^Yeah, DHL was roughly $180 for shipping, which is more than the item itself. I don't trust surface mail! I'd rather pay EMS but hey, hopefully I can do that in the near future...

From cdjapan

First Press Detail sleeve packaging
External Bonus Bonus detail is to be announced

Maybe there will be two alternative covers on the DVD and Blu ray. CD only don't have sleeve packaging.

I think a lot of people did want this but maybe in another form. I like it though. However I wonder if any new tracks a la RAINBOW will be on...

I remember pretty well a lot of people here asking for an A BALLADS II lol

Although I'm craving for one I don't expect her to release a full length original album for now, so I'm ok with this. Can't wait too see the tracklist and the covers.

great news!

This is what I've been asking for since I listened to the original A BALLADS for the first time. I'm so happy right now. :weep

It's the perfect opportunity to finally release POM18 officially, as a content in one of those DVDs. Perhaps we will have Xmas Eve show too.

Exactly my thoughts. When I saw the announcement on twitter I thought “AHS is going to flip” in the good sense, cause I feel it’s a consistent request here time and time again.

Well, I am very excited about A BALLADS 2 coming to life <3

I can't wait for the content! hopefully she would do a new arrangement of her old hits.

Yay!!!

i wonder what the 2 video discs would comprise of! but nonetheless, if the audio discs comprise of new content, i would definitely buy it

the cover better have her and 3 other ayus

Okay I usually roll my eyes when she releases new best albums but I'm actually interested in this! Dang.. it really has been 18 years since the last one. I feel old lol

Really excited about this release! Loved the original A BALLADS and I'm a huge fan of her ballads (CAROLS, Together When..., walking proud, Moments, JEWEL to name a few are some of my favs), happy to have them on the same release.

However, I'd definitely have preferred 1 CD instead of 2 :( I'm worried that she'll include too much of her album-fillers songs (which she'll definitely do) and that the quality of this release will suffer greatly from it, but let's wait & see...

OK this gave me a hearty chuckle

I doubt there will be much space for album filler songs, though, considering just the abundance of ballad singles she's had since 2003. having too many of these lesser known songs could hurt the sales, too.

I don't know, this release could be hit or miss. I mean, there are several reason why the original A BALLADS is so greatly loved by her fans:
- Out of the 12 previously released tracks on the tracklist, 7 got new arrangements, A Song for xx even got a live demo makeover with new vocals.
- The thought that Ayu put into the new arrangements combined with the lesser known songs like Key and Dolls, which are nonetheless great tracks, gave the whole album less of a hit compilation feeling and added a nice personal touch to it
- The personal touch this album has was further emphasised by the whole project around RAINBOW and since the studio album everyone was really excited about how the final track would sound like. Also, it was a sweet way to connect with her fans
- The Matyutoya Yumi cover was also a very nice surprise and Ayu's version fits very nicely into the sound of A BALLADS

All in all, A BALLADS is not just a hit compillation, but kind of a work of its own. I never wanted a A BALLADS II, because I feel that there will be just two CDs with all of her balldas since then and it will turn out as just a compilation album. I really really hope she will do the original concept of A BALLADS justice and do the same here. Reworking the songs so that they fit her current feelings. But I'm not counting on that, especially since there are two CDs.

Erm ayu doesn’t do album fillers you got her mixed up with someone else. She is by far the best jpop artist when it comes to this.

Yes I want something "extra" so it doesn't just feel like a straight forward compilation album like A Ballads or Namie's Ballada with the new version of Contrail and the PVs for Four Seasons and Himawari.

That is so true. For the longest time, I considered A BALLADS to be my favorite Ayu album even though I knew it was a "best of" album. But listening to the whole thing really doesn't feel like it's a compilation of songs thrown together... A BALLADS really has a life of its own. :heart