Wow, I never noticed Sakuranbo was on the tracklist xD

Ack Sakuranbo feels out of place all of a sudden... seems like this is not a "LOVE BALLADS" best, but a "LOVE SONGS" best... or rather happy/bittersweet love songs. I suppose Planetarium and the rest were too depressing to be in this "best"...

^ agreed.. Sakuranbo should be kicked out and Kingyo Hanabi or Planetarium instead

well she probably might not re-recording the 4 tunes that are singled out in LOVE is BEST

maybe it's just the case of rearrangement ?

it's quite misleading if you ask me

Where's Planetarium. And Kingyo Hanabi. And Kurage, Nagareboshi. AND WHY THE HELL IS FLIPPIN' Sakuranbo ON THERE. Whoever thought that that was a balld is blind or deaf

^It was not stated to be a ballads best. Though I would have liked to see "Sakuranbo" being turned into something ballad-ish. Like a jazz ballad with brass arrangement.

Thanks for the numbers. I also don't think it will do well, but we'll see. Someone pointed out in one thread that concept bests don't do as well as "normal" ones. I guess it's because concept bests are more attractive for fans than the casual listener. Let's hope the new song will be popular, so that it would become a download hit and make the best have decent sales.
And as I already posted, new vocals aren't really needed, so it will likely be a change in arrangement. Her vocals haven't changed that much to justify new vocals.

the links to preorder LOVE is BEST are already up on CDJapan

AVCD-23920
Ai Otsuka/Love is Best[CD+DVD] CDA
3619 yen US$38/95.02 Release Date:2009/11/11
Description:Greatest hits album release from Ai Otsuka featuring her love songs, which include a new song, re-recorded songs, and more for 15 tracks (subject to change). This edition includes bonus DVD with six music videos (subject to change). *Unless otherwise indicated, DVDs are region-2 encoded (Japan, Europe, and Middle East), and carry no subtitles.
First Press Details:special feature/bonus available
URL - http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=AVCD-23920

*********************************************

AVCD-23921
Ai Otsuka/Love is Best CDA
2913 yen US$31/95.02 Release Date:2009/11/11
Description:Greatest hits album release from Ai Otsuka featuring her love songs, which include a new song, re-recorded songs, and more for 15 tracks (subject to change).
First Press Details:special feature/bonus available
URL - http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=AVCD-23921

seems that for both editions , there will be 1st press editions in which it's a special feature/bonus

& LOL for a spilt second , I thought those were the covers for LOVE is BEST @_@

@ Aga - if LOVE is BEST is not a love ballad album compilation , then any idea what kinda concept it's trying to portray in this context ?

Cos I don't get it really & it doesn't make sense for her to put out a best album outta the air without giving any valid reason(s)

^ It's just supposed to be a love song compilation, not specifically love ballads. :yes

thanks I will correct that piece of info on my music blog now

LOL! And after seeing the tracklist it's confirmed - I am NOT getting it for sure!

Disappointing tracklist + why is she rerecording songs that have just been released like, last year? Weird. I think this is avex's last resort to save her career imo.

haha

your decision not to get LOVE is BEST did surprised me , especially since it's known that you usually tend to get most of her singles & albums from CDJapan

so this time round it's a bit eh

this :yes

maybe she also needed to put out at least one album this year, because of avex's contract, lol. and that album just happens to be a BEST :P

^ Unfortunately sad. I would be interested in a BEST album that has a theme on her crazy songs. :P

Damn, I go away for 2 days and all the news shoots out and the thread jumps 3 pages. LOL. And I've been checking it everyday before that for about 4 weeks to see if there was anything new going on. Go figure. :rolleyes :laugh

I just don't understand this album. I wouldn't be so surprised by another BEST if it had a theme to it (like ballads), but I just don't get this one. I don't understand what's the concept behind it. So it's just all love songs? But most of what Ai-chin talks about is love. And when a bunch of those songs have already been on a past BEST album, I don't see the point of putting it on again. And I also don't see the point in re-recording songs that just came out less than a year ago. :/

Also, I just don't see how half those songs made it on there. Songs like OnexTime weren't received well. Pocket, Ticket, drop....none of those were extremely popular or sold well.

