Return Road PV thoughts

[Larien]

Originally Posted by YUKARI

^^ I was talking only about the photo. For me it's OK if this song was about the relationship between her and Mannie, but why omg why did she use THAT photo again? it just makes everything too obvious, too manufactured. I wish she didn't, seriously. This ruins the very good impression the PV makes. as soon as everyone understands that Return Road is connected with Mannie I wish she didn't make it THAT obvious. that's why I got this feeling that she just uses her private life to gain more attention and etc.

I wonder though...it's obvious to us, but would people who aren't such huge Ayu fans notice, do you think? The picture's pretty obscured.

[Sirea]

Originally Posted by Larien

I wonder though...it's obvious to us, but would people who aren't such huge Ayu fans notice, do you think? The picture's pretty obscured.

I agree. We all knew what it was instantly because we've seen it a thousand times, but people who aren't as obsessed as we are (haha ) might have only seen the picture one or two times on the news in Japan or something, if at all.

To ayu, it was probably a message to those who know her situation better, who have followed it more closely, without making it obvious to everyone else.

[YUKARI]

yeah, I know, people who are not her big fans won't notice it... I just dislike the WHOLE idea of using it

[CHE.R.RY]

Originally Posted by Kana×Shin

so boring and don't like the PV

I agree ugh...other than HBYA, I don't like the PVs for this album so far .

[Sirea]

I just had a realization though that sort of pulls it together in my head.

I can see and agree with the parallels people are drawing between the PV and the Fukushima disaster, but I don't think many people are considering some aspects of the PV. If you notice, it was as though, through the PV, ayu was being torn apart by this disaster. She was wearing a dress that looked both like a mourning gown (mourning the victims of the disaster) and a black wedding dress (a sign of her divorce). As she's fighting through this disaster, she's also looking for someone (Mannie) to be there for her, since it seems as though everyone else around her can't see her at all and she feels alone.

Then the most striking thing: the photo itself, once it is found, is damaged and Mannie's face is faded away, because of the harsh conditions of the disaster.

I just found all of that to make a lot of sense to me. If you disagree, no worries. :3

[Deep snow]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

It's really bad and it's kinda tacky to film such a music video before even divorcing your husband...the impression I get is that Manny thought they were still cool and married what with Super Manny...

This is what popped up into my head after watching the ending, but not about how it was bad or tacky, but about how she'd thought about how she and Mannie had grown apart long before she made the divorce announcement. The thing with Super Manny is, then, confusing; how is Leslie still giving ayu Super Manny and Super Ayu as presents when he was there with ayu in London the whole time? I assume Leslie didn't know about the whole separation? I'm confused.

Anyway, I like the video. ayu has enough screentime I think, and she nailed every second. I really love the part when she walked out of the tank with her veil blown so absolutely beautifully. She looks gorgeous (and I hate the fact that she took the sleeves off during the night scene).

There's something about her crying that looks very genuine; so much so that it even almost drove me to tears. She looks very, very sad. And the scene where she was scanning the factory workers passing her by is just so well done; her crying, you guys HER CRYING.

Return Road doesn't disappoint.

[YUKARI]

Originally Posted by Deep snow

Anyway, I like the video. ayu has enough screentime I think, and she nailed every second. I really love the part when she walked out of the tank with her veil blown so absolutely beautifully. She looks gorgeous (and I hate the fact that she took the sleeves off during the night scene).

There's something about her crying that looks very genuine; so much so that it even almost drove me to tears. She looks very, very sad. And the scene where she was scanning the factory workers passing her by is just so well done; her crying, you guys HER CRYING.

Return Road doesn't disappoint.

mte!

[relmy]

Originally Posted by emi♡

Together, they're just too much for me. Too much over-contrived everything. And you know, that's okay. It conveys her feelings well enough and it's successful.

It's just not for me anymore.

^ this.

The PV resembled a low budget episode of Dr Who. I like Dr Who's campy sci-fi fun, but it's not really what I expect to see in a music video that's trying to be the serious business.

