10781 replies to this topic

[Alienpyon]

^ of the five tracks you describe as fillers two of them are among the best on the album imo

And I've got to say that I feel you guys have been a little harsh on it.

I'm quite happy about those comments! I never rule out the possibility that I am the odd one and that the album may indeed sound ten times better to other people! The more people like it, the better it is!

However, the first week's sales are, according to wiki, disappointing: 9,960 copies, not even 5 digit figure. DAMN...

Does anybody have this DVD? I think I'm gonna get it from ebay

Actually, you don't have to go looking for it on E-Bay. You can still get a new copy from reliable sites such as YesAsia, HMV Japan and CdJapan. It's not a rare item and its price is reasonable, so I'd recommend getting it form them! And welcome to the forum!

[silenceglaive]

Yes, I saw those numbers too ... a bit diaspointing though. Especialy because Ayaya made quite much advertising. First day was rank 8 and I thought it'd be selling much better ... but somehow all the advertising just huirried the ppl to buy it at day one .. it seems ...

[Alienpyon]

First day was rank 8 and I thought it'd be selling much better ...

Well, we've got one week to go...

Oh, I forgot to thank Matt for his STUNNING new Ayaya pics! You are on fire, man!

[Mattthecat]

That is indeed disappointing.
Fact is we're Aya fans and will like almost anything. But would we like this album if it were sung by someone else? And if we were not Aya (or HP) fans, would we buy the album? And look at the recent new groups at HP, aimed at HP fans. All kiddie stuff really.
So is there a future for Aya at HP? Do they really know what to do with her? Or any of the other "elder" artists (only compared to the others of course)?
Maki Goto's album did a little better, but not much really, and her trend over the years is sliding downhill as well.
Would she do better at another company, not having to bear the UFA idol "burden"? Hypothetical as it'll never happen, but a valid question, to which I have no answer.

Oh, I forgot to thank Matt for his STUNNING new Ayaya pics! You are on fire, man!

Oh that's why it's so hot in here :-)))

And speaking of hot: I not only got Double Rainbow and the two Kotomikku Daijiten DVDs today, but the 2008 calendar as well. And man it's gorgeous! Remember, Xmas is nearing!!!

[silenceglaive]

Well if you give me the right to make an educated guess ... next week sales will raise the total amount to about 12000 sales.
After 4 weeks total it will be 14k and the open end future is about 15500-16500 ^^.

Matt has a point in there, though I asume that the overall shrinking CD sales are visible everywhere though.
I think they are not so well knowing what to do with Ayaya but maybe it'll be better hen doing more GAM stuff ^^.
Okay maybe she suffers a bit from the "UFA Idollabeling" although she has support form that side and I asume the concerst and DVDs sell way better ...

[Alienpyon]

Would we like this album if it were sung by someone else? And if we were not Aya (or HP) fans, would we buy the album?

Maybe. Those 5-6 songs were really good to my ears, so I believe would buy it, probably. But I wouldn't run to pre-order it, that's for sure! I would wait for the overseas version to surface!

Maki Goto's album did a little better, but not much really, and her trend over the years is sliding downhill as well.

I liked Maki Goto's album a lot. Very much, I must say. It's strange why it did not sell more, I guess it has to do with albums selling little all over the world (the usual story...), but it was a strong, tight, powerful album. I mean, obviously someone had Maki Goto in his mind when he wrote those songs! I feel the songwriters of "Double rainbow" did dot have Ayaya in their heads all the time, so some songs eventually went astray (personal opinion)... Which takes us back to your previous question:

So is there a future for Aya at HP? Do they really know what to do with her? Or any of the other "elder" artists (only compared to the others of course)?

To which my answer is: I am not sure! They should have given them something better. She was and still is their number one solo performer, so she deserves a 100% ass-kicking album...
As for other elder artists, I am quite content with Nacchi's latest mini album; same with Goto's (regardless of sales)

Would she do better at another company, not having to bear the UFA idol "burden"? Hypothetical as it'll never happen, but a valid question, to which I have no answer.

Neither do I!

