Opinions on Party Queen covers?
 

this topic deserves a thread.

at first saw, is was like, "Ayu, are you high?"

disappointing.. VERY.. :(

with all the speculations and expectations... the gorgeous like-a-doll-pink-haired ayu photos and all, what happened to them?) :cry

Aren't we already sharing our opinions in the official cover thread?

Anyway. Eh yeah. I like CD only. That's it. I am not sure how to feel. Should I be extremely sad, or just think this is so horrible its hilarious?

Maybe "Drama Queen" would have been the perfect fitting title?

I don't think they are the real covers. But if Ayu wanted to do a complete opposite of the Love songs cover, this would be it.

Excuse my word choice but she looks like a skank. :S I'm terribly dissapointed with the album covers, but to be honest ayu has been dissapointing me for a while now..... Still, I can't believe that these horrible pieces of **** are the album covers...

It's time to crank up my photoshop skills again, guess it's time to make custom covers.. :laugh

I think she should rename the album from 'Party Queen' to "Desperate Queen"...

I have no issues with Ayu's photos persay. I think they are gorgeous! I mean..she's super natural in the CD+DVD and CDONLY covers. Wet hair, and that smile...very mature. Ok, the CD+2DVD is a bit...over-the-top for me? Because...well, she's dressed in lingerie..and..yea...weird mirror..

I have more issues that they are using photos from before. Which makes me wonder what the booklet photos would be. And...I think the DESIGN of the cover just ruins Ayu's beauty in this sense. It's like... "oH, Ayu is posing this way so I guess we probably need to throw the text in around her". and that random leopard banner. and that weird 13TH ALBUM logo at the side. Everything feels so fanmade.

If they garnering for a pop art cover style then...go all the way there. This is honestly amateurish. and certainly doesnt suit whatever concept this "concept album" is going for.

Now i just want the music.

P.S I normally have nothing but praise for Ayu's stuff. I just think this deserves so much more. Something better could have been done honestly.

I love them, especially the CD+DVD+DVD

Puke-inducing. What the ****ing **** were they thinking when they randomly pasted leopard prints on the cover? They did actually thought it looks nice? I'm sorry but it baffles me when pictures like these are approved and released. Do you they have functioning eyes or are they as blind as bats?

I wasn't really expecting anything but the cover for How Beautiful You Are gave me a tiny hope that the album covers wouldn't turn out this way.

It's not really an issue of what she's wearing, I'm not a ****ing nun and a prick. But it's so tacky and it is in no way classy.

*guess we shouldn't bring Kuu in here for comparison...*

anyway, when i first saw the cover, CD+2DVD, wow i thought it's the sexiest cover ayu has ever done! it'd be nicer if it's her head that pose on the left side, not her butt.. the current one looks like she's showing off her butt and being impolite to us LOLS. but then, it's really something different that ayu has never done before, so i'm not entirely disappointed though.
then CD+DVD, disappointed coz we've been seeing the cover over n over already, but i do love the pic coz she has natural smile, i like that.
then CD Only, she looks NICE AND SEXY, her boobs totally look so stunning *O*

seeing how sexy she is on the covers, i expect to see more her sexy side on the booklet pics. come on, it's once in a while we got to see ayu being this sexy and wild haha XD

it feels like she was lazy to do a proper cover so she used an old pic.... cd+dvd+dvd looks kinda cheesy... not ayu's level at all!

Ayu is 33 and she can do whatever she wants. I like her butt, she looks extremely sexy with this pose and wet hair. Typo/design might be a little tacky, but as I said, MOST of Ayu releseas designs are VERY weak, so this one is very fine.

I don't like only CD+DVD ver, cause of boring close-up, and fact we saw this pic long time ago. And this pic looks very selfmade (like Ayu took a camera and made a party photo) But it still fit the title.

To be fair, Kuu's had her share of awesome concepts and covers. I love Deja Vu, Kingdom and JAPONESQUE....even her naked singles run was pretty cool...

