@Luv: LOL I love how you bring out facts. I was gonna write some true facts regarding hikki's release but I deleted my message in the end. It's pointless to argue that in an ayu thread.
@Sunshine: The closing spot is not determined by the current popularity. I think it's more about the artists' statues in the industry. If the value of getting closing position based on the popularity, I'm sure that ayu would have been kicked out already. Let's face the fact that her popularity has been started declining since 2003. And I really think she is not the top selling female artist anymore after 2005 (the time she released (m)u). I really think it's her statue + the no. 1 streaks keeping her from kicking off the hill. Now her album no. 1 streak is broken. It's just a matter of fact the single streak being chopped anytime soon. Once her last streak is gone.. Then I guess people will knock ayu off from the closing position.
About the pasmo (which I dunno what it is since I dun live in Japan). I assume it should be a really common thing in Japan (since you can use it for transit, taxi, vending machine etc... It reminds me the octopus card in HK). I believe that she doesn't need to use public transports.. The thing is, whenever a new service for public is invented, it should have been covered by news (on tv and other media), newspapers, magazines, etc. You generally can't avoid being informed. I just read on wiki. Pasmo was introduced in April 2007. I assumed the media would talk about that earlier before the release.. Ayu attend DK around December, and she still didn't know what that was. This kinda show she belongs to the group who does not really read newspapers (at least local section)... Ahh we can't make excuse like, "she's busy / she was touring outside Japan / etc.." because not matter how busy she is, she should at least search around what's going on in her country.
@jbrat: Yes of course we want ayu to be what she wants. But it's quite obvious that her diva-ish image creates a wall between herself and the general public. I believe back then the teenagers wanted to copy ayu, such as whatever she wore, whatever she applied on her face, her nails, etc. Selling 500,000 mascara (or lipstick..?? I forgot. lol) after the VISEE cm was out (Naturally as background music). This is a proof of how ayu had common with the general public back then. What she wore in magazines were not EXPENSIVE stuff, and they were things that girls could find in stores.
Now, how can a typical teenage girl afford a $500 USD dress? Even this time she can spend $500 on one dress. It doesn't mean she can spend another $500 on another one. Most of the time we see ayu as glamorous diva on magazines. People just can't copy her anymore. They dun have anything common with ayu.
Also, she's been in the industry for too long. It's normal (and logical) that general people follow another fresh artist, or artists who reinvented herself (e.g., Namie). I don't really know if the "diva" image really pushes ayu to the corner. I mean, being a diva means you gotta be glamorous almost every single time.
I guess it is time for ayu to reinvent herself as well.
Edit:
@melon: I really think the Japan industry has been creating illusions somehow. Obviously B'z, Mr. Children, KinKi Kids, ayu, NEWS, etc having no. 1 streaks with something behind. Whenever they release new stuff, they (or thier companies) prefer to find a date that GUARANTEE them getting no. 1. That is why B'z is having the longest no. 1 streak has this moment, and why KK's no. 1 streak becomes world record. It's easy to see once a powerful unknown appeared, their no. 1 streaks will be gone. ayu's MW sets a perfect example. Let's see it was B'z instead to release a single that week, I'm sure they would fall into the same fate.
@Demure: LOL we practically talk about the same thing
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@njanjayrp: Almost 95% of releases have tie in. You can't avoid it. It's just a matter of fact whether the tie ins are huge or small. And.. that FINAL DISTANCE tie in you said... It's not really a tie in. In fact, she's just dedicating the song to that little girl... Back then hikki was huge and she didn't need to purposely use that as a tactic to gain media attention.