[Vermillion]

Gah!! Unfortunately, I've had 14 hour days for nearly the last week. Been keeping me from the more important things...

Anywho, I finally received Double Rainbow on Saturday, and I've just been able to give it a really good listening to. And I've got to say that I feel you guys have been a little harsh on it. While I'll admit that some of the songs on the album are clearly superior to the others (Onna Day by Day is absolutely amazing and could easily have been a GREAT single in itself). Infact, the only song that I really felt was a "filler," was blue bird. Other than that one song, the album is absolutely enjoyable, and blue bird itself isn't even what I would call "bad."
While I admit that the album isn't very "adventurous" in its production, I don't feel that it is any worse because of that. While maybe not absolutely spectacular, its a good, solid album.

Well, that's merely my opinion. Take it as you will.

Having only heard her "Best" album (mostly singles), how have Ayaya's other albums been as regards to "filler" songs? I have listened to Double Rainbow and I find it a very pleasant sounding album, but I find the production on the album seems very "mild". Especially on the uptempo songs where the drums are very low key and not very noticable in the mix. Her earlier uptempo singles seem to have "spicier" productions to me.

@ Vermillion, I was just a little curious, how did you end up seeing Sukeban Deka? Its just that I've noticed that the DVD seems to be a little scarce (Although I know there are other methods... )

I used one of those other methods I heard about Sukeban Deka about a month ago and decided to check it out. Anything with girl undercover cops who use metal yoyos as weapons sounds like fun . Little did I know it would lead to finding my new favorite idol

I also checked out some episodes of the Sukeban Deka TV series. The girls who had played the lead before were '80s idols. While they were cute, they just didn't seem to have the believability -- the intensity and piercing stare that Ayaya did. Ayaya as Saki really seemed like a girl who could beat the stuffings out of people. So different from her image as the cute and sweet idol.

Oh, and welcome to the obsession!

Thanks

[Mattthecat]

When I talk about the idolry burden I am thinking along the lines of having to surpress a great deal of your personality, and the fact that a lot of people interested in buying records do "look down" upon this genre (I am sure in Japan as well). Though Aya does seem to be excluded more than anyone else from this. If that (and a new style of music) would be enough to level out the number of people disapointed in her leaving HP is somewhat doubtful though (at least in the beginning). Maki's dismal sales might have to do with the same thing, her association with HP preventing an interest by "outsiders" as well. But that's all speculation really not having a clue what the situation in Japan is like.
And I think you're quite right Alien about the songs not having Aya in mind. And I guess that's were a big part of my "disappointment" comes from. The fact that someone with a unique talent as Aya is given songs that do not mirror that uniqueness at all. That's what I meant when I said that it could/should have been a far better album.

Ayaya as Saki really seemed like a girl who could beat the stuffings out of people. So different from her image as the cute and sweet idol.

Did you watch the "Aya's Trial" episode of "Hello Morning" where this was made a topic? (available in the RS folders of course)

[Azagrath]

I wonder if Double Rainbow had done better if the songs were written by Tsunku. Ki ga Tsukeba Anata was the last single he wrote for her, and while it wasn't really up-tempo track, it had a bit of energy to it. Going by sales number from wiki as well, it was her best selling track since Kiseki no Kaori Dance. Then again, her ballads have usually had kinda low sales, so it's pretty obvious most people want songs that.. well, aren't ballads. While Double Rainbow isn't all ballads, it lacks those energetic tracks, whether it's dance, pop, rock, jazz, thrash metal ( I'd like to hear that), whatever. Like I said in my earlier review, it just sounds TOO pleasant. They're all good songs, nothing wrong with them, but they lack that spark, that H!P magic, that special something that makes me just fall head over heels in love with it. Simply put, the songs are nice, but they don't spark any emotion in me. The old tracks do. The GAM stuff does. And looking at the set list of her new tour, it's a hit parade deluxe, so she obviously knows what people want to hear.

It's not like the album is a HUGE disappointment, cause it's not. It's just that it could have been so much better. Ah well, it'll be interesting to see where she goes from here. Hopefully, the next few singles won't be ballads. We've had too many already...

