Oh whyy..... :( Kouhaku is really popular and watched nation-wide, it's good for her publicity / promotion. If she disappears from the public eye in Japan, this will be like the final nail in the coffin. On the other hand, Namie has not performed in Kouhaku for years and this doesn't seem to have hurt her sales. I want to stay positive but something tells me this might be the beginning of the end. :(:(

Is she only skipping this year or forever? :( MSSL is nice but Kouhaku has always been more grand in a way...

Don't worry, all Ayu has left is her loyal fanbase, that's who buys her music and goes to concerts. She hasn't done anything to attract new fans for years, so Kouhaku didn't make difference anyway. I think all it used to do is make general public remember she exists. Did many people became fans and rushed to buy her music after watching her on Kouhaku? I doubt that.

Pretty sure she has "graduated" from kouhaku. She won't be doing it again. I wouldn't be as dramatic as to say that it's the final nail in her coffin, though. She's good. Not as popular, but as long as she continues to make good music, I'll always follow and support her.

Her Kohaku performances were always epic, but the audience there is always so dead. Like they don't give a single F if it's Ayumi Hamasaki or some random chic. Still kinda sucks that she won't be there anymore.

The Kouhaku is less than 20 minutes away...the fact that Ayu's no longer participating in the Kouhaku, that's one less thing to worry about here on AHS.

I have a bold prediction, though: Go RED team!!!

Does anyone have a streaming link to watch it?

http://vaughnlive.tv/lovesashi780924
http://vaughnlive.tv/lovetkmn780924
http://vaughnlive.tv/appleakb1048
http://vaughnlive.tv/takaminaosi
http://vaughnlive.tv/atcakb1048
http://vaughnlive.tv/suhr
https://www.connectcast.tv/lovesashi780924
Password：ATC48
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https://www.connectcast.tv/AKB1080
Password：AKB0048
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https://www.connectcast.tv/ATC1048
Password：AKB0048
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https://www.connectcast.tv/Andreier
Password：AKB0048
===
https://www.connectcast.tv/AKB1048
Password：AKB0048
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https://www.connectcast.tv/BAYREN
Password：AKB0048
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https://streamup.com/ATC02
https://streamup.com/ATC03
https://streamup.com/ATC04
https://streamup.com/Ming_Ming_Live
http://www.douyutv.com/123559

so sad that no ayu this year and maybe next year too

it's began...

HKT 48 now...usually it's Ayu spot! ughh

This show makes absolutely no sense without Ayu, so not going to watch it.

Thank you very much!

Well, doggone it. White team won again. I simply don't understand why the white team is having a "dynasty" over the past decade, especially over the past few years with Arashi hosting that some people are getting "Arasick" of this, like me and Karen...

Agreed with Karen's comments of Arashi shouldn't be hosting :yes But since Ayu isn't part of Kouhaku anymore (for the foreseeable future), that was something we didn't have to worry about.

Kouhaku lost my complete interest without Kumi and now Ayu...

Of course I won't be watching either...haha