Review by Christina

BoA's 2014 JPOP album doesn't have the best cover of her career, and sure, the only new track is "First Time", but musically it's still a rather exceptional album overall. I enjoy every song on here. Some of my favorites include "MASAYUME CHASING", "Tail of Hope", "Shout It Out" & "WOO WEEKEND" along with the beautiful ballads "Milestone" and "close to me". The entire album doesn't contain even one song that I ever feel like skipping past. Also, she uses a little more English than usual on this album as well, which is really well done. The packaging is probably the least impressive part. It uses the same black and pink design on the back side of the case and inside the booklet. The booklet itself contains about 5-6 photos of the singer wearing the same outfit as the cover. They're nice, but nothing super interesting. The lyrics are laid out from page to page quite nicely with the credits and such all on the last page. The DVD included with this edition includes the MVs for 9 of the songs on this album: "First Time", "Shout It Out", "Only One", "Message", "WOO WEEKEND", "Milestone", "MASAYUME CHASING", "The Shadow" & "Tail of Hope". My personal favorite MVs are the ones for "MASAYUME CHASING" & "Tail of Hope". They're both so bright, cheerful and just a ton of fun. The DVD also comes with a Making-Of Video for the "First Time" MV and an Interview. Sadly, if you don't speak Japanese you won't get to properly enjoy the Interview as there's no subtitles included on the DVD. Quite a good release from BoA. Definitely recommend giving this a home in your music collection.

I've been a HUGE fan of Kumi Koda since 2001, but this release feels weak. The new RE-VAMP Versions are neat. They're done as newly recorded tracks with some new sound effects to create a futuristic sound, and I enjoy listening to them. The second CD has live versions of all the songs as well, but aren't new recordings or anything too interesting. I'm honestly disappointed in the new full version of UNICORN, which was originally a short Introduction track from the previously released album of the same name. There's not much of anything new to the track. It sounds like mostly just an extended version of the live intro to her 2024 tour with very little new actual vocals of her own added. The track of BLACK WINGS isn't the original single version either, but rather what I'm fairly sure sounds like the live performance audio of the song being performed at her LT2023 monsteR concert. This was a good performance of the song, so I can't really find too much fault there to say all too negative about it. The included bluray though is entirely redundant if, like myself, you own all her previously released concert tours on DVD and/or Blu-ray already. To add to it, there's two lyrics booklets, which would be nice, but there's only 2 pictures in each one, while the remaining pages are just black with the lyrics of each song in white text. To be honest, the best thing about this release are the photos for the covers and concept of the release, which sadly isn't worth the purchase of the release.

This is a fantastic album and this edition includes some wonderful extras such as the bonus track "Can't Stop The High" which is one of my favorites on this album. All the other songs are super well written too. The song "Killah" has a retro sound from the 80s too, which is awesome as I love a lot of 80s music. Love the additional photobooklet and cover too. Plus the couple stickers are cute. The entire album was packaged and sent very promptly as well. Highly recommended!!

This album is a classic and a personal favorite of mine from her early Japanese works. It has many great songs from its singles to its album tracks. "Everlasting" is the most beautiful ballad in her Japanese discography, which I adore listening to on repeat at times. The album tracks "cosmic eyes" and "Love is just what you can't see" both feel like a very mature cute, and the singles "DO THE MOTION", "Dakishimeru" and "make a secret" are total bops. "First snow" is a nice bonus track. I actually really enjoy listening to it every December as part of my personal Christmas Songs Playlist. The album DVD includes the MVs for "DO THE MOTION", "make a secret", "Dakishimeru" & "Everlasting" along with a Making Off-Shot of the album. All are great to watch, though if you don't speak Japanese you might not understand everything being said in the Making part as there's no subtitles included.

I bought this poster awhile ago. It's too cool and looks fantastic on display. The colors are really vibrant and the paper quality is superb. Absolutely recommended to all Lady Gaga fans looking for something to decorate their walls!!

I was soooo happy when I saw this was getting re-released for a much lower price and without all the additional extra physical bonuses of the original limited release. I'm not usually one for too many extra bonuses aside from maybe stuff like Behind-The-Scenes or bonus performances from other stops along the tour, which made this release that much more appealing to me. The Blu-ray quality is excellent, and the show is rather exceptional for something as simple as we're all used to from Hikki. Their vocals were a tad off for a few seconds during "traveling", but overall it went very well. I do however tend to skip the midway interlude movie. I just think I don't really get the humor of it. It's a nice relaxing and enjoyable watch though whenever I'm in the mood for some great music from a wonderful talent like Hikaru Utada.

