Review by Kariya

A fantastic release! You were... is a very touching song, with beautiful melody and lyrics but BALLAD is in my opinion the superior song. If you enjoyed Days/GREEN and BLUE BIRD you'd be practically guaranteed to like this single. Ayu is at her best in ballads and the remixes of You were... and Sunset are also great listens. The PVs are more interesting than those in NEXT LEVEL as she returns to Takahide Ishii (UNITE!) and Masashi Muto (Depend on YOU, Is this LOVE?, Ladies Night). The PVs feel like a step back to those times when I couldn't wait to see her latest video... RED LINE is a more upbeat song than the two A-sides but features great lyrics written from her heart to her fans. It's a more "summer" song than the others which makes me happy as it's summer here and I don't feel awkward listening to wintery songs when it's 40 degrees C outside!

This is a really fantastic album. I've never had an opportunity to hear much of BoA's music before but the selection here is really great. I can't think of a better way to get into her than through a Greatest Hits and her debut English album. You really get the best of both worlds here :) The English album is really fantastic!! If you're having trouble finding the US version get this one to tide you over! The bonus DVD has some cute footage of her promoting in the US and practicing her dance moves, it's really good. I totally 100% recommend getting this album!

The shirt material is really soft, it's lovely to wear. I think the print looks really good, but in real life, the white is a lot brighter. I guess it's a little distracting. I have a small head but found the neck hole a bit too tight at times, if you buy these shirts next time they're out beware that the neck hole is tiny!!

After what seemed like a million years of delays I was so happy to get this in my hands at last! The first pressing is B4, a couple of inches bigger than A4 and contains the most gorgeous Ayu photos that I've seen in a long time. I like how the diary entries are actually rearranged to contain all of the text on the larger single page, than to have 4 pages of the magazine stuck onto one page. There is also a new interview, Ayu's discography by year and small pictures of the VIVI pages that Ayu has shot since her Avex debut. I think the collection of pictures is worth the money on its own, but there is no doubt that this book will become a hot collectors item. If you manage to get the First Press, go for it because you won't regret it ever. A second pressing is in the works but will be a smaller page size.

While I bought this single mostly for the tie in to the DragonBall Evolution film (I am a sucker for all things Toriyama), I am a long time Ayu fan and really REALLY like the tracks. It's so refreshing to finally have remixes back on the CD - my fave on this version being the 80s No more Rule one. The Days and GREEN remixes on the other versions are wonderful too - but that's another story! If you like Rule you will LOVE Sparkle - it has the LOVEppears feel to it, yet updated to be relevant for today's musical standards. It's great she's revisiting this trancey dance/pop style of music I fell in love with years ago. The lyrics are fun and both songs have great remix and live potential. The only disappointing thing is that Sparkle's PV wasn't finished for the release, but it will be on the album. It bought the release down to an overall 4 stars in my eyes, but I was very happy to get the Toriyama drawing with my First Press! If you're a new fan I suggest waiting for the album release to get more bang for your buck. Rule/Sparkle is a solid single but NEXT LEVEL is where the fun really begins!

I really love this necklace, it looks so much better live than online. What you miss in the photos is how much the clear bead sparkles and how bright the gold clasp and chain look. The necklace material is lovely and no matter what colour you choose it will suit many colours of clothing. Mine is red but has lots of green, yellow and purple too. Being so simple in design it makes a wonderful gift.

I'm so excited for the new album! After one of the longest waits for an Ayu album ever, we finally will get some new tracks and PVs after she spent her 10th anniversary doing so many tours but limited recording. March is definitely "Ayu month" with so many cool things coming out, but how can fans keep up sometimes? xD Ayu has stated that she's still working on the album even now, doing some PV shooting so close to the release - I'm sure she's thought long and hard about this album if it's still being completed so the final product is sure to be great!

I really hope this item is restocked - I can't believe it sold out so quickly. There are heaps of fans willing to pay for this item, I hope CDJ restocks it at this price (the eBay versions are more than 2x the price and carries more risk) - I'll be really quick to order this!

Mirrorcle World is now synonymous with Ayu's 10th Anniversary. The single itself is lovely, making the added special recordings of YOU and Depend on You all the more special. Life is a lovely song, albeit forgettable, which is a shame as it feels like SEASONS part II! The first press edition was totally worth the money, as with all of Ayu's releases.

I can't wait for this release, it's good to see some new (old) footage being released and I'm excited about the new version of Who... which will be included in this collection. I'm crossing my fingers for a gorgeous cover along the lines of her previous single, Mirrorcle World. It's a shame to see that a number of singles are missing from this collection. It should probably be called "A(lmost) Complete Singles" (songs such as: A, A Song is Born, H, &, is this love?, alterna, Pride, Born to Be, Fated and Together When are not on the track list!). Regardless, the bonus footage is a welcome addition to any Ayu collection and the package overall looks to be a great showcase of Ayu's talent. I have already pre-ordered this release and hope to support Ayu until her 20th anniverary!