^as far as I know she started dating Nagase around that time, so I don't think she and Max had something like a relationship. Besides she said a lot of times that at the beginning when she was meeting Max the first time and he asked her to become a singer, she thought he was just an old perverted guy because of the age gap...

She said when they broke up that they'd been together for 7 years, so that would put the start of their relationship somewhere between "vogue" and "Duty." Probably once concert tour 2000 was over. The relationship wasn't confirmed until around the time A BEST was released and the press noticed she had a ring on, however.

Regarding the Ayu/Max thing, at this point there's more evidence for it than against it in my view.

There's these two photos, for one thing (republished as scandalous by tabloids, but the playful "kiss" photo definitely appears to be them):

http://i.imgur.com/7NP5Mjjl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/SK3TcT0l.jpg

Then there's the A single.

It's fairly well-documented at this point that "A" was intended as a goodbye single, at least originally. Masa explains that Ayu said so in the December 1999 issue of Girlpop (at his LOVEppears analysis page here: http://homepage2.nifty.com/morimasa/love1.html ), and then goes through the reasons fans came up with about why she would have wanted to quit - record industry demands, the "Hamasaki Ayumi" brand getting too big, the increased distance between her & her fans, and the expectation of prolificy. Masa points out why none of those reasons really make any sense, but suggests that perhaps lost love may have been a contributing factor.

But even then, why would anyone quit their job due to romantic rejection unless it was a co-worker or boss who rejected them?

Then we get to my life's "retelling" of Ayu's story. I fell in love in late 2009. Deep, deep love with someone who changed my life. He met me when I was at my most useless, my most hopeless, and believed in me when no one else did. He validated my passions and made me feel like I was worth something for the first time. He made me feel like I could do something, that I had talent, and that I had value. So we worked together on a project and we spent a ton of time together. I ADORED him and he clearly liked me at least a little. I told him how I felt about him, and I was rejected. He didn't see a life together with me for more practical, mundane sorts of reasons.

Now look at what Ayu says about Max - that he believed in her, told her she could write lyrics & be a singer when everyone her whole life (aside from her grandmother) kept telling her she couldn't do anything, that she was useless.

Now imagine this scenario... Ayu tells Max she has romantic feelings for him, despite knowing on some level that it won't work out. But she's 20 years old, she can't help it, she's young, so she's a bit impulsive and it just feels WRONG not to tell him. Max thinks she's fantastic, but it could never work out for a bunch of earthly reasons... for one thing, he was still a pretty big partier in the late 90's and early 00's. There's no way he wanted to settle down yet (which was the case for my guy as well). He was considerably older than Ayu and they were at different stages of their lives.

For another thing, and this might have been the biggest factor, Tetsuya Komuro & Tomomi Kahala's affair and separation was a HUGE gossip story right around the time of Ayu's debut. Tomomi ended up getting into drugs and attempting suicide, which certainly didn't make her or TK look good... Max had career ambitions that he'd never be able to reach if he ended up in a public relationship with Ayu, because everyone would make an association between the two.

Looking at her early lyrics, she seems to make frequent reference to:
1) wanting to just be a normal girl in a relationship with him like a normal person.
2) sacrificing a relationship with him so he could follow his dreams for the future.
3) the age difference between them.
4) his reluctance to display affection to her publicly.
5) feeling encouraged by him to be herself, face her anxieties, and display what he perceived to be her talents.

The issues of public affection and having a "normal" relationship are certainly in tune with the image they'd have as a couple; something you'd see in lyrics about two celebrities, perhaps, but this was before she and Tomoya got together. So it's interesting to look at.

Delirium-Zer0, I also thought that they had something between them and she wrote lots of songs about their relationship. I don't think we'll ever know the truth but I'm sure she stills loves and respects him. I wish she married him and then retired :)

Really? :shakehead

Delirium: Very interesting! Never knew these details about ayu's early carrer.

I thought that Ayu and Nagase dated way back before Ayu became super famous? Or I guess they at least knew each other then? Though I guess the numbers wouldn't add up if that were the case, maybe I'm mistaken. >.<

omg me too. When I actually looked back at the idea that it was her father, I was just stunned. I've been thinking it was her grandmother for these past 2 years

Yeah, tbh I wish she had retired even earlier :laugh she could become a legend like Yamaguchi Momoe.

Hot Damn!! :shakehead

@Delirium Zero: very interesting theory! Although I was never under the impression that Ayu had romantic feelings for Max (but what do I know?)

We all know that the entertainment industry is quite shady and sexual favors in exchange for fame/deals/contracts is not unheard of... :headache really interested if Ayu and Koda had to do any favors in order to get and stay popular *gossip*

I thought she was already a legend? :P

And as much as I would like to think that Ayu didn't do any shady things, we may never know...but I thought she quit the acting business/didn't get far there because she wanted to avoid those kinds of things in the first place?

ayu tweeted tomochin

anybody can translate?

before that she retweeted tomochin's tweet

^ I just read that from Baidu and Twitter and I'm burning with excitement because I've been waiting Ayu to response to Tomochin's tweet lol

Translation:
You don't need to be hurt or apologize because of this kind of matter. Although it's impossible to make everybody understand, but surely there are people who will understand.

