I think it's just a product of her lifestyle and newfound comfort in her own skin IMO. Will take time to get back to her usual Ayuness from a 'reset'.

1) In 2003 but I heard her before (2001/2002)
2) Music, lyrics and the fact that when I became her fan she was involved in her music as composer, what makes me see her as true artist not just singer/performer (this is something I really missing in past years).
3) Depend.

2002? Or 2003. Probably right before A BALLADS was released.
Ayu's music had always been so lush, rich, and vast. Also, I've always been a fan of higher-pitched, emotional vocals. Ayu happened to embody everything I loved into a single package. Also, melancholy. Ayu owned that. She's still able to deliver on that from time to time, but I guess one reason I loved Ayu was because her music operated at 100%. I often felt the songs were birthed intricately and perfectly; like I couldn't image how they could have done anything differently. And the choruses were the best I ever heard. It felt like they were constructed logically. Like every note was either a call or answer to the previous/post, and it felt natural. Like each phrase in the melody, or even the layering behind the melody, made sense. It felt like they made you want something, and the delivered on it. I never felt that type of engagement before. Now, it doesn't happen as often but now and then she still delivers something that grazes the surface of that.

As far as change, no. I'm the kind of person who can eat the same dish everyday if I fucking love it. When it's perfect, why change it? It's like a good relationship; You don't go sniffing around for excitement or thrill when what you have delivers on every aspect so perfectly. I like to know what I'm getting because I've usually committed to it for a certain reason, and I want to continue receiving whatever it is that I was drawn to in the first place.

I'm open to change usually as long as it either improves on the original, or at least can tackle change while staying true to its core.

Very well said Zeke :love I agree with this view toward change as well.

Hm... I think with Ayu, a lot of change is more of a complete departure rather than trying to change something that was "originally a certain way" especially lately.

For her image and overall vibe now, she seems to have hit reset so last year we were on ASFXX mode and should be entering LOVEppears/Duty now.

I guess for me, a big part of why I love Ayu so much is that she is constantly changing even now but not as drastically as before image-wise of course. The only commonality between years now is concerts. a-nation, CDL, a tour... and everything else is a mystery!

+99999

This is what I've been thinking about her music since LOVE again..with the exception of Colours, which is not my taste at all, but I love it because it's so refreshing and bold.

Although I love "boring ballads", I want them to be strong and interesting like rainy day, Secret, walking proud, etc.

Honestly, Ayu always has a gem hidden on each album for me so that's why I'm still sticking around. I think A ONE as a whole is a boring mess but a Bell and Story we're some of my favorite songs from 2015. I do wish she would do another attempt at a Colours type release but only because I really enjoy EDM. I wouldn't mind another Terminal (if she controls her voice better lol) or Merry-go-round. Hell, she can keep working with DAISHI DANCE too. It's always nice to hear her spice things up. Tired of Yuta Nakano and tasuku lol

Won't there be a CDL15-16 MADE IN TOKYO release? :/

It's a shame that Story was stuck on an album with a bunch of ballads, many of which not nearly as good as it (the only other one I really loved was Walk). Like both of those songs would have felt more special if they didn't feel so tired on that album. I'm really hoping for a lot more with this next album.

Maybe in a combo-pack with the album, like Party Queen ...

^ no way! avex will do anything to milk some more money from fans

1) When did you become an Ayu fan?
around 2006 or 2007
2) Why do you like Ayu?
I see her as a strong, inspirational person who made "it" work when she came from nothing. And she doesn't even have to be the biggest star at the moment for her to try her hardest and for her to be sincere.

Her music is so enjoyable for me, even if I'm not listening to it too intently. I like to draw and write comics so when I'm in a mood and I'm working really hard, it's nice to have her albums playing in the background.

3) Do you see yourself as someone who enjoys change?

Typically, not too much, especially with real life issues. However, I accept it as it is. I enjoy at least something about each and every album she's released because I feel like she is trying to tell us something more about herself each time, even if it doesn't always come out in a good way.