I'll just copypasta what I wrote in the other thread. It could have been so much better...

You just said what I wanted to say!

My first impressions when I saw those covers at TA were like... wow it's totally different from past covers.

I agree with you maybe it would be better if the pose were the other way around for the CD+DVD+DVD version. And yeah, a little disappointed because we have seen the CD+DVD picture already. But that smile is epic. :D CD only is great and sexy. Feels casual but sexy. LOL

I also think that the fonts and arrangements could have been better. The "13th album" thing is unnecessary. But I am glad I am not that picky.

I really really really dislike these covers. I found the CD only tolerable, but god I hate her hair.. I just.. I didn't like FIVE as an album.. But those covers were amazing + HBYA covers were also.. And now this.. MADNESSS.

Derp

Cheap, they look cheap. The CD only version was the only one I liked. Really wish she went with an elegant risqué..or maybe not, not sure now. Anyway, bottom line, they could be better.

The difference that Koda was made for that kind of covers, she sells that image and works! (at least for me)... Ayu always has been sophisticated or simple in her album covers, but now is too cheap.. she want to sell us a prostitute Ayu, and we don´t buy that kind of image not because we believe she is a saint just because it´s not her style...

Anyways I hated those covers.

Me? I like the CD only, but....
I just want pink hair.

I mean, yeah, her pink hair will probably be in a pv... but... I'm thoroughly disappointed that after alll those varying shades of pink.. twitter, TA update, twitter again, Vivi, then we get photos from a shoot that we've already seen a cover of??

We've already seen the CD+DVD (shoe cover) before. I thought they were taken in London, not at that hotel from earlier? That's so frustrating!! I thought those hotel covers maay be something internal, they'd pull a MY STORY and have a huuge array of types of photos, those lingerie shots included.

I'm the sort of person that fawns over everything Ayu does. I even found a few good things in FIVE. I love BRILLIANTE and love the photobook. but...
Party Queen has so much going for it in the title alone!! I wanted some snazzy glittery pink hair party fest cover!!

All of the opinions are basically in the news thread, lol.

It's not really "trashy"...

Oh. So her career is about to head in the direction Sowelu's did. That's interesting. Not sure if the image change is appropriate at her age...maybe she should have done this earlier on.

Oh how did I not see these kuu comparisons coming?

I love the covers, specially the ones that weren't revealed before (CD+DVD was seen before so)


J-pop has such low standards and most of it is crappy and awful. Their covers are usually boring and tasteless. But you all seem to cheer for them. Cheer for these random and meh sounding tunes, super simple covers, and what not. But when it comes to ayu, you always feel so damn disappointed. I don't even.

They are horrible. The whole leapord print... the "13th album" sticker thing, the barcode, everything... I know she was going for a tabloid themed thing but that doesn't make it any less tacky looking.

I was really hoping she'd go for the "HBIC sitting on her throne wearing a crown" look ala Koda's "Kingdom" and Gwen Stefani "L.A.M.B".

But... It's just a cover, let's hope the remaining songs are good atleast. Oh well.

Love them <3

Yeah, we're done with the Koda Kumi comparisons now. Not even one more post about it.

:roflmao
OMG it's like someone really understands me here, on AHS? :)
I have noticed she's not 'my old Ayu anymore' veeery long time ago :(
don't you ever dare to touch my favourite Ayu first best-sold album! :P
I applaud! :)
:yes

imho, they are horrible. I can see no hidden concept, neither in covers nor in song titles, guys, a song NaNaNa for example can't really have any deep meaning behind it, lol, like really?

she killed me with her new lips, then with FIVE, then with latest ViVi, now with this
as a long-time fan there are no words to describe my sincere dissapointment and much frustration

as for isthisLOL? don't take it srsly, guys. I have learned his arguments by heart! "you've been ignoring my post", "you have no logic", "you're stupid", "you're an idiot", "I'm telling you facts" etc...

