5 thoughts / opinions for FIVE

[Ranma Matsuri]

^Yeah, you're right. Hate is too strong of a word. I was going for the opposite ends of the spectrum but 'Really dislike or really don't care for' would actually be more appropriate.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

yeah it's okay lol I misuse it too

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by Ranma Matsuri

3. I don't get the love for progress and BRILLANTE. Both are more intricate and 'interesting' than the other tracks but it doesn't make them any less boring.

Same thought. These songs just aren't blowing me away like they're blowing away everyone else...and I had really high expectations for BRILLANTE because people kept saying ~OMG SCREW TEH WORLD BRILLANTE IS ALL I NEED RITE NAO~ but it like, didn't hit me hard enough or something lol. I like the first 45 seconds though.

[Minttulatte]

Just listening to this album.

1. Maybe I've gotten too easy to please when it comes to Ayu or my fandom has been risen to a new level because I love this album. Even beloved sounds good to my ears now in 320. Instead of loving beloved, I didn't feel the epicness of Why... at all.

2. Only thing I have to get used to on this album is her voice. It sounds so soft, but I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing. But I'm glad she took vocal lessons because she sounds so natural now which is great and even though it's different I can still hear that it's Ayu I'm listening to.

3. hen I heard ANother song for the first time I thought Naoya was Ayu at first. I think their vocals fit together better now than on Dream ON. And I totally join the small amount of fans that actually loves that song btw. x3

4. I didn't like BRILLANTE at all like so many of you did. :/ I guess I had too many expectations for it because so many of you said it's amazing. It's quite sad but I don't really hate it. I guess I have to listen to it more.

5. Why... -remix- is better than the original version imo. Ayu, more R&B to me.

Overall; this album is not bad. Not at all though I was horrified about it. My favorite songs are Why... -remix-, ANother song and progress. Surprised you much? I think so lol. I bet I'm the only one who thinks this way probably XD

[CHE.R.RY]

^ Finally someone else who thought Naoya was Ayu at one point lol! & No I agree with you have to say for the most part .

[~*Mabushii*~]

1.Progress- like the song hate the PV. o.O
2. Why - The PV... is okay, the song is.. well okay too
3. ANother song- PV is... um.... well, it doesn't fit. I like the song, Ayu and Naoya sound good together, at times I think Naoya DOES sound like Ayu.. o.O. The PV doesn't fit the song at all. Can they redo this PV? Please?
4. Beloved - I loved the song, and the PV until it turned to color, then it lost me a bit. I liked the feeling that I got when the black and white, once the color came.. I was reminded of Sunrise .. Until the end, the raising of the hand and "under the same sky.." I thought that was sweet.
5. BRILLANTE - Ohhh, Ayu looks AMAZING here, and I LOVE the song and the PV! This is my favorite song of the 'mini-album' really.. this should just be a single.

[JesA]

Since I'm boring and not creative, I'll just give a quick statement about how I feel for each song.

Progress - Good, very reminiscent of Mirrorcle World/Love Song..but nothing quite special.
ANother Song - I feel like this is her best song since GREEN. I absolutely ADORE it, and have it on repeat almost all the time now. It's such a sweet, nostalgic song. I don't see how anyone could dislike it.
Why - Nothing quite special, but it's nice to listen to.
beloved - Blehh. Nothing to note here.
BRILLANTE - This is quite possible Ayu's most beautiful song in years. It's very fresh. It didn't live up to the hype I hoped it would, but it's such a sweeping sort of thing to listen to.

All in all, I feel like FIVE is a solid release. Not perfect by any means, because it has it's moment where it definitely lags. But altogether, I feel like the songs are more memorable to me than the like of Love songs (except for Love Song and November).

[ayu-fan]

1. boring
2. disappointing
3. horrible bass sound in Why
4. i expected BRILLANTE as an epic song but it turns out just like that
5. definitely one of ayu's worst album ever (imo), even a song for xx sounds great compared to this mess :/

[C+R+E+AYUMI]

1. I didn't expected she was ever releasing mini albums anymore and ie xpected instead a 3 side single

2. The shooting are absolutely gorgeous..i will remember this album not maybe for the music but for the stunning job Leslie has done

3. BRILLANTE is one of her best songs ever. Music: exeptional. Lyrics: moving. Chorus: unique.

4. Why: although she has wrote deeply touching lyrics the duet could have turne din something more involving

5. I really expected more promotion on this release, where was Avex lately?

[joshohhhhh]

1 progress - 3.5/5 tries hard, would be better post vocal training and no guitar solo
2 ANother song - 1/5 ayu barely whispers the entire song; would do better on a release from urata (urata feat. ayu)
3 Why... - 2/5 heard it before, and it was better then too (remix version preferred)
4 beloved - 3/5 beautiful instrumental, but sadly never leaves the ground or delves beneath it
5 BRILLANTE - 5/5 best song she has done in a while imo. i love it, no complaints.

