FLOWER full PV

[Baernash]

I was hoping for something more than cold shower at the end. And yes, I think she should break the mirror (there's no need of destroying original interior - just hang some mirror on purpose of PV shoot).

[Mari-chan]

Hmm... I think.. she looks so.. fake in the beginning.
The whole Video remembers me a bit on "Don't look back"... but in a worse way. She only walks around.. cuts her hair and destroy her dress.. oh yes.. and a shower in the ending.
Not a big fan of it.

[Uknow!]

Originally Posted by Mari-chan

Hmm... I think.. she looks so.. fake in the beginning.
The whole Video remembers me a bit on "Don't look back"... but in a worse way. She only walks around.. cuts her hair and destroy her dress.. oh yes.. and a shower in the ending.
Not a big fan of it.

That's the point

[Baernash]

Originally Posted by Mari-chan

Hmm... I think.. she looks so.. fake in the beginning.

Well... she looks happy and than out of nowhere becoming depressed - I think that's the moment which make her looks fake. I don't know why but I was counting for some edgy ending (or at least that she'll smash something) but she just calm down taking cold shower.

[Ryusei]

I like how she's scrubbing at her skin in the shower at the end even though it's squeaky clean, like something invisible that she just can't get rid of no matter how hard she rubs. I love how intense the video is I have to agree though that she looked a LITTLE out of ideas at one point in the shower (+ I was afraid that her boobs would fall out lol)

[truehappiness]

I kinda hoped they would have gone the smashy route, lol. Make their own set and have her break windows and mirrors.

I wonder if this is the same hotel as the Step by step Ayu scenes.

[JinHamasaki]

There is a lot of symbolism...if you pay attention to what she's saying.

My interpretation:
Ayu is portraying the life of a flower. In the beginning of the video, she is primed and proper. Like a beautiful flower blooming. The flower starts to die, and so she takes off pieces of her clothing. In a gasp of desperation, the flower (ayu) tries to save herself but resigns on the couch "this is the end".

She takes a look at the mirror, and decides that this WON'T be the end. She has to renew herself to grow. She angrily cuts her hair. Just like when you get fresh flowers, you have to recut them so they can grow again. She quickly runs to the bathroom, tosses away the existing flowers to regrow (new plants need space). Flowers need water to grow, just like ayu is in the shower. The final scene represents that there is a new ayu that has grown, and is here right now, looking at you.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Ryusei

I like how she's scrubbing at her skin in the shower at the end even though it's squeaky clean, like something invisible that she just can't get rid of no matter how hard she rubs. I love how intense the video is I have to agree though that she looked a LITTLE out of ideas at one point in the shower (+ I was afraid that her boobs would fall out lol)

I'm surprised at how little people actually noticed that part. Her expression of disgust while scrubbing something we can't see to end the video facing the viewer angrily was an interesting image.

[Beauty4123]

I enjoyed the entire PV, but that last scene with ayu's "evil" glare was just priceless. She actually did scare me for a second, there! But that's why I also love the intensity of this video - and the song, too. Good job, ayu!

Now...where's "Mad World" at?!

[hidekirby]

Oh my... the ending with the pause+zoom. So tacky... Hello 1990's
Couldn't help rolling my eyes.

There are some interesting ideas poorly executed. It is the major issue with some of her PV.

I always like the "long take" process because it is really challenging and you have to master a lot of things in order to achieve it (and HEAVEN, Daybreak, Sweet scar and other ones had been really well done).
But with no budget, no acting directions, no creative director (...) and low standards you just can't choose this tricky option. Or it looks cheap and awkward.

It is sad such a great song deserved a good PV...

[Baernash]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

There is a lot of symbolism...if you pay attention to what she's saying.

My interpretation:
Ayu is portraying the life of a flower. In the beginning of the video, she is primed and proper. Like a beautiful flower blooming. The flower starts to die, and so she takes off pieces of her clothing. In a gasp of desperation, the flower (ayu) tries to save herself but resigns on the couch "this is the end".

She takes a look at the mirror, and decides that this WON'T be the end. She has to renew herself to grow. She angrily cuts her hair. Just like when you get fresh flowers, you have to recut them so they can grow again. She quickly runs to the bathroom, tosses away the existing flowers to regrow (new plants need space). Flowers need water to grow, just like ayu is in the shower. The final scene represents that there is a new ayu that has grown, and is here right now, looking at you.

I like your interpretation, I think that was the idea.

[Yumsushi]

Hmm I get what she was trying to relay to us, but the execution was lacking quite a bit. I felt like I was watching Snow kiss. I wanted to love it but I just couldnt.

[sitara]

the new PVs are very lackluster and she has done these themes SO much better with "don't look back" that was an amazing and challenging video; showing yourself in such a brutally honest way (and I don't even like the song)

[Andrenekoi]

I don't think this video is talking about her career at all... Usually when she talks about her career there's a direct reference to it like Don't Look Back, ourselves or Mad World.

[Uknow!]

^ I agree with you. I think you commented about the video being a feminist message. Maybe she wants to represent expectations people have in others, the superficiality that is growing in this era, hurting people. In her case, her artistic image.

[jyujiw]

Well, nice video but not something to be really amazed at in the end. I felt like the execution suffered a bit, after she went to the corridor, the camera seems to lost the tracking a bit... also, not really into the simple freeze and zoom technique at the end, seems very, very dated. hahaha

In overall I think the PV team made some mistakes, not exactly Ayu, her acting was okay, her scrubing and faces seems very realistic to me.

I just think that they should have used more staged objects to destroy, I admit I was expecting something like "is this LOVE?", so in the entire video I was like: "Hey, look that vase, it would be so nice to have it broke. See this beautiful bed? Why don't you tear everything apart? Look that mirror, PLEASE THE MIRROR AYU PLEASE"

So I got pretty disappointed in the end

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Uknow!

^ I agree with you. I think you commented about the video being a feminist message. Maybe she wants to represent expectations people have in others, the superficiality that is growing in this era, hurting people. In her case, her artistic image.

Yeap... And she doesn't look like she is asking for forgiveness or bothered by her image or anything like that... Even because Ayu never really was that ideal girl she seemed to represent on the begining of the video. She feels more pissed and resentful. I do really believe this was more a woman (and not necesseraly her) breaking down under the weight of expectations than Ayu rebelling against her public image.

[pommy48]

While I wished there would be more action in the PV, but now I see that she doesn't break mirrors or anything. She's lashing out at herself. All the damage she does is to herself or what represents her, such as the flowers.

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

I'm surprised at how little people actually noticed that part. Her expression of disgust while scrubbing something we can't see to end the video facing the viewer angrily was an interesting image.

I love that part as well.

Actually i think the contrast between this fake beauty and the mad destruction is what kind of makes the PV for me.
It's nothing groundbreaking but that rawness is what i think gives it it's soul.

[Violently Happy]

The only thing I really liked about this PV is that her dress is so pretty! *_* I was sad when she ripped it apart lol! The butterflies were really pretty!