10781 replies to this topic

[H!P46]

I was thinking about this earlier and the image change might be as much to do with her as Tsunku considering he's the undisputed God of H!P. Remember that Japanese idols are based on their image rather than their singing or their songs. There's no denying that all of H!P are idols even if some can sing well. When MM members mature to the point that they're no longer part of the image, they graduate and might become soloists with a new image. The soloists have the benefit of not being in a group to be thrown out of. However, it's slightly harder to determine when the image should change. Saying this, I agree with hurtwou: There's only one Aya regardless of her image.

[hurtwou]

Here's some pics!

I would the pic not the link, but I dont roll like that

you mean you like it showing the whole pic ?
use

[img]link of the pic[/img]

:w00t!:
aya got many moles on her face ... said miki

Edited by hurtwou, 04 March 2006 - 05:27 PM.

[Ol' Dirty Pepto]

I know how to post the pic, but for some reason, i like posting the link. But if you want me to post the pic.

[H!P46]

Ahh... gotta love those huge eyes! :blush

Also, a cookie for the first person to post a pic of Aya with her fringe swept over to the left side of her face or the parting on the right half of her head... Now that's image!

[Banzai]

OMG Ayaya is so beautiful in that pic, I'm jealous!

[miyazaki]

[FumikoH]

...I love the new Aya but I also do love the old Ayaya. I would like to keep both "versions" of her if I could have it my way. Her older up tempo songs always made me happy and she was my fav. H!P member from the start. I'm just really happy to see this kind of change in her. And I guess that only the future can tell the story of what will happen to H!P's best voice.

We all must change and grow or we become stagnant and unconscious, yes? Even companies like H!P change and grow or their audience grows past them. Anyway Matsuura is definitely the best of H!P singers and she will expand her abilities! H!P46 mentioned that she had Seijin no Hi ("Become an Adult Day" in English) recently in January, this is a time when we will consider how we may develop ourselves and contribute most to our society.

Matsuura looks perfectly fine as an adult. Perhaps she will not smile all the time now, as H!P46 wrote. I became age 25 last month, I like to smile as much as when I was a little girl, but as I become older the things in life to smile about are a smaller percentage of the total experience of life, and the difficulties of life are a greater percentage. This is why elder singers can sing the blues, yes? and we do not understand them when we are young? but we understand them more as time passes. My unsolicited opinon.

[H!P46]

H!P46 mentioned that she had Seijin no Hi ("Become an Adult Day" in English) recently in January

What I said is that she will be in the next one. Depending on the which source you use, the people who are included are either:
1) only those who will be 20 within the next year;
2) only those who are already 20 on the day; or
3) only those who are 20 during the current academic year (April-March).
I don't think it's the first one because a lot of 20 year olds are at the ceremony. Whether it's the second or third possibilities is not important. As her 20th birthday is not until June, it falls within both the categories so she will participate in the next one on 8th January 2007 if I'm correct.

Matsuura looks perfectly fine as an adult. Perhaps she will not smile all the time now, as H!P46 wrote. I became age 25 last month, I like to smile as much as when I was a little girl, but as I become older the things in life to smile about are a smaller percentage of the total experience of life, and the difficulties of life are a greater percentage. This is why elder singers can sing the blues, yes? and we do not understand them when we are young? but we understand them more as time passes. My unsolicited opinon.

An interesting take on it. I'm still only 20 going on 21 so I don't know whether your view is correct or not (I'll take your word on it) but I do notice that each year I appreciate more and more things. I recall from epifanes' spotlight corner #23:

Aya is at the age where she has lost most of her dreams and has to face life's day-to-day reality. (she must really be tired, saying things like this :o)

Maybe that's something to do with your position? I'm only starting to pursue my ambition though I may not reach the age of 25 without achieving it, thus joining you in the less-to-smile-about boat. Despite not being officially there yet, I've no doubt Aya will make a fine adult as a person: she's already got the obligatory worrying complex going!

