Yes. Why else have they been hosts for the last 3-4 Kouhaku?

I think Ayu's performances have had a positive reception, else I doubt they'd keep her as the opening act (even though I am aware that the ratings during the openings are generally lower than during most of the show).

I actually had no idea she was performing on the show today (haven't been paying attention, I guess) and I just happened to catch it tonight. I thought she did great-- far better than any of the acts immediately following her if you ask me.

this. seriously even with those 48 girls red team still cant win! ridiculous :shakehead :thud poor girls, dont they tired with the same winner eveyr year,its like from the beginning "mmkay the white will win again" *yawn* seriously though the JE somehow sounds same and their songs are just the same monotone nothing interesting for me :thud oh Japan the country of boyband

for Ayu yeah, I believe she is the best for the opening,see each year she got something different from others and her style is cool

i love her outfit even though it looks almost alike to AT05 MY STORY outfit~~
waiting for youtube video~~~

She was definitely stunning!!

she did a very very good job...and she looks very very pretty and young!
her voice so good.

ayu was soooo cool!!!
in the last seconds you can see her smiling. I guess she's satisfied with her performance too :)

yeah, seriously, this is one of her best Kouhaku lives!

but she messed lyrics a bit XD that was still fine I guess ;)

She's adorable~ :heart

Sou nando datte ta.. ..nte nai Mamoritai mono nara wakatteru

I always LOVE when it happens~! :heart :laugh

just watched the HD OMG!!! Ayu was soooo cool! she slayed all the other performances! :yes :luv2 shes more energetic at Asahi Dream Festival but I can see shes concentrating on her voice for this one.

http://i.imgur.com/mbrQ1qel.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/ko8jv7kl.jpg?1

Freaking loved this "arrogant Queen look" that she had at the beginning when the were turning her throne!!! omg and her throne I loved it!! :luv2:luv2:luv2 she slayed all other cheesy performance really!

shes like" yo Queen is here, baw to me" haha also shes like,"can we finish this?I got CDL xD" it feels so short though, only over 3mins for Ayu =_=

Her vocals were so good! I was worried maybe they wouldn't be cause she was using the auto tune thing for a nation performance of this song and all. But they were great and she looked amazing!

INSPIRE is an incredibly hard song imo. I think she has done well given that there were not-as-good times. But yea, its a really hard song to sustain and i think she did it well for this. It's been a while since we've heard it :)

Me too! Too cute, I noticed it immediately. But she's very professional anyway, she didn't even hesitate for a second♥ go queen!!!!

THIS.

she's like "lemme show all ya lil' girls&boys how this is supposed 2 be done, then I'll go back to my higher business"

I didn't watch the performance yet, and i think is awesome, XD

Unfair advantage to the white team!!! And the Kouhaku went back to the ball system this year! Maybe should we have a "ball handicap" system that adds a ball for every consecutive loss that team is having to give that other team an opportunity to win??? :grumpy

(Although, then again, I'm a fan of some Johnny's musicians, such as ARASHI...)

lol

Yaasssss ayumi, come thruuu

Finally i got to watch the performance in HD..
ayu is very elegant here and AyuWorld is right, she seemed to focus on how to sing well on this kouhaku, she sounded great! and also probably her outfit made her seem cautious? maybe she was afraid that something might fall down haha XD that's why she seemed very careful, not like the usual lively her. but i also think she just wanted to show she's the Queen on the throne, that's why she acted all serious and mighty.

anyway, her skirt shape is really weird.. and it's kinda ugly, she could just make it like the normal skirt shape.

and white team won again, that's kinda boring lol.. but maybe fanboys just can't beat fangirls' determination in order to make their favorite male idols won haha~

The female power can do everything for their boybands

Ayus one of the few who can pull off an "arrogant Queen look" and get away with it :P