I used to love Ayu's sexy style (like Secret CD Only / Startin') because she still very classy, but doggy-style is way too much for me. Even that have a concept behind everything, it's a little trashy.

she's doing something she's never done before, and she's happy with it.
that's all that matters. i like them. :D

Oh God. What's next? A playboy cover to show that she's still "got it" at the age of 35? They look like the kind of covers a DJ would have on albums, not to mention the font and the "13th album" stamp. Her face is about the only thing I like about them.

I like the covers. I don't see anything wrong with them.

Yeah, a lot of people already summed up how tacky these covers are...I mean if that's her choice and it's what she really wanted for these covers then whatever, that's her choice. Still not gonna change my opinion about how horrid they look. After seeing the wonderfully lovely pink-hair pics, I expected something similar, but she went the other way. Kinda worried people might get the wrong idea about her if this is the first album they look at of hers.

Still looking forward to the album itself! But the covers: DO NOT WANT. D:

There are a few good things to consider. She didn't do "duck lips", she's not wearing those blue contacts, and she's not poorly photoshopped. :yes

I didn't think about that before your post. :( Oh, jeez, I hope this isn't anyone's first look at Ayu. They will definitely get the wrong idea.

I think they could be better with long dark hair like startin'/sparkle PV, much more better. Or maybe not, I don't know lol

even MY STORY covers look better with the back drop. this is just ayu in a doggie style position, tooching her booty. and the colours and fonts of the words. just look like a trashy magazine. and whats up with the huge logo that says "13th album"?

I love them and all the possible meanings one could extract via analyzing. My favorite is the one where's hugging the shoe.

Is the same 5 people who are saying how horrendous the covers are and
with each post are saying the same exact thing. We get it move on.

These are the covers whether you like them or not.

I think she still looks classy in them after all

i find it hilarious how people are so up in arms about this.
Ayu is sexy, let her show off her "Party Queen" side for once. :rolleyes

Considering her market consists mainly of Asia where she is already massivelly known...

I'll quote myself from facebook..

LMAO I'm assuming a lot of you have never seen sexy photos before if you consider this trashy.

I. love. it.

Except for the one where she's holding the thing up. Even though her boobs look so good. Her arms seem weird, and her facial expression is yuck.

But the HQs might fix those issues.

omg. I still cant believe these happened :laugh

I dislike the covers because they look cheap. With the concept and the true meaning behind them they had so much potential. And I will accept any reason for Ayu to look sexy, but I just don't like how she looks here.

CD and CD+DVD are cute as heck. It's the on-all-fours I don't like. I, I just can't comprehend Ayu being "super sexy," if you wanna call it that.

i don't mind them. they're not her best, not her worst. & that's it. LOL.

i love these covers... the last great album cover was her falling out of bed my story cover.

Another disappointment from Ayu... Disappointment Queen.

Do we really need two polls/threads on opinions on the covers? Just saying, we might want to merge them or something.

I'm not too impressed with that random strip of leather print or the very uninspiring font. And some of the poses are just awful. She looks so static, almost like a mannequin in the CD only. And just exactly how many arms/elbows does she have in the CD+DVD version? It may be some object that she's holding, but it looks weird, at least in this thumbnail. All of the pictures have potential, but little things are ruining them. And Idk if it makes me a prude, but I don't want to be staring at her ass whenever I pulled out my CD+2DVD ver. :laugh Seriously, what's up with that? It looks like a japanese gravure shot. No, I was hoping for something slightly more artistic and well put together than these "the day after" shots. They are very close to a disaster. They will of course looks slightly better in large, HQ versions, they always do. But I don't like them.

I don't have a problem with lesser clothing and poses that shows of her body, but it's just done in such a hideous and weird-looking way.

In a series of tweets last night she explained

- that the covers have meanings behind them (and that you'll have to see it firsthand to grasp them)
- that the ayu on the covers looks really sad (and that makes her love the covers) and that she doesn't want "2 b a Party queen".
- that the ayu on the covers are still "in the cage like Duty, or went back?!"
- that indeed the covers are tabloid magazine parodies

As expected of her; there's a "reason" behind the "tackiness" of those covers.

