Totally agreed on both counts.
I guess I just don't find it surprising, funny, or interesting that people finally like AT2009, lol.... I knew the fanbase would see its merits eventually, once it could finally be viewed outside the "HOW EPIC IS THE NEXT TOUR GONNA BE!??! THAT SHIP LAST YEAR WAS NUTS!!" context, hahaha.
And yeah, Ayu's first few years of success were really dumb luck - she did her own thing, and it turned out to be EXACTLY what everyone didn't realize they actually totally wanted. Which is how trendsetters become trendsetters. These days, she does her own thing, and it's either something that someone is already doing or it's something fans are tired of hearing or it's something off-puttingly unexpected... but those complaints are ALL based on context, you know? So years later you can listen to it with a more objective ear, but in the moment - when it's released and when most sales are counted - it doesn't really resonate. Eh, go figure.