Rock'n'Roll Circus - album information and covers [XII]

[roanmy]

^No I really like him, too!

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by bluegie

As a hikki fan for over 10 yrs.. (tbh) I never find hikki beautiful (like.. when she stands next to ayu). Don't throw rocks at me cuz I love hikki as much as I love ayu.. . But when I started becoming their fans in 1999, hikki struck me as a talent singer, while ayu was the beauty and fashion queen, with talent in writing lyrics .

Oh talking about hikki.. she did have her "kazu", but kiriya san did a much much better job on making pvs. FINAL DISTANCE, traveling, Sakura Drops, DEEP RIVER, BML, Passion, Keep Tryin' are all above standards. I dun wanna say this but watching hikki washing dishes in Hikari pv is better than watching ayu making weird poses in Sparkle..

I personally never throw rocks at anyone. xD
(The varioations though were to normally show that each artist has fans that feels they have the duty to protect them not just be ellegance & beauty).

And even though your way of seeing ayu was "beauty and fashion with talent in writing lyrics" you still love her music and like her as a singer until today.

Oh I'm sure kiriya isn't all the flailing type

Well I liked Sparkle PV so I don't really have a comment for that. Your personal taste. =D

Originally Posted by HarukaKamiya

I am the only one who actually really likes Kazu's PVs? They are fun, they are different. Not everything Ayu does HAS to have this uber deep subtext. Sometimes all she wants to tell you is to have fun.

*shrug* Exaggerated or not, the PVs he directed are actually some of my favorite PVs of hers.

You're definitely not the only one.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by HarukaKamiya

I am the only one who actually really likes Kazu's PVs?

I believe there will always be more than a dozen of people who like kazu's pvs, and there's nothing wrong with it. People have different points of view on what the pv they should expect (arts, entertainment value, meaning of the pv, etc.)

Probly someone should make a "loving kazu fan club" in the chat forum and see how many join .

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by bluegie

Ayu's idea has always been shocking since 1999 (e.g, WHATEVER pv, TO BE pv, countless photo shoots, etc, just name a few). She did tone down herself a bit around 2006 - 2008 (as compared to the golden era). I dun mind seeing shock value from her as long as it's beyond standard (e.g., those ayu-mi-x II III 4+ covers, ourselves pv, alterna, etc.)

Well, yeah, they did... but at some point, if u don't go a step further, the shock value become common... I mean, after years of doing her dark, bizarre videos, something like 1Love or alterna seens to be just usual for her... And still, playing with her own image as an idol and with her own beauty is something somewhat recent... Even on her past videos that had shock value, she was always looking "beautiful and elegant"

But I confess I find it nice that her works are never all loved or all hated... on the day Ayu stops doing things that cause some controverse and discussion, she will die as an artist in my eyes xD

[love in music]

Originally Posted by HarukaKamiya

I am the only one who actually really likes Kazu's PVs? They are fun, they are different. Not everything Ayu does HAS to have this uber deep subtext. Sometimes all she wants to tell you is to have fun.

*shrug* Exaggerated or not, the PVs he directed are actually some of my favorite PVs of hers.

I like his PV's and she has way worse PV's than the ones directed by him. My least favorite of his is GREEN because I didn't think it fit the song much. MW is one of my favorites of hers, and Lady Dynamite is another one of my favorites now

I just have issues with a lot of his photo shoots.

[bluegie]

^^Well yeah I agree. She did look very pretty even in those shocking videos.
But I hope turning herself "ugly" is not her nowadays shock value . Well she doesn't look ugly at all in kazu's pv, what I hate is just the acting method. That's all.

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

And even though your way of seeing ayu was "beauty and fashion with talent in writing lyrics" you still love her music and like her as a singer until today.

Of course I LOVE her music, or else I wouldn't be here . (WHATEVER music striking through my head rite now... da da da da da da da... It's pretty random).

[Kazeyomi]

Kazu is a photographer. He works by images mostly.

It's not his own fault because he has mental diseases LOL but that's just his way of working. His PVs are really good for colors, outfits, and effects in my opinion. Ayu overracting is annoying, I can't deny this but I don't care at all.
I mean.. his PVs are rely to images more than messages, most of the times.
That's mostly because he's a photographer first and not a director.
About his photos, they are very plastic fake looking, but it's just his style.
Sometimes are fugly sometime are good.

