I so agree with you 95% except the sales thing, Ayumi has to make money somehow. Singing is her job.
Anyway..
I myself personally could care less how Ayumi looks, I have always felt that way, sure she has done some photoshoots that were pretty/stunning, but still I like to hear music. You know lately what i'm hearing isn't music. Avex is stressing her beauty and not her musical talent. Back then her CD covers weren't that fancy, now it's a constant game with other artists to see who can over airbrush the most.
What happened to flaws? Ayumi sang of her flaws in many songs that is what made her famous to a point. Those flaws people related to, if people can't relate to Ayumi Hamasaki anymore how can she remain famous??
Ayumi I think maybe she feels she was robbed of her child hood that is why she is trying to be a kid again, OR maybe the whole AKB48 era thats selling well right now, Avex may think it's what people want.
If it's because Ayumi feels she lost her child hood, she chose this road to became a star. You can't have your cake and eat it too. You know?
And if she feels she lost something in her past, MAYBE SHE SHOULD SING ABOUT IT. Isn't that what Ayumi always said she sang about how she was feeling at the moment. Surely she isn't REALLY feeling like Lady Dynamite.
Oh well. I love your point!
Someday Ayumi's skinny mini body will start to sag, I wonder what the world will think of her then. But most of the people that are her fans now will go through the same thing when she does. They will get old too. I wonder if they'll be as shallow as they are now.
