[Aga-chan]

I don't mind Timmy, I actually think a male chorus complements Ayu well, but those a-nation diapers were ridiculous. lol

I'd likely cry a lot, too, so I have no reason to doubt that her tears are genuine.

I think that over the years "Hamasaki Ayumi" has more and more become a brand. Her staff, the band, the dancers - everyone is "Hamasaki Ayumi". I think to her "Hamasaki Ayumi" was always the sum of the work of everyone involved - Present hints at that.
It's great that she has people around her she can trust and that might even be like family to her, but I noticed years ago that I feel a little detached in a way. In the past when she released a single you got a whole package. The music, the cover, the PV - everything felt like there was a theme that tied everything together. You only have to look at the mess the Rule/Sparkle single is. You have the neon covers, the GokuAyu CD design, the Rule PV - everything feels so random. Later it turned out that the Sparkle PV is a darker version of the single covers.
Nowadays (though it started years ago) the music is where "Hamasaki Ayumi" is the most "Ayu".