'sixxxxxx' covers

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

If anything Ayu criticized the hypersexualization of women in Because of You and sexy little things... and that's it. Other than that she usually links sexualization with empowerment (my name's WOMEN for example). I don't see any criticism on it on Duty, I just see a girl wearing a skin tight fetish jaguar outfit while giving the viewer a sexy look. What she meant with her work is obviously open for interpretation, what is actually being shown, isn't.

And I do love (miss)understood covers... I don't see anything symbolic about them, but they for sure portrays wonderfully the feeling of embarassment of being missunderstood.

There is way more on the Duty cover than just a sexy Ayu.
She's standing there in a very typical sexy and almost shy position, her whole expression and body language is very cliché when it comes to women's sexualisation in the media. But at the same time she's standig in a cage (and I'm not going to explain the symbolism behind cages here) and breaking free from it. Furthermore she's portrayed as a wild animal who isn't supposed to be caged.
Like I said, there is a big difference between being a sexual object or a sexual subject. Or in other words being sexualised through and for others and one's own sexuality.
That on the Duty cover Ayu's breaking out from the cage says a lot. When women are sexualised through and for others, it has nothing to do with their own sexuality. On the contrary, they are "caged" in an image people expect them to represent when it comes to sexuality because they are not allowed to have an own sexuality. Women are supposed to pleasure men and their sexuality as sexy objects but not being themselves an active sexual being.
The wild animal that is caged, domesticated and almost scared breaking out of the cage by bending apart the bars with its own strange is overall a powerful image, especially when you take sexualization and ones own sexuality into account.

Regarding the Sparkle video I think it's obvious when it comes to the erokawaii/lolita style dress while she's performing and the middle part of the video. She's perfectly revealing the double standards behind the erokawaii/lolita style. Not to forget the lyrics which are about sexuality and encouraging people not to be ashamed.

When it comes to my name's WOMEN I disagree about the "empowerment through sexualization" part. I think she's using her own sexuality in a very aggressive way as empowerment.

I want this Ayu back. Or to be more precisely: I want this Ayu back in videos and on covers. Because on stage she's most of the time VERY ironic and sarcastic when it comes to erokawaii/lolita style (Shake it at Hotel Love Songs tour for example) and also using her own sexuality in an aggressive way (XOXO at Premium Showcase xor example)

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by channy

Ya, mhh... yet another close-up of her face for the covers. Her mouth looks huge in these, though ô.o

However, I do prefer the CD+BD version. Hoping for enjoyable songs; haven't listened to any previews so far.

Sexualize-topic statement: Ayu has been sexualizing herself way before her music career and keeps doing so ever since; I can imagine thousands of old Japanese men masturbated to her fancy model video-tape, the one with the bike and pool, lustful smiling here and there and acting innocent... not even talking about the obscene crotch-licious photoshots with Ayu wearing a swimsuit. So what's the big deal, really?

The big deal here is that she was almost a child when doing this and no one can tell me that a 15/16 year old girl really knows what sex is and has fully discovered her own sexuality. Ayu was just doing what adult men told her would be a woman's sexuality. What's wrong about using such a young girl for men's sexual pleasure alone? Do I really have to answer this?

[Baernash]

Originally Posted by Aderianu

who is it? %)

Good question.

After few last albums/mini albums I thought her covers can't be worse. It seems that I was wrong.

[xLuna&1LOVE]

I saw it on Facebook and thought it was Namie Amuro. By the second, more careful look it is very ayu and I like that it looks a bit oldschool. CD Only is my fav! I understand the comments about her mouth tho.

[thinkingoutloud89]

I just realized how Memorial adress has not even a really good cover
FIVE is the best

[Deep snow]

I like the covers! The first thing that popped into my head was 'LOVEppears!'

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

I just realized how Memorial adress has not even a really good cover
FIVE is the best

FIVE is great, but I still prefer Memorial address for that awkward pose + eerie expression. I could stare at the cover forever, guessing what could she possible tries to convey with that combination of pose and expression.

[chocopockymaster]

Episode VI: Return of the Fish Lips

I like the font/placement tho

PS: These covers were a "collab" with Número. Wonder if we'll get to see more pics from the shoot in an upcoming issue of the mag?