[Mattthecat]

Well, personally I prefer the ballads. I did like Naked Songs better than Double Rainbow :-)
But I would like to see her improve on the sales. Lol

[atstrbcks]

Ah. I do love ballads as well
I also love hearing jazz from Aya.

[zam（仮）]

Matthew's Best Hit Generation Matsuura Aya Special
Ever wondered how it would be like to drive around town with Ayaya in the pessenger sit? Than you got to watch this If she wasn't sitting next to me, I'd better park the car, I don't think I could concentrate on the road Especially when shes singing Ne-e complete with hand gestures

[Quintaxos]

I'm with Azagrath on this. She needs more upbeat songs to sing. Although, she's grown up now, she might not want to jump around in the Ne~e costume anymore. I guess I like the young more energetic Aya then the calm, ballad-Aya.

[suiseihiyoko]

The following links in the post 2334 by H!P46, are died or the server down?? HERE

It seems so, yes! :-/

only by the way...

anyone have these picture set?

i want these set

[Vermillion]

I'm with Azagrath on this. She needs more upbeat songs to sing. Although, she's grown up now, she might not want to jump around in the Ne~e costume anymore. I guess I like the young more energetic Aya then the calm, ballad-Aya.

I agree, but I like the really good ballads too, like "Watarasebashi" or "Egao". But I think she definitely needs to have some upbeat singles after all the ballads released as singles. Seems like people buy energetic sounding songs.
Maybe she could do songs that are somewhere between ballads and her faster songs, like "LOVE Namida Iro" and "100kai no KISS". Those songs are like ballads with a mid tempo and more "beat" and those type of songs still seem appropriate for her age.

Myself, I don't think I would buy a single as slow and melodramatic as "The Last Night". In fact, I can only listen to that song by watching the promotion video, since seeing Aya's lovely face makes it bearable.

Ayaya as Saki really seemed like a girl who could beat the stuffings out of people. So different from her image as the cute and sweet idol.

Did you watch the "Aya's Trial" episode of "Hello Morning" where this was made a topic? (available in the RS folders of course)

I will definitely watch that....

[Mattthecat]

anyone have these picture set?

i want these set

Those pictures can be found in the Aya thread review

That Matthew special (from 2003) is very funny (and you can of course find it in the RS folders)

And you have two upbeat songs (Onna Day by Day and Happy to Go) on the album that would make great singles IMHO.

[soup]

Actually, you don't have to go looking for it on E-Bay. You can still get a new copy from reliable sites such as YesAsia, HMV Japan and CdJapan. It's not a rare item and its price is reasonable, so I'd recommend getting it form them! And welcome to the forum!

I don't have much money, I was thinking of buying cheap chinese version from ebay but I couldn't find it. This seller has several Aya dvd's for $6.99US but no "shinka no kisetsu". I guess it's better to buy original Japanese DVD.

[Alienpyon]

I don't have much money, I was thinking of buying cheap chinese version from ebay but I couldn't find it. This seller has several Aya dvd's for $6.99US but no "shinka no kisetsu". I guess it's better to buy original Japanese DVD.

I see... Just make sure he sells used original dvds and not DVD-Rs

BTW, the Taiwan version of this DVD you are after costs US$22.49 on YesAsia, including shipment costs: CLICK !
The price seems reasonable but, of course, it's all up to you!

[soup]

I don't have much money, I was thinking of buying cheap chinese version from ebay but I couldn't find it. This seller has several Aya dvd's for $6.99US but no "shinka no kisetsu". I guess it's better to buy original Japanese DVD.

I see... Just make sure he sells used original dvds and not DVD-Rs

BTW, the Taiwan version of this DVD you are after costs US$22.49 on YesAsia, including shipment costs: CLICK !
The price seems reasonable but, of course, it's all up to you!

This is the seller I was talking about. Seems legitimate but they don't have the dvd I want. At least not at the moment. I will consider yesasia, they seem to accept paypal too.

[atstrbcks]

From the Matthew's BHTV Aya special

Lol. Aya getting groped. I was cracking up at this part