[orbitalaspect]

Originally Posted by Irish_Ayu_Fan

Glad she dropped all the tackiness for this, I'll always prefer a simple PV to an overdramatised one, would've thought most people here would be the same...

Simple is great. One of my favorite PVs was curtain call. NEXT LEVEL was really simple as well. But to me, the whole point of a PV is to tell a visual story or to give me some visual content that accompanies the song. That's the whole reason the music video was invented in the late 70's. I don't watch videos to just stare at someone, like Lorde in the Tennis Court, mouthing to a camera. That's not the point of a music video.

I probably wouldn't feel so nasty about this PV if it didn't come off cheap. I've been just as angered with similar videos from other artists because this is not the point of a music video, but this is a one-up from that because the videos are a selling point for the CD+DVD version. I don't think an extra $10-15 plus tax is a fair price for MP4s of Ayu singing in front of a webcam.

Originally Posted by Gustavopc

I feel sorry for those who dislike it, it's so simple yet SO powerful.

It's not an ugly video. It just comes off lazy to me. This is PV #38 that Ayu has done the same motions and facial expressions, so the only power I see, even after having watched it a half-dozen times, is the cable running to that light...

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think the light adds some drama that wouldn't be there if it was a straight up Ayu-just-standing-there video.

That's like saying flushing a toilet adds some drama to what would otherwise just be me sitting in a restroom for four minutes.

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

I know that people trashing the PV aren't directly attacking ayu herself but it does make me look at some of her fans in a different light. Some people clearly want "ayumi hamasaki the product" and not the artist who connects to people through her actual music and not flashy or dramatic PVs and gimmicks. [..] to see some people throwing around their aggressive contempt over a harmless PV bugs me I guess.

But everyone's entitled to their opinion

Originally Posted by Koumori

Exactly. I've been of the same mind for a while here... it seems people think it's cool to use strong words to represent their dislike of something, but it just comes across as way too aggressive and strangely hateful. Everyone is indeed entitled to their opinion but... well, how we express those opinions is important. I think people forget that far too often.

Originally Posted by TheRainbow

[...] I don't understand the point of mustering any sort of spiteful words with something as emotionally rewarding as music and art (being critical is fine, of course).

Originally Posted by Koumori

Oh yes, that's definitely true! I think it always just surprises me to see it on a Japanese Pop forum more than anything else. But AHS isn't special in this way... hm, but this isn't the place to discuss it I suppose. I agree with the points made in any case.

Originally Posted by Yoake

Believe me, AHS isn't the worst place of Internet regarding that. I stopped to talk on another site because they consider Ayu as a product and not as an artist. I know that in the start of her career, she was probably more a product than an artist but now it is really different. Of course people can dislike something. But bashing painfully what she's making and doing...no. The way of saying something is important as Koumori said it.

Stop.

You are setting a terrible example for participation on AHS by padding threads with posts that directly and indirectly call out some users for strong opinions. An opinion that this PV is absolute trash is not a threat to another opinion that this is a masterpiece. If I post that I think Ayumi is an asshole for having not planned a better video, it is not an insult to you because you loved the video she made. If you don't like someone's "choice of words", you have plenty of autonomy to skip around that contribution. Do not, however, use that autonomy to discourage people from contributing by labeling opinions you don't like as "aggressive contempt" or derailing threads into banter over what you consider to be appropriate and inappropriate ways to express an opinion or contribute to the topic.

Everyone should be encouraged to throw an opinion in, question others' opinions, debate things, make sarcastic remarks, cry, laugh, and cry while laughing. We don't think with the same vocabulary, cultural values, social behaviors, or personal interests, so my opinion will never be the right choice of words to another person--that, in part, is why it can be my opinion. However, your comments about "aggressive contempt" and people's "choice of words" points fingers at people for opinions you don't agree with, or opinions that weren't expressed with your personal "choice of words". Worse, your banter, takes an impersonal topic and makes it personal.

Stop nitpicking certain contributions for "choice of words" and keep the context of these threads somewhat related to the topic.