Just the beginning -20- TOUR 2017 ~IV: Second chapter~

[AyuWorld]

Originally Posted by spanishfan

SEPCIAL xD

I like Timmy, when you see an ayu concert there, you just focus on Ayu and you don't see anyone else.
But I agree on DVD dancers and other members got too much spotlight.

yeah disappointing much and we missed those moments when ayu is singing, turn me off

[Aderianu]

Seems I have immunity to see typos :/

[yabieru]

Timmy's clothes are inspired in dancers from Shinjuku ni chome (the gay district in Tokyo). You can see some pictures here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYNLF3pl...-by=rioto_nono
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLZ0MkZD...n-by=vitatokyo
http://gaytraveljapan.com/images/guide/8_2.jpg

Few months ago Ayu said in instagram she usually goes to Shinjuku nichome and she loves it so it's not crazy to think she took inspiration from there. We cannot forget that Ayu is a big gay icon in Japan. She has many drags impersonators (there are really good ones)

[dreamalley]

I know and understand where she got the idea. But it's so repetitive!

[Aga-chan]

I don't mind Timmy, I actually think a male chorus complements Ayu well, but those a-nation diapers were ridiculous. lol

I'd likely cry a lot, too, so I have no reason to doubt that her tears are genuine.

I think that over the years "Hamasaki Ayumi" has more and more become a brand. Her staff, the band, the dancers - everyone is "Hamasaki Ayumi". I think to her "Hamasaki Ayumi" was always the sum of the work of everyone involved - Present hints at that.
It's great that she has people around her she can trust and that might even be like family to her, but I noticed years ago that I feel a little detached in a way. In the past when she released a single you got a whole package. The music, the cover, the PV - everything felt like there was a theme that tied everything together. You only have to look at the mess the Rule/Sparkle single is. You have the neon covers, the GokuAyu CD design, the Rule PV - everything feels so random. Later it turned out that the Sparkle PV is a darker version of the single covers.
Nowadays (though it started years ago) the music is where "Hamasaki Ayumi" is the most "Ayu".

[chocopockymaster]

SEPCIAL? Jesus H Roosevelt Christ

[xLuna&1LOVE]

o my god. SEPCIAL.
This is outrageous!

Doesn't anyone check anything anymore?

[pedronekoi]

I also think Timmy is annoying but I think he's so important for Ayu's audience. Being LGBTQ is still a taboo in Japan so I think the role of Timmy is very important. And knowing that his inspiration comes from Ni-Chome is even better. Mabe her japanese gay audience feels represented by Timmy and can be inspired to keep being authentic and loving themselves however they are. That's the meaning I get behinf Timmy's persona.

[Cahz-]

I don't have a issue with Timmy, but lately his costumes are too much. I know Ayu is the one behind that...
Otherwise, I like his voice.

[a❤martian]

I love that Ayu is a gay icon in Japan, but I still don't like Timmy.

[mi|kshake]

I start thinking that they are doing this on purpose as a running gag o.o

My first thought was "Jesus!". It's a nice banner if it weren't for the typo!

[ExodusUK]

It seems Ayu has an one dimensional idea of what a gay person is..a big great dame that she can dress up and make perform like a clown.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

It seems Ayu has an one dimensional idea of what a gay person is..a big great dame that she can dress up and make perform like a clown.

I'm pretty sure she doesn't see Timmy as the only gay person in the world, even because she HAS represented gay people on different ways over the years.

[Chibi-Chan]

If the way Ayu makes Timmy dress isn't just bad taste and has anything to do with what she thinks a gay man should look like, she's pretty homophobic. Or maybe the gay men I know are simply doing it wrong by wearing jeans.
But honestly, every time I see Timmy on stage, I feel very sorry for him. His costumes are humiliating. I mean, who would let A FRIEND in front of thousands dress in a way that you can almost see his penis and just wait for his balls to drop out of his panties?

[EndOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by Chibi-Chan

If the way Ayu makes Timmy dress isn't just bad taste and has anything to do with what she thinks a gay man should look like, she's pretty homophobic. Or maybe the gay men I know are simply doing it wrong by wearing jeans.
But honestly, every time I see Timmy on stage, I feel very sorry for him. His costumes are humiliating. I mean, who would let A FRIEND in front of thousands dress in a way that you can almost see his penis and just wait for his balls to drop out of his panties?

That is kind of how I feel. Timmy's on stage look and persona reinforces certain stereotypes about gay men and stereotypes is an issue when it comes to lgbt in Japan. I don't see why Timmy can't just be himself or wear something similar to the rest of the group. But Ayu is in charge.
But as for licco, I thought she was a woman for years! I was surprised when I found out she was a trans woman. I thought she blended with the rest of the group well.

[yabieru]

@ExodusUK @Chibi-Chan Both of you must be kidding or don't have any idea what you're talking about.

It's not that Timmy "is the idea of what a gay person is" for Ayu, he is dressed like any gogo you can find in any gay disco in Tokyo. I think Timmy is not representing gay people, he's representing a part of gay culture (japanese gay culture more especifically) and the roots of gay culture has feathers, leather and drag. You like it or not.

It's right you don't like it. Everyone has his/her own taste but don't call it ridiculous just because you don't get the message behind those clothes because, believe me, it's deeper than you think in a big city like Tokyo where Nichome is like 2 or 3 streets.

And maybe Timmy is Ayu's friend but don't forget he is working and getting paid for wearing that clothes. And seeing his instagram I don't think he cares...

[melissalove]

I always had a problem with the way ayu shows support for the LGBT community. You don't have to make such a big deal because someone's gay or trans. Timmy can wear dicent clothing and still be gay, lico can be trans and blend with the rest of the girls. Oh well.

[Amalgam]

Originally Posted by melissalove

I always had a problem with the way ayu shows support for the LGBT community. You don't have to make such a big deal because someone's gay or trans. Timmy can wear dicent clothing and still be gay, lico can be trans and blend with the rest of the girls. Oh well.

You people are always picking on her for this or that reason but complaining when people aren't licking her butt. Ayu has been surrounded by gay people in the industry, she's aware of gay people being killed for being gay in certain countries (it's in a concert MC, look it up), has gone to pride while in LA and had her song be the theme to Tokyo's pride parade and featured a gay pornstar in her video to illustrate how all kinds of love are pure. She has gay dancers, and Timmy may look a mess and it may seem that Licco isn't "blending in" -whatever THAT means- but she's ultimately employing them for their talents and not for exploitive purposes.

[Andrenekoi]

How come didn't Licco blend in with the other girls? She had the same outfits, the same choreography and never was pointed out as trans on anything Ayu related. What else could be done?

[Amalgam]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

How come didn't Licco blend in with the other girls? She had the same outfits, the same choreography and never was pointed out as trans on anything Ayu related. What else could be done?

Exactly.
I think this speaks more about people expecting Licco to blend in than anything Ayu is doing, which is really gross and awkward of someone to say and think of a trans person.
To me that reads as "Licco isn't passable as a female", and that's just a garbage person's line of thinking.