Btw, I feel as though a change is happening with her new album. As someone said, she seemed to have hit reverse what with A One going back to ASFXX and then this new one looking as though it's also started over. (that's really hard to describe...) I am very excited about this change. I sense that she's had some kind of breakthrough.

I hate to sound...preachy or lame by saying this...but bear with me. When I took figure drawing, which was college level drawing III, we had to do gesture drawings of our nude models. We would do up to 50 a day and keep like...4. There were some of our gestures that were not great and would get thrown away but they did serve a purpose and that was getting us into our drawing "groove" and to teach us what was important in the human figure to place on the paper in 30 seconds. These 30 second drawings got us into practice for when we did say...2 hour drawings.

I learned a similar process in painting but in that class, you are expected to have finished pieces. We were expected to complete 5 paintings by the end of the semester, I did 10. Each painting added to the next one. I always take an idea and improve it. Except for some of the pieces in between where I completely threw out the main concept and did something totally different for exposure and experimentation.

I think about the way she does her music. I'm not going to say her last few albums have been more than spectacular. I liked A One as an idea but execution left me feeling frustrated. However, if all of those albums are practice for her to find what she truly likes or how she should truly sound, so be it. I like art a lot and chronology. I love seeing someone's process throughout their career. Ayu's an artists just like me and I understand what it means to "finish" something then feel like you're not finished at all, that you simply have to start up something new and take what you can from your past work or throw it out completely to force yourself to be honest or experimental.

I think it's just normal for any artists. (miss)understood is too good of an album and it'd be really, really hard for her to release something better than that. The same applies to Secret, which is in my opinion a masterpiece.

I agree! I'm always excited for her music because it's never completely disappointing. In the middle of not-so-good tracks there are always a couple of song that remind me why I'm a fan of hers. :yes

@nalini-dahlia
Very interesting analysis. It was nice to read.

Am I the only one who doesn't rate Story as highly as the other ballads on A One? I like Story but I rank Anything For You and Out of Control, especially, above it.

No, I agree with you. I don't think Story is very special. Out of control is the best song on the album for me. I love the classic nostalgic feeling, but it doesn't feel overdone.

Anything For You is nice but it drags on soooo much, I would never listen to it haha. Good for concerts I guess...

Just to answer point 2:

I love Ayu primarily because her music can contain strong statements. Sexy little things, Ladies Night, my name's WOMEN, XOXO and Real me are all very self-empowering. I can't find the same resonance with any other artist. Sadly lately none of her music really stands out in the same way.

The lyrics we've gotten for MADE IN JAPAN sound very promising, though.

I think lately, she's in a period of rediscovery. Sometimes that involves going back to the basics and not really challenging too much.

As a creative person, I think Ayu kinda threw away that old persona and is now a new "Hamasaki Ayumi" that will take a bit of time to blossom like before.

Story IMO is equal to some of the ballads on LOVE again. It's good, but not fantasmic.

Anything For You is the best ballad on the album IMO.

Out of control > Last Minute > Anything for you > Story for me

That's the same for me.

Fully agree with that. Change is good as long as it's some kind of progress - for ex. you starting as singer, than learnng to play instruments, trying composing songs etc. - not other way around.

I remember polish female singer who was lead vocalist in rock band for 10+ years. One day she changed her image from black-haired punk girl with tatoos to cute blodnie in pink dress. She started singing electronic pop songs and stating in interviews "it's real me, who I always wanted to be". Fans lost all respect to her, because they felt she was lying to them by all those years.

There were moments that I felt similar about Ayu and her activity. I was asking myself: did she really composed those songs? Why she stopped? It's ok to trying new styles etc. but why those changes doesn't seem to be something developed from who she was before? It's rather just trying to fit in actual market and trends. You could say she's doing it for money but she's rich enough to could recording whatever she wants - even as independent artist for small group of fans.

^ She stopped because she felt like it and doesn't owe anyone anything

EDIT: And I wish she could think like that a little more because her over apologizing to her fans for leaving Japan etc was a bit too much for me, she had no reason to apologize so much.

