I don't think I really have a favourite era. But I guess I would say that pre-RAINBOW is the best.
But each has its own finer points.

For example, A Song for XX. Many people tend to think it as one of Ayu's lesser albums. I digress. It has some of the best lyrics and compositions of all. Take tracks A Song for XX and POWDER SNOW. Those have the greatest lyrics I have ever read. None of Ayu's songs compare to them. Her vocals are kickass too. Not to mention the exceptional compositions.

Then comes LOVEppears. This is another album considered lesser by fans. That may be true, but it has it's finer points. Fly high and appears would be the better songs of the album. appears just has a great beat, while Fly high is a great "poppy" song.

Duty is probably the best album. Like sven said, it has the best individual songs of all. vogue, Far away, SURREAL, AUDIENCE, SEASONS. These are incredible songs, but the album is rather choppy. It doesn't flow well.

I am..., however, flows well. It's probably the best overall album. There are only 2 or 3 poor songs on this album, if that. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the better-quality songs that Duty does, save Daybreak and Dearest.

RAINBOW is considered to be the worst album by fans. It's not necessarily bad, it's just not up to par with the other albums. It does have some nice songs, though. Like Close to You and the interludes.

Memorial address isn't very fond by most, since it's post-RAINBOW. Nevertheless, it has it's good songs. HANABI~episode II~ has the original sense that Daybreak (H/\L's Mix 2002) does. Unlike most, I actually like Greatful days. Even though almost everyone finds it boring, I enjoy it. And even though RAINBOW isn't on the album, I really love this song. It's probably the best post-RAINBOW track.


So, of the actual "eras," I would have to say my favourite is "The Trilogy" to "Daybreak"
The worst would have to be & to the present.

...all my least fav. songs r on ASFXX/Duty..heh

i dont like the trilogy at all..besides seasons

i'm still listening to all of her stuff. no falling yet, as far as i'm concerned. i love all the albums, not just because i'm a fanboy, but because i do believe she brings something new and exciting everytime one is released. it's usually done very well and in good taste, too.

sidenote: sven mentioned yoshimi battles the robots! awesome.

all i have to say to this...MEH haha i loved all her albums EVEN rainbow :) and i will continue to love her work :), her lyrics have so much meeaning :D

i agree starting from the 'RAINBOW' era her vocal has improved A WHOLE LOT
and the way she sing changes everytime ANGEL SONG'S, INSPIRE, CAROLS all three of those songs have different styles and singing style is different to me RAINBOW is a good example to give to someone new to ayu..it got Pop-rock/Pop-pop/Pop-techno/Pop-Ballad...and while the songs from I am.. have alot of the same kinda styles less variety but yes those songs is also what got her famous..M/evolution/Dearest etc
i wouldn't say ayu is going down at all...i think that is happening to every single artists in Japan. The fans always want sth fresh and ayu's stuff always sounds like the same to people that are new to JPop...one more thing about ayu is that
her songs...it can be love at first listen or slowly invading your head and makes you love it...take INSPIRE for instance...some of us hate it until we heard the Princess China Orchestra version then love the original one as well
i think it is a matter of taste or time..and also since now a days avex stop putting 374927424872 mixes in singles and fans love to hear different version of the song...
just my two cents

hey...i think that the RAINBOW album is not bad...wonder why people don't like it?

well for me... maybe she isnt falling down in quality.. its on the other hand... her live is so amazing.. her technique improved... but hey... everybody has their own era rite? :D ^^

if she falls
i will help her up

Rainbow was not very impressive compared to LOVEppears, Duty or I am..because the album tracks weren't all that great. Personally, I think Duty and I am...are tied for best album, or at least very close. But the reason has nothing to do with singles, because what makes albums are the album tracks, and Duty and I am...have the best album tracks. :)

I like until the H/Voyage single mostly. Rainbow was a great SONG, but the album wasn't impressive when compared to her earlier ones. Hopefully the new album will be really great, but I don't think it'll be Duty/I Am... mainly because her vocals aren't as strong or as good as they used to be.

I loved the Princess China Orchestra version of Inspire... :yes it's better than the original version.

I find there's something to like in all the different stages of Ayu's career, and somethings I don't. It's a matter of personal likes/dislikes... I think her vocals have improved since RAINBOW, and some of her lyrics are really becoming more beautiful, like Moments. I think there's a lot more to come from Ayu, I wouldn't write her off just yet.

i felt that after voyage her career hit a sort of slump, and then she tried to regain popularity by releasing the ayupan/MTRL merchandise, as well as starting AYUready to get back up there...but i think no way to say was her best comeback. but i do agree that it's not really a decline sort of deal because it's not like she's producing the same stream of music...ayu is one of the best marketers and she is known for always reinventing herself.

actually i really like this album too. i think it was awesome. i don't get why so many people hated it lol.

I like Duty up to I Am.. the most.....now she's errr....the only song i like is Free & Easy and that draws the line for me....she shouldn't try so hard in coming out with singles every 2 months....Everyone loves her in Japan and besides, they see her in CMs so why does she have to work her butt off? AVEX can go to hell :yes :iamevil

I'm gonna make this short, so hungry.

I'm liking her works ever since the & single and up, all of the recent songs are what got me liking Ayu. It's so, strong, emotional, free in a sense.

Her older works, I'm not a big fan, but I don't hate it, just gets too old for me.

I guess I like Ayu for her more, hip hop (INSPIRE), power ballads (Moments),rock (GAME, Because of You, Memorial Address), and on rare occasions, ballads (forgiveness, CAROLS).

[I don't really like CAROLS that much o_o... it's getting old! MORE ROCK PLZ XD!]

I typed out this long thing and then deleted it =/ no use being boring.

I thinkt he diffrence between old hamasaki and hamasaki stuff is the fact that she worked with one person on a few songs, and not diffrent people for every song on the album? I dont know, she used to work with HAL a lot, and now he dosent work with her? Right?

I can’t choose a downfall album or a top on the hill album, I love them all. I play at least one Ayu album every day, and I start off on "A Song for XX" and end up on "Memorial address". I love the change from "A Song for XX" to "Memorial address"; it gives me the joy of listening to the change in Ayu’s voice over that period. I call my self a fan, I probably am to. Are there no fans here?

I think ayu hasn't really fall......u can see from her activities and performances...
for records...yeah...maybe,that's bcs there are so many new singers nowadays..... I LOVE AYU N I'LL ALWAYS DO..........SHE'S MY EVERYTHING

i enjoy her albums, if it dont have a good beat or whatever, its the lyrics then. ya'know? every song has its own emotion. if ur one of em ppl that likes the beats over the lyrics, give the lyrics a try. be
SpOnTaNiOus~//~ :::..:::;//// <<<<-----LOL, Haha that looks stupid :P, but yeah...lol

haha, lol...I see that all of you are really defending for Ayu...hmm, that's nice.