it sounds much better than I expected. it doesn't seem like it'd fit with the video pics though. I can't help but want it to be an ayu only song though. I really don't like JUNO's plain and boring voice. ayu sounds so good but he sounds so blah.

Does anybody have a link to anything with just JUNO in? or a good song to listen too? I actually have no idea what he sounds like.

It's going to be interesting, watching the PV; the preview of the song doesn't really scream "surreal, weird, Alice in Wonderland PV" to me, but we'll see.

seems Ayu wrote part of progress lyrics in her latest TA diary

Rarely hear something @.@

That was my first thought, too. It sounds so...mundane after seeing such promising photos from the PV set. :/

Maybe it was the low-quality of the video posted, but I didn't care for Progress. Though I know I shouldn't base the sound and feeling of the rest of the mini-album off this song, it gives me low expectations, and I was hoping for something just as good as Love songs. Please, prove me wrong Ayu. And I hope this song grows on me when I get the official one.

still no covers? =p ktnxbai.

^Lol I wouldn't be looking for those until August.

Ayu posted two photos

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/7760/358011401.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7124/358120998.jpg
しゅ。Z。す。マ。きゃ。2。の6人組タイムなう♪

^what does it mean? %) Maybe first letters from dancers names?

^Hmm yeah.. I think it could be Shuya, Zin, Subaru, Maro, Kya..(Maybe Kayano), and 2-Yan.

Masashi Muto director again?

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8454/358139450.jpg

very intrasting

Thanks for sharing the pics! I wish she'd share more revealing photos, though. :(

I think that is ANother song PV because the 1st pic looks like urata naoya :D

^yes, I think it's Nao. He twitted about filming with elder sister http://twitter.com/#!/UN1982/status/96574881847705600

^It's a good piece of news, this mere pic is already better than the whole Dream ON PV :laugh

first pic looks like screen from crossroad PV =)

^haha you're right!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XYIj...feature=relmfu

Since I'm a TVXQ fan, I was interested in him when he first came out because he's Junsu's bro. He debuted first in China with Nothing to Lose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=yHQMQo2M_TY

and that's his newest (and i think debut) japanese song. FATE.

Hmm, so it looks like BRILLANTE was still being recorded and written recently of the five new tracks? beloved and Why... already have finished PVs, ANother song is being filmed now... and progress still doesn't have a PV.

Ahh, I wonder if she's going to be filming PVs all next week after a-nation~

This thread is getting really boring. I hate that they announce the releases so early.

so it's a "dance" PV?? o.O
no ayu.... please don't dance.. :(

^
why? May she's not Namie "dancing queen" Amuro, but her dancing PVs are cute lol.

You know, when I met with Leslie at Yoyogi , he told me his project with Ayu was inspired by the video I made (with the participation of everyone) [Under the same sky]...
So maybe beloved pv will have hands pointing to sky???

edit: I mean HE was inspired by the video, not Ayu

^ aaawwwwww, that would be the sweetest thing ever

Leslie told you that?!?! :dead2 The mere thought of having an impact on one of Ayu's PV's just blows my mind!!! :luv2

hearing how the video will contain our thoughts..that's gonna be so sweet and meaningful :)

That's a nice thing to know Miki. =D

Well the children all look multi-cultural, maybe that's the inspiration?

omg, beloved is song for fans????????? wait the minute. if thats so im goin' to love it

Random note, but I saw you at Yoyogi. You were standing with a group with some other Western people. I was too scared to come say hi to you guys! Did you have fun? (Well obviously, what kind of question is that! :laugh)

m... she can use her dancers as actors
In Days PV they not dancing much

That sounds really cool 8D I'm excited!~

Thank you! :)

How will this song work?! He sounds really overpowered by the music. Assuming that's why I can't pick him out in the short preview. I guess Ayu likes working with people who have a totally different sound to her.

I just happened to look how FIVE is doing in Amazon JPN ^^ The results:

1. FIVE [CD only, Limited Edition]
Amazon TOP100 Bestsellers Rank: #17 in music
#2 in music > J-POP > Dance Eurobeat [Seriously, Dance Eurobeat...?]
#2 in music > J-POP > Music > Woman Solo

2.FIVE [CD+DVD]
Amazon TOP100 Bestsellers Rank: #47 in music
#3 in music > J-POP > Dance Eurobeat
#3 in music > J-POP > Music > Woman Solo

3.FIVE [CD only]
Amazon TOP100 Bestsellers Rank: #4,334 in music
#61 in music > J-POP > Dance Eurobeat
#97 in music > J-POP > Music > Woman Solo

In Pop category FIVE [Limited Edition] is currently in place #7, while FIVE [CD+DVD] is in place #13. FIVE [CD only] haven't reached TOP100, at least not yet.

Seems fine, and it's not really surprsing, that the Limited edition is the most wanted one~ CD+DVD version is right after that!
Well, the CD only..I'm not that surprised, since it has only 1 bonus track [which is just remix, not original song] and I believe that majority of fans/listeners are gonna buy CD+DVD version if not buying the Xillia edition.

How's FIVE doing in other netshops? ^__^~

Oh, and the #1 above ayu? [In the "Dance Eurobeat" and "Woman solo" lists] That's Namies new single NAKED/ Fight Together/Tempest (with DVD).

Sadly, pre-orders and Amazon/CDJapan charts won't tell us much when it comes to how well the release will sell :(

amazon usually hits the mainstream taste pretty good. stuff that occupies the #1 spot for weeks usually also sells like hotcakes. the one or other hit single/album was already foreseeable this way.

looking at the different sub-charts is entirely meaningless though since amazon only sells a tiny fraction of total sales.
the album currently sits at #18 in the overall music charts.

this won't be her breakthrough into mainstream again, so expect sales below or near 100k.