[280301]

I predict that these covers will reflect already-hinted-at 'mature' themes. i.e. the affair presented within the Step by Step PV, the few shots we've received from the Sayonara PV with Ayu lying next to one of the members of SpeXial on a bed. Also, I mean, gosh, the appellation of the album itself, sixxxxxx. A ONE was the return of Ayu imo, and I'm glad that she's followed it up with choosing something darker for summer; while perhaps a bit more explicit that her subtler younger self, I feel like it is a return to form.

Also, I feel like these covers are quite reminiscent of some of the A BEST cover shots, photos that convey a certain honesty, rawness, and even suffering.

[Ryusei]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Funny coming from a Britney fan...

I don't think those covers are any more sexy than the Duty one where she is posing as a furry pin-up. And her whole career is really sexualized, so I don't get the complain.

Also, popstars are hypersexualized... Both male and female.

Can I just tell you that I freaking love your posts and you are so REAL? like I find myself agreeing to you 99% of the time, ok sorry this sounds really stalker-ish but I agree on this one as well

[stepYOU1234]

I rather like them. Lips could be a bit more subtle. Strangely I don't read these as 'sexy' but raw and honest Ayu. Given what she has been saying lately about her realising she still is herself and returning to that, it feels more that way than sexy camera stare to me. And it harks back to A Best a bit.
Also, font! Decent font!

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Chibi-Chan

There is way more on the Duty cover than just a sexy Ayu.
She's standing there in a very typical sexy and almost shy position, her whole expression and body language is very cliché when it comes to women's sexualisation in the media. But at the same time she's standig in a cage (and I'm not going to explain the symbolism behind cages here) and breaking free from it. Furthermore she's portrayed as a wild animal who isn't supposed to be caged.
Like I said, there is a big difference between being a sexual object or a sexual subject. Or in other words being sexualised through and for others and one's own sexuality.
That on the Duty cover Ayu's breaking out from the cage says a lot. When women are sexualised through and for others, it has nothing to do with their own sexuality. On the contrary, they are "caged" in an image people expect them to represent when it comes to sexuality because they are not allowed to have an own sexuality. Women are supposed to pleasure men and their sexuality as sexy objects but not being themselves an active sexual being.
The wild animal that is caged, domesticated and almost scared breaking out of the cage by bending apart the bars with its own strange is overall a powerful image, especially when you take sexualization and ones own sexuality into account.

Regarding the Sparkle video I think it's obvious when it comes to the erokawaii/lolita style dress while she's performing and the middle part of the video. She's perfectly revealing the double standards behind the erokawaii/lolita style. Not to forget the lyrics which are about sexuality and encouraging people not to be ashamed.

When it comes to my name's WOMEN I disagree about the "empowerment through sexualization" part. I think she's using her own sexuality in a very aggressive way as empowerment.

I want this Ayu back. Or to be more precisely: I want this Ayu back in videos and on covers. Because on stage she's most of the time VERY ironic and sarcastic when it comes to erokawaii/lolita style (Shake it at Hotel Love Songs tour for example) and also using her own sexuality in an aggressive way (XOXO at Premium Showcase xor example)

A cage means you are being kept under control by external forces, what external forces those are, dependes on the case. Is there any official statement saying that the cage in Duty represents anything remotely linked to Ayu's (or female's) sexuality? As far as I can get she is stating that she is either breaking free from her idolish popstar bubble/alienation or that she is taking control over her career. Both are actually suported by the album lyrics, but there's nothing about female sexuality on it. (Britney's slave 4 you performance on the VMA have a pretty similar concept)

About my name's WOMEN, I don't see a girl using her sexuality on a agressive way, I see a popstar saying that you need to dress sexy in order to take avenge on the men who rejected you for being bland. In that sense Feel the Love is the total opposite by saying you should find self-esteem on being yourself (as the fat girl still is fat by the end of the video).

About the Sixxxxx concept, I would wait until we have everything before saying she was trying to say this or that.

-

And really, I wouldn't call anything about this "erokawaii". The covers have a very sexual feeling to them, but there's nothing kawaii in there... Even the "Sixxxxx" hints at "Sexxxxx". She does look young (mainly because, well, she is young) but I wouldn't go as far as say she looks anything but like an adult, and she doesn't look like a virgin person who needs to figure out how to portray sexuality like Koda did for most of her career.

