The thing is that Ayu isnt normal, she's a celeb and if a celeb is normal weight they get called fat.

@AyumiAI: true... but it doesn't justify it or make it right...

she's looking gr8, both now and with the little extra weight.

^
+1
The world is allergic to fat it seems.

Anyone who thinks ayu was 'fat' has serious problem. When she was in Hongkong and I saw the bones in her back sticking out I honestly felt sick. Bones should never stick out. Considering how ill and stressed she keeps getting she needs to ignore all the people judging her on her looks and focus on her health.

She doesn't look fat :( who says that?!

Yeah, I was very surprised when I saw this year's A-nation! She was in such a better shape! Good for her!

Somebody's calling Ayu fat? WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO? :thud

The way western ideals created the concept of beauty, it is...

western AND eastern...

You know, being thin is not just some crazy idea cooked up by the media or fashion or something :/

And honestly, being in a place like Japan, it's quite important for her to watch her weight. Everyone knows how vain the industry is there. It's not a secret, or even something that's hushed up :shrug

I wonder what kind of exercises she is doing...Pilates, yoga?..I wonder, because if it were weight training, she would be more muscular, but she is just slimmer and toned

According to bea's up she underwent Pressure training and pilates as suggested by her team...

anyone knows more about Pressure training?

People were saying she was fat during AT08 because they altered the costumes to hide her belly and arms, she quickly lost it by the time A nation came around I think.

it's right she gained some weight after the break up with Nagase but i guess the most considerable change occured in the last year

Talking about ... Ayu looks so pretty as ever and has a great body enviable ... :irked

Ayu looks great! Although my personal preference is 2008 - especially ASFXX @ A-nation when had a little bit more weight on (not that she's too skinny now!) She looked so hot then!

mi|kshake~

She looks great, in my opinion. Her "size" is good, but what's attractive even more is her overall physique. Like someone else already mentioned, she just looks healthier: brighter, more clear/clean (healthy) skin and hair.

It's fun (interesting) to watch her weight over the years. Personally, I never thought she looked awful back when she put on a little weight, but she does look more comfortable when she's her "usual" size. =)

If we talking about favorites (which isn't in the thread title, but some people are saying it anyway xDD)... I'm straight, but damn, I thought her abs looked delicious back in 2006 (xD). ;D

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3...rstood0110.jpg

Umm, I think I must be misunderstanding your meaning, because I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it is. At least in terms of ultra-thinness being a desirable trait.
Historically, and even as of several decades past, not so at all.

Yeah, as far as I know, while the hourglass female body type has typically always been popular, this "ultra-thin" hype didn't get ground until people in the industrialized world became wealthier. Thin women eventually came to not be associated with poverty anymore, instead being associated with youth and health, which was urged on by media.
Before this, women who had more flesh on their bones were associated with fertility, beauty, love and a good social standing. Paintings and sculptures of famous female icons such as Venus/Aphrodite and Eve, and various female royalties through the ages are examples of this.
Anyway, it's not really of matter. As long as a person's healthy and feels good about their body, it doesn't matter so much IMO. Ayu looks fine to me either way. :)

Except her lips, I do think she looks great this year!

By the way, I am curious how much she weighs... and how tall she is in real. ^o^

^she's confirmed she's only about 150 cm ;)