It doesn't effect me at all. The bashing just makes me shake my head and also makes me not want to get involved in any conversations... so I don't. Ayumi is the only female artist I listen to, and I'm never going to stop.

If anything, it has made me a rebel and caused me to fight harder with my fandom!! :D I do feel though, with the way people freely state their opinions on here, though sometimes offensively lol, I can now think for myself and I don't feel forced to like certain things in her music, but in my opinion that doesn't necessarily downgrade my view or fandom.

If that makes sense. :D

No, it hasn't. I prefer to listen to new songs or albums and see what my own reaction is, and even after a long time I still like the majority of Ayu's songs. It has impacted how I feel towards the forum though, because the complaints are always the same, with the same negative words used, and the new trend now seems to be to complain about a new release before even hearing anything. I'm not talking about the people who are able to constructively say why they don't like a song or an album, because they're able to explain in an understandable way why they don't like something. This creates interesting discussions here, this is the part of the forum I've always liked. It's the constant bashing on everything Ayu does that has made this forum unpleasant to be at times.

I like Ayu that's why I know AHS...
NOT because I know AHS...I like Ayu

so...even though I do feel that lots of negativity coming out from AHS about her...It's not change me on liking her...

It wasn't AHS that impacted my fandom. It simply died as I became a different person who could no longer connect with Ayu's music/image. Other people's opinions don't influence me so easily. I'm always willing to listen, but in the end I form my own.

Not really. I still love her as much as I loved her years ago. Sure she does stuff I like more or less, her PVs changed, her voice has changed as well. Somethings I like more, some less, but I'll still try my best to go see her live whenever I can and every time I realize I love her even more.

The only thing it does is just make me avoid the forum really. I check in to see what Ayu is up to or anything else, but I am not here to give a flip about anyone's negativity. :)

Same here! I respect Ayu way too much and I appreciate what her music gives me.
Although, I have noticed that I've listened more to if Ayu sings bad or not live after reading complaints on AHS. It doesn't bother me though since I think it's so interesting to hear how Ayu's singing and voice has changed during the years.

Negativity doesn't affect me, it's more like my entertainment these days. It's amusing how much people can hate on Ayu's stuff. I used to be negative as well during 2008-2009, but then You were.../BALLAD happened and I decided I can't hate her stuff or her because after all, she was too important to me. I may not like everything she does, but I try to find good things in everything. She can do whatever she wants, she doesn't need to please people. These days I'm always interested in her new releases, even when I don't always come here to comment on things - especially since I like to talk about Koda Kumi more in her threads since she's my personal favorite, but Ayu is one of my favs, too. :)