Tomochin also replied Ayu:
Such gentle words. Thank you so much.

In case if you miss it, I've posted this before in Colours' Oricon Chart thread:

Tomochin said in one interview that she was a big fan of Ayu.

^
^
thanks for sharing the translation.
indeed such a sweet senpai~

Awww :3 how sweet.

wow..they are tweeting each other...cool...

artist these days are becoming more human and reachable...

Because after all they are humans :)

It was nice of Ayu to reply to Tomochin. I didn't know Tomochin was a fan of Ayu until now.

That's so nice...maybe Ayu and Tomochin should be friends together! :D

What if Ayu, really decided to become TomoChin's mother figure in Jpop world. And she'll help her shape her career to be the new JPOP empress omg. lol

Finally some good publicity.

i'm so proud of ayu for writing that tweet :heart

Ayu has tweeted about the worldcup game haha really Sweet of her

Ayu support German team. I love you Ayu >*<

What exactly did she tweet?

She congratulated Germany and said that Argentine also did a good work ^^ Her husband must like soccer and she watched the final game with him because I truly don't think that she watched it on her own..

^thanks! But if I remember correctly she also watched the women's world cup. So maybe she watched it because she likes soccer. I mean, I also like soccer, but it's not like I would talk to everyone about it.

She watched the last world cup.

Ayu only supports the winning team. Didn't she wear a Spain jersey last world cup? Hmm.

She followed the last World Cup and even weared the spain jersey after they won. She probably likes soccer^^

I think people tend to get involved in the World Cup even if they don't watch or follow football the rest of the time...

hitomi said on Music Station that she and Ayu often watch Manchester United games together.

^ Ugh. Figures she'd go for them. :laugh

Soccer in Japan is pretty big. Wouldn't it be more weird if she didn't get involved?

Ya, she wore Japan jersey on her concert too few years ago.

Question: Has she posted anything on Teamayu lately?

Nope =( last msg was 2014.07.02 22:47 | ayu

Still waiting for the big revamp of TA.... seems like a lie...

hitomi and Ayu are friends? That's pretty cool!

I've found a pretty recent livedoor news article of Maro talking again about ayu. I cannot guess much from google translate. If someone could translate it please!
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/9057603/

looooooool Maro is still doing the absolute most. Basically he made an appearance on a show in Osaka talking about Ayu and said the following:

-When the hosts asked him about the presents they would give each other, he mentions that she gave him a Vuitton watch, and says he couldn't give gifts on the same ~level as hers (he would buy her flowers and 'cheap' gold/silver stuff)
-He used to be one of the top 3 dancers in Japan and now is salary is 1/10 of what it used to be
-Boo hoo poor me I'm the poorest I've ever been in my life, sob
-Their relationship ended after they were fighting over something petty (from his standpoint, at least) and Ayu basically said, "I hate you, you need to leave" and he was like, "Got it, I'm out."
-Boo hoo so much has happened to me I don't want another girlfriend boo hoo

Those are really the only important parts. He's such a self-indulgent, whiny little brat, I can't even stand it.

LOL Because homeless people can still go to L.A. for a photoshoot. I bet they paid him with grass rofl

-He used to be one of the top 3 dancers in Japan and now is salary is 1/10 of what it used to be


LOL WHAT

How in the world Maro's salary decreased ten-fold?

Yeah...I don't recall from reading the article if he said he was one of the top 3 paid dancers or if he was one of the ~top 3 dancers~ but either way

http://oi58.tinypic.com/2564pc5.jpg

omg he's got such a pretty face but a rotten heart! meh

He mentioned that he had only left 400,000 yen of savings at that time and the reporter asked if his pay as ayu's dancer was cheap. And he reply nope, he thinks that his pay was considered the top 3 highest paid dancer in Japan.

Thank u for the translations chocopockymaster :)

Probably he meant Ayu's dancers' salary (or at least Ayu's main dancers' salary, which he used to be) is among the top 3 highest in Japan, which could be true.

He keeps talking about her and complaining that his life sucks for publicity, I find it impossible to respect him anymore...

I can see that the salary would be...you have to work and practise during Christmas and New Years. The other good thing is that...Ayu's loyal and keeps staff forever, so even when you get beyond the peak/prime age of dancing, you'll still be in her team. Except for Maro #oops

Mmmmmeeeeehhhhh........

interesting!

I would love to read a full translation of this...
What is he doing now anyways? still trying to get his singing career off the ground?
(I remember his hilariously huge Fanclub fee... lawl) ;p

:laugh I'm laughing so hard at this, I just can't help it!

