Okay maybe just the -pose- looks uncomfortable then, with the missing arm/leg and such. :P OR does it look intentionally uncomfortable to go with the theme? ;D

Anyhow I think that whole era was just confusing and off-putting for fans because of how she has always been "branded". Not to mention it doesn't really have a hit song on it. At least LOVE again has You & Me and sorta Wake me up. Party Queen has... Well it has good tracks but I don't think she'll be playing any of them in 10 years.

And yeah I lost track of the conversation on that subject halfway as well. s_s

omg. So what if she actually is a psycho and used domestic violence against mannie and then maro?! that would explain the whole violence mess on snowy kiss and at12.

LOL just jkin but it could make sense XD