I just don't understand it. I'm not disappointed in Ai necessarily, but I just don't see the point of it. :shrug

well put on what you said Cat

like what Meat Pao / Travis has mentioned , LOVE is BEST is maybe a last ditch effort on avex's part to revive her flagging popularity in which I seriously doubt that can happen at all

if only she included Kingyo Hanabi , Planetarium , Cherish , Kurage Nagareboshi , the tracklist would have been more interesting but :no

& actually , Ticket & drop. are B-sides songs found in Pocket & Planetarium

if you see what I did below , I narrow down as to which song's from where & etc

1) New song title tbc
2) Renai Shashin (Love Photograph) -Haru- (-Spring-) ; B-side of her 15th single PEACE / HEART
3) Amai Kimochi Maru Kajiri (A Bite Full of Sweet Feelings) ; B-side of her 11th single Frienger
4) Sakuranbo (Cherry Blossoms) ; 2nd single
5) Strawberry Jam ; #3 from her 2nd album LOVE JAM
6) Futatsu Boshi Kinenbi (Two Stars Remembrance Day) (New Recording) ; #8 from her 2nd album LOVE JAM
7) Amaenbo (Spoiled Child) (New Recording) ; 3rd single
8) drop. ; B-side of her 10th single Planetarium
9) HEART ; 2nd A-side of her 15th single PEACH / HEART
10) Daisuki da yo. (I Love You) ; 6th single
11) Ticket ; B-side of her 16th single
12) One × Time(New Recording) ; 2nd A-side of her 17th single Rocket Sneaker / One × Time
13) Pocket (New Recording) ; 16th single
14) Kimi ni Kaeru (Returning To You) ; B-side of her 14th single CHU-LIP
15) Kimi Fechi (You Fetish) ; #6 from her 5th album LOVE LETTER

^^Oh, yes, I know they're B-sides, but they still weren't very popular. :shrug

And I'm not sure necessarily if it's Avex's way of trying to save her. If it was, I feel like they would have done something much bigger like a sort of A Complete Singles or used more popular songs with a full Live and every PV included. This just seems like some lazy attempt to get more money during her off time. :shrug

for once , I want to be a fly in the wall lurking around avex's offices during the time when this decision was made

maybe otsuka wasn't around when the top management decided to randomly release LOVE is BEST for the sake of releasing it

she's probably barking at this now LOL

That album would be named "Love is Crazy", or "Ai am Crazy" :dead2

i dun mind Pocket but they must be nuts to not include Planeterium, Kingyo and Kurage

LOL

"Kingyo Hanabi" is about unrequired love, right? And "PLANETARIUM", is it a lovesong? Seems like a song to a childhood friend or past love to me. So maybe those who posted it's an album with happy lovesongs are right.
Hope we'll get some comments from Ai in the booklet, as to why these songs were chosen. Or interviews, of course. Maybe they are meant to go from being freshly in love to a more serious feeling?
To me this album seems more like a way to cash in as long as there's some popularity left than actually trying to help her gain popularity. A well promoted single would probably be the better choice, because even if casual listeners will like the new song, will they be willing to spend so much money on a best just to get it? Let's hope it will at least do well on download charts. It seems almost like a kinda way to promote "LOVE LETTER", with the PV and new recording of "OnexTime" and a new recording of "POCKET".

Strawberry Jam???...Kimi Fetch?!?!?! WTF is going on with this tracklist?!

If it were me it'd include these songs, and all of her earlier ones would be rerecorded, NOT rearranged!!!

Amaenbo
Kingyo Hanabi
Natsu Sora(b-side from Neko Ni Fuusen)
Tears(b-side from Yumekui)
Kurage Nagareboshi
Ai
Daisuki Dayo
Friends
Love Music
Planetarium
Renai Shashin
Sora To Kujira
...cause I love it SOOOOOOO much

and a new song as long as it doesn't suck!!

That's true but she could have at least released a single then a mini-album. That would have been better. But maybe these decisions aren't up to her.

That would probably actually work cause it was her happy crazy songs that got her popular.

I NEED HELP

Did anyone can tell me where to find Mono no Hanabira ISO? This is only Ai single with making on a DVD and I am serching is for a long time!

P.S rip of whole dvd or even this making will be good too

^^I wish I had it. :( That'd be interesting to see.

BTW, this is totally off topic but:

ah sorry I don't have her debut single :(

oh yes of course Cat , I don't mind you do it at all :yes

What the.... best... love songs... WHAT?!?!?! This "best" album is stupid! :irked It's missing so many good songs!!! I just... what are they thinking? I mean, it's cool that she's re-recording some songs, I guess... and we get a new song and "new" PV but... :( Maybe Ai should just go off and get married and be done with it then. I just feel very depressed about her.

I dont think its necessary with new recording because her voice since debut until now is same.. nothing change so whats for the re-recording.. it's not like ayu her voice changed alot since debut to A BEST to 10th anniversary project

^ Actually, I think her voice went downhill over the years, but that's just me... :innocent

mmmm I think it's not just you , it's me also

that & also how many more times can you do the same stuff over & over again

the only time(s) where she really experiment was Cherish which I adore

after that , meh

^ Yeah, she really does do the same thing over and over again. Like HEART, One x Time and kimi fetch are all practically the same song.

