Promotional Videos
Thus far, Ayumi Hamasaki's musical career has spawned 30+ full-length promotional videos, two short films, and a handful of commercial-length "mini videos". A vast majority of Ayu's videos are directed by Wataru Takeishi.
A major complaint you'll often hear about Ayu's videos -- especially those directed by Wataru -- is that they aren't particularly exciting. Not only are rare moments of action shot in slow motion, but there is a definite favoritism towards long pans of still scenery with Ayu as the only person on the screen. Sometimes the atmosphere works, sometimes it doesn't. Since 2003 she has begun working with a slightly wider range of directors which has essentially left fans with three types of videos:
- The "solo" videos alluded to earlier in which she is the lone inhabitant of a surreal, uninviting local. This can be anything from a ship-wrecked beach to a bizarre... well, I was going to say "Magritte-esque house", but all of these videos strive to look Magritte-esque, now that I think about it. These are particularly characteristic of her early career. ("poker face", "YOU","Daybreak" etc)
- The "face in a crowd" video in which Ayu is again alone... but now she's alone in a sea of people instead of a ship-wrecked beach. These videos are usually slow and sometimes directly address the stress of her fame. She is usually the only ethnically Asian character on screen at any one time. These videos were especially common during the height of her popularity. ("Dearest", "", "Together When...")
- The "dance" video is becoming increasingly popular, presumably in an effort to create a stronger tie between her annual live tours and recorded works. These videos feature her touring dance troupe in fun and often sunny locals like Hawaii. With GUILTY's notably darker tone, we have seen a little more variety in these videos than the usual summer dance party; darker videos like "talkin' 2 myself" and "Marionette" have showcased some of their most exciting choreography yet, and they've been able to successfully incorporate it into her live show.("fairyland", "BLUE BIRD", "talkin' 2 myself")
Complete PV Guide organized by chapter
Intrigued?
Although all of Ayu's PVs have been released on DVD, they've been posted for streaming at the official 10th Anniversary site, ayumi hamasaki Digital Museum.