I think she still composes, but we don't see the results really.

Well... I wouldn't say she don't owe anyone anything. She owe something to her fans. Why? Because talent and hard work are not enough to be "somebody". Without fans support (people buying CDs, going to concerts etc.) she would't be celebrity or millionaire she became thx to them. Everything comes with a price and in this case the price are people's expectations.

Out of control and Anything for You do absolutely nothing for me. Boring ballads. Story has power and it just tugged my heart the moment it started. But oh well.

One thing that is good about Ayu's music is that it can cause very different emotions for all types of people.

This talk about which ballad is the worst is almost competitive. Shouldn't we be a bit more positive, guys? :love

I made this post about a week ago and I think she definitely delivered and showed that she STILL has it and then some with solid tracks.

I am of the mind that believes she knew exactly what she was doing on A ONE and sixxxxxx so now she is giving herself room to re-blossom as an artist. If she keeps going with this inspiration and momentum, I am SO looking forward to the album after this one.

:yes

I may never not love ayumi hamasaki tbh

I think I haven't seen anyone here who likes "Anything for You" but for me it's one of the best tracks on "A One" and one of my favourite Ayu ballads. Don't ask me why but melody touching me so deeply that when I feel depressed and listening to it I have tears in my eyes.

I also like Anything for you. Same, its one of the very few ayu tracks that brought tears in my eyes. TODAY also did it...

When did you become an Ayu fan?
2010 when she released FIVE after the tsunami that occurred in Japan. I loved it's message and it applied to my personal life then.

2) Why do you like Ayu?
The arrangements in her music, instrumentals, yearly releases, her ballads are my all time favorite and I just love really all of them. I really don't know much that's technical about music though.

3) Do you see yourself as someone who enjoys change?
Yes, that's why I enjoy all of her albums though of course not every single song but even the ones I dislike I can casually listen to as background noise.

She owes Maro fresh grass if anything

To celebrate this album, her life and what it's become to those who oppose her.

i find a lot of people enjoying it, are we in same forum? :D

for me it's one of her best ballads ever

Anything for You is my least favorite track on A ONE. I might even like The Gift a bit better. Maybe. Not too fond of either, they're ok. A ONE as a whole I thought was really good. Surprised lots of people think differently.

Anything for you is fantastic. :heart

I finally got physical copies of her first three Eurobeat albums. They make me so happy! Fly high [Euro-Power Mix] brings such good memories... It takes me back 8 years. All of a sudden it's summer of 2008 and I'm laying on my bedroom floor with the window wide open, clouds soaring, and the music taking me far away. NEVER EVER (Eurobeat Mix) also brings the same memories. And I just love how the guitar seems to rain down from the sky in the opening of vogue (Traditional Mix).

Does anyone else like her Eurobeat albums?

The Eurobeat albums are fucking bomb! I listen to them during lifting sessions a lot. Heartplace (Dreamland Mix) is so genius I can't even put it into words. It always puts my energy and happiness level up to 1000.

I'm so glad to hear that! :) Heartplace (Dreamland Mix) is also one of my favorites from ayu-ro mix 3. I also really like monochrome [ayu-ro Extended Mix] from the first album. It reminds me of when I was in middle school. ^...^ Have you seen this guy on YouTube, he lives and breathes Eurobeat: https://www.youtube.com/user/Albion0217/videos? His dancing could use some work, but I appreciate that someone loves ayu-ro mix enough to make up their own dances for the remixes! It's so cute!

I also love Anything for you. Story and The Gift are not my cup of tea from A ONE but I'm glad that there are other people who enjoy it. It's always a matter of taste and it would be so sad if there was a song that is disliked by everybody :'D

OMG I love that he has so many DDR tracks. Now THAT's what brings ME back to middle school, hahaha. I had my school agenda filled with the banners of all my favorite songs from the song selection screens of the games, lol.

I also love Eurobeat and ayu-ro! The Sunrise remix from the last album series was incredible.

