[waterballoon]

Well let's just say that Ayu is like... the onions in Japanese curry now.

You know the onions make the curry really fragrant and all... that's the impact of Ayu in Japan. She has really made an impact, and no matter what, her existence is some pretty big imo... just as anyone on the streets of New York City would know who 'Madonna' is, anyone on the streets of Tokyo would know who 'Hamasaki Ayumi' is.

But again... do we eat the curry specifically for the onions? I think there are many other ingredients (like the meat) that people want. And Ayu is the onions... she just isn't the "in" thing now, nor is she the most sought after, or whatever... singers are like stars, no? Stars shine for a time, and they become supernovas, eventually bursting and dying off. Ayu was hot for a few years, but now... she isn't what everyone is listening to, nor is she a qualification to be in the coolest girl clique in your high school. Maybe she was, but she isn't now... and for the future, that's an unknown door.

What I want to say is, Ayu made an impact, and perhaps had a few "epic" songs that could go down well in Japanese history. But to say no one likes Ayu now is cynical, and to say that Ayu is still popular is being naive. The truth is she does have a strong fanbase, and that's what's really helping her for now.