[2003] Ayumi's biggest competitor...

[*Petit*]

Originally Posted by ayu_fan929

All I'm saying is my name's WOMEN was a sexual-themed PV which counters the point "you don't have to be sexual to portray..." I'm not talking about the degree used..

It definetly has no moves directly pointing to sexual behavior. And I don't think the main theme is sexual. It's not just a difference in degree or angel, the whole theme is different.

Yes, 'ero-kakkoii' had a role in bringing her popularity up but I don't think her sales increase wasn't based on image solely. Her popularity didn't start to increase until the release of "Kiseki" ("Cutie Honey" doesn't really count since it was for an anime. Plus, "Chase" which was released after, didn't do too well) which would have been more than 1 year after the use. It wasn't really considered a success until the release of "secret" which would be 1.5 years after the use

Of course it wasen't base on image solely, like I wrote earlier (I don't know who this was directed at though if not never mind.. O.o).

Anyways, you cannot not count singles like Cutey Honey and real emotion simply becuase they had spectacular tie ins. THose tie ins are exactly what may boost an artist. Her single's chart positions jumped from around 20 and less to a regular top twenty after 1000. It jumped again with the sole exception of chase after Cutey Honey, before the release of secret she was regularly in the top ten. I think Cutey Honey was what made people really see koda in a new light, and that movie was also the perfect tie in to such an image, to make people notice it and to connect koda with "cutey honey".

Anyways, I don't really see what this is about anymore. Everyone in their right mind knows that image isen't everything. THere are tons of examples of it. But image and promotion has a LOT to do with it too. WHo knows what would've happen if it was Ai Otsuka releasing twelwe singles in stead of Koda? In the end the act koda kumi worked out really well by using avex strategies and people are enjoying what she puts out (judging from her sales).

[andre2907]

Originally Posted by ayu_fan929

3) I guess Psychotic_X should really show his charts to you. But it's a fact that her sales didn't increase when she started with 'ero-kakkoii'. The sales started to .go up like a year after she went with this style.

IMHO, her ero-kakoii image was the reason she shoot to the top of the charts (not only because of that, but that was the first reason). Her first huge hit without a big tie-in was BUTTERFLY. Coincidentally, it was with this single that she started to appear heavily on TV and it was then that she start to be heavily promoted with the ero-kakoii image (before, she just did sexy covers and PVs). She went from a nobody to be in every single tabloid when she appeared on Music Station Super Live on a lingerie. Then, BEST ~First Sessions~ was mostly promoted by the cover. I think her music is good but it's thanks to the image she is where she is now, not thanks to the songs.

[s1012h]

like i said before
any person's biggest competitor is themselves.
if you think some other person's your biggest competitor, you're gonna be focused on something that shouldn't even be focused on.

yeah i agree, Koda Kumi is a bit more provacative than most Japanese female artists, but you know what they all say, Sex Sells
and it's not as if Koda is really a sl*t or wh*re. The fact is that she can actually sing.
It's just that people and the audience ARE WANTING KODA TO CONTINUE WITH THE ERO-KAKKOII.
It's more attention-grabbing, and that's what the audience seem to want,
cause we all know her music sells well when it's being promoted with this kind of style.
I personally don't like it. Less is more. But I can be happy about the fact that she IS NOT some wanna-be singer who CANNOT sing.

[ayu_fan929]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

Anyways, you cannot not count singles like Cutey Honey and real emotion simply becuase they had spectacular tie ins. THose tie ins are exactly what ret she was regularly in the top ten. I think Cutey Honey was what made people really see koda in a new light, and that movie was also the perfect tie in to such an image, to make people notice it and to connect koda with "cutey honey".

Well I said that cos the following single after Cutie Honey (Chase), it basically flopped (only ~20-30k). But yes, they probably did start to see her (again) but that didn't really happen until "Kiseki" and finally in "secret" which was like half a year later.

Originally Posted by andre2907

IMHO, her ero-kakoii image was the reason she shoot to the top of the charts (not only because of that, but that was the first reason). Her first huge hit without a big tie-in was BUTTERFLY. Coincidentally, it was with this single that she started to appear heavily on TV and it was then that she start to be heavily promoted with the ero-kakoii image (before, she just did sexy covers and PVs). She went from a nobody to be in every single tabloid when she appeared on Music Station Super Live on a lingerie. Then, BEST ~First Sessions~ was mostly promoted by the cover. I think her music is good but it's thanks to the image she is where she is now, not thanks to the songs.

Well yes and no. Some people might say it was during the 'hands'/'secret'/'Hot Stuff' era. 'hands' cos it was released ~3-4 weeks before the album and it still sold ~50k. 'secret' cos I think it outsold her highest selling album in 1 week. 'Hot Stuff' cos it sold out all of it's 30k copies. I think this was the era where her popularity popped out. However, 'Butterfly' did push her career forward.

