Dragging this back into Namie territory...

Just watched this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1h0V90ilgM

And realized how fucking incredible the last 10 years of her career have been compared to any other part of it. It's hard to look at those clips and realize that Namie wasn't just peaking after Ayu, Koda, and so many others veritably fell off in popularity... but that Namie was actually peaking in every aspect of her career during the last ten years. These were her most invested PVs, outfits, routines, looks, albums, and singles -- it was like the first 15 years of her career were her building up to what happened over the last 10. And now I feel like I missed out on so much of this because I didn't give more of these singles a chance.

I stepped in and out at times. I was dancing to VIOLET SAUCE when PLAY hit #1. I was in love with Hide & Seek. And I remember when 60s 70s 80s became her first #1 single in years. And I loved WHAT A FEELING and the two bonus tracks that ended up on BEST FICTION. I also was around when PAST < FUTURE came out. And then again when Uncontrolled and then FEEL came out. I remember when ONLY YOU hit JPopAsia. I also remember being disappointed that she didn't put the Japanese edits of Yeah-Oh and Go Round on Uncontrolled. And I was there for FEEL and fell in love with Contrail. I remember LOVING the Big Boys Cry video and actually getting teary-eyed when I first heard the b-side Beautiful. And really, if I think about it, I actually really liked every single one of her singles since 60s 70s 80s. There isn't a single one of them that I can look back and say I had even a "meh" reaction to.

I just don't know why I wasn't tuning in more.

What I am absolutely never going to forget was when Christmas Wish was released. I remember literal spasms the first time that chorus kicked in and I was sitting there just telling myself, "OK. OK. What is this song?! HOW DID YOU DO THIS SONG?!" Have not forgotten it. Unique feeling I only remember having for the very first time I heard Ayumi Hamasaki, the song was "Moments", and I had no clue what I was listening to or watching, but that I was absolutely gobsmacked at how perfect everything came together.

I kinda wish I would have kept my eyes glued to these threads more! Been a part of the excitement and happiness when new PVs came along, stayed on top of the tours, and whatever.

Anyway, moment of reflection. It's just kind of awesome to think she didn't just come back from obscurity, she Came Back, and then she CAME BACK, and then she CAME. BACK.

Oh man, since he produced for Namie I thought it ok to mention here but just found out on twitter that Tetsuya Komuro will retire.
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1741455
Apparently it's because he had an affair?

Crazy coincidence they'll be retiring the same year.

Ah, now I understand Timmy´s post on FB.
So in Japan you have to end your career when you have an affair? O.o

Not true . When the tabloids exposed Becky & Gesu no Kiwami Otome / indigo la End frontman Kawatani Enon relationship (at that time Enon was still married and the tabloids dug up more dirt where Enon sent LINE messages to Becky to say that he will tell his now ex wife to submit a 'thesis' aka divorce papers) , Becky bore the blunt of things as her squeaky clean image was tarnished significantly

On the other end while both Gesu no Kiwami Otome + indigo la End went on brief hiatuses , both bands continue on shortly as though nothing happened which I thought it was really unfair for Becky to take most of the hit even though end of the day both of them were in the wrong

That said , it's a bit sad to know due to an extra martial affair that the tabloids exposed , Tetsuya Komuro chose to retire & not give KEIKO a public apology

Nope, this is pretty much a first as far as I'm aware, at least for men. It makes me think he was just ready to retire anyway because men cheat on their wives all the time over there with little to no consequence.

This really does just, along with Namie's retirement, put a bookend on the heisei era. Smap retiring, then Namie, now Komuro; the age really has changed.

It was extremely unfair that Becky's career took more damage. You had people calling the television network demanding she be taken off air, meanwhile Enon had fans telling him "we support you."

I think he was ready to retire as well, as it was quite surprising to hear that the affair led to this. I don't really believe it.

-

Anyway, what are some of the songs everyone really hopes will be performed at Finally? Right now I just really need Girl Talk *_* but I don't think that song will make it.

I think he decided to retire because everyone loves KEIKO and no one will like to work with him again. And that's his second public mistake so I'm glad he's out of business.

Well said. He should have used this opportunity to apologise to her instead of hiding under the retirement announcement.

If that were the case, I honestly think it would have already happened with his fraud scandal, his drug scandal, or his other various cheating scandals.

I know she performs it a lot, but I really want to see ROCK U. That song is always high energy and super hyped so I'd love to be able to rock out to it in person now that I'm going. :banana1

Defend Love would be a great surprise too.

