Is Ayu famous where you live?

[Picaflor 7/4]

You know, if I could meet one ayu fan in real life, that would be cool. >>

Actually, I've only ever met one, at a store for about 30 seconds in new york city in kinokuniyas.We were both looking through the jpop cds the store had and both our hands reached for her "secret" album. They only had cd only, though so I didn't buy it in the end. anyways, when she realized I liked ayu she started talking about her collection., she rambled on about her audience single, and this was when I was new to ayu so i was just like "ok...yeah...*nod nod*" the whole time lol.

Of course, imo I really don't count that as an "ayumi hamasaki fan meeting experience" lol

[aura~]

I already posted here... but this year I started a degree of Asian studies... we are like 90 in class... and I can say tat 50 or more know ayu, though only 10-15 like her and only 1 (me!) is a hardcore fan... XD They are more into boybands... NEWS, Arashi, KAT TUN.. and also K-pop boybands!! O.O

Today a girl said me: oh, you like Ayu? yeah I know her and like some songs, buy I don't like her personality... (me: oouugh.... whyy? xD) and more than 5 people have come to ask me about my A necklace *-* I'm happy to be in a class full of j-pop fans, and also people who likes Ayu ^^

I think that Barcelona (and surroundings) is a city FULL of Ayu fans, and also more parts of Spain... but I know a lot of Ayufans here!!

[gothicayu]

sadly not really ....

[jbrat2219]

No, the only reason anyone knows anything about Ayu is because I'm such a bat **** crazy goo goo super fan from hell. I've even gotten my best friend who use to HATE her admit she likes her now. But you know what, I'm kind of glad she isn't popular here. It makes her mine. >=)

[wilhelm]

in Malaysia, MOST of the CHINESE know who is Ayu, but i think there are only few of them listen to her music

[Kanzaki]

In Denmark: No. I've met two people who knew her, and only one was a fan. The other one was a girl obsessed with Antique Café and all things VK (sounds familiar, right?) xD VK is much more popular amongst anime/manga followers in Denmark, and those have increased greatly since I first got into Ayu back in 2003. But I'd say maybe 1/50.000 knows who she is, which is a rough estimate. On danish youth radio (P3) back in 2005/2006 they did have a whole day dedicated to japanese popular culture and music, and they played at least one song of Ayu's. But I don't think it really converted anyone. Danes are very much into alternative rock and pop, and tend to be very stubborn and unwilling to take in anything more foreign than French pop music. These are just my observations, I haven't lived in Denmark for 4 years now, and things might've changed just a bit since then.

As for Sweden, it's pretty much the same, except swedes (generalizing heavily now, so bear with me) are into pop tunes and eurovision type, catchy euro-techno tunes, and they LOVE their own music (and they should, because they include ABBA, Robyn, Kent etc.) Despite this, they seem a bit more open towards japanese music than danes in my experience. Whereas a dane would be like "Oh God, she's got a highpitched voice..." a swede would be more like: "She's very highpitched, but I like the melody very much!"

[YukasMx_TA]

No... I've seen her in 1 magazine only~ and in my school nobody knows about her -_- anyway, I'm accustomed to that kind of situation xD

[LastAngel]

I have yet to meet a fan of Ayu's here.
I live in a small city right outside of Chicago. >_>
So I'd say the general people don't know of her.
Only 1 friend of mine likes some of her songs but she isn't a fan.
& then all my friends know of Ayu since I ramble from time to time to them.

[adantatu2]

In my city (Cuernavaca) nobody knows ayu, but i met a girl who likes just one song by ayu (No way to say) and she said she loves the lyrics.
Here we can find a lot of otakus and probably they remember the ending of Inuyasha but they don't know who is ayu

[butterfly_ayu]

nobody knows ayu here~ only 2 of my friends know her~~~

[Abby]

No

I haven't even met someone how likes general Asian Music Not here in USA, nor in Venezuela. It's a PITY because AYU is what I mostly listen or anything...

So it's kinda lonely to be an AYU-fan here.
*Cries making a Drama*

[auss246]

I live in Australia, so she's not famous here.. never hear her mentioned, never see her on our music channels, and its so hard to buy her stuff here!

[Yum!Fruit_Salad!]

Nope, hell I don't even think anime is as known as it used to be.

[Nackar_91]

In the West, the Japan "in-crowd" is mostly only interested in the big clichés... Visual Kei (don't get them started on the Gazette, An Cafe or Girugamesh or they will MURDER you) or some J-Rock. (And only then a limited selection. Anything HYDE does or Gackt... better selling groups like Glay, B'z and Mr. Children are a mystery to them)

Still, I don't mind. As long as I have a few friends I can discuss it with, I actually prefer it this way. I can't help but thing their music and image will become tainted as soon as they enter the Western market : /

[ownsarai]

Originally Posted by Nackar_91

I can't help but thing their music and image will become tainted as soon as they enter the Western market : /

Kind of off topic here, but some J-Rock bands are currently in the Western market, Dir en grey, girugamesh, X JAPAN, just to name a few from memory. None of their images or music have become tainted as far as I am concerned. They are still true to their Japanese roots and fans, but it's nice that they recognize the Western fans as well. It's not every day that we get to see our favorite Japanese artists perform over here, so we'll take whatever we can get!
Back on topic~ I wish Ayu would do a concert in LA, I think she could get people from all over to come see her. ^^ I know I would go for sure. Of course I'm only 4 hours away...

[fuawas]

Not much... although she has appeared on TV several times, but just as gags using Japanese TV programs.
There was also a special radio program about unknown artists and they talked about her a little bit.
But that's it xD

[Polyrhythm]

Nope. Not at all. No Japanese artists are. =[ In my town. Well, I know a handful of people who know Utada....and like one person who knows Koda Kumi. =/

[Yagami Raito]

Well... Yes! In Japan she is ∑d(≧▽≦*)

[RikkuChii]

I'm the one who makes her famous around here.

[Midorichan]

Unfortunatly here in Italy Ayu is not famous...