Originally Posted by Ryusei

Can I just tell you that I freaking love your posts and you are so REAL? like I find myself agreeing to you 99% of the time, ok sorry this sounds really stalker-ish but I agree on this one as well

Aaaaw, thanks! But I'm the first one to admit I can be too much on the agressive side of things a lot of the time. x_x

[jiarongisme]

They're alright.

[dumbellz]

Just a thought... seeing that her name is not on the cover and she don't look like herself... it's like they don't want to tell people that this is ayu.... perhaps people who go the store and saw this album will be like "ooh who is this? Let me try her music"

[Andrenekoi]

^Well, on some ways since Colours a lot of her promotional strategies felt a lot like a newcomer. Even if she does use nostalgia for her classics as a selling points lately, she is also pretty much reintroducing herself to the market since last year.

[DogboyShugo]

To all of you who are being disrespectful to ayu's appearance, that is incredibly offensive. That's not considering yourself a fan....Saying you don't like the covers and leaving it at that is fine but dissing ayu is wrong...when you say you support her.

I love the CD+DVD version the best.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by dumbellz

Just a thought... seeing that her name is not on the cover and she don't look like herself... it's like they don't want to tell people that this is ayu.... perhaps people who go the store and saw this album will be like "ooh who is this? Let me try her music"

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^Well, on some ways since Colours a lot of her promotional strategies felt a lot like a newcomer. Even if she does use nostalgia for her classics as a selling points lately, she is also pretty much reintroducing herself to the market since last year.

It might actually be it. I hope it can work though...

To me she looks great in there anyway. I really want posters of these.

[A-TeensFan]

i want to kill her art director or whoever came up with these cover. Where's the innovation?

[My Rainbow]

What really bugs me is that she doesn't look beautiful in any of the three covers. Those lips need to go. I thought we had already enough with the other covers with duck lips...

[koumori]

Bigger covers:

Spoiler:

From ayu@facebook

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

A cage means you are being kept under control by external forces, what external forces those are, dependes on the case. Is there any official statement saying that the cage in Duty represents anything remotely linked to Ayu's (or female's) sexuality? As far as I can get she is stating that she is either breaking free from her idolish popstar bubble/alienation or that she is taking control over her career. Both are actually suported by the album lyrics, but there's nothing about female sexuality on it. (Britney's slave 4 you performance on the VMA have a pretty similar concept)

About my name's WOMEN, I don't see a girl using her sexuality on a agressive way, I see a popstar saying that you need to dress sexy in order to take avenge on the men who rejected you for being bland. In that sense Feel the Love is the total opposite by saying you should find self-esteem on being yourself (as the fat girl still is fat by the end of the video).

About the Sixxxxx concept, I would wait until we have everything before saying she was trying to say this or that.

-

And really, I wouldn't call anything about this "erokawaii". The covers have a very sexual feeling to them, but there's nothing kawaii in there... Even the "Sixxxxx" hints at "Sexxxxx". She does look young (mainly because, well, she is young) but I wouldn't go as far as say she looks anything but like an adult, and she doesn't look like a virgin person who needs to figure out how to portray sexuality like Koda did for most of her career.

Since I don't think we will agree, I stop the discussion between us here now. Not that I don't like discussing with you, but would be boring for the rest.

I agree though that the "sixxxxxx" hints at "sexxxxxx" and I would love if the booklet and lyrics would convey a deeper meaning. Then I take everything back. But I was already hoping that for A ONE which covers I don't like for the same reason.
Like you and someone else pointed out, she's trying to reintroduce herself to the market, and I think that's all there is to it. When it comes to young people who are the ones buying CDs it's importend as a woman to just look beautiful, sexy, submissive and naive and that's exactly what I see in those covers. I think she's just trying to polish and renew her image and regarding most comments it works. And why else should she put out a song as cute and jpop as Step by step? Again it worked.
I'm so hoping she would reveal something through the rest of the artwork/songs/lyrics. But I sadly don't think she will. If time will teach me better, I take everything back, but we'll see.