[Bad Wolf]

This is so incredibly telling not only for Ayu's songs but Ayu as a person. I'm really impressed with all the thought she put into each and every track (driving four hours in a car trying to write a song! Jesus!), it just... sets her apart, you know?

She said this thing about her songs "poker face" and "YOU" having this fragile strength to them and I completely agree. I've been saying for a while now that Ayu's songs all have a feeling/sense of hope at their core but ultimately they're very vulnerable, almost tender/wounded - even her upbeat and cheery songs, or the popular ones, feature lines that are so contrary to what you'd find it typical pop songs (evolution's "reality is a liar" for instance, UNITE!'s "people are born weak"). That, too, sets her apart.

On a more personal note I found myself nodding in agreement with a lot of things she said about herself because I realized that I'm the same way, too! I think that's one of the biggest, if not THE reason, I love Ayu's songs so much, because I can identify even with them even if their meanings are obscure or not totally clear. Plus I find it interesting that even though I haven't familiarized myself with the lyrics to ASFXX's songs like I have her others (I've memorized several and have a "basic gist/summary" of almost all of hers from I am... onwards) the meanings of the song were made plain based on how she was singing in them. These notes just proved it for me!

Thank you for posting this and thank you to those who translated! It was REALLY well done.