When I was like 12 or 13, I grew up on mostly Ayu and SUPER EUROBEAT/Euromach/and so on.

I sort of hope one day we have a Eurobeat producer like the guy who does the Pony Eurobeat do the same thing for Ayu tracks. I'd do it myself but I'm unsure if I have the capabilities, lol. Always been interested in potentially remixing but a little apprehensive about starting.

Wasn't "Sunrise/Sunset" composed by a woman? Or at least the person has a woman-like name. lol

Looked it up. It's Hana Nishimura. So, a woman?

Hana Nishimura, iirc. I don't think they ever composed much if at all since then.

Mine is slightly different: Out of control > Last minute > Story > Anything for You :)

Had a random dream about ayu the other night (first time I ever dreamed of her) it was in a really strange venue with a big balcony and a ground floor and she was on the ground floor on the same level as some fans (there weren't a lot of people there so maybe it was a rehearsal??) and the fans were sitting there just watching her sing, and then she sang last minute in a very calm manner (so un-ayu-ish lol) and then before the chorus she looked me straight in the eyes and I wanted to lipsync along the "Saigo no egao nante.." part (in the last chorus) but the instrumental part there was extended and she was on a rising platform so she chuckled when i lipsynced to nothing lol I was embarrassed in my dream...

omg
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...tterfly&page=1

Full pages x.x

I wonder who came first with this misconception? If it were 1 or even 2 videos, it would be a coincidence, but there are actually dozens of them lol

It's been going on for the last 20 years or so, LOL.

To me it doesn't even sound like ayu's voice at all so I also wonder who came up with this lol

Someone on Napster or KaZaA.

That's cute. ^^

She really should record a song titled "Butterfly". lol
What started it anyway?
But the original "from your letter" which is actually a remix thing went on for quite a long time, too.

I've been in an ayu mood lately because of her outstanding new album. Put her songs on shuffle and Why... feat. JUNO came up. Not sure why I didn't remember how good this song was, but it's really good. I forget how AHS felt about it, probably bad lol. Anyone else love it?

I think I'm one of few people who loves that song to pieces.

I love the song too as I did all of the stuff on FIVE.

HOWEVER...

I like the Urata version more, lol.

I love the version with JUNO

I remember one day when my husband wanted to impress me and said "oh, I used to listen to this song by Ayu when I was a teenager!" and it was Butterfly :laugh It was really cute tho

Wow uhhh...

I just was listening to a Singapore radio station called YES 93.3... and they use the instrumental for meaning of Love in one of their trailer spots.

If I recall, everyone enjoyed it more than ANother song. I haven't really bothered with the version with Urata but the original with JUNO is flawless. Perfect song tbh.

I was just looking around the eneabba website and I wish someone could continue or start a new website as perfect as this one. I truly is the perfect guide for ayu fans and collectors. I wish the person who had it would start updating again.

Anyways fun fact. While looking around I saw the area dedicated to the BLUE BIRD single and I just never knew that there were 2 different covers for the cd+dvd ver. :shakehead
http://eneabba.net/ayu/disco/singles/40.BLUE_BIRD.htm

Yeah, there was a CD only, CD+DVD A and CD+DVD B. I believe it was because one had a BLUE BIRD making and the other had Beautiful Fighters' making.

Also BLUE BIRD was originally a triple A side.

I think we could get a fansite like that eventually but for now I just use the Japanese monochrome site which has been updated since like 2000. Also nick is still here but doesn't like Ayu too much.

http://monochrome0408.web.fc2.com/PC/
^ THE Ayu resource IMO from Japan. AyuLoveAyu was also good for a bit and one other but they stopped doing stuff for a while.

I used to love looking at the bootleg section on eneabba, it really is interesting.

Wow, thank you for that Japanese site. It really is amazing. They even have pictures of the balloons and streamers!

Yep, the owner is super dedicated. I hope they keep going for the Ayu fandom's sake cause not many others also document all the goods, TV performances, overall songs, and old setlists.

