Do you think Ayu was at fault too?

[yoshino]

I think the same for Ayu's relationship with Mannie cos I dun understand her reasons for the divorce and everything else with him (even with Return Road). Cos I think he's better than Maro. It is obvious that Maro used her to make a name for himself now in which I'm really mad about this.

But anyway, relationship can be that complicated sometimes. I'm sure part of it is to create news, and part of it probably Ayu just doesn't want to reveal the exact reason for divorce. That's the difficult thing for her being a public figure I guess. I can feel that she just wants to be in love and nothing else. Maybe the marriage feels too heavy for her...

Well, she's just human enough to experience all this. I just hope she's grown to realise what she really wants and be with a good guy for the rest of her life.

[kinix]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

Ayu spent seven years in one stable relationship - her only major one as far as I or any of us know. And those were seven formative years in anyone's life, the bulk of her 20s. She didn't go through the trial and error most young women go through during that time, when we learn what real, successful relationships are really like. I think Ayu had a stable, functional relationship with someone who accepted her as she was, but it lost its luster and they decided to part and stay friends. She instead started chasing the more "shiny," exciting type of love, which is a mistake - that "shiny" never lasts, and it either gives way to a subtle, comfortable feeling or disillusionment & disappointment depending on two people's compatibility. Anyone her age with that trial-and-error experience knows that, but she never really learned it. So with Mannie and Maro, she had the shiny, but they weren't compatible. She was excited, totally sure she was gonna stay with these guys forever, and she made mistakes many young women make. It's hard to believe she'd do that at 35, but put yourself in the place of a 19 year old - when it came to love, that's about how much experience she'd had. I don't think Ayu is any more "at fault" than the guys were. Sometimes relationships just fail. These did.

I don't think Ayu's dislike of Mannie's photobook is unreasonable - for one thing, it's far more socially acceptable for women to pose like that than it is for men to. I'm not saying I agree with her socially-built opinion on that, but it's true - when a guy poses like that it's far more shocking (I think most people here can agree with that). Plus, Mannie seems to have presented the photo collection as a gift for Ayu, but then took it public - looking at those photos together privately might have been a fun thing for them to do, laughing and kissing and being cute, but he decided to show those photos to the general public. Which, if I were her, I don't think I'd have been okay with either.

As for Maro's situation, he explained that she knew he had a kid from a previous marriage, but she didn't know he was still legally married. He probably presented to the whole world that his divorce was finalized when it wasn't, since it was "as good as" finalized in his eyes. She knew about some of his baggage, but not all of it - and I can't blame her for taking a chance on him despite his being a father if she really liked him, you know? We single parents need people like that to take chances on us. Yes, technically it's "baggage," but we deserve love too, right? Ayu didn't expect that Maro would have ulterior motives, using Ayu's celebrity to try to catapult his own, especially if they were getting along well - you don't suspect people you care about of that kind of thing. EVERYONE'S mind gets clouded by romantic feelings too - I mean there's scientific truth behind that. I'm really happy that Ayu acknowledges the Maro situation as a mistake - it's hard to swallow your pride and admit you screwed up. But she only screwed up by trusting someone she shouldn't have. I don't think ANY of us can judge her for that, I'm sure we've all done it.

Whether Ayu is at fault for these relationships failing or not DOESN'T MATTER. Each person was being themselves, doing what they wanted to do according to their own priorities, and those priorities didn't match up. Mannie didn't do anything WRONG doing that photobook, he simply proved that his principles were different than Ayu's. In my opinion Maro didn't do anything by having that past baggage - having similar baggage, I can't judge him for that. Using her popularity & the breakup to try to become more popular himself, yeah, that was a crappy thing to do. But as far as I can tell, the relationship itself seemed to have been more of a victim of tabloid snooping than anything else.

Ayu isn't at fault for these relationships ending any more than a high schooler is for her relationships ending, when she only started dating guys cuz they were cute. I don't expect ayu will have a lasting relationship for awhile, because she needs to figure out what her needs are. She hasn't really had enough practice to figure it out yet. Both Mannie and Maro were relationships based on "he's attractive and we get along, we're gonna be in love FOREVER!" which is a warped, romantic-comedy perception of how love is supposed to work. But we can't do any better than that without testing the waters, figuring out the image of the "perfect" relationship in our heads, and then finally finding the relationship that works for us. These didn't work for her or the men involved. That's all there is to it.

tl;dr: Ayu has no idea what she's doing when it comes to love, but can you really blame her? These guys were not right for her, but she couldn't have known that for sure until the relationships ended. Yes, she got too excited about these guys, but it's a learning experience for EVERYONE who falls in love.

