Metropolis - Team Ayu: The pop star it's cool to paint on your car

truehappiness · #1 7th February 2010, 11:30 AM

....

This is awkward. I was looking for some TeamAyu related merchandise and came across this English Metropolis magazine article from January 14th, 2010. There are photos at the source.

Quote:

Pop fandom knows many guises, but few singers have followers so rabid—and blind to the constraints of good taste—that they adorn their cars with images of their idol. Sure, Ayumi Hamasaki has fallen a long way from her early-noughties commercial peak, but her ardent supporters haven’t given up hope—and they’ve got the rides to prove it. The singer’s year-end concerts at Yoyogi Stadium provided a good excuse for the more lunatic fringe of her fan club, Team Ayu, to show off their Hamasakied vehicles: Cadillacs, kei cars and custom vans adorned with stickers and airbrushed portraits of the star. Trunks were converted into ad hoc shrines, with multiple TV screens blaring out concert footage, while the real diehards—read: just about everyone—proudly sported 1002 license plates, a reference to Ayu-chan’s birthday. Note to Lady Gaga: you’ve got a way to go yet.

Source: http://metropolis.co.jp/features/cars-bikes/team-ayu/

Amazing. If someone can screencap the images, I will stick them into the first post. I'd always thought that it wasn't just Ayu that this happened for, but apparently... it is.

The magazine is also available in print:

Ianieee · #2 7th February 2010, 11:43 AM

Lol thats quite interesting lol.. Some of those images were during 2009 Next Level Tour... I've got Crea_Spain on Facebook and he took a few photos like these.. Here lemme show you.. (I hope when you see this Crea_Spain you will forgive me!!! haha xD) Btw he was actually there to take these photos.. xD. Since he went to the 2009 Next level Tour in Saitama Super Arena & Osaka-jo Hall.

tetsuo69 · #3 7th February 2010, 11:44 AM

Cool *___*

**ayumisrael** · #4 7th February 2010, 11:46 AM

That A COMPLETE ~ALL SINGLES~ photo is gorgeous *_*

truehappiness · #5 7th February 2010, 11:50 AM

Obviously, I think the only reason why Ayu is one of the few pop stars with cars dedicated to her is because she's a goddess. Haha.

njanjayrp · #6 7th February 2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Obviously, I think the only reason why Ayu is one of the few pop stars with cars dedicated to her is because she's a goddess. Haha.

now that's better

hachiroku · #7 7th February 2010, 12:04 PM

Thats little weird but not a surprise..
i googled "ayumi hamasaki car" and found more pictures like this one:

TheBaronAndAyu · #8 7th February 2010, 12:12 PM

Woah......just woah......

**Yoake** · #9 7th February 2010, 12:30 PM

OMG!!! *.*
thanks for sharing!!!

SURREAL__RAINBOW · #10 7th February 2010, 12:37 PM

haha i always thought it was weird/never seen before

I wonder if Britney or Madonna ever got their own pimped fan cars lol

cool subject! thanks

Misa-chan · #11 7th February 2010, 01:04 PM

Not to support the negative tone of the article, but those people who own those ayu vans really live and breathe ayu. Gotta hand it to them, really. XD

Though that mag shouldn't slam them so badly, everyone's got their own way of expressing their love for an idol.

Lee^ChaN · #12 7th February 2010, 01:12 PM

wow.. amaaazeeeeehhheeenggg!!

ah they're just jealous.. cause they don't have fans like ayu

Ianieee · #13 7th February 2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Note to Lady Gaga: you’ve got a way to go yet.

Thats so harsh but it's kinda funny at the same time lol..

crea_spain · #14 7th February 2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianieee

Lol thats quite interesting lol.. Some of those images were during 2009 Next Level Tour... I've got Crea_Spain on Facebook and he took a few photos like these.. Here lemme show you.. (I hope when you see this Crea_Spain you will forgive me!!! haha xD) Btw he was actually there to take these photos.. xD. Since he went to the 2009 Next level Tour in Saitama Super Arena & Osaka-jo Hall.

Spoiler:

hey Ian, don't worry man, I took these photos to share with all fans, I'm glad you've posted them ^^

I really admire those people who spend a year salary to get her own Ayu van, they live for her, I talked to some of them before last CDL concert and are really lovely fans, some even came from Kyushu to Tokyo just to see Ayu's CDL!!! (travelling all Japan -about 1000kms- by van)

mobius · #15 7th February 2010, 01:54 PM

wow, pretty neat

They're all nice show cars

primavera♥ · #16 7th February 2010, 04:31 PM

oh now when i learn to drive i would love a car like that

very cool all in all ^____^

Midori-chan · #17 7th February 2010, 04:48 PM

Jup, I also have a lot of pictures of such cars and I think they're AWESOME!

Here are some more pics:

And the inside of these cars looks sooooo great too:

dreamland2.0 · #18 7th February 2010, 04:51 PM

Geesh that article was a bit condescending...
I always thought those vans were awesome! And seriously if you were going to put someone on a van why not the most beautiful woman in the world *runs away*

LacusClyne · #19 7th February 2010, 04:56 PM

i love that pink scooter...

**zoomzoom** · #20 7th February 2010, 04:57 PM

I always thought these cars were so ugly

The article was quite harsh though.

I grabbed the pictures here.