At first I was shocked like everyone else, with my eyes wide open, thinking "really, those pics?! album covers"... and one of them looks like an old picture from a magazine.

But somehow, looking at them again, they kind of have the feeling, of early 70"s movies, or like Lady GaGa's "Telephone" PV or like Robert Rodriguez movie "Planet Terror", if they aim at Low budget, Cheap Looking...well they got it right.

I love classy Ayu, but I have to give credit for the WOW factor, those cover knock me of my chair

Yes yes I get that. But I still don't think they are qualified for a cover. There is just too much tackiness going on there. The idea is good, but the execution somewhat failed. For me. I'm glad to hear that many of you love them. But I can't. I would have liked to see something more artistic and playfull with the whole idea she wanted to go with.

People need to get over it. Seriously. These are the covers. Doesn't the music really matter here? And as it was explained already, there is a deeper meaning behind these covers. I absolutely LOVE the covers. Ayu looks good, and you can tell there's a hint of sadness behind her smile.

^
You're absolutely right, people need to get over it. They need to get over the fact that some users say "I don't like it" without it translating into "I hate everything she does, screw this album". Deeper meaning or not, some think they look crap, and that's that.

We have no music yet.

And the preview of Party Queen the song and the digital single HBYA are not helping right now. So indeed, the music does not need to matter here.
And besides, when it only should matter about the music. WHY these covers then?

Incredible that you see a hint of sadness behind her smile. Because I obviously do not. Is it because of the covers are so ... party/happy looking, there simply must be some kind of sadness in it?

After all I am waiting til the album will release Then we will see if music will matter yes or no. But a cover is actually the first impression you get from an album. I am not sure there is really a specific need to tell a whole complicated story. The story itself is in her lyrics and words, but covers eh... you see what kind of fuss it created on AHS. I do not know, but there was a certain point in her life she didn't need to make covers that already told the story a little. I kind of feel we try to look for hidden meanings, while they are actually... made up. I cannot smell there is a sad looking party queen on a photograph. It is a picture, not a video. If you want to put one whole story into one picture, there is actual a need to make the story line a bit more obvious or typical. Unless you love sophisticated hidden meanings, of course.

I do not say it does not make sense what Ayu tweeted, but I honestly do not really believe that anyone else would have come up with the idea she was sad. Thank God she uses twitter. But it was great some of us guessed an tabloid magazine which appeared to be true.

I am more than curious how well her album will sell. 3 weeks 'til release. Yay!

^well, like Ayu said, it only matters if it makes HER happy. :D

I'm very disappointed with these covers, especially with the CD+3DVD-cover!

I was already getting used to the name of the album (even though I hate it!) but then I saw these covers.
They could have done so much with the concept of "Party Queen". Maybe a mix of "Lady Dynamite" and "Sexy Little Things". Even though those two PVs were totally crazy and weird, they were still very well done and Ayu kept it classy!


I really miss old Ayu and I think I lost her somewhere between "NEXT LEVEL" and "Rock*n*Roll Circus".
I miss her artistic PVs (like "Dearest", "No way to say" and "ourselves"), I miss the days when she looked natural in Photoshootings and not like a doll and I miss the days when she was not trying to become somebody else. I loved how she re-created herself for every new release, but since some time it feels like the "old Ayu", the Ayu I started to love in the "I am..."-era, is drifting further and further away from me and that makes me incredibly sad! :cry


I still have hope for the songs and the PVs, but not too much, to be honest, because I don't feel "Party queen" and "How beautiful you are" at all.

The CD+2DVD one is like 150x150 - we can't really see what's going on with her face.

If she's got tears running down her face then I'll call it better executed than I thought, but most of us would look at the pics and think she looks more like she's trying to smile because she's been holding the pose for 5 minutes and is starting to get bored. She looks more Paris Hilton in the CD+DVD, although the CD Only is starting to not look so bad, it's still a poor look for a cover.

