[bluegie]

Give me an award then cuz I read the whole thing lol.

Just to respond a few questions from your paragraph:
- If my memory is correct, Manuel did that "porno" photobook because Leslie Kee lured him into it. He convinced Manuel to do it as a gift for ayu, or he told him that ayu would like it. That was really the first time I thought Kee was cheap and dirty. (And he proved himself by doing lots of thing ayu hated and ended up breaking their relationship, whether friendship or business... But now ayu is back with him and I don't know what's on her mind).
- I think I mentioned above. Hikki was promoting Flavor Of Life when she released the statement of getting divorce, and I think that was the day she had to perform FOL on Msta. The single sales bounced back instead of going down the next day (I know, usually weekend sales bounce back, but it was slightly higher than usual). Even oricon mentioned this bounce on the website. I don't think we can use the word "forgiven" on her because Japanese didn't feel negative towards her divorce.

Low profile is pretty much the key factor for her popularity, even though I think there's more than that. Like you said, lots of artists are low profiles as well (Namie is a good example. Kuu is not, cuz she was practically banned or under suspension from her agency due to that incident. It's not like she has a choice anywayz). Only hikki could actually gain popularity instead of getting trashed by the public.

And I forgot a point when replying Corvina's message: Yes hikki married a foreign guy, but she didn't take him everywhere. I don't mean ayu did that on purpose (obviously she was just hanging out with her husband), but she's so high profile, so probably in Japanese eyes she's doing a show. I think people in Japan are willing to believe that hikki will try her best to maintain her marriage. Meanwhile, they probably think ayu's just fooling around... sigh...

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Anywayz,

10.10: No. 1 - 13,155
10.11: No. 3 - 7,836
10.12: No.1 - 6,053
10.13: No.1 - 7,536
10.14: No. 1 - 5,733
10.15: No. 1 - 7,942

Est. weekly sales: 48,255