And I swear, it seems like her albums always end in a song where everyone goes "LA LA LA" at the end... :shakehead

I don't really see the change of voice. Like her voice in Momo no Hanabira and Bye bye, lets say, sounds the same to me. But you guys probably can tell more since I'm a casual listener of her work.

Wasn't LOVE LETTER pretty experimental in the sense that she changed her style drastically? She also did that jazzy song in there, Shachihata (I think that's what it's called).

I think her voice is still the same - good, but the styles of her songs are just.... she needs to reinvent herself if not she'll just be boring again... I won't be surprised if her "new" song turns out to be like HEART or something...

I dunno. I don't think her voice has changed much since her debut. I mean, I can hear that her voice matured a bit, but it's 95% the same to me. :shrug

And I have to agree with whoever said that LOVE LETTER was an experimental album. There are songs like Shachihata and 360 in there. Those are actually my favorite songs.

Cherish wasn't experimental. It was an epic rock ballad. We've seen many of those from many artists.

360 was pure experimental. I wouldn't expect to hear that kind of song from anyone else in the world.

Can someone tell what it says? It's the BEST description by yesasia :

google translater says:

From his debut six years. Among other things Meikyoku Ai Otsuka, who hand-picked love songs love song depicting the two ongoing in Love 』LOVE is BEST BEST ALBUM『 sale "will be beautiful in love" one new song was the theme song , the newly reborn music notation, including the old rear range consists of all 14 songs will be 15 songs. DVD contains one new song songs + old notation range (rear), one of the songs, all Clip2 Journal's first scheduled six songs, including songs. The jacket art director, as well as advertising, Mr.Children, they kimaguren artwork, he has worked as a book binding, at the age of 32, he swept by Chie Morimoto a major advertising industry awards already. We love season tour to be conducted only during the Christmas Couple from autumn to "Ai Otsuka LOVE is BEST Tour 2009 (tentative)" and linked the concept.

First Edition Specifications: Specifications Limited Edition, Limited Edition with benefits

I already did that, and it doesn't have much sense especially at the beginning, that's why I asked if someone can make a quick translation

But thanks anyway ^^

I have a feeling that YesAsia might give a description of theirs pertaining to LOVE is BEST in due time

just wait for that to happen :yes

When I was talking about the experimental-ness of LOVE LETTER I was trying to remember 360 but all I could remember was the "merry go round" part ( :laugh ). That's an awesome song/PV and I wouldn't mind if she did more stuff like that.

The description really isn't all that telling.

Just she debuted 6 six years ago, her most well known song was about love between two people, she is hand picking the love songs on her love song collection "LOVE is BEST", the new song's theme is "you're pretty when you're in love", some of the songs are rearranged, the tour release links with the concept of the new best.

Ai is an excellent and talented composer, maybe she should have recomposed some of the songs too, that would have been interesting.

I think it would have been extremely interesting to see her change some of her crazy up beat songs into ballads and vice veirsa. When Ayu did that with Evolution it was just amazing. I think Ai would produce some extremely interesting results. :yes

Description from CDJapan:

Ai Otsuka
Love is Best [CD+DVD] (CDA)
Price: Yen- 3619, US$(38.98) Release Date: 11-Nov-2009
Greatest hits album release from Ai Otsuka featuring her love songs, which include a new song, re-recorded songs, and more for 15 tracks (subject to change). This edition includes bonus DVD with six music videos (subject to change). *Unless otherwise indicated, DVDs are region-2 encoded (Japan, Europe, and Middle East), and carry no subtitles.
http://cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html..._campaign=JPOP

Pics from Max Matsuura's blog :

http://i27.tinypic.com/34yrxuv.jpg

http://i27.tinypic.com/334pter.jpg

Probably ayu-inspired. HAHAHHA. But imo that looks hideous, sorry. LOL.

oh God her outfit is horrible and her hair reminds me of Tohoshinki's YooChun... lol hairs nowdays are getting more and more unisex

I like her hair... The color is pretty.

oh god

both hairdo & outfit in C.M.I (cannot make it) mode :no

but at least the saving grace's that her hair colour's not bad & not full on blonde like in CHU-LIP which really scares me @_@

Her hair just needs to be straightened. Then it'd be very pretty. But that outfit is gross.

lol the first pic looks like her outer outfit was dropping and we can see the tube inside @_@

the dress looks wrong to me, what happen to her? i thought she wears like white and pink long pants/shirt with super long hair in this year?

WOW you're right O__O. I'm loving the hair color but the style and that outfit... ( :no ) ( :P ).

the hair is good. but the outfit......well, it's ai after all, lol.

Hey, you're right! :tired

I like the color of her hair, but the style itself and her outfit is just sorta....:no It doesn't even really look like her there...

