she won Domestic Artist of the Year again and Pop Album of the Year for A Best. At the 2001 World Music Awards, Hamasaki won the regional award for Best Japanese Act. At the 2002 MTV Asian Awards, Hamasaki won a special award entitled the Most Influential Asian Artist Award. At the first 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, Hamasaki won the award for Best Female Artist, alongside nominations for Best Video of the Year and Best Pop Artist. In retrospect of the album, Hamasaki had been interviewed in 2004 for the Nippon TV special documentary Light and Shadow: Despair and Decision at Age 25. She commented that she had been recognized severely as a "product" rather than a real person, and that she was considered the most "important product" to Avex. Hamasaki denied claims of retirement from the music industry, but threatened her position within Avex by wanting to separate from them. She furthered explained her staying with the companying; "I knew that if I didn't stay with the company, I'd never be able to come back to it. I'd live very thoroughly here, but I thought 'I just want to live like a human.' I was significant to them [Avex Trax], so I felt like 'lets fight the man' I guess. I wanted to resist the company even though I felt like I was part of it." Re-issue On January 28, 2016, Hamasaki announced via her official website the re-release of A Best. Hamasaki confirmed that the album would be released on the same date as the original album, and will be entitled the 15th Anniversary Edition. The album will include the original 16 tracks, but have been remastered by American engineer and producer Stephen Marcussen. This is Marcussen's first collaboration with Hamasaki, and mastered the album at his own Marcussen Studio's in Hollywood, California. The original album cover is used on both the cardboard sleeve and jewel case. Initial promotion of the album offered T-shirt designs of the six alternative jewel case album covers, handwritten lyrics to the album lyrics, and a specialized anniversary book. On one of Hamasaki's posts on her website, several Japanese public figures such as ice skater Mao Asada, Japanese model and actress Riisa Naka, music writer Mihi Fujii, and sociologist Noritoshi Furuichi took appreciation and retrospect in the collection and commended Hamasaki's longevity in the music industry. The album is released in