Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - MOON / blossom covers

Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/index.php)

- Ayu Music News (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=2)

- - MOON / blossom covers (http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101935)

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness (Post 2398007)

To be honest, I think this is one of her more recent single covers (You were.../BALLAD too) that has actually looked like a CD cover. Most of the other ones after glitter/fated looked like awkward magazine shoots.

to be honest, MOON/blossom its like her most 'magazine-photoshoot looking' cover to me.

Anyway please stop saying 'she's too old to be cute' :/ she's not 80 she's only 32 and cute doesn't mean ridiculous.
Oh and look at this

Spoiler:

I'm with you, Seiko is a great example!!!!!
And c'mon ayu is young

Quote:

Originally Posted by koshka (Post 2398027)

I hope Ayu can be as cute as Seiko at 48.

I think MOON/blossom looks very magazine photo-ish because she has had in the past few months several shoots with the same look and hairstyle. I remember a couple times thinking "Wait, didn't I see this already?" but no, it was another shoot. M/b doesn't look exactly like them, but it's as if it and those shoots could all be part of a same photo book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by koshka (Post 2398027)

Spoiler:

^:yes
And sorry for this but: ROFLMAO @ "bless you" (*wipes nose*thank you!!), "My Prelude" (engrish, engrish, engrish is the thing-ish) :D Cuuute! :love
(My Prelude isn't grammatically wrong, exactly, but it does sound very Enrish-y)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ストロボ・EdGE (Post 2398034)

I think MOON/blossom looks very magazine photo-ish because she has had in the past few months several shoots with the same look and hairstyle. I remember a couple times thinking "Wait, didn't I see this already?" but no, it was another shoot. M/b doesn't look exactly like them, but it's as if it and those shoots could all be part of a same photo book.

There's something different about the cover though. I think it's that pinkish glow + the "moon" lighting. Most of the shots in editorials don't seem to have much done to them other than adding text, etc... so perhaps that's why I feel this is more CD-worthy, haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness (Post 2398048)

I kind of felt the same. In Magazines and such, I always feel like the models are always being photographed against a screen, and not in a natural setting (which is the case most of the time, but not always). This cover feels natural, and non-studio-ish (even though it seems to be shot inside, anyway), in a way that I've actually never seen a picture be in a magazine. If that makes any sense?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayu-me (Post 2398000)

O.o Sorry to butt in like this, but...
I don't think Ayu has a large amount of "cute" phases, or more of those phases than anything else. Maybe when it comes to photo-shoots, yes, but not when it comes to music or performances, which is really where it matters (to me, anyhow).
Japan is a country DEAD SET on "Cute". The general image women are supposed to have in Japan is "cute" and "pretty", not "classy" or necessarily "natural". So of course Ayu and her whole team has that idea in their heads since they mostly live and has grown up in Japan.
And I'd much rather have a cute Ayu (which I can find incredibly adorable many times!), than the sexualized and superficial works of some artists. When Ayu does it, I feel it more from the heart, "cute Ayu" doesn't mean "annoying Ayu" in my opinion. It always feels heartfelt in everything Ayu does, whether it's cute or sexy.
And to my last point, YES, AYU IS A 30+ WOMAN! Does that mean that she can't do "cute"? Why would "cute" have a set age? Probably all of us hold some of our innocent, cute and childish parts close to us through our whole lives, why is it so wrong to show some of those parts sometimes? Well, if Ayu started to cry like a baby and asking for a bottle, and throwing a tantrum when no one gives it to her, it wouldn't be all that nice, in fact it would have been rude and childish in a bad way. But the childish Ayu we have, is nothing like that. So what's so wrong with that? Cute Ayu (in fair amounts) is wonderful IMO!! :D
If you started to listening to Ayu for a constantly sexy and serious artist, well, you probably should find another artist.
Hopefully no one's taking offence? I don't mean to criticize, I just wanted to bring up my opinions and some points. :innocent
WELL, back to topic, while I do feel that cover has a certain innocence and childishness to it, I don't find it "cute-sy". I find it sophisticated and soft :)

I never said I wanted her to be sexualized and superficial. Sexy does not mean superficial. When Ayu changes to a sexy style, she's always been a very classy version of sexy. I personally am getting a little tired of her cutesy photos for now and would like something different. :yes

Well, I like the cover. It's simple and she looks pretty. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misa-chan (Post 2398003)

@Ayu-me Agreed. I was talking with a Japanese guy over dinner last night, and I asked him what he thinks of Japanese girls. His answer? "Well, they're cute, but definitely not beautiful" So there you have it, "a country DEAD SET on Cute" :yes

That's just the opinion of one person though. You can't base it off of one person. In fact (and no offense) I don't find myself attracted to all that many women who aren't Asian. I think a lot of them are very attractive, and I'm honestly not all completely for the "cute" thing. Also, I think Ayu's absolutely gorgeous.

I'm just wondering.. I see the word cutesy being used a lot.. are people honestly calling this photo that? What are you on? lol

@identity: i think it sorta looks sweet but sensual... if thats the right word to use...

Quote:

Originally Posted by identity (Post 2398056)

I'm just wondering.. I see the word cutesy being used a lot.. are people honestly calling this photo that? What are you on? lol

It does look cute-esque to me, but definitely not as cutesy as her recent mag shoots. It's a natural and sweet cute, which I think is very pretty and fits Ayu quite well as opposed to the forced cutesy look that she's had recently. :yes

I admit that I glanced at the cover earlier and wrote it off as another usual cute look, but when I took a second look I realized that I really like it! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoldierofSilence (Post 2398057)

@identity: i think it sorta looks sweet but sensual... if thats the right word to use...

I think of it as classy and beautiful, like the Moments cover. Sure, ayu's cute, but the cover itself is not a cutesy cover.

^_^Well Ayu is beautiful. Always has been and always will be no matter how old she gets. Not all beauty always comes from the surface either. She has beauty in both.

Really anticlimactic for me...:/

When people titles this picture as cute I think it devalues ayu at least in this picture as if they were talking about a little girl, when I'm seeing a woman. Probably cause there is no other reference of what she's doing in the pic like is she was holding a teddy bear I would call it cute yes, if she had a lot of jewerly I would call it diva or classy but it's just a portrait of herself. =/

I don't really like it but I like the soft colours.
To me it seems awkward and like its a spread from some men's magazine or something. :shrug
I hope the others are better.
And her lips bother me XD

it's an OKAY over.

CHEAP FONT tho. :P

covers are gorgeous...and simple, love it :heart

...
You're kidding right? :thud
Ayu what's going on. It looks boring to me :weep