Totally agree with your post!
Anyway, no one could judge other's love relation. It just wasn't right for 3rd party to judge thecouple when they just wasn't involved.

[emi♡]

Yeah. What Deli said.

I think she was a total stupid ass for some things, but who hasn't been. She is a person after all. She gave 10+ years to her first relationship that she sailed with for her career.

Now she can pursue what she really wants.

I make fun of her a lot, because I think humor is healthy, but this is her life, and she is free to make as many mistakes as anyone else.

As for the photobook. I think some people take that a little too literally. I don't necessarily believe it was the entire act of the photobook, as much as it might have been the last straw in realising she wasn't compatible with that person, and probably even that, the age difference made for them being in different stages of life.

[Ayusan]

@waterballoon Amen! Just, I think Mannie is much better than Maro. Personally, since his first time on stage with Ayu, I despised him, something was wrong with him.

But the whole photobook excuse still makes me laugh. Ok so she didn't like the photobook, shot by ... oh yeah her dear friend Leslie Kee (that she got out of jail because the guy isn't able -on purpose- to follow the laws, his crying session about this made me cringe). Who never thought : does my friend will like it or no, it is special and it is her husband .... No, why should he?!

So Leslie Kee did the shoot behind her back, and then in a way help to ruined her marriage (if the book is really THE excuse) but, she kick off her husband and follow the one who kinda stabbed her in the back ??? Oh my, Ayu, what kind of girl are you, no pride? I would punch Kee square in the face if I was in your shoes! Why to forgive to Kee and not her husband ?! He didn't see "the bad" in the book? I don't think Kee did either, he didn't even think it was awkward to shoot her husband, naked, without telling her although the book was not meant to be an unique copy but for sale! By the way, what kind of "friend" would do that?

So, she can tell whatever she wants about the photobook, I will never believe it.

[waterballoon]

I'm so happy to know everyone's opinions on this...

I just want her to be happy. I mean she is someone who has inspired millions across the globe and given us, the fans, a kind of strength and happiness I can't find in Miley Cyrus

[kinix]

Originally Posted by Ayusan

@waterballoon Amen! Just, I think Mannie is much better than Maro. Personally, since his first time on stage with Ayu, I despised him, something was wrong with him.

But the whole photobook excuse still makes me laugh. Ok so she didn't like the photobook, shot by ... oh yeah her dear friend Leslie Kee (that she got out of jail because the guy isn't able -on purpose- to follow the laws, his crying session about this made me cringe). Who never thought : does my friend will like it or no, it is special and it is her husband .... No, why should he?!

So Leslie Kee did the shoot behind her back, and then in a way help to ruined her marriage (if the book is really THE excuse) but, she kick off her husband and follow the one who kinda stabbed her in the back ??? Oh my, Ayu, what kind of girl are you, no pride? I would punch Kee square in the face if I was in your shoes! Why to forgive to Kee and not her husband ?! He didn't see "the bad" in the book? I don't think Kee did either, he didn't even think it was awkward to shoot her husband, naked, without telling her although the book was not meant to be an unique copy but for sale! By the way, what kind of "friend" would do that?

So, she can tell whatever she wants about the photobook, I will never believe it.

Wait till you see ur husband acting gayish in a photo book, maybe you'll feel the same way. When ayu didn't response to mannie's photo when he announce as his birthday gift, I knew something was going terribly wrong. A photographer might want you to shoot something, but that doesn't mean that you'll have to follow his idea. If ayu doesn't help leslie that time, more gossips will be spread like ayu is ungrateful to leslie and more bs to come. And from then on, Ayu doesn't seem to have anymore collaboration with leslie. We'll see in the future if she still does.

[waterballoon]

^ wow do u have that reaction on a video/photo? realized I've been missing out on a lot lol

[hsienko]

My personal opinion is that both relationships were stagged. I think Manny was completely staged and I think Maro was only partially staged, I believe they were together in some fashion but to what extent I'm not sure.