OH GOD! i hope not .....

this is his facebook page https://www.facebook.com/uchiyama.maroka (can't believe he have almost 5000 likes ...)
his ameblo http://ameblo.jp/maro-allok/

he also seems to have converted himself into a dj ?????
http://ameblo.jp/yuya-karasawa714/im...847718215.html
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpxJTOnCUAAZKwV.jpg:large
http://images.iflyer.tv/1_3dkxi9bjcka7ovb01ijf0.jpg

doesnt look all that broke to me if you can buy all those expensive electronics to dj in clubs (cough)

and his is also farming ?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrGGl_m4bp4

there is also a recent tv interview where he talks about ayu and himself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFlAxq5abuY

im surprised avex or ayu's team haven't make him sign a contract that he can't talk about her (or her private life) in interviews . if he had some kind of self respect he should just skip the question or said something like " i wont talk about ayu's private life " .done seems most of his interviews are about money money money . there is people in the world with worse situation than his ( no savings and crazy debt/ who can't even affort basic like food) . he seriously need to stop whinning ,start taking responsabilities and ACT LIKE A GROWN UP MAN ! no wonder ayu dumped him.

Haha I noticed Ayumi's changed her profile pic on FB - to another photo of her ass!

^ could you please copy-paste the address? is it accessible outside of facebook?

Gurl I like the way dat booty look in dem shorts.

He sure looks a lot better now than he did when they were dating... that hair cut is much more attractive to me.

I can't decide how I feel about this whole thing. In my opinion, he needs to learn to move on because that's the only hope for success there is. :S

LOL Gurl likes to show off her ass... Sometimes I wish she'd be as kinky as Koda XD

Aaaaaand gurl liked 5 Madonna pages haha

^ LOL


anyway, ayu just tweeted some lyrics of SAKURA with a photo of thw SKY with caption RIP :( Just felt a bit sad, i wonder if she's pertaining it to thw victims of the plane crash in Taiwan recently

LOL I seriously couldn't get why she put her ass for her profile picture =___="

@maneayu
This is her facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php...677897&fref=ts

I was thinking of same thing, that's the first thing that comes into my mind, though I didn't understand what the lyrics meant TOT Recently the plane accidents are worrying me.

I don't think it's that~ It's more likely that it's been a year since the guy who the song is about died.

^ Even though the song came out more than a year ago :P

As far as I know the song was written long before he was dead...

Same here. Now that i have an upcoming trip :((

Guys thousands of plane take flights and land without problems every day. Flying is still the safest way of travelling.

The odds of being killed on a single airline flight is 1 in 3.4 million.


http://www.planecrashinfo.com/cause.htm

There are higher chances of people getting killed in a car accident.

Thank you for all those links. That boy has really weird photos of himself, it cracks me up XD He looks better in that TV interview.
If he's such a good dancer, he really shouldn't have a problem finding well paid work in the industry.

Thanks! It requires logging in, and I am not on FB.. Meh

That pic of her ass... xD love it!

@maneayu
I took a screenshot of her FB profile so that you can see her ass LOLOLLL

I liked the old picture more, the other was also her butt, but it wasn't so weird like this one o_o

Did she take it alone? XD

this new ass pro pic is hell weird looking

If you're going to take a photo of your bum probably best not to do it after you've been sat on it for too long...

I think she just doesn't give a flying fu- :-)

I think she did it on purpose you know...this the stamp effect of sitting in a rattan chair for example ;)

If I had a butt like that, I'd probably show it off all the time.

That's waaay to many Madonna pages!

Thanks, but EWWW! I am a girl who likes men! XP
And I doubt that's her a** xD

isn't she just wearing fishnet tights??

Sorry... I'm not a fan of ayu anymore. Goodbye! :P

I think her ass pics are a sign that she has an excellent sense of humour. If the prudes don't like it, don't look at it lol.

Personally, I think that it's amazing lol

Ugh ass

I need boobs :)

If they are fishnets, they don't work in this picture. It just looks lumpy. I like the other one better.

Sense of humor is evil around here... :P

I've noticed.

she's so fucking troll lololol


Where was she sitting tho

Wow her official Facebook profile name is Ayumi Hamasaki Bodkin? I guess that's the last name of her husband?

I am not sure if this Hamasaki Bodkin account is legit.

The other pic wasn't her ass, I don't think this time is hers lol

Ayumi HamASSaki.

Nah it is, all her friends are actually her friends

And Leslie once tagged her in a post, but he removed it

I see. Thanks for this.

LOL

Ahh love a good pun!

I think the first profile pic was from a magazine photoshoot? Or one that was taken for the magazine and wasn't used. Was it a bikini or swimsuit she was wearing?

(offtopic)Honestly, I prefer my little cherries than having big melons that, after passing my 40s-50s (or a big increase of weight) they will become fluffy and deformed ;)

I think it's also funny she liked a page called Weight Loss Ideas.
WHAT LOL

I can see that her pictures of her butt are probably a joke, but this one is definitely unflattering. XD But, that's probably just my opinion.

Not her best profile, no doubt about it :D

To be honest I like that she took a pic that isn't perfect. Most people think they can't post any pictures of themselves if they don't look like a top model on them. I always love it if people do the opposite, don't care and stick by themselves.

^ lol what? It's a photo of her arse.

^yeah, I know. So what? It's an imperfect pic of her butt and a pic like that would mostly no one else post because it doesn't look like taken out of a magazine.