[Michan]

I liked return road pv more than nanana actually. I love how meaningful and deep is this one .

[Michan]

Originally Posted by Sirea

I just had a realization though that sort of pulls it together in my head.

I can see and agree with the parallels people are drawing between the PV and the Fukushima disaster, but I don't think many people are considering some aspects of the PV. If you notice, it was as though, through the PV, ayu was being torn apart by this disaster. She was wearing a dress that looked both like a mourning gown (mourning the victims of the disaster) and a black wedding dress (a sign of her divorce). As she's fighting through this disaster, she's also looking for someone (Mannie) to be there for her, since it seems as though everyone else around her can't see her at all and she feels alone.

Then the most striking thing: the photo itself, once it is found, is damaged and Mannie's face is faded away, because of the harsh conditions of the disaster.

I just found all of that to make a lot of sense to me. If you disagree, no worries. :3

I have the same impression as you of the pv and that's why I love it. I think she portrait her pain of that moment of her life very well ).

[ayu_ready?]

I really love both PV & song, they feel so 'old Ayu' I've been missing for ages!
see nothing bad with photo-showing. although, yes, I do understand why people might be frustrated
I think it has connection both to Fukushima and Ayu private life. I don't think the PV should have been more dramatic or smth.

as for interpretation, I see to it that Ayu was left alone during the nuclear disaster and stayed there for the people (the scene in the field or inside the building with the band) for whom she sang so that she could distact them from the problem (mini-explosions inside the building when she came in & started singing). When she stood there in the field with her CG image on the building in the background and people in the masks around felt like her concert performances, people in masks (Japan inhabitants suffering from the disaster) were her audience. but then people had to go (had to cope with the disaster and kinda go & fix it) like they leave after every concert and she was left alone. and then she was searching for that familiar face being alone. but she couldn't find 'him'. because he rejected her/escaped from her (the end scene of picking up the photo).

[MeyChan]

I'm in love with the song!! And de MV is sooo cool!! I really love it!
But I think it need more... takes? more....Ayu? Yeah!

[Mirrorcle Monster]

Is it true that Ryan erased one scene by mistake?

[pimenta]

I don't think the dress and the picture are supposed to be a connection with Virgin Road and Love song pvs, I think they're just symbols related to her marriage. When she met her husband for the Virgin Road pv she wore this white wedding dress, and now the same dress is black to represent the divorce.

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

My short thoughts:
The tank Ayu returns in is coming back to Japan (or decided to stay put) after the whole earthquake/tsunami disaster. Is she wearing black to mourn for the loss of her country? I can't 100% place my finger on it.

The situation in the nuclear power plant worsens. She decides she cannot leave Japan, and her heart is with the workers stuck there. A group of unknown volunteers (The Fukushima 50) assemble to continue to try to save the plant and Japan. Ayu was very impressed by the bravery they presented. She must have expected Mannie to come and support her through this difficult time. She goes through the unknown volunteers, hoping that one of them is Mannie and came to comfort her, but he cannot be found. She loses the picture, and loses her hope in him.

The person picking up the picture is MOST likely Mannie. However, we don't know if he was in that crew walking back to plant, or if he was just an outsider standing and observing. So it is kind of a double meaning. Maybe Mannie really didn't comfort Ayu and just stood and watched from afar. Or maybe this was Ayu's way of saying "You weren't there physically, but you were behind me 100%".

It's really left up for interpretation...

Originally Posted by ayu_ready?

as for interpretation, I see to it that Ayu was left alone during the nuclear disaster and stayed there for the people (the scene in the field or inside the building with the band) for whom she sang so that she could distact them from the problem (mini-explosions inside the building when she came in & started singing). When she stood there in the field with her CG image on the building in the background and people in the masks around felt like her concert performances, people in masks (Japan inhabitants suffering from the disaster) were her audience. but then people had to go (had to cope with the disaster and kinda go & fix it) like they leave after every concert and she was left alone. and then she was searching for that familiar face being alone. but she couldn't find 'him'. because he rejected her/escaped from her (the end scene of picking up the photo).

