BRILLANT PV interpretations

[AyUmIXx]

i think he won't tell us because when i asked him about what those words he sang at the chorus, he said ayu doesn't like to spoon-feed people, and let people speculate about it.
i think it's gonna be the same answer if we ask him the meaning of the PV.
oh well, we can ask though haha~

[AyumiAi]

in the chorus i think i heard at times Dasvidania which is russian for good bye so it might be russian

[JinHamasaki]

Here are my two cents:

I really thought this video was an interpretation of herself in the industry and her past. I don't think the Timmy character was entirely good, but he wasn't entirely bad either. I thought he represented the fruits of the music industry, and perhaps even a little bit of Max Matsuura.

"A human is much stronger
Than I thought, isn't he?
I've stayed in the darkness a little longer
But it's time to go"

In the beginning, Ayu was "asleep". Her eyes are closed, but the music industry lured her to wake up. It lured her with the ideas of fame and fortune. But we know Ayu was not a strong person back then. She wrote a lot about her weaknesses, her loneliness, and her struggles in A Song for XX and LOVEppears. We see Ayu in a dark room with a bunch of barely clothed guys. I think these guys represent the Ayu that was lost, weak, and felt naked. They kind of reminded me of zombies (I'm sorry, I don't think these guys are buff or anything, I think they are too thin and hungry!). The Timmy character encourages her to keep trying. Eventually she decides she has to move on, but she doesn't get rid of them. She simply compartmentalizes them, opens the door and closes it to another room.

The next room we have a bunch of guys working out and are significantly stronger and more active than the guys before. I think they represent that she put a lot more effort to be respected in the music industry. She learned other abilities besides just singing. She learns to dance more (more dancing in this room than the room before). A man is pole dancing, which she did in 1LOVE. The men are also more decorated and clothed, which may represent how she was more fashion forward. Eventually, she earns the respect of everyone (the music industry, fans) and they are there to back her up.

In the next scene we see the protectors (the music industry, her fans) and Timmy chanting. She looks like a queen. She has conquered everything in the music industry, winning Japan Record Awards, and is praised.

However, at night, she is still haunted by her past and feels lonely. All her awards and protectors are not with her when she is at home by herself. She is pulled by the weight of her emotions that she hid, and she falls off the throne. She begins to cry because she never fully healed herself from the inside. She is unsure if she wants to keep on staying on her throne, and she consults with Timmy who keeps pushing her and luring her with the fruits of the music industry. However, it's these pains that she has from her private life that really put her back on the throne and keep her singing.

The pressure of her past and the expectations of the industry become too great and she simply implodes with a red tear and dies.

[freedreamer]

^I love your interpretation as well as the Cleopatra's version of it. Both makes a lot of sense. The music industry's meaning could probably be a hidden meaning behind all that. I did have an inkling when a fellow member in front mentioned a little about Avex. I mean, it got me thinking..and it isnt the first time she has dabbled with the same issue.

[AyumiAi]

I like your interpretation but to me it looks like ayu is happy to get off the throne, she is reaching out for the men to carry her away an if you look closely some men are holding Timmy back, and she's extemenely sad when she is put back on the throne so I'm not sure how that scene could represent her being sad about falling from her throne?

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by AyumiAi

I like your interpretation but to me it looks like ayu is happy to get off the throne, she is reaching out for the men to carry her away an if you look closely some men are holding Timmy back, and she's extemenely sad when she is put back on the throne so I'm not sure how that scene could represent her being sad about falling from her throne?

I might have to watch it on DVD, but it appears that she is mixed. Sometimes she looks like she wants to come down, and sometimes she looks scared. So maybe she's not sure of herself. She's not sure if she is ready to bid adieu to music, but she's always said "Music is my life." So she has to keep singing and thats why she ultimately ends back up. I think it's bittersweet for her.

[AyUmIXx]

JinHamasaki, i love ur interpretation.
i've always thought it'd be related to her life as singer.

[Mari-chan]

Hm.. it has something to do with past and Present. Leslie said in the Making of something, that the box-room, the shower and the dance-room is the present.. and than switch to the past, around 2000years ago, when she became strong over them.
So.. I have no idea, what it means. They killed her in the past.. and in the present, she still is with them???