He's not my favourite photographer or director, but I don't see the point to bashing him EVERYTIME just because you don't like his works.
Just say 'I don't like him because..' and don't act like an hysteric fangirl :|

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by bluegie

^^Well yeah I agree. She did look very pretty even in those shocking videos.
But I hope turning herself "ugly" is not her nowadays shock value . Well she doesn't look ugly at all in kazu's pv, what I hate is just the acting method. That's all.

Well, she is being the total oposite of "beautiful and elegant" sometimes xD Actually, she is trying to do so for a while (Startin' make me thinks about it), but maybe just now she found a director that match with her ideas...

Anyway, Kazu haters tend to exagerate his participation on her videography, he only directed 4 of her PVs, and not even on NEXT LEVEL where he was more present, he directed most of the videos... from MW to now, he directed only 4 of the 15 pvs she did...

The PVs I've seen so far are like Runway shows for things, lessons, clothes, and kick-ass song lyrics she thought about while in London. "Lady Dynamite," has to grow on me, and I love how we get to see more of Ayu's dancers (Especially Shu-ya, but that's just the fangirl in me speaking ) bust a move! LOL

I love the overall message about the power of being a woman-no matter what kind of woman you are, you are a strong, Dynamite Lady-in this album.

"Sexy Little Things" PV was the fashion show with clothes and lyrics I had in mind. I like Lady Gaga and Ayumi, but to me and what I expect from them both, they're completely unique and wonderful artists in my eyes.

Just my 2 cents.

[JackieRos]

Originally Posted by HarukaKamiya

I am the only one who actually really likes Kazu's PVs? They are fun, they are different.

I love his pvs just Lady Dynamite is a pv that I would love to hate but
I can't

my favorite pv of his was sparkle

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Well, she is being the total oposite of "beautiful and elegant" sometimes xD Actually, she is trying to do so for a while (Startin' make me thinks about it), but maybe just now she found a director that match with her ideas...

Anyway, Kazu haters tend to exagerate his participation on her videography, he only directed 4 of her PVs, and not even on NEXT LEVEL where he was more present, he directed most of the videos... from MW to now, he directed only 4 of the 15 pvs she did...

Hmmn.. I dun find Startin' ugly, probly not really elegant. And I think she was doing "beautiful and diva-ish/cutie" for the past few years instead of fashion geek. I gotta admit that her ideas are different than what she used to be, which is logical. She can't be always following the same type.

Based on her current music creations and her look, I think she's moving to another direction. That's probly why she didn't use kazu that much in her upcoming album (1/7 pvs directed by him). She did used him a lot in 2008/2009. 3 pvs (MW wasn't on NL, but I still count it in NL era), and tons of photo shootings. I liked MW, Days, and NL covers. I dun really like any magazine pics from him.

[Crystal_Ageha]

Wait, so all the PVs Kazy did..... I know he did Lady Dynamite and Sparkle, of course, along with Mirrorcle World... He also did Startin'..??? Are those all..? I LOVE the Startin' PV!!! So the only one he did that I'm not big on is Mirrorcle World, and that's just because a few parts are boring... But the parts I do like, they're really good. I have no problem with his PVs, at all. I don't have a problem, in general, with his photography, either. I loooove so many shoots he did with other people. It's just that, he often doesn't work well with Ayu in pictures.... He has had a few good ones, though.
Looking back at all he's done, I don't know why there's such an extreme hate for him, lol. :\ The Sunrise/Sunset covers, I guess...? What little is wrong those covers (yeah, I'm one of the people who thinks you guys are exaggerating, eh heh ^^'), it seems like it's all the makeup, pretty much. And maybe the hair. Not the photographer, though.. Because, I mean, all the pictures around that time, she looked the same, and, to me, the problem was always with her awful~ makeup, or how her fringe was cut.

[Tom Punks]

^ No, he didn't do Startin'. I love Startin' though. It's so clever.

[truehappiness]

Startin' was done by Takahide Ishii (his first PV with Ayu)...

And after Startin', he did Born To Be..., BLUE BIRD, Beautiful Fighters with Luis Hernandez, momentum, part of Me, Together When..., (don't) Leave me alone, Days, and BALLAD... I think that's it.

Shimoko did NOT do anything before 2008.

RANDOM NOTE ABOUT ISHII:
Ayu and Ishii had known each other since she was in high school and they decided to work together based on the fact that they knew each other and he was a director and she was a singer. -facepalm-

[GRACE]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Startin' was done by Takahide Ishii (his first PV with Ayu)...