These are great interpretations! I totally agree with them.

[ayuuk]

Originally Posted by Deep snow

This is what popped up into my head after watching the ending, but not about how it was bad or tacky, but about how she'd thought about how she and Mannie had grown apart long before she made the divorce announcement. The thing with Super Manny is, then, confusing; how is Leslie still giving ayu Super Manny and Super Ayu as presents when he was there with ayu in London the whole time? I assume Leslie didn't know about the whole separation? I'm confused.

I'm confused too...

[Mari-chan]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

Caught it right away.

My short thoughts:
The tank Ayu returns in is coming back to Japan (or decided to stay put) after the whole earthquake/tsunami disaster. Is she wearing black to mourn for the loss of her country? I can't 100% place my finger on it.

The situation in the nuclear power plant worsens. She decides she cannot leave Japan, and her heart is with the workers stuck there. A group of unknown volunteers (The Fukushima 50) assemble to continue to try to save the plant and Japan. Ayu was very impressed by the bravery they presented. She must have expected Mannie to come and support her through this difficult time. She goes through the unknown volunteers, hoping that one of them is Mannie and came to comfort her, but he cannot be found. She loses the picture, and loses her hope in him.

The person picking up the picture is MOST likely Mannie. However, we don't know if he was in that crew walking back to plant, or if he was just an outsider standing and observing. So it is kind of a double meaning. Maybe Mannie really didn't comfort Ayu and just stood and watched from afar. Or maybe this was Ayu's way of saying "You weren't there physically, but you were behind me 100%".

It's really left up for interpretation...

Thanks for your opinion. I watched the video and was thinking "What does it means?" Sure... it should has to do with Fukushima... and Mannie.
Now.. I see it like Jin Hamasaki. But.. I still don't understand the musicans in the video.
But.. I really like watching it. And Ayu looks so greate with the long hair!

[MissElin_]

I think alot of it have to do with media also since she have wrote out in her lyrics (I don't know HOW many times but) something like "only the two of us will really know what happend" and "people will talk and think whatever about us". So these guys with covered mouths (media and people affected by the media don't speak for themselves but only says what other rumors say) in the electric part of the factory is the media.

When Ayu sings this powerful song in the factory the "power of music" makes the "media" crash down in their rooms. Like with this song she made them shut up cuz this is really just a matter that only Ayu and Mannie will understand.

Also the wedding dress is identical with the Virgin Road one but black so there's a definite connection there.

In the end Ayu runs around and seems to either drop the photo (it's on her chest near her heart) or it flies onto her but she don't notice it in the beginning while she runs amongs the line of marching men. She searches but can't find Mannie, cries. But Mannie finds the picture and pics it up. It's like how she lost her love for Mannie while searching for him (very typical for distance relationships).

I do also think that the tank symbolises Ayu and her choise to stay in Japan.

[Tom Punks]

I can't think of anything really wrong with the PV, but at the same time, I don't think it's good at all. There's nothing I like about it except the fact that it, for some reason, reminds me of LOVEppears era. I'll probably never watch it again, like all the PVs from FIVE. :\

[xLuna&1LOVE]

I got confused the first time, but I do not think it's too bad. I kind of.. do like it. And I love JimHamasaki's interpretation! It does really make sense

[Rurutia]

Originally Posted by YUKARI

^^ I was talking only about the photo. For me it's OK if this song was about the relationship between her and Mannie, but why omg why did she use THAT photo again? it just makes everything too obvious, too manufactured. I wish she didn't, seriously. This ruins the very good impression the PV makes. as soon as everyone understands that Return Road is connected with Mannie I wish she didn't make it THAT obvious. that's why I got this feeling that she just uses her private life to gain more attention and etc.

ok now you are being just downright silly and overdramatic. WHO CARES if she used an actual photo from her personal life. Like everybody else is saying, it may be a continuation of her other PV's. And another question i have is, how in the world does it make her PV manufactured and why does it mean she wants attention? I'm sorry, really sorry but that is just stupid.