Oh, btw, does anyone have the inside scans of LOVE PiECE or LOVE JAM? I've never seen those...

:yes i agree. i actually think this outfit is quite good compared to the other stuff she wears lol

I think the same think about ayu's outfit!

I agree her hair remind me Angela aki's one.
Maybe she is a new fan of her :innocent

ai chan at a-nation 2009 Launch Party :

http://i28.tinypic.com/2z57h91.jpg

http://i32.tinypic.com/zjv0ra.jpg

ai chan looks so cawaii =3
LMAO @ Max's pose on the second pic :laugh

nice pics of otsuka (FOR ONCE) . Is she still soaking up the Tanabata Matsuri festival mood ? :cool

xD xD at the 2nd pic , that's so amusing

Is she bopping Max on the butt with her fan? LOL :P

^ :lmfao I believe so, yes!

She looks MUCH better in those pics in the yukata, but the other one with the red sequins?!?! :no That so doesn't even look like her. Yuck.

the yutaka pics are so cute! :P

OMG, she's so funny in that second pic. :laugh I wonder if that was impromptu or if Max posed like that. :P But she really does look adorable in her yukata. :)

Yeah. The seuqin pictures IMO are a bit O_o, but the ones with Max are adorable. And LOL at Max in #2

Please Ai Chan Change ur Hair now :weep , But At Least She look Good in lunch Party :yes

Max is LOL! at the 2nd pic!

2010CL-19
Ai Otsuka/Ai Otsuka[Calendar 2010 (Try-X Ltd.)] GOODS
2286 yen US$25/93.13 Release Date:2009/10/03
Description:[Size: B2, 7 pages.] *The calendar may take a week or so to become available for shipping. The calendars come housed in specially made boxes, and because of this, they cannot be shipped together with any other type of products, such as CD, and DVD. Please place your calendar order separately.
URL - http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=2010CL-19

2010 Calendar's Cover
http://img39.imagefra.me/img/img39/2...hm_057c26c.jpg

i must be only one who likes recent ai pics. i think she's really cute and that hair is lovely.

love the calendar cover too <3

thanks

there's always something black & white photos that're nice imo

i like the cover too...its something really different than her usual works

^...beautiful! xD


Amazing calendar cover... may buy it if the rest of the pics are good.

that's pretty. but i thought her hair was black, it doesn't look like it is in that pic. wig??

random but does anyone else love neko ni fuusen? it's my fav song right now, i remember loving it years ago too but almost forgot about it

umm also does anyone else notice how similar the beginning of "Cherish" and the beginning of "女 ～interlude～" by alan sound?

^ It sounds like a common bell/synth kinda sound... XD

And wow the calendar cover is beautiful! Here's praying that Ayu & Kuu calendar covers would be pretty too!~

she looks so pretty at a-nation 2009 Launch Party, i love her in kimono!! it really suits her well :love

AND OMG!!! i really thought the cover of her calender was going to be bright XDD but still she looks so pretty!!!

so pretty and simple! i love it :)

yeah, it sounds alike to me. i hadn't heard Cherish in a long time and listening to it i keep expecting alans wailing to come in :laugh

Wow, that is GORGEOUS!!! :love I was already thinking about getting this calendar, but now I KNOW I'm going to get it. :D :D I hope the rest of the pictures are just as nice.

And where extactly has that pretty Ai been hiding at? :love

^rice fields maybe? :laugh

oooh...cant wait to see the calender pics! the cover is very nice :yes

I'm not exicted about her new best album but if it has a great booklet and cover i'll buy it ( hope something like LOVE COOK )

otsuka turns 27 today , happy birthday girl :D

Happy Birthday, ai-chan. ^^

It's kinda cool that she turns 27 on 9.9.2009, because 2 and 7 is also 9. =O

Wow 27... it has been a long from 2003, haha

wow really?? she looks as if she 20 or something :OO anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CUTIEEEEEEEE

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9564/lolzk.gif

i hope well see more of your sillyness and cuteness :heart

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIIIIIIII!!!

We should play "Birthday Song" or something XD

weeekkk.. I dont believe shes 27 already,..

Happy bday, Ai..

I likw her calender cover looked mature alot

really nice cover

Happy Birthday Ai-chan

Wow, I can't believe she's 27! Happy birthday Ai!

happy birthday ai! :shughug

Happy birthday, Ai! :D

Sugarbasil, there are only 3 posts left so maybe you should go ahead and make the 15th thread ( :yes ).

I love the calendar photo! I saw a picture in black and white of Ai at a church but I don't know where it was. Anyone know where I can see that shoot (if it was one)?

Yep, sugarbasil. You make the thread :grumpy

You've posted in this thread 5 times, why would you want to make this one too?

Oh, so is it Bash I♥Kuu4ever time now?