Green PV Discussion

[panda♥]

Originally Posted by Connected

I am REALLY surprised that so few people got the point (or plot) of the PV. With Ayu & Midoring, Gomi and Shuya dancing, and the dancers looking depressed backstage stands in stark contrast with the bright and glamorous onstage performance etc. is it still not obvious that this PV is about homosexuality, or more generally, people repressing their true feelings?

Do you need thought bubbles coming out of Ayu's head to understand that the dance with Midoring is a dream sequence?

I guess not many people appreciate subtlety around here...You probably like your "hidden" messages to be as clear as in the "Endless sorrow" or "alterna" PVs.

You completely hit the nail on the head.




Okay, look at the lyrics and the PV. It makes perfect sense.

The brilliant trees standing in the cool air
Are losing the colors as if hiding themselves
(People have to hide their true love for eachother because of sexual preference or because of how they feel about one another?)
Just like me who is afraid of the warmth
Keeping myself away from anything leading to hope
(Hope that society would change and come to accept people for how they are.)

I wonder why it's difficult for us
To walk as we wish
(Why is it difficult for people to be themselves instead of having to hide how they really feel?)

Actually I've always
Realized for sure
(She's always known about how cruel society can be)
But I turned my eyes from the reality
And denied the truth
(Denied it because it was too hard to accept)

When the trees come into bud again
And the leaves are freshly green
I want him to see my smile
More natural than now
(She'll be happy that things have changed and be able to show her love a true smile?)

Just some obvious things. I really liked the PV. I watched it twice and still got goosebumps when she was dancing with Midoring.

[ImpactBreaker]

^Yeah, after reading what Connected said and re-reading masa's translation, I'm now wondering...are the parts where she says "him" on the translation supposed to be gender neutral? Or is she truly saying "him"?

Originally Posted by masa @ GREEN lyrics translation

[...]
I'm staring at my dear person
I might tell him
Of this feeling
Around the time the wind changes
[...]

[SpiceSquad!]

bad..just bad..

[emi♡]

Um, I don't think the song is about homosexuality at all.

I think it's used to convey something else. The general theme which Connected stated.

The symbolism is there and clear as day, the PV however was disappointing.

I would actually really like for Days to be some kind of continuation. I didn't think of that idea.

[truehappiness]

I wonder if the concepts = Ayu, but the way they're executed = all Kazuyoshi.

Much like how MW was a hot mess until someone "decoded it"... kinda the same way this is unraveling.

[Andrenekoi]

Midoring was a woman, I think... She was even in high heels...

[pommy48]

who in the world is the director
i love the dancing though..but i felt not a lot happened in the pv...and the only thing expensive is the 200 people they casted? or did they build something from scratch again?
but i was right knowing that ayu was gonna be a show girl
umm the homosexuality, the show girl..kuu XD

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

^Yeah, after reading what Connected said and re-reading masa's translation, I'm now wondering...are the parts where she says "him" on the translation supposed to be gender neutral? Or is she truly saying "him"?

"ano hito" translates to "that person" but I think masa just put "him" under the assumption that Ayu would be referring to a male. lol.

[panda♥]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

^Yeah, after reading what Connected said and re-reading masa's translation, I'm now wondering...are the parts where she says "him" on the translation supposed to be gender neutral? Or is she truly saying "him"?

To me it sounds more like she's truly saying "him" but it could be a gender neutral though which would probably make more sense.


EDIT: Nevermind, Coel confirmed it. XD

[Temari_2]

After just watching it once and reading everyone's comments I'm over "Green" video. Now I'm eager for "Days"

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I wonder if the concepts = Ayu, but the way they're executed = all Kazuyoshi.

Much like how MW was a hot mess until someone "decoded it"... kinda the same way this is unraveling.

MW is still a hot mess, no matter what.

