What album gives you the happiest nostalgia?

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

As the title asks, which of Ayu’s albums gives you the happiest dose of nostalgia?

For me, it’s NEXT LEVEL. Despite this album kind of marking the start of Ayu’s decline in popularity, it was released at the happiest time in my life.

I had moved to Japan in August 2008, and so it was the first full length album I got to experience here.

It was also the first tour I got to experience.

That, mixed with the naivety of being 19~20 years old, and all the fun I was having in University, in a new country, means that this album is forever linked to that time period haha.

So I’m curious how everyone differs on this!

[CeReSu]

2 albums brings happy nostalgia to me:

First, Secret. At this time, I had a website dedicated to Ayu, and I followed this release with a lot of attention !
But most important, It is the first album I bought from Ayu, I remember being super excited to receive it ! It was a Christmas gift so this album brings happy nostalgia !

Then Rock'n'Roll Circus because I met Ayu while she was recording this album and I saw the tour in Tokyo in july 2010 so this album is also super important to me. Ayu dedicaced it in 2011 when she came back in London so it is very precious !

[channy]

Probably "A BEST 2 -BLACK-" because it summarizes my favourite Ayu "signature" sound, minus "HANABI" and "NEVER EVER", both tracks are regularly deleted from my MP3-list as I don't like to have them in this otherwise fantastic album.

[SKYia]

MY STORY, it was first album released after I got interested in Ayu (first one I awaited).

I knew her since 2003 (around when she performed a song with MINIMONI on AYUREADY, there was Rainbow played in credits and I fell for it) but I wasn't aware of her releases. Back then internet was still new to me so I could find some songs but it was difficult.

During my first trip to Japan in 2005 I got MY STORY album since it was the newest and MY STORY TOUR dvd which was sold everywhere at that time.

[Insanes]

For me, I am..., the very first album I purchased. Kept listening to it all summer 2002, brings back so many memories as 2002 was the year I discovered Ayu.

[ayu_fantasy]

Rainbow. That was kinda peak in Ayu’s career. And one of her awesome work

[brener]

NEXT LEVEL, i rememer the fuss around she releasing an album on usb format for the first time and also how (almost) everyone loved the electronic sounds she brought with that release

I might also add I am..., the very first album I listened to and well, it felt so different from everything I heard and from that moment I started being an ayu fan

[Andali]

I am... was the first album I received but MY story is the most nostalgic for me. It was a masterpiece from start to finish and the sound was just impeccable. Still my favourite.

[Anti-Hero]

(miss)understood, because that was definitely when Ayu went global. Every song on that album is a slice of pop perfection. She pushed the boundaries of her sound further in this album, building a kaleidoscope of pop-rock with flecks of soul, enka and even metal. The compositions are melodic and often daring, while her essence and vocals sounds liberated--she's a fully-fledged international popstar on this one.

Next in line, probably Duty. Nothing else sounds quite like it to this day. One of the most phenomenal global releases ever!

[natalaxie]

Originally Posted by tokyoxjapanxfan

As the title asks, which of Ayu’s albums gives you the happiest dose of nostalgia?

For me, it’s NEXT LEVEL. Despite this album kind of marking the start of Ayu’s decline in popularity, it was released at the happiest time in my life.

I had moved to Japan in August 2008, and so it was the first full length album I got to experience here.

It was also the first tour I got to experience.

That, mixed with the naivety of being 19~20 years old, and all the fun I was having in University, in a new country, means that this album is forever linked to that time period haha.

So I’m curious how everyone differs on this!

OMG we would have been in Japan around the same time and almost the same age!
I was in Nagoya - whereabouts where you?

For me the most nostalgic is Memorial Address because I bought it on my first trip to Japan - I snuck off from the school group in the evening to walk down the street to a big CD store somewhere in Tokyo, 15 years old, finally seeing the object of my fandom become a tangible physical reality. Because it was a mini album I was able to afford the CD+DVD version and I loved watching Because of You PV SO much! Then I sang the title track at the talent show at school, which was a big deal because I was super shy. Some bullies laughed but I won an award and ten years later I read a letter from my Dad (our teacher collected them and sealed them to give to us at the ten year high school reunion) which said how at that moment he could not believe that his shy little girl had become an adult. It is basically the most emotional thing my dad has ever communicated to me, and meant a lot as one of 3 girls who generally never feels like any aspect of her 'growing up' has been appreciated, acknowledged etc by her parents. The song means even more to me in that sense because she wants to know that she was ever truly loved... (my issues are nothing near as bad as what Ayu experienced with her parents but I have issues all the same, like many people!)
Also by the time of My Story, I was becoming an emo late-teen obsessed with Shiina Ringo's darker songs, so Memorial Address was like a high point in my fandom before I moved away from Ayu for a while.

[~kashifaita~]

Definitely Secret. That was my first Ayu album as an Ayu fan. The first song I was exposed to was Startin', believe it or not lol. I was a huge Utada fan around that time, so it definitely didn't really strike my fancy (kinda just thought she one of those artists that liked to copy American trends).

Then, a few months later, after thinking maybe I should give her a chance, I ran into fairyland and Angel's song through limewire...and the rest was history. It's honestly thanks to Ayu I was able to broaden my horizons to check out Koda/Namie and other jpop acts (I used to refuse to listen to anyone BUT Utada) and this was all in the same year Secret came out. 2006 was definitely a year of change for me.

I can recall everything SO vividly, such as reading about the rumors of Secret being a mini album, the show where Ayu performed JEWL and everyone thought she was pregnant because of her dress...lol. In particular, It was, 1LOVE, JEWEL and momentum really teleport me back to that time.

[jbrat2219]

RAINBOW! It was the first album hype train I was able to jump on after becoming a fan. But memorial address is tied because it was the first CD+DVD I purchased (or begged my folks to buy) and I remember watching the PVs over and over again. Made in Japan would also make the list simply because it was the album for the first concert I was able to attend.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Originally Posted by natalaxie

OMG we would have been in Japan around the same time and almost the same age!
I was in Nagoya - whereabouts where you?

For me the most nostalgic is Memorial Address because I bought it on my first trip to Japan - I snuck off from the school group in the evening to walk down the street to a big CD store somewhere in Tokyo, 15 years old, finally seeing the object of my fandom become a tangible physical reality. Because it was a mini album I was able to afford the CD+DVD version and I loved watching Because of You PV SO much! Then I sang the title track at the talent show at school, which was a big deal because I was super shy. Some bullies laughed but I won an award and ten years later I read a letter from my Dad (our teacher collected them and sealed them to give to us at the ten year high school reunion) which said how at that moment he could not believe that his shy little girl had become an adult. It is basically the most emotional thing my dad has ever communicated to me, and meant a lot as one of 3 girls who generally never feels like any aspect of her 'growing up' has been appreciated, acknowledged etc by her parents. The song means even more to me in that sense because she wants to know that she was ever truly loved... (my issues are nothing near as bad as what Ayu experienced with her parents but I have issues all the same, like many people!)
Also by the time of My Story, I was becoming an emo late-teen obsessed with Shiina Ringo's darker songs, so Memorial Address was like a high point in my fandom before I moved away from Ayu for a while.

I was/am in Tokyo!

So interesting to read everyone’s responses!