And after Startin', he did Born To Be..., BLUE BIRD, Beautiful Fighters with Luis Hernandez, momentum, part of Me, Together When..., (don't) Leave me alone, Days, and BALLAD... I think that's it.

Shimoko did NOT do anything before 2008.

RANDOM NOTE ABOUT ISHII:
Ayu and Ishii had known each other since she was in high school and they decided to work together based on the fact that they knew each other and he was a director and she was a singer. -facepalm-

So basically Ishii is the only time Friends+Her Career has turned out good right?

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by Tom Punks

^ No, he didn't do Startin'. I love Startin' though. It's so clever.

I like Startin' as well except the CG was a bit lame..

Originally Posted by truehappiness

RANDOM NOTE ABOUT ISHII:
Ayu and Ishii had known each other since she was in high school and they decided to work together based on the fact that they knew each other and he was a director and she was a singer. -facepalm-

So his name is Ishii. I always forgot his name. Ah remember back in a few years lots of people didn't really like him because his pvs wasn't up to ayu's usual standard?

See, recently ayu always hire people because they're her friends. I didn't know Ishii is her friend, but everyone knows kazu is her friend and that's why she let him do MW pv. I think some of us have already discussed the problem about ayu always hire friends to work, not the professional people. And once she works long enough with them, they sorta become a family. You expect to see shuya/jin/maro/midori/etc around ayu, the band, peco and princess, and now kazu.

Dunno if this is a good thing or not, but if she's happy with it, we should be happy for her.

[HarukaKamiya]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

RANDOM NOTE ABOUT ISHII:
Ayu and Ishii had known each other since she was in high school and they decided to work together based on the fact that they knew each other and he was a director and she was a singer. -facepalm-

That's... kind of cute, actually! XD

But, yeah, what someone else said: I like the fact that Kazu's PVs are really colorful. And there really are worse PVs than that. *cough*Bold & Delicious*cough* (although I do like the B&D PV for its liveliness XD;; Just saying)

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by bluegie

I like Startin' as well except the CG was a bit lame..



So his name is Ishii. I always forgot his name. Ah remember back in a few years lots of people didn't really like him because his pvs wasn't up to ayu's usual standard?

See, recently ayu always hire people because they're her friends. I didn't know Ishii is her friend, but everyone knows kazu is her friend and that's why she let him do MW pv. I think some of us have already discussed the problem about ayu always hire friends to work, not the professional people. And once she works long enough with them, they sorta become a family. You expect to see shuya/jin/maro/midori/etc around ayu, the band, peco and princess, and now kazu.

Dunno if this is a good thing or not, but if she's happy with it, we should be happy for her.

Maybe so but such things are just temporary as it seems.
Unlike 2008-2009 where she let him make some PVs and a lot of photoshoots for her (also NL's album's covers and booklet) this year she toned it down with him, he only did 1 PV for the album, and the album's covers and booklet and her recent and future photoshoots are shot by ND CHOW, the rest of the album's PVs by different directors.

Probably because he didn't fit to the whole theme or things she wanted to do (except for Lady Dynamite which she found him fitting for that) naturally.

[truehappiness]

Ah remember back in a few years lots of people didn't really like him because his pvs wasn't up to ayu's usual standard?

Yes. 2005 - 2006 was basically ALL ISHII. ALL THE TIME. And people wanted to kick him out. Just like Shimoko, but on a lower level because he wasn't making Ayu look like Shakira.

[Crystal_Ageha]

Originally Posted by Tom Punks

^ No, he didn't do Startin'. I love Startin' though. It's so clever.

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Startin' was done by Takahide Ishii (his first PV with Ayu)...

And after Startin', he did Born To Be..., BLUE BIRD, Beautiful Fighters with Luis Hernandez, momentum, part of Me, Together When..., (don't) Leave me alone, Days, and BALLAD... I think that's it.

Shimoko did NOT do anything before 2008.

RANDOM NOTE ABOUT ISHII:
Ayu and Ishii had known each other since she was in high school and they decided to work together based on the fact that they knew each other and he was a director and she was a singer. -facepalm-

Aa, okay. Well, I really love a lot of Takahide's PVs, too, then!! Startin', Beautiful Fighters, momentum, Days, BALLAD... Oh my gosh. (I really like the others, too. )

Originally Posted by GRACE

So basically Ishii is the only time Friends+Her Career has turned out good right?

Lol. Sad, but pretty true. -_-' *coughPeco&Princesscough *