[News] ARENA TOUR 2016 GOODS

[js_surrealism]

^ Really? Ok. Whatever rocks your boat. I also thought the CDM aesthetic was ugly af, but this is on a whole new level. Hopefully the tour itself will be better than the merchandise design.

To me, her last good tour was Hotel Love Songs. Everything else? Could do without.

[truehappiness]

I think she's done pretty well with the last tour. A BEST LIVE and PREMIUM SHOWCASE were also pretty well done. The image though for Cirque with the goods for both CDL and ARENA TOUR however did NOT match the concert at all. The concert felt a bit luxe while the goods looked like someone went on MS Paint and attempted to make a "casino" image. Personally, I wish someone had never made that fan design so she would not have been "inspired" by it.

[Fubuki]

Oh my, it's ages since I need a sports towel and now ayu's tempting me so much... too bad I probably won't need one anymore. Pouches are lovely too.

By the way it's interesting to see so many people who know how ayu sees Japan so much better than ayu herself.

[truehappiness]

Always nice to get the towel though in case you need it in the future~

[//ABEST]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think she's done pretty well with the last tour. A BEST LIVE and PREMIUM SHOWCASE were also pretty well done. The image though for Cirque with the goods for both CDL and ARENA TOUR however did NOT match the concert at all. The concert felt a bit luxe while the goods looked like someone went on MS Paint and attempted to make a "casino" image. Personally, I wish someone had never made that fan design so she would not have been "inspired" by it.

PSC's goods fitted perfectly tour's theme imo. i loved the tour & almost every good she came out with

[truehappiness]

I thought she hit it out of the park with MADE IN TOKYO too. Very nice and visually appealing for the most part.

[Aderianu]

I would like to see one of the images as cover for DVD

[truehappiness]

Probably will be if she plans it like Cirque CDL, I think.

[spanishfan]

Originally Posted by chocopockymaster

Well...I'm glad it's not pink.

That's about the only nice thing I have to say right now.

That's like the best part of everything. But now I'll have to buy every single colour of the towel and t-shirts

Can't wait to see how the paipai is!

[~angel*ayumi~]

I NEED the pamphlet! <3

btw goods sale starts on 13th may 19.00
10th May is only the opening of the page and reval of more goods.

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by Aderianu

Photos from the same photoshoot


photographer Hidekazu Maiyama

I really really love the feeling pictures like this give off as well as the ones used on the tour goods. I can't place the feeling exactly, but it's nice, it feels old (like vintage) but that old. They all feel like pictures she would have taken in her early years. I usually like her more elaborate imagery and was tired of simplicity on albums like sixxxxxx, but this feels right. It's like the simplicity has more of a purpose and is executed better.
Those towels are to die for. I really love the sunglasses pictures as well. They give me the same feeling.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Made in Japan is like saying, "Made in China," something you would see on an item in the store. (I'm not saying this as a fact but rather how I interpreted it before) I am very astonished by peoples' responses to these goods and the theme.

Just think about Ayu and what her career has been.

She JUST re-released A BEST, an album that forced her to deal with the concept of person vs. product. Throughout her career, I feel like she has struggled to be her own person instead of a product of Avex (or the Japanese media for that matter). Now, she constantly has to recreate her image so that the public might feel better about her.

I love the look she's gone for, especially the shots from the photo shoot. She is so plainly her, simple and to the point. I've always liked how over-the-top glamorous and shiny she's been before but this view of her is also really exciting IMO. I don't find it boring because I feel like there's a bit more artistic merit behind it.

I find it almost crazy how some people are so disappointed that her theme doesn't appear to be more traditionally Japanese inspired.

To quote primavera♥ above me:
"I really really love the feeling pictures like this give off as well as the ones used on the tour goods. I can't place the feeling exactly, but it's nice, it feels old (like vintage) but that old. They all feel like pictures she would have taken in her early years. I usually like her more elaborate imagery and was tired of simplicity on albums like sixxxxxx, but this feels right. It's like the simplicity has more of a purpose and is executed better.
Those towels are to die for. I really love the sunglasses pictures as well. They give me the same feeling."

This is exactly how I feel.

Some of it actually really resembles Ayu from A Song for XX, which I felt about the magazine shoot as well.

gosh, I'm just really intrigued by all of this.

[Yoake]

Originally Posted by Corvina

Pop art again?
She really likes it it seems.
Also shirts with block pictures again. Would prefer pics, which are all over the shirt like Big Bang is currently selling them (and she already had them).

She could have gone with a simplistic version of japanese arts for her goods as a modern take. Or with something like Takeshi Murakami for the opposite.
Hm, a bit boring like it is now, though the pics are alright- she looks great.
Love that there is a pamphlet again!

Btw. the link in the first post doesn't work.

If she did that, there would be a big number of members who would be in shock I think

Originally Posted by Aderianu

that is her view on Japan, and it's different from stereotypes and how we overseas fans see it

Agree with you.

Originally Posted by nalini-dahlia

Made in Japan is like saying, "Made in China," something you would see on an item in the store. (I'm not saying this as a fact but rather how I interpreted it before) I am very astonished by peoples' responses to these goods and the theme.

Just think about Ayu and what her career has been.

She JUST re-released A BEST, an album that forced her to deal with the concept of person vs. product. Throughout her career, I feel like she has struggled to be her own person instead of a product of Avex (or the Japanese media for that matter). Now, she constantly has to recreate her image so that the public might feel better about her.

I love the look she's gone for, especially the shots from the photo shoot. She is so plainly her, simple and to the point. I've always liked how over-the-top glamorous and shiny she's been before but this view of her is also really exciting IMO. I don't find it boring because I feel like there's a bit more artistic merit behind it.

I find it almost crazy how some people are so disappointed that her theme doesn't appear to be more traditionally Japanese inspired.

Your interpretation is interesting.

[truehappiness]

I think now more than ever, she's got the vibe that Ayu is now the same as Hamasaki Ayumi. Though the last time she thought that they were 'separate entities' was probably sometime in 2005 or 2006.

[Evolution7/4]

Yikes

[JackieRos]

AAAA the never ending lips.


I do love the bag though!

[truehappiness]

I looked at upcoming goods, and it seems we'll be getting a long-style bomber jacket, keychains, and heart shaped rice crackers among other things when they update.

[Tomoyo]

i actually wouldn't mind the pamphlet photo as the cover of the album. NGL.

[pimenta]

I wonder how big the bag is... I really want it, but I hope it's not too huge (though it probably is).

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

People wanting ninja Ayu riding Godzilla while eating sushi...

It does feel like that from some of the comments around here...

[luna7996]

When was the last time we got a pamphlet? So exciting! I want it!

As for the rest of the goods....I just don't like goods with pics of the artist. Never have, never will. They are nice and the pictures are good, its just not to my taste.