Why do people who don't go crazy over every Ayu-release need to get over it each time? Why can't we just discuss it?


And sorry, but I don't see the deeper meaning behind these covers (and yes! I read Ayu's tweets!).
If Ayu really wanted to show the loneliness and sadness of a "Queen" or of people who are in the spotlight, then why not show these on the covers?

Why not surrounding here with a group of people, who are partying and having fun, but she is sitting in the crowd alone and crying (a mix of "Don't look back" and "Sweet Season")? This concept would have been a total contrast to the album title and would have shocked people, but in a positive way. Like this they could have started thinking: "Mhm, yes, maybe famous people feel lonely too!"

But they went for the most obvious concept when you hear the words "Party Queen": fun, party, alcohol and gorgeous people.

And she doesn't look unhappy or anything on these covers. Maybe in the CD+2DVD-cover, because we can't see her face very well on this small cover, but she looks perfectly happy to me on the other two covers!


And also the song "Party queen" doesn't speak of sadness or anything! The lyrics are all about party and getting drunk!! :no

Honestly, if Ayu didn't mention that these covers were meant to be sad, I doubt ANYONE would see it.

^ **** IT. Even the font is better!

the only thing i like from the covers: no fish-lips / duckface :heart

That would of been amazing :O

I like it cause of leopard print, you can put any crap you want to next to leopard print I'd buy it LOL. I can't wait to see these covers in large size.

I, for one, don't think the sadness "shown" should be so obvious. Sometimes, the people who are always cheerful and happy go lucky might be the exact opposite inside. They choose not to show cause they are afraid that they will be judged, left alone and/or laughed at, thus, they prefer to show another face, something everybody else would like (smile, laugh, joke etc) so they won't feel completely alone.

Let's take U;Nee (Korean singer) for example. She always seemed cheerful through her career (lives, making offs, interviews etc) but in the end, she killed herself, just before the release of her 3rd album (and only few songs are sad, the rest are dance/R&B). Only 2 or 3 times she showed her true sadness but most of the time she hid it behind her smiley face.

And about the happy partying thing... a lot of celebrities (Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston and more examples) try to make themselves feel better with drugs, clubbing, partying, alcohol etc. cause they cannot hold the pressure of being famous any longer, with all the paparazzi trying to disturb you every day and then show your awkward poses to the entire world, ready to talk trash about you. And they were smiling on the outside for a moment when partying and that's it, they go back on their daily depressed mood, feeling locked, no freedom etc.

The same thing might represent the Party Queen covers, even if she looks that smiley, she still is unhappy inside (hence she looks like she's high on drugs/alcohol, stripped to her panties and bra) and Ayu said that the covers are a parody of the scandal magazines, maybe that's why the photos look so unprofessional, they wanted to appear like a paparazzo took them and show how the "Queen" (Empress of J-pop) is so worn out and loose in the party.

Just my interpretation though :P
And sorry for the rant, I was kind of tired to see posts like "SHE'S SAD??? BUT SHE LOOKS SO HAPPEE DER!!1"

Hah glad that I'm not the only one who associated 2dvd's to Koda Kumi. I guess that stye suited her much more than the ayu we know.

kinda disappointed that Party Queen doesnt have pink hair and yeah the 13th album is kinda redundant. But the leopard print is a nice torch up imo

Nevertheless, I do love the covers of the CDonly and CD+DVD versions and also the CDL cover. Now I'm not sure if I should just get the CD+DVD or close one eye and get the CD+2dvd

I have to agree. While I'm still deciding how I feel about the covers, I don't think they were executed as well as they could have. This looks more like a fanmade cover rather than a tabloid. And when I think of loneliness and all that, I think of the Dearest PV. Fantastic exectution and beautiful to boot. I'm not saying she should regress backwards and repeat what she's already done, but when I compare this to Dearest I sort of feel like her innovation's gone dry.