[Not~Yet]

JinHamasaki: I really like your interpretation too. It's hard to say if it's just coincidence that her career past seems to fit as well as the Cleopatra etc. interpretations but it's very obvious to me she chose this kind of character since it does potray "Ayumi Hamasaki, the performer" well. I watched the PV again and realized she seems to be very pained, wary and uncertain of herself when she starts dancing, but eventually breaks out into a confident leader/performer. It goes very well with the interpretation that the PV represents the cultures in which females are worthy only as decorations, but now I see it also fits her career struggles.

Also, towards the end, before she dies/is killed she argues with Timmy. It's hard to say why, since we don't know Timmy's position for sure. But if we assume he represents, say, avex, and carry on with what you've thought out already (Ayu is torn between leaving the throne, she wants to go but is pushed back) it seems she starts begging Timmy to let her go down from the throne, they argue, she dies. I would interpret this as 'avex' not wanting her to have a mind of her own, something she has had problems with in the past, and they'd rather see her "die out" while she's phonily forced to be the glorious star above normal humanity instead of simply fading, becoming only a shadow of what she used to be (in their eyes, in her eyes normal life is probably the "brilliance" worth reaching). Then as she dies Timmy hovers above her and cries, since he didn't want to lose her either but he had to see her die or otherwise she would have destroyed all they worked so hard for.

Just now my brain decided to stop functioning lol so I don't have anything more to say atm, this is just the result of my pondering. Keep 'em coming, guys.

Originally Posted by Mari-chan

Hm.. it has something to do with past and Present. Leslie said in the Making of something, that the box-room, the shower and the dance-room is the present.. and than switch to the past, around 2000years ago, when she became strong over them.
So.. I have no idea, what it means. They killed her in the past.. and in the present, she still is with them???

Ohh, interesting. The order they showed the happenings in is rather odd in that case, since I don't think many could realize it's "reverse". (I know I didn't haha). I'm interested in hearing interpretations about this change of course lol.

[Nessa]

Originally Posted by Chibi-Chan

I like your interpretations but wanted to say somethimg to Cleopatra, Gaius Iulius Caesar and Marcus Antonius. I don't want to critizes you, just to inform, maybe it's also helpful for your interpretations?

Cleopatra wanted to consolidate and to expand her empire, but wasn't able to reach her goal against the world power Rom. That's the reason for her romance with Gaius Iulius Caesar. This romance was just about power.
After Gaius Iulius Caesar got murdered she entered the romance with Marcus Antonius. Historians suppose because of the same reasons she had a romance with Gaius Iulius Caesar. Marcus Antonius was a supporter of Gaius Iulius Caesar and after his death he became one of the most powerful men of Rom and got into conflict with Octavian (later Empereor Augustus). After a sea battle Marcus Antonius lost against Octavian he withdrawed himself in Cleopatra's palace. One year later when he hadn't any chance to escape Octavian he got the news that Cleopatra commited suicide and killed himself with his sword. But his mortal combat lasted long and he learned that Cleopatra was alive. In the end Marcus Antonius died in Cleopatras arms. A few days later Cleopatra also killed herself. This is at least the sentimental melo-dramatic story which is told from the antique sources. (And of course I left a lot out)

What I found very intresting was a documentation about Marcus Antonius I watched in TV. In this documentation the historians said that some of them think that at least Marcus Antonius loved Cleopatra. Because he had married in Rom and had the chance to go back before the sea fight but he didn't left Cleopatra.

I know this is a total semantic, but while this may not seem important, it bothered me so I want to mention it. This entire thing is incredibly confusing to read in English because you spelt Rome as "Rom", which is actually very confusing. If a non native English speaker read this, they would be even more confused because "Rome" transcends language, and the very word "Rome" itself is more of a symbol than a word. When I read the sentence, I almost thought you had either made a typo for another word, or had left out a period mark and had started a new sentence. I hope that makes sense.

Also, it's important to note that Cleopatra killed herself not because Mark Antony had died, but because she would have lost all the gains she had made for Ptolmetic Egypt had Octavian captured her. If we're going to portray Cleopatra as one of the strongest women in the history of story, it's important to distinguish that she did not die for love, but in order to protect her people. The Egypt she inherited was impoverished and utterly dependent on Rome. Through her relationship with Caesar, she was able to rebuild her country. When she sided against Octavian with Antonius, she risked the fate of all of Egypt, so to save it, she killed herself. The difference in motivation is extremely important, especially in the context of empowering women.

I'm not trying to get on your case at all, that is to say, I'm not trying to talk down to you. Please don't be upset with me!