I'd actually love if the majority of the tour ended up being super high energy / dance heavy. It's her last tour, so instead of everyone crying as she no doubt performs all her classic hits before tearing our hearts out completely by singing Finally lmao, we should just be rocking out to all her bangers instead and having the best 2 hours of our life. :banana2

I'm also betting Baby Don't Cry will appear in the encore before the concert ends haha

Yeah both parties were in the wrong (let alone Becky said she already knew Enon was married quite sometime into their relationship) so for her to take most of the hit while Enon got away relatively scot free , it was so awful

I don't understand the way Japan works at times (like they can turn a blind eye on adult porn related matters but when comes to drug charges , it's at the other end of the spectrum) and sadly sexism especially if you're female & mixed , you still don't get the same level of respect as compared to your male counterparts

Also both parties didn't suffer , Enon's ex wife also did & I think she was being led on a three wheeler ride which she didn't deserved

Yeah it's not very hard to issue a public apology that you do in person instead of sending a fax to the media isn't it ?

The fact that TK chose to retire instead of outright apologise publicly to KEIKO , that I feel it's a real coward move to do

And I'm afraid that in future for male artistes who get caught cheating by the tabloids will follow the same way that TK does :no

But he did apologize to Keiko in his press conference.
It's also up on Japanese websites.

Yeah, technically he did. I didn't watch the whole thing, but at the very beginning, he lists her among several other people he feels he should apologize to. So I guess that counts?

Honestly, whether he apologized to her or not means very little imo. If I were her, I'd probably be pissed one way or another because I would just think the only reason he is apologizing is because he got caught and apologizing publicly is what he is expected to do to help save face in Japanese culture. I'd have a real hard time believing that that was sincere, so I'd probably be more like shove your apology, lol.

Now, to turn this back to Namie - it's doubtful it would happen, but hopefully this doesn't effect her retirement too badly in terms of what songs she performs, et cetera.

Oh, this was just stating a fact I've read on Japanese news sites. No judging there from my side at all.
I personally never liked him much anyway, so this doesn't really change anything for me. It's one more bad thing he did.
Even though I also think this definitely wasn't the (only) reason to retire for him. Maybe it is good for Japan that he does though and it leads people to think a bit stricter about cheating in the future (wishful thinking).

Considering his big influence on the music scene and the amount of songs he wrote, I don't think anything will change in regards to artists like Namie continue to sing his songs. Ayu already posted, that she will continue e.g.
His fraud crime didn't change anything as well and , economically, this was much worse than his "private cheating".

Still no news on her Asia tour? I completely forgot she was touring Asia, checked her website, and the first date is apparently in Shanghai on 17th March, just under 2 months. I'm wondering if they'll be cancelled, seems far too soon with no ticket info :S

http://contents.namieamuro.jp/live/finally_in_asia.html

Is she popular enough in China and Taiwan to justify two arena shows? I'm really thinking of trying to get tickets to Taipei (it's only slightly more than me travelling to Osaka within Japan :P ), but hopes aren't too high after the disaster last time and lack of info still.

I wonder if she'd take the same show or an arena adaptation overseas, or whether it would just be her and her dancers?

I want to dance a lot and have a great time and then I want her to sing Finally last so I can bawl my eyes out, lol.

I have high hopes for Baby Don't Cry as it was such a success! One of my favorite Namie songs <3

http://contents.namieamuro.jp/live/finally_in_asia.html

Seems like they added an additional Hong Kong performance.

And the lottery for those 2 dates start later today at 6pm for fanspace members!

Honestly I wouldn't recommend you to try getting tickets for her overseas dates as 1stly the venues are much smaller than Dome (except for Beijing's Bird Nest Stadium which's probably on par capacity wise but Namie is not performing in Beijing)

Also you have to get through language barriers again . Only if you're decently fluent or fluent in Mandarin , let alone Cantonese dialect then you should try your luck to ballot for the tickets

If not don't , just stick with the domestic Dome venues but then again with tickets already so hard to get for Namie's last domestic tour , overseas will be much harder as general sale for overseas dates is based on 1st come 1st serve basis unlike domestic tour where it's balloting

^ I think arena could be better than dome, as there's more chance of being closer to the stage. Very few artists use a dome/stadium to make a more impressive show. Language barrier would be an issue though haha.

I'd have got a dome ticket if I could, but lost in the ballot twice. I haven't seen a single ticket relisted, so not sure if restrictions on them really do mean they can't be resold, which seems odd. Was really looking forward to seeing her and didn't think getting a ticket would be this hard :(

Arena is much smaller than Dome and proximity wise it's better but it's hard to say as it also depends on where you're seated within the Arena venue

Someone like Namie wouldn't do a tour in Premium like venues as these venues only can accommodate at most less than 500 people but the big trade off is that you will be super near her away from the stage unlike in an Arena let alone a Dome & Stadium where you will feel so far away from her

I thought getting tickets to her tour dates in Sapporo & Fukuoka Domes would be slightly easier unlike Kyocera Dome Osaka , Nagoya & let alone Tokyo Dome but guess not but I suppose at this point in time , having a ticket (without you knowing how good/bad your seat is about 2 weeks prior to the concert) is better than nothing