I don't think the covers are completely without merit, though. They're very striking.

Actually, with the reason behind the covers, im looking forward to the MUSIC it has to deliver more. I honestly hope for half Timmy (i mean..thats kinda the max i would hope)..and half her usual composers. Even if its 75% timmy, hopefully he would have some really awesome tracks. because Party Queen and hbya, albeit really nice and catchy tunes, remain on a rather safe side.

As I said the concept may be good but the execution is poor and too fanmade looking imo. Sometimes I'd like to know what kind of people is working as graphic designer for avex. I mean, they did a wonderful job with FIVE covers and then.. they made this huge mess.

I've been fan of her since.. oh my god already 10 years (just realized that lol) and I know there's always a hidden meaning behind her album covers. Yeah they might looks more fashion than usual album covers, but they represent album's meaning as well.
So even if I don't particulary like them, I know there's something more about. So I'm just ok with them. Although there's a possibility I'll love them on HQ lol who knows :laugh. But if they were more professional and less fanmade, these covers would be ****ing amazing.

dont like it

Really? Which? :O I had the idea she had not done those things until Leslie came and shot her covers

^Secret, I am..., Duty, MA, A BEST, A BEST 2 to mention a few.

... So, what are they then? Those hidden meanings? The only things I could have seen coming was Duty.

This so much! It sounds to me like some people would have liked Ayu to be crying on the covers or something but that would have just been so damn tacky. It's been done before a million times that way, hell she practically did that herself before. This is a more unique approach and as people said before: It's an album. You don't have to understand it from the title or cover, you have to understand it from the title, cover, music, videos, booklet and lyrics combined. If THAT doesn't work it's bad execution.

I think this cover portrays exactly what she wants to portray, that's the definition of good execution. The sadness is only hinted really slightly in the cover(I don't think she actually wants people to go "omg she's so sad!" about the cover, that would practically give away what the album seems to include, I think she only commented on it on twitter because of the shitstorm she got about it, she didn't expect people to "get" the album, they weren't supposed to, but she probably didn't expect that horrible backlash either) but will probably be much more literal in the album, probably getting more and more so the farther you get into the album.

That is not to say people cannot dislike the cover. I understand not liking it for a number of reasons. But calling Ayu out for being "trashy" etc or calling the execution bad because "the meaning isn't obvious from the cover" are pretty uncalled for. The former because it's a clear insult and shows ignorance and the latter because the point of an album cover, any album cover, is NOT people understanding it without the aid of the content, but people understanding it with the aid of the content. And we won't get the content until the album leaks so we cannot call it bad execution unless we know the album it relates to. Now, if the album does not support the idea of the cover, it WILL be bad execution, but we don't and can't know that yet.

To sum up:

Duty: caged
I am...: freedom and honouring 9/11
A BEST: tear to represent Ayu's thought about that album. She didn't want to release it.
MA: Falling stars
A BEST 2: all clean, no colours, no outfit, no hairstyle, simply Ayu. And clear reflections in her eyes to symbolyse her inner soul kind of (I belive Ayu explained this in a interview?)
Secret: hidden tattoo

Actually ayumi stated the album (I am...) was suppose to be about the loneliness and confusion that she had, but had a change of heart after the 9/11 attacks and instead went for a a peace and faith theme.

Secret was not about the tattoo... it's still a secret. that's the point.

And the album covers really have no "hidden" meaning... she just express's what she is going through at the time. If you follow what she is doing, you know what the meaning is.

Wait? What does "Eve" in the desert have to do with 9/11? The falling stars were just... earrings? And the hidden tattoo could have been that heart with the wing... which stands for...?

Secret relates to the album quite simply. On the cover, her real tattoo is hidden in the middle of a fake tattoo. No one knew that she had a real tattoo yet and it was only revealed during AT07. Also, she gives off a glamorous, powerful image on the cover.
The album starts with her having that strong, self-confident image, but in the title track, right at the end of the album, she reveals that that is not really her, that she pretends to be strong but is not really all that strong. It's all about secrets and fake images.

