[cosmeticmusic]

My relationship with Ayumi Hamasaki was a tumultuous one...

I first found out about Ayumi through Utada Hikaru. Like many J-Pop fans, I discovered Utada through the "Kingdom Hearts" franchise. However, it wasn't until 2007 when I actually started looking her up. This is an OCD habit of mine, but when I discover a new artist, I usually have to start at the very beginning of their discography. Otherwise, I feel I don't really understand where an artist is from and going to in their career, music-wise. So anyway, this was before I knew what file-hosting sites were, so I randomly typed in "Utada Hikaru" on the eSnips website, and listened to my very first J-pop song: "Kiss & Cry". To this day, I still love that song.

Where does Ayumi come into this? Well, I was reading more about Utada on Wikipedia, and discovered the name of her so-called "rival": Ayumi Hamasaki (Wikipedia and related articles was also how I discovered Ami Suzuki and other J-pop stars). Further "research" on forum sites (I didn't even know what a forum really was then) and the typical Ayumi pics that pop up on Google Images prompted me to think that Ayumi Hamasaki was nothing more than a plastic, Asian barbie doll. Now, I know better.

I read about her music anyway, and couldn't find an mp3 of "poker face" for some reason, so I tried her next single "YOU". What I found turned out to be my first Ayumi song: "You "Aggressive mix"". That song...turned me into a raving Ayu maniac. I'm serious. I thought that's how all her music sounded, all hyper and pumped up like a DDR game. However, when I heard the real version, I liked that one more. The more I discovered her music though, the more I liked her, and to this day I prefer her more experimental and pop music. It was like a whole new realm of music had opened up for me (and really, it truly had). Why, if I didn't discover Ayumi, I probably wouldn't have discovered any of my favorite artists. Although I don't listen to her regularly as I once did, I have a deep respect for Hamasaki and will remain a fan.

Then, I met Yasutaka Nakata...