Been a long time fan of Hikaru Utada, but I was sooo disappointed in their vocals on this concert. I only got in about 5 songs unable to finish it. She sounds so high pitched or just off key almost constantly. It feels like someone in editing played a cruel joke, or the singer is suffering from a medical issue with their vocal chords. Hikki's done so many good concerts in the past that I was shocked when I heard their voice here.

Kumi's BSK2024 Tour is even better than her previous angeL/monsteR tour. Actually, it's honestly probably about the best in the past few years, and that says something, as she always knows how to put on a great show. The opening film introduces her in a pink desert with a badass black unicorn and pillars representing all her past tours, which leads into one amazing intro opening. The stage props, costumes, effects etc are all exceptional and her vocals are superb throughout. The interlude movie has a funny comedy sketch between her and the cartoon unicorn seen on much of the tour merchandise, which also gives us some retro nods to past tours such as angeL/monsteR, Dejavu, Universe and Kingdom both in this and sprinkled throughout the rest of the show. Plus watch out for a few more epic surprises. I very highly recommend checking out this concert!! Totally worth every yen!!

This is yet another really good concert from BoA. It's also the first time in awhile seeing her in a larger venue in Japan. She's overall fantastic and I love all her outfits throughout. She's still an incredible dancer and vocalist after more than 2 decades. She even mixes up some classic songs with some beautiful and fun arrangements. However, I was a tad disappointed that a couple songs (ie. Kono yo Shirushi and NO.1) she didn't sing in full. I loved seeing VERBAL & Crystal Kay appear as guests during the show. They're fantastic on stage with her. The show's ending involves a touching piece from the audience and fellow stage members, which leads to her getting rather emotional and messing up on the final song frequently missing out on staying focused on singing it properly. This is both cute yet a little irritating, and honestly a bit surprising to see her mess up after almost every second line. Nevertheless I do recommend adding this concert to your collection.

I purchased this as a gift for a loved one and she loves it. It's a lovely collection of Christmas tunes performed beautifully. The audio quality is superb and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra version of Merry Christmas Darling is just additional icing on the cake. The design of the case, front, back, inside and out is very gorgeous too. Excellent album collection for the holidays.

I rarely buy compilation albums these days, but this is a great release. The new recordings and mixes sound excellent and newly refreshing. The new songs are wonderful too. The packaging is exceptional and the booklet is quite big and printed on high quality thick glossy paper with many gorgeous photos inside of the singer. The only thing that could have made this even better is if more of the previously released tracks were new recordings or mixes as well.

The songs, while few on this release, are all wonderful. It's really rather difficult to pick just one as a favorite. The 2 MVs on the DVD are also a couple of the best ones in her career I think. The visuals for Eyes On You is especially fantastic. The CD jewel case comes inside a slip cover with a bonus photobooklet and 2 card stickers. The packaging for the CD case and photobooklet are all quite beautiful with many nice pictures and a very pretty layout. However, I'm not a big fan of the sticker featuring the singer in this particular pink outfit. Overall, it's quite a nice little EP to welcome Kanayan back from her hiatus. Hopefully we get even more real soon.

Ayu's 25th year in the Japanese music industry. The show is exceptionally well thought out and brought to life with numerous little nods to past Countdown Live New Year's concerts while still making it a completely new concert standing on its own. Also, her vocals are great throughout, and I love all her outfits, and the ones worn by the dancers and band members on stage as well. The sound and picture quality are also exceptional on the bluray as well. I very highly recommend this to any and all Ayu and JPOP fans!!

When this album first made its debut on CD I wasn't super taken with many tracks, especially #4, which features Sheena Ringo, a singer I'm not personally a fan of. The entire album has greatly grown on me. I love it in fact. Even the aforementioned song featuring Sheena has grown on me quite a bit, but I do admit that it's still not my absolute favorite track on the album, but it is still nonetheless very enjoyable. The album also sounds even better on the Vinyl LP format. Hikaru's vocals are wonderful and I love her music, and beautiful, and at times, very fun lyrics. The packaging is silky very high quality thick cardboard. The center contains all lyrics very neatly laid out with a photo of the singer in a very beautiful haunting atmosphere. And as always, CDJAPAN's packaging for shipment and delivery was fantastic. Highly recommended!!