Yes I know about I am...

Read under the lines. Secret was naturally not about the tattoo. But the hidden tattoo represent the whole secret theme.

Where do you guys see the sadness in these pictures? All I see is Ayu getting half naked, holding a shoe and having the biggest smile on her face.

I think people are misunderstanding the way some of us are using the word "execution"...especially in the context of the cover and not the album as whole package.

I don't think it's unfair or bad form to say the cover isn't executed well, in our own opinions. I feel (as do others) that if it was going to look like a tabloid, it could have done a better job at looking more like a tabloid and less like a 12 year-old fan made a cover. That's part of execution, and no one's going to convince me the music in the album is supposed to affect that. Unless the lyrics explicitly state why the cover doesn't do a good job resembling a tabloid (imo), I don't think the music and lyrics will influence this aspect of the execution.

In some ways a cover is tied to the music and in some ways it's not. There can be a disparency between the execution of the cover and the execution of the album. We can agree to disagree on this if you'd like, but I don't think my opinions are "uncalled for."

I really really love the CD+DVD+DVD version <3
The other covers looks like the after-party's hangover lol

Love your post! :)

Execution has always been a bit of a problem for the design team that Ayu chooses to work with, or at least it seems like it's been an issue since 2004/2005. My guess is that they've just never had someone "INSPIRED" as their art director.

It'll be interesting to see how Ayu's explanation factors into the other parts of the album [back cover, booklet, etc.] so I'm reserving judgement on the 'meaning' until then.

I see what everybody is saying about "execution" and I completely agree. They could have used the exact layout for a tabloid magazine and put headlines all over it with scandalous pictures and whatnot... Seriously, so many other ways to execute this theme. The mistake she made was actually alluding to the real meaning behind the covers. She should have ignored the entire shitstorm and just let it be. Great novelists leave their works open to interpretation, they don't go out and try to explain it. That's the beauty of art.

I just think it's funny that when Ayu actually does produce a cover that is supposed to have some deeper, hidden meaning (because lbr most of her covers are straightforward glamour shots) it's criticized immediately. If you read the initial reaction by members in that thread, there's comments that attack her character, her morals, and just various comments that are extremely misogynistic. Now, after Ayu explained it, the same people are trying to backtrack and say that the covers would have been fine in terms of the sexiness BUT were executed poorly. Why can't Ayu be "trashy" for the sake of being "trashy"? And who's to say that this is the first "trashy" thing she's done for the sake of being "trashy"? People have a complete lack of respect for the subjectivity of art and they get on their moral high-horses. When I explained to people that I thought the Duty cover was more risque they all asked if I was "smoking crack" as if my interpretation of those covers was completely unfounded. I see dark sexual symbolism behind those covers. If you don't, that's fine. Just because YOU don't see it, doesn't mean it's not well-executed. I'm also glad Timmy called out fans. Judging by the misogynistic comments on this forum, some of you are rather unsophisticated and vapid.

Also, I think Ayu would take offense to those who are saying she's trying to change her image, or trying desperately to be "trashy." We all know she isn't Koda Kumi and that overt, in-your-face sexuality is never going to be her major selling point. There's a lot of different sides to her as a woman - that's what she was trying to get across in the STEP you PV. She doesn't want to be put into one box. You know, maybe the reaction to these covers is merely proving her point and helping to make the idea behind these covers more salient...

^I would say some of her more interesting covers, the ones that don't limit themselves to show some pretty Ayu shot are also among the ones that generates the most controverse... Of course, this happens only after I am... before it she was GodAyu, where every fart was deep and artistic.

Especially the batch of generic ballads on I am..., they were so deep, special and unique.

