Uemarasan, I don't feel Ayu's music has gone downhill. I feel that she has taken plenty of risks post-Secret, some very unexpected ones too. Sparkle and Sexy Little Things being the biggest in my opinion. Neither of which I would call "fan-friendly." Some of her PVs also show great risk. GREEN has homosexual themes and Lady Dynamite was probably the biggest PV risk in her entire career. NEXT LEVEL itself (especially following GUILTY) was a big risk, she practically did a 180 proving she is not as predictable as we all may think.
As far as the passion you crave, I can't say it is missing. I think some people ridiculously under-estimate the raw passion and emotion in GUILTY. I mean seriously, have you heard that album??? (I don't mean that in a rude sense btw lol). Do you not hear her anger in talkin' 2 myself and decision? Do you not hear her breaking and vulnerable vocals in GUILTY? Can you not understand her heartbreak in fated, Together When... and untitled ~for her~? If you do not see these things as passion, I'm not sure what you're looking for. Post-GUILTY it seems as if Ayu is now beginning to enjoy her music and she's playing with it and having fun with it. She is STILL trying new things. Things you can not judge from her singles alone. She is still expressing her emotions and her opinions.
I know you want that raw, intense, experimental, passionate Ayu back. But please, re-examine her recent works, I think you may be over looking the intensity in her music. Especially if you think GUILTY qualifies as "downhill" by your definition. Please understand that right now she is enjoying herself right now and just because she is not pushing the envelope like she use to, it does not mean she will never do it again. Also, please understand that she continues on for us, she pushes herself for us, she loses sleep for us, she sacrifices for us. She has done so her entire career. Even if you no longer feel the passion in her music, don't forget her passion for her fans.