I think both of them were staged just for the simple fact that I think she'd been getting flac about not being romantically connected to anyone. I mean the rumors that she is actually a secret lesbian have been going around for a long time and I mean there is hardly ever rumors of her even possibly being connected to someone, I mean why show no one for first several years after the split and then all of sudden show off your last two relationships like a new hat, it doesn't make any sense. I think that she is either 1)gay or 2)has a sexual attraction/fetish/niche that isn't socially accepted and would destroy her career. I believe that both relationships were staged to put focus on the fact that she's not weird or anything and that she behaves normally and that she is capable of marriage.

We all knew somebody was gonna say it and this time I guess its me.

[BlackSilence]

one thing people forget is that she might be saying only 1% of all the deal...we will never know.

In my mind i will congradulate her with every new love and will send my support if parting comes.
we are quickly to make opinions and judgements, but we have no idea what she's been through. *shrugs*

[happiholic★]

Originally Posted by hsienko

My personal opinion is that both relationships were stagged. I think Manny was completely staged and I think Maro was only partially staged, I believe they were together in some fashion but to what extent I'm not sure.

I think both of them were staged just for the simple fact that I think she'd been getting flac about not being romantically connected to anyone. I mean the rumors that she is actually a secret lesbian have been going around for a long time and I mean there is hardly ever rumors of her even possibly being connected to someone, I mean why show no one for first several years after the split and then all of sudden show off your last two relationships like a new hat, it doesn't make any sense. I think that she is either 1)gay or 2)has a sexual attraction/fetish/niche that isn't socially accepted and would destroy her career. I believe that both relationships were staged to put focus on the fact that she's not weird or anything and that she behaves normally and that she is capable of marriage.

We all knew somebody was gonna say it and this time I guess its me.

I agree, actually, that parts of her relationships were staged in some part. She may have perhaps loved them, but she allowed them to be pimped out, at the very least. Not that its wrong, I just personally don't care much for it.

She may have a foreigner fetish, at most, to me, however. I think probably because they see her as just a woman, not a popstar, as Japanese men might.

Also, I don't think there is anything wrong with fans' speculation. Obviously none of us have the full story, but we are allowed to come to out own conclusions about what information we were given. Its not hurting anyone. Ayu isn't going to visit AHS.

[waterballoon]

the only reason why I would think the relationships are staged is because of the way she's (like what some' have mentioned) pimping them out.

I mean till this day I really don't understand what was going on in her mind when she decided, "OKAY LET'S PUT MANNIE ON MY PVs" or "MARO MUSZZZZZZZTTTT BE ON MY ALBUM COVER."

like I said sometimes I feel that she feels "indebted" to her friends/lovers, and often the line between "Ayu the musician" and "ayumi hamasaki the person" gets blurred... especially since she's a Libra.

I'd still stand by my opinion that it is a silly and unprofessional thing of her to do... very wrong in my eyes, but hey she's human, not a robot, so what gives, it's human to err.

going by the Twitter thread, IF that caucasian man is really her new beau, then thank God his face isn't plastered all over (yet)... if her next single/album/PV is gonna have this guy's face on it I'm gonna flip cos if there's anything more infuriating than making a mistake, it's not learning/knowing from it and repeating it

[emi♡]

idk his face sure is plastered all over these pictures.


He might not be all in her work, but if they're wanting to keep shit private, they're failing. As per usual it seems now.

Of course, we still don't know who he is for certain.

[AyUmIXx]

hmm in the end of the day, ayu is just simply a HUMAN, i hope she got her lesson learnt and keep it very low profile with the new boyfriend from now on and get into the real wedding ceremony and live happily ever after with beautiful babies, one day.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by emi♡

idk his face sure is plastered all over these pictures.


He might not be all in her work, but if they're wanting to keep shit private, they're failing. As per usual it seems now.

Of course, we still don't know who he is for certain.

I don't recall if those were Twitter or TA photos , but at least to me it's her (private) birthday celebration, not the works of another PV or album cover that's all I ask for

[pimenta]

totally agree with Delirium-Zer0's post


I have nothing against Mannie, he seems a nice person and it just happened that him and Ayu had different ideas and weren't fit for each other as a couple, it happens and none of them are guilty.
Maro though... I don't blame him for the divorce thing if he really did consider that as "over" (even if not legally), but after they broke up the way he used that for his own sake and all that ridiculous drama he created like being homeless and eating grass (both which he did just because he wanted to) made me lose my respect for him.