I think a big part of the controversy and uproar stems from the fact that Ayu had created her image withouth sexuality being a prominent feature. A lot of people value(d) that aspect of her, and this is such a sharp deriviation from her past image. There's no denying that people change and no one can deny her that right to evolve, but her manner of expression and desires have changed. That doesn't mean her fans' values have changed, though. And that's not immature, that's not selfish: that just means Ayu has evolved differently from some of her fans.

When Linkin Park first emerged I really respected them because they didn't cuss in their songs. They said that it didn't make the words any more powerful and were therefore unnecessary. I respected their values and even valued them myself. Then they started cussing in their third album and I felt distanced. Sure, it was their right to change their values and do something different that fit their current feelings, but I thought they had proved their original case that music didn't need swearing. It's just a differnce of opinions now - their feelings changed, mine didn't.

So what I'm trying to say is that while some people might be annoyed at others being upset over her new sexuality, I think they have to also understand that these people are probably just expressing their displeasure with the change in their favorite singer's values and/or methodology. That's an assumption and generalization, and someone's going to say, "well, then just move on, stop whining, and don't come back." And that's like saying, "hey, if you hate how your best friend has changed, just drop him and move the **** on. Never talk to him again."

That went off on a tangent...

To be honest, I feel that they just picked any old image from the past, made those the covers and said "She's sad and lonely!" It just doesn't mesh well.

But the covers are growing on me. She definitely did something different lol.

YEEHEHEEHES!! D':

Did you read my mind? That's exactly how I feel. I've been always proud of her for not being extremely sexual or cheap! For me it's a really devastating feeling when I look at her most recent image changes...

Do you guys remember the Hamasaki Republic book? In these photos she almost seemed superhuman and full of melancholic feelings.

If I look at wonderful Hamasaki books that represent a completely different image, a classy image, and then get to see pictures like in the Part Queen thread I feel like punching my fist in my own freaking face D:<

I loveee the covers! except the one with the shoe, that one's okay, but the other two I love :heart and woah her boobs look awesome.

Kumi did the whole lonely party girl thing with Physical thing but it's much easier to see the concept and get the message in lyrics and a video than it is with a photograph like Ayu is doing

But still, as covers, I love them. I was tired of seeing elegantly dressed, doll-faced Ayu staring blankly in to the camera. This is so different and out there for her, I really like it :yes I would have preferred it if it didn't have the 13th album sticker and barcode though

I agree about the DJ part!

now, please, all "Ayu-meanings-interprets", anyone, please explain to me the meaning/sign/symbolism of being lonely in the picture of Ayu showing off her ass in a doggy-style, I might be too shallow to see the loneliness a bit lower of her back? thank you.

Yeah, actually I believe u r too shallow to see the loneliness :P U r still nice though...

Seeing by only the cover itself it's really hard nor impossible.
Meanings comes along with songs and their lyrics though. That's why I said there's always a meaning behind her album covers at least.
Like for ASFXX. She's looking quite naive, insecure and sad on the album cover and it reflects the lyrics of the songs. It's not just a pretty face that belongs to a girl called 'ayumi hamasaki'.

But well that's just my personal interpretation :shrug

I know and I am waiting for songs & lyrics! but since we're talking about the cover, that is why I asked
by your logics, Ayu in the PQ covers looking happy and weird and this position again, her lyrics should be about fun and weird things, but she told us it was about the loneliness, no connection again...:shrug

no signs of sadness/loneliness, direct or indirect
I think Ayu & a mirror would be a good idea. Ayu on the outside - party queen, and in the mirror Ayu inside - some artistic dark image. or her partying hard in a crowd of people and in the mirror her image of 'alone' in the darkness...

lolwat?

This. All of this. :)

In all honesty, I don't think it has anything to do with her sexuality.

I mean if she is a lonely party queen this is a beauty picture to depicted that.
I mean has anyone ever gone to a party and seen that one girl who feels bad about themselves and always manages to take all her cloths off and wants to be the center of attention...
its sad and ayumi has "pictured" this really well.

This made my day a whole lot better

I really dislike those covers...disappointing