Ayumi's relationship with Leslie Kee after Manuel Schwarz
 

I've just discovered that the photobook filled with 'raunchy poses' of Manuel was actually shot by Leslie Kee and was probably 'another one' in the series of his nude photobooks (some of which are totally XXX!). Leslie is a photographer who has photographed Ayu on couple of occasions, including taking a slightly-nude photo of her for a 'nude celebrities' exhibition a couple of years ago, and it seemed like they were on friendly terms because of their cooperation (I mean, Ayu doesn't just let any kind of photographer take shots of her, especially a revealing kind of one, and sign them with his own name and put on display under his own 'brand' as Leslie Kee is doing - he's name is always very prominently attached to his shots), but is there any information about what is their relationship after the Manuel break-up incident?

I must admit I find it very strange that Ayumi, as reported, didn't know about Manuel's photobook... I mean Leslie and Ayumi were close enough, didn't he let her know? The book was all complete, printed and everything, meaning Manuel and Leslie worked on it without Ayu's knowledge on consent. The fact that it was printed meant some time had to go by after the actual shoot, while the book was being prepared and put together, and she still didn't find out? Considering Ayumi's management team is not by any way amateurs, and Manuel was Ayumi's husband, he must have been watched (you know, taken an eye on) by her management, how could it possibly have gone unnoticed to them and her that he was shooting a photobook with such photos?

I haven't been around here for a while, so perhaps this mystery had already been solved?

It was intended to be a bit of a secret I guess as a 'gift' for Ayu, so they kept it a secret from her. I imagine they shot it when Leslie was in the states for business or w/e.

Post-breakup with Mannie, it seems like Ayu and Leslie are on fine terms. He shot Party Queen's covers (and scrapped covers) along with some magazine covers after the fact after all and also sort of allowed his former assistant to become a 'pro' photographer through Ayu. I will say that I think Leslie was one a few photogs who got to shoot Ayu in the nude/topless (first was the LOVEppears guy, then Leslie for RAINBOW/some other mag shots, and then Kazutaka Nakamura for the ViVi topless shoot).

I think even after the breakup, they would talk on Twitter and stuff. You can kind of bet he'll bring something up about the 15th anniversary as it comes up as well!

Makes it even less logical that it would be a real reason for their falling out... perhaps it wasn't a reason at all, the photobook story might have been just a blind guess for Ayu's reasoning from tabloids and alike?

People tend to see on the other what they feel themselves... A lot of people felt offended by the photoshot and started believing Ayu felt the same.

i was surprise mannie twitted this about ayu , so i guess even with mannie things are "ok" http://i48.tinypic.com/211pcsj.png

^Better yet are his tweets about how he and Ayu are still married :laugh

lol i saw that one too a while ago (he might be lying or telling the truth if papers are not finalized , no one knows ) . its just so curious ... i dont know how long in takes to get officially divorce in vegas once the paper are served ,its been a year since ayu asked for divorce , i d love to know what happened (and if ayu made him sign a prenup) ,sadly those are details we will never know about ,they never made any kind of official announcement and nothing about a settlement have leaked or appeared in teh japanese scandal press .

he seems to still care about ayu even though she is dating somebody else right now .

what a stupid gift, if my man gave me such a gift I would have broken up immediately

well in thi case i honestly can't see it as a gift cuz it was EVERYWHERE, i mean that should ahve been like ONE copy on Ayu's shelf...not a 1000 up for sale... That's one thing i can't understand.
People make such things as presents for their significant other, like artistic nude and stuff but that usually stays private and for the eyes of that one person not whole world...:innocent sure leslie needed to get money back for what he did, but I dunno maybe Manuel was just not very smart with this step. *shrugs*

it's not really divorces in Las Vegas, it's the same throughout the country. it basically boils down to how serious the sides want the divorce to be finalized. sometimes it's very quick, other times they drag it out because they can't settle (like if they have assets or children. money can also be an issue) or make the other spouse suffer, and other times the sides just don't care..which might be the case here with Ayu and Mannie. they seem to be on okay terms, so they probably don't feel a big rush to finalize it.

Apparently her relationship with Leslie is really good cuz she busted him out of jail.

^ :laugh Seriously!

It would made more of a gift if he only gave a copy to ayu. It sounds more like a cover for trying to increase his own career with ayu's connections.

But with Leslie, ayu comes and goes with people, using them heaps, then not at all for a period, but they usually work with her again. Helps keep her work somewhat fresh and new

where did you read this ? was it on the news ?

^ Nothing official was ever reported

But Leslie's first words coming out of jail was "Hamasaki Ayumi is my friend forever"

So she probably had something to do with it :laugh

I don't know if I remember correctly, but SUPER Manuel wasn't a brithday present to Ayu, since it has been sold, but SUPER Ayu was, since it hasn't been sold anywhere. I mean the first SUPER Ayu, not the 2nd one which has been put as a lucky-draw prize during PoM Tour, nor the 3rd which has been officially sold along with the PoM Tour pamphlet.

thanks pommy48 i wouldnt be surprise if she did

There's only 2 versions of Super Ayu.
The lucky draw at the concert is the 1st Super Ayu.
And the on sale Super Ayu is the 2nd version.
(I want the 1st version so much.... =.=)

It must of been a decent amount of money he needed to bail out