And yeah, concept is probably Ayumi, but execution is Kazuyoshi. Kazuyoshi could also explain Ayu's supposedly declining acting skills. Most directors will tell the actors what to do so that the shot will turn out how they want, like for example, someone would say to Ayu "stop touching your face so much." ^_^ But with Kazuyoshi being a new director and Ayu being such a huge star, I doubt that he is actually directing her movements (or if he is, then he is even worse than I already think, haha.) But even if he is behind all the execution, I still think that it should ultimately be up to Ayu to have the final say on all aspects of the production. She seemed to in the past have a much more direct impact on the creation of the products, even the PVs, then she seems to do now - at least that is my impression. Just like how she said in the CNN interview that she used to do a lot more, but now more and more she leaves it up to a team of others.

She is on set there just like everyone else and after each take you have the opportunity to see what was just shot. She could have been going "I look stiff in this dance, we should try it again" or "I look kind of akward walking down the street and touching myself so much, we should shoot one more take." But it seems that apparently that type of self criticism isn't happening? Or maybe she honestly does like the way MW and this looks?

btw, I actually do like this PV though. It's just frustrating that it could have easily been great but wasn't.

[milky_way]

It's a step up from MW, and that's all that matters to me.

[polka-dot-jewel]

Visual-wise, the PV is very beautiful. It definitely reminds me of China from the 1930's. True, Ayu walking through the street in the beginning is a bit weird, but other than that, the rest of the PV is really, really nice. I do love the song more now that I've watched the PV.

[pchan1986]

ayus gorgeous but WHAT THE HECK DOES THE PV MEAN??!!!! @_________@

[evolutionricky]

I enjoyed it

[Aozora]

I do not like this directorrrr .

Someone commented about how we are not appreciating subtlety? Having Ayu dance with a woman for the entire second chorus is not subtle.

I honestly think they focused TOO MUCH on homosexuality if that was the "subtle message" of this PV.

No matter what the message was... there was a lot more that could have been done with the PV. And I mean, they spent all that time and energy in the amazing beginning scenes of Shanghai only for it to appear for... 30 seconds? It's like the director was all excited and then after the first day decided he was getting tired and to rush it a little.

[thesilentspeaker]

geez, this PV is something different from her previous PVs..

thought that:

- her walking down the street was a lil' exaggerated..
- the dancers dancing outside the club was rather random
- Gomi and zin (was it him? i couldnt really see) dancing in the changing room was also random.
- her touching Midoring's face was really intimate, as though touchin a real man's
- liked the setting..

liked it..

[Connected]

Originally Posted by Aozora

I do not like this directorrrr .

Someone commented about how we are not appreciating subtlety? Having Ayu dance with a woman for the entire second chorus is not subtle.

I honestly think they focused TOO MUCH on homosexuality if that was the "subtle message" of this PV.

No matter what the message was... there was a lot more that could have been done with the PV. And I mean, they spent all that time and energy in the amazing beginning scenes of Shanghai only for it to appear for... 30 seconds? It's like the director was all excited and then after the first day decided he was getting tired and to rush it a little.

Well, personally I thought the message was quite clear. That's why I was surprised that many people didn't get it; apparently it was too subtle for them.

Another thing that I discovered that can contribute to the "homosexuality/repressed feelings" theme: Shuya drawing a mustache (a defining trait of masculinality) on his face, as a mask for his (supposed) homosexuality...

[kawmei]

The first time I watched it I didn't like it. I didn't get what was going on. The second time was way better, I got almost all of the story, but now I was dizzy. The camera moves so fast in the first minutes.
The settings and the costumes were great, but the direction was bad.

BUT I like it xD

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by Connected

Well, personally I thought the message was quite clear. That's why I was surprised that many people didn't get it; apparently it was too subtle for them.

Another thing that I discovered that can contribute to the "homosexuality/repressed feelings" theme: Shuya drawing a mustache (a defining trait of masculinality) on his face, as a mask for his (supposed) homosexuality...

Good point