[ayu_ready?]

Originally Posted by ayu-fan

1. boring
2. disappointing
3. horrible bass sound in Why
4. i expected BRILLANTE as an epic song but it turns out just like that
5. definitely one of ayu's worst album ever (imo), even a song for xx sounds great compared to this mess :/

I agree with the last point

[PoetGirl]

1. Ill glorify this release since amazingness of ANother song happened, I can just thank Urata maybe, who knows would Ayu made it in other case
2. epic covers that shows who true queen is, I love those 'diva' covers
3. beloved PV and the song that touches your heart
4. darker version of BALLAD happened - song BRILLANTE and interesting PV which I like cause of amazing style Ayu had
5. excited for photoshoots that are yet to come, so far they were fierce and beautiful

its so weird when there's nothing to complain

[brener]

1. BRILLANTE is a masterpiece
2. The PV's (expect ANother song) reminds me of "old" ayu
3. The booklet pictures are awesome
4. Most of the tracks are generic and weak with no potential to promote an album :\
5. Ayu could have worked/developed more on "beloved", it's a good song...

[Aditmi Krisnasaki ~II~]

01. at first, looking at the cover, I believed that FIVE is going to be full of Mirrorcle-World-Rule-ish songs but know, then I've heard all of the songs and it's kinda...yeah...quite good. progress and BRILLANTE are totally standout songs for this EP.

02. ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA -> it should've been ANother songs feat. ayumi hamasaki -> ayu has a tiny singing part and it sounds like URATA NAOYA is the main singer.. but somehow I like his voice better than ayu's in this song..

03. Why... feat. JUNO -> I was so surprised that JUNO has exactly the same voice as JUNSU, LOL. but this song is very pretty and eautiful

04. and I was actually kinda disappointed that this album doesn't come with any photobook .. it feels more like a "Single" IMO

05. but overall FIVE is great album since I love 4/5 of the songs... but a REMIX for the bonus track?? booorriinggg... =="

[wildconnetta]

1. The covers are absolutely OSM
2. She looks GEORGEOUS as usual
3. She is brave to do a mini of all mid-tempos
4. All songs are amazing
5. The BRILLIANTE PV is amazing.

[Sandy]

1. Amazing covers, put misleading - song are ballads, covers are lead me to believe it's be rock(ish)
2. I bashed BRILLANTE quite harsh but it's actually quite nice. Not that bad
3. beloved is perfection <3 ^^
4. Why... would be perfect without JUNO. ANother song is also partly ruined b/c of Urata Naoya.
5. The song are too much alike. This weird duets-ballad -addiction she's got going on has got to stop... -.-

Over all, a smooth album. I like it 8/10

[waterballoon]

1) progress is good. can't say it's anything that blew me out of my mind but it's a strong song that i will enjoy listening.

2) ANother song = CRAP. GARBAGE. THRASH. WORST AYU SONG EVER. Doesn't help the PV is another piece of thrash in Ayu's garbage bin hy

3) Why... was the duet I preferred. Good, catchy song that complemented both their vocals (more to JUNO) pretty well. Ayu sounded "weird" at times but stilllllll tolerable for me.

I lol when I reach the bridge though, cos I thought Ayu screwed up the "waaaaaaaaa" on the first line, while JUNO nailed the "gaaaaa" on the 2nd line.

JUNO and Ayu's voice match pretty well in any case, so yeah.

4) beloved. sweet and soothing song but it gets boring after a while. tend to skip this all the time.

5) BRILLANTE. BEST song of the album, definitely pales in comparison to masterpieces like Endless sorrow, M, evolution etc but good enough to be a masterpiece in her recent years.

[Mai82Go]

1.Why
2. is
3. FIVE
4. a
5. minialbum?

Seriously. I love it and I want more of it. EVERY song is special.

[RayJason]

1) progress 8/10; I like it, and I'm sure that soon I'll love it. I hate how the final arrangement became but it's still good. They should have get rid of the idiotic guitar-solo, I always skip that part. The PV would get a 2/10 for me though. *cough unprofessional student art project cough*.

2) ANother song 4/10; dislike it.
3) Why... feat JUNO 3/10; dislike it, however the instrumental arrangement is ok. Why... feat Urata Naoya 2/10; dislike it.
4) beloved 5/10; nothing special, dislike it.

5) BRILLANTE 0/10; I never say things like "I HATE, I HATE" and stuff, but now I just have to say that I hate this song, and pv. This song and pv disturb me so much, when I listen to it I think about all of the horror movies I saw in my life. /overacting.

[Catzi]

1. Progress and beloved are probably the best on the album.
2. ANother song sounds like something from kpop. I can just imagine some melodramatic scene in a kdrama, and they're playing that in the background.
3. I wished there were some more upbeat/rockish songs. Just wasn't expecting so many ballads.
4. Don't like the hidden song.
5. Mostly, the songs are kind of bland.