[AyumiAi]

^ your talking about Cleopatra, Anthony, Caesar, Rome
wouldnt you just naturally use common sense to assume that Rom meant Rome? even to a non native speaking english person it should be pretty obvious

[Nessa]

Originally Posted by AyumiAi

^ your talking about Cleopatra, Anthony, Caesar, Rome
wouldnt you just naturally use common sense to assume that Rom meant Rome? even to a non native speaking english person it should be pretty obvious

I was just pointing out that I found it confusing when I read it, not that I didn't at some point understand that she meant "Rom" as "Rome". That I got. I was just trying to express how it confused me. It says she's from Germany, so I just went out on a limb and assumed English is not her first language. That being said, if I had the skill in a second language to explain Cleopatra to people on an Ayumi Hamasaki message board, I'd want a native speaker to tell me if I'd said something that was genuinely confusing. It really took me a second to realize "Rom" wasn't the end of one sentence and the start of another, but without a period. Example you can relate to: It doesn't confuse me when someone who means to say "YOU ARE" types "your" instead of "you're", but I have never seen the typo "Rom", so I thought I'd let her know my confusion if it should ever come up again.

[AyumiAi]

...

[Mari-chan]

Originally Posted by AyumiAi

^ your talking about Cleopatra, Anthony, Caesar, Rome
wouldnt you just naturally use common sense to assume that Rom meant Rome? even to a non native speaking english person it should be pretty obvious

I also think so. That Rom means Rome is really obvious.
But ok... I'm also a german... and so also normaly write ROM.
But.. I think.. if a non english native speaker makes a little mistake in the spelling... it is ok.. isn't it?

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by Not~Yet

Also, towards the end, before she dies/is killed she argues with Timmy. It's hard to say why, since we don't know Timmy's position for sure. But if we assume he represents, say, avex, and carry on with what you've thought out already (Ayu is torn between leaving the throne, she wants to go but is pushed back) it seems she starts begging Timmy to let her go down from the throne, they argue, she dies. I would interpret this as 'avex' not wanting her to have a mind of her own, something she has had problems with in the past, and they'd rather see her "die out" while she's phonily forced to be the glorious star above normal humanity instead of simply fading, becoming only a shadow of what she used to be (in their eyes, in her eyes normal life is probably the "brilliance" worth reaching). Then as she dies Timmy hovers above her and cries, since he didn't want to lose her either but he had to see her die or otherwise she would have destroyed all they worked so hard for.

Yes I think you hit the nail! I meant to add more...but my mind went out and I ran out of time :p. It does seem like she is begging with Timmy about something, and at one point she is coming down but she looks scared to come down.

I haven't watched the making, if it is in reverse then I am COMPLETELY confused. Then maybe her death signifies her old life? The middle is when the company fully invested in her and supported her? And the beginning is therefore how she feels now: cold, naked, and unsupported?

[Nessa]

Originally Posted by Mari-chan

I also think so. That Rom means Rome is really obvious.
But ok... I'm also a german... and so also normaly write ROM.
But.. I think.. if a non english native speaker makes a little mistake in the spelling... it is ok.. isn't it?

I didn't say there was an issue with the mistake, I was just pointing it out for future reference. Come on guys, it wasn't a personal attack, or at negative at all. I was confused, I wanted to let her know. If you think it's stupid, then fine, but I've never been in a situation where it was some how bad at all to correct a mistake in language.

EDIT: Let me explain myself this way;
I'm learning French, and yesterday I got my first quiz of the new school semester back. The only mistake I made was typing out "Comment vas-tu?" as "Comment va-tu?" I got 1.5% off the total grade of the quiz for it. It's an almost superficial mistake that cost me a 100% grade, and extremely irritating. One thing is for damn sure, I'll never write out "Comment vas-tu?" wrong ever again. I know this isn't a school and we're not being graded, but this is an international message board in which the main language is English. We should help each other communicate if we can. I didn't correct her in a mean way, and if it some how reads condescending or negative, that is mistake and was not my intention at all.

[ExodusUK]

Do you think this has something to do with the brillante pv?

[AyUmIXx]

^ wowww that's very cute..
all the sudden i thought that's ayu!

[C+R+E+AYUMI]

I'm still wondering which role has the guy next to her..a consultant? A page?

[Nessa]

I think many people feel the guy next to her represents some sort of negative force that leads to her "death" at the end.