EDIT: Oh how could I forget to mention this?! Very nice pics FumikoH!

Edited by H!P46, 05 March 2006 - 06:28 PM.

[Sev]

I'm going to be really sad if Aya isn't gonna smile as much as before just because she gets old. I'm around her age and I'm just smiling more and more everyday. The more problems I encounter (as you do when you grow up) the more I cherish what I have and realize that even just being able to have friends is a privelige that you just have to be really happy about. My philosophy is smile more and more everyday until I die (hopefully at an old age). And when I'm dying.. I'm going to die with the biggest smile on my face ever!

The real problem is that when I see someone else smile, take a picture of Aya for an example, I smile. And if people are gonna stop smiling, then we got some big problems on our hands. A smile can do so much to another person you know. I hope Aya will just smile more.. coz she's got a smile worth looking at. :c16:

Oh.. I forgot to. Thx for the really nice pics FumikoH!

Edited by Sev, 05 March 2006 - 07:15 PM.

[FumikoH]

Wow! Hi to H!P46 and to Sev! Please know this: I am not less happy as I become older, I have the same astonishment about the beauty and complexity of the world, and the same joy when the world surprises me with fun or with challenge, even with pain. I am especially joyful when the world surprises me with men like you who share my interest! and are intelligent partners for discussion!

But also as I become older there are more routine distractions: go to work on time! pay bills every month! make sure my car oil is changed at the proper times! create my own dental appointments! try to step around political problems at work! register to vote! drive around freeway jam! etc. etc. etc.

Matsuura will have help with some of these from her management at H!P just as I have my aunt and uncle to help me. But other things she will handle by herself, as we all do, and you will too. She is knowing this now, as she becomes of age. (You are right, H!P46, if she will be age 20 this year, she will celebrate Seijin no Hi next year, 2007. I could not celebrate this properly, I will tell you why another time.)

Matsuura and I and you guys, we will share something always: we will smile with great intensity whenever we are having a good time, and maybe with less intensity but deeper and more complex meaning when we feel kinship with another person or a situation. We will love the world and our lives more each day, yes? and we will be happy because of that!

[H!P46]

intelligent partners for discussion!

:blush lol. Nice one there!

Good to know that you're such a friendly, positive person. I'm quite an optimist but it sometimes makes me lose track of reality. As such I overlook certain responsibilities which, needless to say, is a rather unreliable trait to have. I'm sure I'll improve with age like a good wine though. I mean if responsibility is beyond me then I won't last long in this world! I still have my sad phases though. I think it's useful to be sad once in a while to remember why you're happy. For example, I'm only 3 months away from finishing university and that's going to be another chapter of my life over, sadness in the passing, happiness in the reflection. From there it's back to the real world: get a job and go from there. Aptly, an Aya song springs to mind: 可能性の道 (Kanousei no Michi). That's (almost) exactly my sentiments on my position in one lovingly Aya-wrapped, Tsunku-written gift. The song contributes to the Aya growing up debate as well...

恋をしているから
乙女と呼ぶのか
乙女だからこそ
恋するのか
年齢じゃないね
(roughly translated, I believe, as: "Am I called a woman because I'm in love or am I in love because I'm a woman? It's not age, right?"

Hmm... interesting. Well, actually, I knew about that earlier which is why I said Tsunku♂ had a role to play in her image change. Ah well, it still suits her.

Anyway, I now present to you the ultimate test of balance. You wouldn't want to fall over on this would you?

(That's the big Aya smile we all love!)

[RyeCrimsonMoon]

I hate to bring this more off-topic, but I'm really surprised that everyone is so optimistic about getting older. For me, I'd give anything to go back and relive my 4th and 5th grade years. I loved being a kid and I envy them so much for being so carefree and playful. I'm only 17, but a large part of me wants to remain a kid and go out into the backyard and play with dirt again :: I still have the responsiblity of an adult, like driving, going to work, paying back debts, managing my life, etc. But sometimes it's too hard! But I guess it mightbe about my school, where if we get 2nd it's bigger then who beat us.