I just realized I should probably backup monochrome every few months just in case LOL

haha, you never know! Everyone here would probably love you for it.

http://5sing.kugou.com/fc/15170969.html

It's pretty awesome that a Chinese fan already covered FLOWER, lol. Linked from the Ayu Bar @ Baidu. Very cute.

wow thats reallycool, curious how she make the instrumental...:shakehead
i want it :D

I think they used the usual method of inverting the soundwave once or twice in Audacity to make a faux karaoke track. It works very well for most songs.

Catcher is the Light is so fantasy-like! So many things happen in this almost 3 min track. I really like the industrial sound mixed with the ethereal vibe.

Ayu's intros are world class IMO.

exactly. Catcher in the Light, Not Yet, Mirror and tasky are masterpieces.

Bridge to the sky is among my TOPS OF TOPS.

everlasting dream is also godly.

^ everlasting dream is totally my favorite intro of hers E V E R

I really really love Summer Love... it's like everything You & Me and Feel the Love wanted to be but new and improved by a lot.

Some said they were disappointed by the chorus but I find it to be tremendous fun.

Yay, glad to see other people appreciating Why feat JUNO.
I've always loved Catcher in the Light, it's an amazing intro. I'm not even sure which intro of hers is my favorite, there's so many good ones. tasky is definitely one of my top favorites now.. also still love Not Yet and Bridge to the sky.

What's your guys' favorite interlude that you wish were a full song?
I remember desperately wishing Disco-munication was a full song when NEXT LEVEL came out, and still would love to hear it as a full track.

Her intros are always amazing but I have always been obsessed with Not Yet. I had it on replay the other day and I truly wish we had gotter a longer ver.

^ I love Not Yet as well. I also wish it was longer tbh

For me Not Yet as well and everlasting dream. Love those and I do like more of her intros, but those two have the quality for a full song.

I love that she made until that Day... into a full song from an interlude.

She should make full songs out of more just as a fun project.

^ This. I am glad she made Mirrorcle World for an example, she developed it so much further, both music and lyrics-wise. I'd love to see more of this with her intro/interludes

I remember first hearing Mirror...

it was like ...

I can't even explain it.

Does anyone else hope Ayu experiments with weirdass progression again like in RAINBOW? That song was beautifully made and she really made all the fan suggestions work.

One of her hidden gems IMO.

not yet was the only song I instantly loved on secret...

Yes yes yes!! It's definitely one of the best songs in her discography for me.

Yay! My copy of LOVE again arrived! (I think the seller knows me now because I keep buying Ayu albums from him. Normally it takes a month for Japanese CDs to arrive, but he's been sending the Ayu albums faster and faster. It hasn't even been a week since I ordered LOVE again. ^o^) Anyways, I dig this album a lot. Song 4 u is still one of my all-time fave Ayu songs. And wow! If task'n'bass was made into a full song, it'd be in my top 10 fave Ayu songs. Also, snowy kiss... amazing. Another favorite.

The only thing is I remember people saying it was dumb that they tacked on You & Me at the end and I agree. I think it's a cute song, but it doesn't really fit with the rest of the songs (imo). And I've been laughing at the fact that Ayu actually sings "oh lunch time" (booklet confirmed it for me). I love you, Ayu, but no... lol.

Love Songs cd+dvd first press came with a slip case. Didn't it? The cover coloring is so similar to Love Again that I always confuse the 2. Anyways, did it have different covers under the slipcase like A Best? How many different covers were there? I think I saw pictures of one in a selling thread here at AHS but I can't recall.

The moment I heard the children in kiss o' kill I was in LOVE.

2

^ Thank you
Does anyone have pictures of both that they can share?

I can get them from the old Love songs threads.

We made a bit of a big deal about it since we had no idea we would get different covers.

Actually, M(A)DE IN JAPAN has a sleeve too so...



Second ver. is edited textless.

