[Charts & Rankings] Rule/Sparkle - ORICON STYLE

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

If it's so, then Ayu doesn't do very well in being regular at the Japanese society.

I would say from 98 to around 2002, she was very much like that. I actually have a lot more to say about this subject, but I'm already like 15 minutes late for class because of this! lol. Where are my priorities?

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

I would say from 98 to around 2002, she was very much like that. I actually have a lot more to say about this subject, but I'm already like 15 minutes late for class because of this! lol. Where are my priorities?

Ahahaha. Well yeah I noticed that from her debut (in avex) to about 2002, she was very much active in Japan society... like you know Ayu Ready? and appearing in many variety shows.

So doing that, I think in the eyes of the Japanese, they see Ayu as part of them in the variety shows; like "Ayumi Hamasaki is very much like us".

But from about, I think, 2004 or so, she just stopped appearing in a lot of variety shows. Even now, she only comes on Hey! x3 or something like that once/twice a year.

So, obviously, Arashi and whichever other groups who regularly host and guest in several variety shows would be more recognized by Japan... I think that's probably why they're so popular and sell 200k+ singles on the first day. Perhaps Japan views them as the 'wholesome boy-next-door' kind of thing.

I'm not implying that Ayu isn't the 'wholesome girl-next-door'... but it's quite obvious that in the recent years she has adapted a more high-end and high-class style. And I do love that diva and glam look! But it's just that, I feel Japan might not exactly like it and feel Ayu as a turn-off due to that.

BUT, in any case, it's not like it really matters at the end of the day. IMO, comparing Ayu to Arashi is like comparing an apple to a orange. They are both singers and entertainers, but we know they are very much different.

Ayu still has impressive sales in this era of digital downloads... so kudos to her for staying strong almost-consistently for these 10/11 years.