What was happening when you became a fan?

[Bigtop]

When I first heard of Ayumi Hamasaki back in late 2006, I was way too busy with space shuttles (which have since then retired)...

Her appearance, voice, and even the tattoo (!) made me think I want Ayu to start my J-pop portfolio. But at that time she was 28 years old, which makes me want to regret about it...but without Ayu, I wouldn't discover a whole new range of artists (such as Arashi, Ai Otsuka, Sayuri Sugawara, miwa, Leo Ieiri...and even Yanawaraba!)!

[ayumisrael]

I think it was a month or two before Memorial address' release, and a friend sent me Depend on you and I listened only to it for like a month. Then I tried some other songs and mainly songs from LOVEppears and A Song for xx popped (some Duty too) and I just loved everything I heard, it wasn't just that 1 song (Depend on you). XD

I got to know about the forums (AHN and then AHS) around after Moments' release.

[anna_ayu]

I was studing Japanese for few time and I went to Anime Event in my city.
I didn´t know Ayumi and I bought a CD, Rainbow. I became a fan at time!

It was in 2005

[Delirium-Zer0]

In Spring 2000 my sister downloaded "TO BE" by accident... Between the time of "Far away" and "SEASONS"'s releases I started clicking around & learning more about her... mostly for my sister, cuz SHE was the fan at first, not me XD

But omg she was so CUTE! I started looking for info & mp3s & pictures for my own benefit instead of for my sister after awhile.

I liked the stuff from her first two albums that I heard, but it ended up being the combination of "TO BE," "Far away," "vogue (HAL's Mix 2000)," and the lyrics to all the songs on her first two albums that made me a fan... once I started downloading videos, I knew I was hooked forever. "Duty" was the first album of hers that I was excited about the release for.

[truehappiness]

I'm not really sure since I sort of discovered Ayu on accident via Napster/KaZaA and I wasn't really attached to the 'news'-side of things since there weren't many places around at the time though there were a few forums here and there.

But when I was into the fandom, RAINBOW had just come out and Real me was playing a lot. I also recall being around for the release of ourselves on MTV Japan.

[ayu-michan]

Sometime during 2012, I got addicted thanks to M And I've been wondering where have I been living all my life to join Ayu fandom so freaking late.

[Earth_maiden]

Blue Bird had just been released as a single and I was obsessed with the (miss)understood album.

[marcoba]

Around Party Queen Era

[terra]

A BALLADS was just released in my country, probably around time she released forgiveness

[SolarAngel]

It was early 2004 and I was only listening to western rock music and thinking that pop music was hardly worth a listen. Memorial address got a good review from this magazine I was reading and someone just let me listen to end roll which I thought was beautiful so I bought memorial address to give it a chance.

Loved the tracks, loved the A Museum clip and it was full steam ahead from there.

[matsku]

Few months after poker face was realeased

[Livey~]

Summer 2010, soo... Rock'n'Roll Circus Tour era I guess.

Those days I couldn't stop watching the funny encore sections on youtube.

I became a fan later in December, right after Love Songs~

[Minttulatte]

I just realized my memory is quite hazy when it comes to thinking about this but I can say that it was somewhere between (miss)understood and Secret in 2006. I remember listening Ayu nonstop that summer because she was so awesome. I was also very obsessed with Hikki at the time.

Hmm... Damn, I can't remember it well. I only remember it got something to do with wikipedia. I was surfing there and ran across Ayu's page and I just ended up reading it. Then I thought she must be awesome if she has this many hits and decided to download first three albums. LOVEppears and Duty completely blew me away, A Song for xx... not so much. I also downloaded few remix albums which were awesome too. I even heard remix versions for evolution, UNITE!, Endless sorrow and NEVER EVER before I even found the originals. It also took me a while to find those because I wasn't aware of AHS. I wish I had been tho. x3

//I feel old when I read how some people got into her in 2010 or so. For me this is my 8th year with Ayu.

[monochrome99]

STEP you PV just came out, I downloaded it through winmix. you know you're old if you remember winmix.

I think I knew her songs beforehand but I didn't care about who she was I just liked the songs.

[kendelle]

I don't think I've posted in this one before, but I joined prior for B&D's PV coming out. I remember staying up all night waiting for that darn PV hahaha!

I really love it and it's got a great memory for me as well

[tsumekaze_]

It's nice to see how ayu got fans in all the points of her career.
Sometimes I think I'm the only one loving ayu after her peak but I see a lot of people here who are like me.
And for those who supported her from the very first, I'm so envious!!! You're truly quite the fan there!
Next year will be my 5th year with ayu.

[Irish_Ayu_Fan]

Early Summer 2012, so party queen had been out a few months and I just happened to discover Tell Me Why on Youtube and been hooked ever since!

[My Rainbow]

Bold & Delicious was released :3

[Cahz-]

The Arena Tour Rock'n'Roll Circus was announced.

My life was being slayed by alterna and Connected atm

[Yuniz_hime]

I don't remember when I start to be Ayu's fan because my feeling to her started with hate. Yes, I used to hate her. Why? Because our name is almost similar. Then my brother knew about it, he downloaded Ayu's songs and forced me to listen the songs (by that time, I don't know how to delete or add songs into my mp3. All is with my brother help). I think it is miracle because until now, she is the only person that I used to hate and turn to be love. After that, I proud to call myself as her fan. I don't remember the exact time but around 2002-2004.