^the first thing my eyes were drawn too in the second ver was those super duper shiny legs. :D

First one is real pretty tho. Thanks truehappiness. You are a fountain of info were ayu is concern. Love you.

thank you truehappiness for sharing the photos! i honestly prefer that cover over the one with her hair in pigtails tbh. I WISH WE HAVE A PROPER SCAN OR SOMETHING OF IT SO I CAN PUT IT AS MY ITUNES COVER

Japaneseprincess scanned theirs before they stopped doing scans. I dunno if it's a good enough scan but here it is!

I love everything about Love Songs. The regular covers were cute imo

It's actually my favorite cover of hers, or at least one of them. xD I have the one where she's smiling and even though she's done so many shots like that since then I remember thinking it was just so freaking pretty when it was first released. It's an album I fall back to time and time again. Though I can't say I've really listened to anything else but MIJ in recent days but I'm sure at some point I'll go back to LS like I always freaking do. (Sending Mail is my musical spirit animal.)

What do you consider "later part"? A lot of her best material comes from MY STORY to NEXT LEVEL for me. After Love songs, not really.

What's "grab-baggy"?

I liked Colours when it was released, then I HATED it after the PVs and concert. But now I really love Colours a lot. It's a top 5 album for me.* It's so light and fresh and fun and modern. It's really easy to listen to at any time.

Ayu's music is great, but a lot of it is so heavy, it is almost a drag to listen to. Colours is like a great collection of easy songs with a wide variety of sound.

*Top 5 is probably something like Secret, Love songs, MY STORY, Colours and NEXT LEVEL. Secret and Love songs are always in my top 5, the other 3 may vary. You may notice that I prefer her "fresher" albums. :P

That's exactly like I feel about her. I really love some of her discography to death, but because of its heaviness I can't always listen to it. I mean, yes, she does have lighter and fun stuff as well, but mostly I dislike those. *cough*You & Me, Feel the love*cough* *cough*Thank You,Sweet season*cough*
She's just not (as) good at those imo. Though there are some exceptions. Also she does too much ballad and midtempos for my liking generally anyway.
I'm naturally tending to some melancholy at times, so listening to heavier stuff doesn't help and I need somethign different. If her discography would be a bit more balanced, I'd probably be a bigger fan. But it's alright as it is, I appreciate her.^^
(and btw. that's probably the reason I love Kuu so much - she has heavier songs here and there, but overall she's an upbeat and cheering artist + I love her voice)

Yes! I agree so much. I love music appropriate for a melancholic mood. Kinda laid back and a bit nostalgic, like an autumn or spring breeze feeling (if we're on the same page).

And Kumi does have a lot of nice, easy music (I love her too). Songs like Someday, I'll be there, With your smile, On Your Side, 逢いたくて, Everyday, anytime, etc. come to mind. <3

Edit: Except I love Feel the love and Sweet Season and such haha.

I always loved Colours because it was a departure for her across the whole album except maybe two tracks. Worked well too aside from PVs which were... strange, lol.

And also a 'grab bag' album IMO is one that has a little of everything with little to no flow between segments. Colours and Rock'n'Roll Circus had this pretty badly.

Really? RnR Circus feels very cohesive to me; I have no problem with the flow. Colours as well.

(miss)understood is the most jarring to me. It's like they couldn't decide which direction to take the album so they just dumped everything on it. The interlude placement does nothing to help it for me. :P

I can't get an emotional grasp on I am... either. There's so much different stuff going on that when I think "I am..." I don't think of anything. Same for (m)u.

(m)u had a lot of tracks from Sweetbox, so it was hard to slot stuff in there, however I thought it worked fine. I thought flow was fine for Rock'n'Roll Circus too but Colours had issues IMO.

Personally for me, it's like an aural orgasm to listen to I am..., (m)u, Secret, and so on... just so much there to digest.

I thought I was the only one who didn't think of m(u) and I am... as such masterpieces :laugh Also agree with you on RnRC, it had different styles but still felt like a whole piece of work for me.

While I do like I am... I think that I like (miss)understood more.

(m)u has a certain uniqueness to it. It's fierce and is really probably Ayu's finest from before 2010.