Originally Posted by emi♡

idk his face sure is plastered all over these pictures.


He might not be all in her work, but if they're wanting to keep shit private, they're failing. As per usual it seems now.

Of course, we still don't know who he is for certain.

I think it's ok as long as Ayu doesn't make another big announcement that she has a new boyfriend. For me it's fine if he just start appearing around her in the pics and people naturally start to realize that "oh, that might be her new boyfried... Ok." without any drama or official statements about it. imo people will eventually accept and be used to the fact naturally if it's like that.

[koumori]

Originally Posted by pimenta

I think it's ok as long as Ayu doesn't make another big announcement that she has a new boyfriend. For me it's fine if he just start appearing around her in the pics and people naturally start to realize that "oh, that might be her new boyfried... Ok." without any drama or official statements about it. imo people will eventually accept and be used to the fact naturally if it's like that.

Exactly. I would love Ayu to find someone and be happy, but it doesn't need to be publicised. I think after the awful media mess of her last two relationships she just needs to keep it private and concentrate on enjoying it instead of whatever happened with the last two. As I said in my last post, we'll never know what really happened for her to make the decisions she did to include both Mannie and Maro in her professional works (i.e: Return Road, You & Me etc) but I really hope it doesn't happen again.

Sure, if she wants to include her relationships in future works she's free to do so. I just really hope she doesn't.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Same here. If she's actually dating someone, it stands to reason they'd appear in photos together when they're just out doing whatever they do together. Especially when she's such a high-profile person, and affairs like her birthday are so populated.

Her mistake with Maro was that she came out and said "we're dating." She did it at the time to avoid the tabloids saying "they're dating" first, which I understand, but it was a mistake. And she acknowledges it - I can't really ask for much more than that. I hope she's also learned not to date people she has a professional relationship with, since Maro took advantage the way he did.

As for the use of her significant others in her work, I'm hoping she's learned her lesson about that too... she didn't really have the ability to use Tomoya in her videos & such because he's a Johnny's guy and JE has such strict rules about where their artists' likenesses can be seen. So until 2007 she would have to cast other people (like Shuya, or Shawn Yue, or random barely-visible models) as her love interests in videos & in photo shoots. So since "Virgin Road", when she wanted a love theme, she had a person she was in a relationship with - to her that probably looked obvious. Cast boyfriend as boyfriend, cast husband as husband. It's possible she felt weird playing pretend-lovey-dovey with these guys that weren't her boyfriend in the past, and wanted to go a more "honest" direction, using the real thing. Again, something I understand, but a mistake she didn't learn before but hopefully she's learned it now.

[waterballoon]

goes with my theory that she often blurs the lines between "Ayu the artiste" and "ayumi hamasaki the person"... but I think I might have made the same mistake if I were here, haha. she's so strong to come out alive and well.. must be Timmy!

[pimenta]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

So since "Virgin Road", when she wanted a love theme, she had a person she was in a relationship with - to her that probably looked obvious. Cast boyfriend as boyfriend, cast husband as husband. It's possible she felt weird playing pretend-lovey-dovey with these guys that weren't her boyfriend in the past, and wanted to go a more "honest" direction, using the real thing.

But didn't she fist meet Mannie when they started recording Virgin Road and just after that they started dating? She didn't know him before that. At least that's what I recall reading...

[ayu_fantasy]

Hmms, no offence, but I think that maro/mannie relationship was all planned. For what motive, only ayu herself will know. Do you all think ayu would be such a simple person( after being in the entertainment industry for so long)??

I do love her still, musically and as an artist/ performer.. I could tell that she's still very sincere to her fans. But sometimes I do get a feel that ayu does things that puts her in the limelight or engages in things that benefits her. That's all... All she cares about is living a life of high society, high dining, wealth, fame and possessions. Did she EVER does any charitable act? No, I don't think so. Lets no include the Japan earthquake thing.

Sorry for speaking like an anti ayu.. Haha.. Just voicing out my opinions towards the recent ayu. Anyway, ayu is just a human after all. perhaps environment made her that way. I'll still support her as an artist still!