About a year ago eneabba.net, an amazing and helpful Ayumi Hamasaki fan site, stopped all updates. Webmaster Nick gave a short, to the point explanation why he lost interest in her career. This message is to let all of you know that it is now my turn to stop all Ayumi Hamasaki updates.
There is so much to say and explain about this decision, giving the fact that I have been an Ayu fan since 2003. I have evolved from adoring her no matter what to simply loving the artistic freedom she has (the designer in me envies how her sets, make up and clothes can be as eccentric as needed). But there is something that comes before all that and it is my faith.
I am a Christian. I believe and have accepted that Jesus died for me on the cross and saved me from my sins. Over the past few years I have grown deeper in my faith and the evolution I felt about Ayu changed because my priority became serving God. Many of you can guess as to how my faith and Ayumi can sometimes clash. Though I don’t expect her to evoke the morals I believe in, she did cross a personal line with the performances of “Endless sorrow” and “kiss o’ kill” from her “COUNTDOWN LIVE 2005-2006″ and “ASIA TOUR 2007″. I was always uncomfortable with this because both times she was in midair, attached to a cross. It took some maturing in my faith for me to make a final decision about it.
The death of Jesus is of uttermost importance to me and whether someone is actively making fun of it or simply using it as decor, I feel it is wrong. So I will no longer be following Ayumi Hamasaki’s career.
This decision does of course raise certain questions about Japanese Princess. It is a joy just to run the site but it is an even greater one to know that people enjoy the scans and information (making the choice all the more sadder). As stated earlier, there will no longer be updates on the Ayumi Hamasaki page. However, all scans and information that is already up shall remain there. Much like eneabba.net, the page shall remain as record of Ayu’s career from 1998 to 2010.
I would like to thank you all for supporting the site these past 5 years and for taking the time to read this. The site would be nothing without you! I pray that the Lord may make Himself know to you as well.
Update May21 2011: I’ve grown so much in the Lord since I posted this message and I have come to a decision to stop following Hitomi Shimatani as well. Though my love for Christ started all this, I’ve come to realized that this JPOP collection takes up a lot of time and money which makes it quite a distraction. So I’ve taken another step of faith and decided to let the Lord guide me. Thanks again to all the visitors who made this 5 year project so much fun. I sincerely hope the Lord has spoken to everyone who reads this!