Anyway, I'm enjoying Aya's adult image. I loved her childish image with her happy-peppy songs, but sometimes a more "adult" song is just right.

[H!P46]

I hate to bring this more off-topic, but I'm really surprised that everyone is so optimistic about getting older. For me, I'd give anything to go back and relive my 4th and 5th grade years. I loved being a kid and I envy them so much for being so carefree and playful. I'm only 17, but a large part of me wants to remain a kid and go out into the backyard and play with dirt again :: I still have the responsiblity of an adult, like driving, going to work, paying back debts, managing my life, etc.[emphasis added by me]

I'm optimistic about getting older because there's no use in being pessimistic about it. If you're just going to mope over your childhood in your adult years then you're not going to enjoy life. Sure, I loved my school days and I always wish I could go back but sadly we can't. Regret is built into humans but you can either dwell on it or move forward from it. But at 17, you're still very young. I still feel very young and I'm nearly 21 (but you're the senpai here :huh). There's a lot in life to live for besides working.

Which brings me onto the stuff that I put emphasis on in the quote. Driving, working and managing your life are all responsibilities but they are also opportunities (ignore debts ). Think how much your world opens up when you can drive. Managing you life means that you can pursue those ambitions that you have. Working doesn't have to be full time to get you a decent income. But again, you're still young. Don't dwell too much on this mysterious future just yet. When the time to think has come, you'll know what to do. There's a phrase by Avatar Meher Baba made into a song in the 1980s by Bobby McFerrin and it says: Don't worry, be happy. Smile with Aya about getting older...

(Taken from the "a" photobook)

[Sev]

Nice pics H!P46! I love that Pb. :c16: There's this glow of beauty in Aya throughout that photobook.. Well.. she's always beautiful but.. I don't know, something special in that pb.

Here's some more pics from that photobook, enjoy:

[H!P46]

I think the "something special" in the a photobook is elegance. The look seems to be more serious and with more feeling than the previous photobooks which seem to be based on playful fun. Sure, Aya in a bikini is great to look at (although looking at a 15/16/17-year-old in a bikini might be illegal in some countries - it's certainly not encouraged in the UK) but there's something altogether differently beautiful in the elegant shots such as the first of the ones in Sev's post above this one. And if there's ever a proper war on anywhere, just show that fourth picture to both sides. Forget white doves, the CND peace sign (☮) and the V-sign, that picture, to me, is the ultimate symbol of peace!

[FumikoH]

You guys are great, I'm glad I met you! I'm glad I met you too, CrimsonMoon! I appreciate to have another woman here!

Elegant and fun at aquarium and tide pools (I have been both places).

[Proto]

As she gets older, she becomes more mature but that's only for the better in a way =P

[Sev]

You can say that again Proto!

And thanks for those beautiful aquarium pics FumikoH. I just love the color of them and of course.. They look extra good since Aya are in them. :c16: I would really like to visit an aquarium. It looks really cool.. just standing there watching all fishes and stuff like swim around.

[H!P46]

I'd love to go to one as well. I went to Blackpool Sea Life Centre when I was a young 'un and that was great. London Aquarium is quite near where I live (about a 45-minute-medium-quick-pace walk away). However, I'd like to go when it was rather empty so there aren't any screaming kids around to disturb me . Something like in the Futarigoto with Aya and Mikitty at the sea life centre, but that's probably more to do with them being celebrities and filmed.

Aya has been to some really interesting looking locations. Well, I'm sure all of the members of Hello! Project have but they're not the focus in this thread. I wanted a to find pictures of the locations without Aya in them ( blasphemy, I know!) but I'll settle for them with.

[Banzai]

OMG I havent seen those pics! They are so kawaii!

I wonder when Aya's next single wi;ll come out? I hope its soon!