Koshi Inaba should need no introduction. He's been in the music industry since the late 80s as the lead singer of B'z before he started doing some solo releases as well. He's a fantastic singer with very versatile vocals and creates excellent music. Sadly, all 4 of these songs (to my knowledge) were never included on any of his other releases, so I picked this CD up. It's a remarkable single with a good mix of different songs. Each one has its own charm and is difficult to pick just one as a personal favorite. The insert is just a couple pages with the lyrics and credits inside. It's got some colors inside to go with the green background on the cover though, which gives it some further character to its simplistic design. Highly recommended!!

BoA's Forgive Me isn't a solemn ballad like you might think by first glance of the title. It's a power pop-rock anthem, which is an interesting take for the singer, but she ROCKS it perfectly well. The song takes me back to older rock pieces like the classic Rock With You from the early 2000s. Every other track on this EP (aka mini album) is fantastic. The EP comes packaged as a thick book made of quality paper filled with some incredible pictures of the original Queen of KPOP. Intertwined in the pages of the book are also the lyrics to every song, and to add to it, it also includes a very cute photo card of the singer that's autographed on the reverse side, along with a bookmark printed on traditional photo paper with some more cute photos of the singer. My only disappointment and issue with this release at all is that the CD disk itself is slipped between two flimsy cardboard tabs in the back of the book. This sadly wasn't the best way to ensure that the disk would stay in good condition over time, so I removed the disk and put it in a spare jewel case I had laying around to keep from it taking any damage over multiple uses. I will also quickly add that despite all this, CDJAPAN was excellent with how it was packaged for during transit from them to me. It arrived in perfect condition.

WOMAN is yet another exceptional album from the great R&B singer Takako Hirasawa, aka DOUBLE. It keeps its pace really well. My absolute favorite track is "Tattoo", a very emotional song you can't help but engulf yourself in. "Count 3" is quite fun and has a definite sexy in a club type of theme to it. While I'm not a fan of Korean group 2PM, Jun.K is really excellent on this track and compliments well aside DOUBLE's vocals. "Make it hot" is just that. Really the perfect "set the sexy mood" type of track. "History of love" is a gorgeous ballad; probably one of her best. The case design is interesting as the main cover is what you see here. However the spine and back cover of the case are a mix of red and white with some purple swirl stripe thing mixed in. Kinda neat and gives a little more attention to it. The inside booklet isn't a ton of pages, but the lyrics and credits are all laid out nicely without being crammed together, and there's also a few very nice and uniquely cool pictures of the singer found throughout. Great album!! Highly recommended!!

This is honestly my favorite Ayu classical themed album that she's ever released. While it's sadly the shortest, it also flows perfectly. Each song incorporates pieces of classical works from some of the most well-known classical composers including Vivaldi, Bach and Chopin among others, which further brings every song to a new life. There's not many pictures inside, but the entire packaging is quite lovely. To anyone who enjoys Ayumi Hamasaki and has a true love and appreciation for classical music, this is definitely highly recommended!!

The UNIVERSE album is honestly among my favorites. It has a good mix of great singles like the rock "Can We Go Back", the sexy songs "Physical thing" and "ECSTACY" and the cute "Lick me". There's many other great tracks on here too. One personal favorite, "You're So Beautiful" is a classic up-tempo ballad that I often enjoy repeating a couple times before allowing the album to move onto the next track. The MVs are also fantastic as well. Only down point with them is simply that the MV for the song "Alive" wasn't included. The booklets are lovely as well. Many great pictures of Kumi and the lyrics are all laid out well. The only reason for not giving this release 5 Stars is simply the BEST album included. It's got some great songs, but it's forgettable as a disk of its own. It was unnecessary to include it packaged together with the UNIVERSE studio album. Definitely do recommend checking out Kumi Koda's UNIVERSE and even just her entire discography. An absolute amazing artist and performer.

This calendar is gorgeous. Has some lovely original animation shots of the characters in different situations, which are all too sweet. All the art is vibrant and well detailed. Plus, the paper it's printed on is very high quality, thick and super glossy allowing you to re-use these as posters even after 2024 is over. Very highly recommended to all fans of the series.