Wasn't that MSSL perf in 2004? (when she performed Cutie Honey?)

[Psychotic_X]

.... man I'll just pre-type these posts and save these images now... I'm going to compile a huge long ass reply to come back with all this BS on Koda Kumi and her success

[truehappiness]

I don't think that'd really help people much though o_o;

[Psychotic_X]

man I give up! this is a piece of BS... whatever!

[*Petit*]

No matter what your charts says it seems that koda herself thinks this image is a big part of what got her to the top, since she is afraid of quitting it.. And she + avex should really know this.

[evolution7931]

Look at this article from Japanese newspaper:
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai...dm011000c.html

Kumi Koda: She sells CDs by being sex-sure.

Blunt and right to the point.

Koda, last year's winner of the Nihon Record Taisho -- Japan's equivalent to the Grammys -- is aiming to double up in the country's most prestigious music award, but Ai Otsuka has come out of virtually nowhere to usurp Koda's title as J-pop's heir apparent to the throne currently held by Ayumi Hamasaki.

"Koda was popular last year for being behind the erotic-cute phenomena, but she's still doing the same thing now. Some say she knows people are gonna get sick of her gimmick eventually. Koda's rivalry with Otsuka has more than a little jealousy in it

See? Other people, even in Japan, are seeing how people are gonna get bored/sick of this..

"Avex held a concert for its shareholders in June. Ayumi Hamasaki took the top billing, but Otsuka was given second billing, with Koda after her. Koda was furious," the TV insider says. "Koda and Otsuka are bitterly opposed to each other and make little secret of their rivalry. Koda goes around saying that Otsuka has no talent. And Otsuka says that Koda is 'vulgar' and 'acts like a cheap, nightclub hostess.'"

WOOOO GO AI! HAHAH. PWNED!
Who is KODA KUMI to go around saying Ai has no talent... Ai plays 2 instruments and can PLAY THEM AND SING THE SAME TIME. Plus compose and write everything and partially arrange.

"Winning a second award would restore her place in the pecking order. But Otsuka is standing in her way," the entertainment beat reporter says.

Otsuka ripping up the charts inside Avex has got Koda cringing.

MEhHEHHEHEHHehHEH! YAY FOR REAL TALENT. Maybe Ai is Ayu's new biggest competitor, not Koda! But Ai's rival seems to be Koda anyway. >=D

[truehappiness]

/cheers

That article's weird since Ayu went last [duh as always] ~~

[evolution7931]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

/cheers

That article's weird since Ayu went last [duh as always] ~~

huh? went last? o_O..

[truehappiness]

Yes, like at a-nation..

She went last and closed the shareholder's meeting.. ?


Girl (0:48) - nakamura ataru - 友達の詩 Tomodachi no Uta
Girl (1:00) - Koda Kumi - Koi no Tsubomi
Girl (1:25) - Otsuka Ai - Frienger
Girl (1:50) - ando yuko - のうぜんかつら(リプライズ) Nouzen Katsura (reprise)
Violin Guy - Taro Hakase - To Love you More
Woman in Big Pink Dress w/ Gospel Choir - Ayumi Hamasaki - BLUE BIRD

[evolution7931]

o_O I don't get your point

[truehappiness]

"Avex held a concert for its shareholders in June. Ayumi Hamasaki took the top billing, but Otsuka was given second billing, with Koda after her. Koda was furious,"

That.

[evolution7931]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

"Avex held a concert for its shareholders in June. Ayumi Hamasaki took the top billing, but Otsuka was given second billing, with Koda after her. Koda was furious,"

That.

Oh, billing.

1. the relative position in which a performer or act is listed on posters, etc.: A star usually receives billing above the title of the play.

So they probably meant that Ayu and Ai's name came before Koda's on the promotional things and this made Koda furious.

[truehappiness]

If K---- actually SAID 'Otsuka had no talent!'...

womg.

That's like more untrue than Nami Tamaki being a guy. [or is that..]

[evolution7931]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

If K---- actually SAID 'Otsuka had no talent!'...

womg.

That's like more untrue than Nami Tamaki being a guy. [or is that..]

lol womg is right! but Ai pwned her bigtime..

[truehappiness]

I think Ai has more musical talent that most artists out there nowadays [yeah Ayu too~~] and definitely more than K-----..

[bulmasman]

Originally Posted by evolution7931

MEhHEHHEHEHHehHEH! YAY FOR REAL TALENT. Maybe Ai is Ayu's new biggest competitor, not Koda! But Ai's rival seems to be Koda anyway. >=D

lol I honestly believe that Ai is the next best thing to Ayu in Avex. I do believe she's better aswell infact ^^ Gotta love Ai

[ayu_fan929]

I hope you people do realize it's just a tabloid. Just like THIS ARTICLE and THIS ONE and THIS ONE and also A SIMILAR RIVALRY ARTICLE