Even L sold 97k, if this mini-album sells even half of Love Songs it will sell be well over 100k plus it has a lot more going for it with Tales of tie-in and the duets fan bases.

^
^ what? below 100k? You know while I am sure FIVE won't sell like Love songs and even considering this is a mini album it should do better than her recent singles.

And I agree, the Tales tie-in did wanders for BoA, I would expect it to boost FIVE's sales quite a bit.

I'll decide which two I'll buy once the covers are out

Probably in one month we will already have the full thing on HQ *_*

^^well, of course...it will have been released by then...

ONE MONTH AWAY!!! omg..so thankful im not away on some official trip..so that im ready for this!

i'm guessing it will sell around 70k 1st week...
and around 120-150k totall....

Its a mini album, so I think it might sell a bit higher than that. 100k first week.

^^ i think i there too. maybe more since theres a theme song and its first Ayumi release for this album ( excuding all the remixs and dvd):lech

・Why... feat. JUNO
・beloved
・progress (●PS3「Tales of Xillia」Theme song)
・ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA
・BRILLANTE
(5 tracks included, tracklist undecided) <---------- is that mean there will be another 5 songs ?? i don't get it!

^It just means that the tracklist is not finalized (or that's not the order of the tracklist). :)

If Ayu doesn't sell over 200k with this mini album will her next full album also be less than 200k?

Cannot wait to see what the covers and PVs will be like. I'm pretty excited she's doing another mini album, it's about time! Let's just hope its as good (if not better) than Memorial address. :)

when should be the covers out?? Or at least one of them??

OMG I can't wait either! :love

Can't hear too well but it seems Ayu's and JUNO's voice blend pretty well. The song itself is typical but enjoyable.

i guess total sales will be around 150k

around 3 weeks before release maybe

Probably not considering that this mini album will only really have half the amount of (full) tracks that she normally has. If we go by how Memorial address did in 2003 compared to MY STORY in 2004, the people who would purchase a full album would also purchase a mini album for the most part, but... who knows since her popularity is a bit different these days along with sales being rather low for anyone who isn't 'in'.

I think mid-100k~ is probably a good estimate though.

I think we'll see many 'Ayu x Juno' photos in magazines >__<

album isn't realesed yet, but I already hate Juno and Nao >______<

^As far as there is no Ayu x Juno on the album cover, it's okay for me, I seriously hope she'll be alone.

I really, REALLY doubt that'll ever happen.

^I saw photo with Leslie and Juno, and it's make saaad

^It might be promotion for his own single. :shrug

i don't think ayu would put anybody else on her own mini album..if it's single, it still makes sense, but a mini album with another person's pic.. no no~~~
i'll be disappointed as well even if it's JUNO/NAOYA

I hope

^His single is being released at the same time that ayu is releasing her mini album.

I'm really hoping for some TV performances =3

beloved is now the theme song of 「スッキリ！！」in August.
I guess we can have the preview soon since it's August already ;)

Niiice, Sukkiri theme song! I guess it'll be up in the next day or so.

What's Sukkiri??

It's a morning talk show that covers gossip among other things, I believe. Love song was the theme song for it in December last year.

Just in time! I just got new recording system for my tv. :D I'll have my roommate record Sukkiri tomorrow~

wow, i cant wait to hear beloved

Thanks for clearing it up :)

Can't wait either. I'm hoping it'll be an epic ballad :3

So we should get a preview soon? Yay =D

cannot wait to hear new songs.but I hate "feat":headache:headache

^ i think Juno will be fine for fans since he's pretty Hot.. :yes :laugh

Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews Previews ~

oh yay! i can't wait to hear a preview of "beloved" now. :D

i need a sad ballad like right now T___T

i''m gonna wait for my CD~~~:)..don't wanna hear to any of the leaks~~...i'm tryingggggg!!!

I doubt it though. At least I hope not. She (seemingly) is in a good place right now. beloved should be a happy ballad about being in love and happy and having found that one person that you love and want to spend your life with. :)

beloved..dearest

seems this is BRILLANTE with Leslie Kee as director
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8...1641495.th.jpg http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2...1384860.th.jpg http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7...1941526.th.jpg

^ wow that looks intense! lol

Oh, this is by Leslie Kee too? Well that explains the half naked men.

But it looks interesting! The return of people who aren't her dancers! :D

It appears the PV features at least one professional K1 kick boxer by the name of Hiroya Kawabe.

http://ameblo.jp/k1-hiroya/

And here's another picture:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/phot...R9CWzGeFFIw%3D

The PV that Born To Be... was supposed to be born to be?

^^ Wait, all of this is for a PV? That'll be an... interesting PV.

What do you mean it explains the half naked men if it's Leslie Kee?

Leslie Kee has a tendency to have all of his male subjects in photos be either completely naked or half naked.

Also, Leslie listed off his projects with Ayu...

She will be on ViVi soon and WWD [big fashion magazine, Women's Wear Daily Japan] -and MORE-!

Yay for magazine promos :D

reminded me of Rule, fierce!

hurry up FIVE, just hurry up

haha looking good so far!

Yay for magazines =DD

that random WWD mag looks like for grandmas

Is that Ayu's legs?!? xD

It have to be her legs.
I mean such an extravagant outfit has to be for the singer^^

The new PV pics look exciting, can't wait to see it!

her legs look fatter here lol

comment for this photo
@nootak: AYU SEXY !! XOXO

yaay! I hope there will be big promotion of her new release in magazines and TV!

oh my geez.... so fierce! :D

why did her costume somehow reminded me of Beyonce's Run the World? ==a