I don’t ask much of dramas. All I really want from a drama is the feeling of needing to know what happens next. So far, there’s only one drama that does that. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve become pickier (I don’t think so…) or if the quality of dramas has just plummeted. Anyway, onto the mini reviews.

Basically I just want to complain about how practically all the dramas I’ve tried suck. Anyway, onto the mini reviews. Sorry there aren’t any pictures, I’m just too lazy to do it.

Dandy Daddy?
This sounded kind of promising or at least funny and entertaining. Which it kind of was, but 3/4 of the way through, I was wondering when the episode would finally end. Tachi Hiroshi (the dad) is very funny and kind of charming but by the end, very annoying. Sounds funny but a paranoid and overbearing parent is just the opposite.

Saru Lock
I thought this would be kind of interesting or funny but it ended up being stupid and kind of gross. The “dangerous cases” that Ishihara Hayato’s character supposedly helps to solve are nothing more than shallow problems from stupid people. I guess it’s late night for a reason.

Koishite Akuma
I didn’t really want to watch this, but since there were so little dramas worth watching, I thought I should give it a try. I thought it would be pretty good considering it’s to promote the new Johnny’s group, but I got tired of it around half way through the first episode. Plus vampires are getting really overrated now (considering the recent popularity of Twlight, another thing I can’t understand). Pass.

Ninkyo Helper
Another one I thought had promise considering its cast. While it seems to have a few interesting subplots woven in, the whole elderly care + yakuza turns out to be pretty unappealing. This is one that I could probably watch more of to kill time, but I’m in no rush to find out what happens next.

Orthros no Inu
I thought this one would be really interesting and it also stars Mizukawa Asami, who is just great. Unforunately, Nishikido Ryo is playing probably the dumbest guy ever. It has a very interesting premise though, so I think I’ll try and stick with it for at least a couple more episodes, and hopefully it’ll get better so I’m not left groaning at how stupid some people are.

Karei naru Spy
I also had high hopes for this one, especially since spy movies are usually pretty entertaining. But in the end, it was way too over the top and I’m not sure if I will watch future episodes. It seems like there are some other sub plots besides the spy stuff, but they don’t seem to be very interesting.

Otomen
This was another drama I was looking forward to watching. I read some of the manga, and it’s pretty cute. I wasn’t sure how well it would transition into live action, and unfortunately, it turns out to be a little cheesy. Maybe it’s because the manga would be cheesy if it were real people but still it’s a bit of a disappointment

Teioh
This is one drama that I’ve watched more than 2 episodes of. I’ve been kind of enjoying this one, since the episodes are short (25 min) and it’s pretty fast paced. Plus it starts Tsukamoto Takashi, who’s pretty talented.

Buzzer Beat
Last is the best drama by a long shot. I was a little hesitant to watch it, because I actually don’t like Yamapi much. I’ve only watched a few of his dramas before but I thought he was mostly annoying in them (except Code Blue). But I watched it anyway and it is a great drama! Kitagawa Keiko and Kanjiya Shihori are so fun to watch as well as Aibu Saki playing a villian-ish role (the first time I’ve seen her not play a good girl). I always wish I could watch the next episode when I finish one. And like I said, that’s all I really want in a drama.

Am I being to picky about dramas? Or are most of them kind of bad this season? Are there any good ones I should check out?? I guess I’ll just have to try some more later….

Favorite Drama: Tie between Voice and Triangle
Voice was not was I was expecting, but I still really liked it. It’s actually not mysteries but more of a human drama with each episode focusing on a different guest. Although a lot of dramas with a different guest star per episode can have trouble with character development, Voice didn’t suffer from that problem at all, since the stories managed to weave into their personal lives as well. Plus Eita, Ishihara Satomi, Ikuta Toma, Endo Yuya, and Sato Tomohito were great as the five seminar students, starting out from a group of random students into their own little circle of close friends.

Triangle was definitely a treat for any mystery fan. There are plenty of twists and turns but not ones that come from nowhere and just the right amount of conspiracy, and the cast is filled with veterans, really drawing you into their world. It seems like there aren’t many long-running mystery series, most of them Yare one-episodes mysteries, like for every 10 Kiina/Yon Shimai tantei Dan/Galileo/etc-type mysteries, there’s only 1 Triangle / Unfair -type mystery series. But if they’re all like Triangle, it would be worth the wait. Eguchi Yosuke really impressed me; he’s quite amazing.

Biggest Surprise: Mei-chan no Shitsuji
Originally I only watched because of Mizushima Hiro (and he’s now married?!?! to ayaka?!?!) and a bit of Sato Takeru, but I was surprised that by the end of a couple of episodes I was really enjoying it. It’s seriously a throwback to HanaDan and HanaKimi, but who cares? Those dramas were super fun and even though the premise is so ridiculous, you just have to enjoy it for what it is. It’s one of those dramas where you escape to some alternate reality and it really just sucks you in.

Biggest Let Down: Kiina
The worst special effects which must be repeated in every episode. Which is sad because Kanno Miho was so amazing in Watashitachi no Kyokasho, which is not to say that she was terrible here, just that I wasn’t impressed or drawn in by any of the mysteries or character relationships.

Biggest Yawn: Arifureta Kiseki
I wanted to watch it because I wanted to see Nakama Yukie in a role other than Yankumi (but still I haven’t watched Gokusen 3 nor am I planning to), only to realize that perhaps that is the only role suited for her? Well I watched the first episode and by the time 10 minute mark had rolled around, I was bored to tears, but still tried to watch the whole episode to give it a fair chance. Well, I gave it a chance and decided that it wasn’t worth a second chance.

Most Fun: Love Shuffle
Slapstick comedy juxtaposed with sad reality, which is that everyone is cool and sophisticated and yet ultimately pathetic all at once. But the idea of a Love Shuffle (or LovuSha) is quite interesting but yet really strange and who would actually agree to do something so…odd? And are all Japanese adults this twisted? Looking at each individual character and their viewpoints on life, it’s hard to believe that somewhere in the world, people like them could really exist. While Love Shuffle can be depressing at some points, there are equally humorous moments – perhaps saying that when bad things happen to us, we should just laugh it off and let that be it. But I will still say that it was the most fun because out of all the drama this season, I laughed out loud more times in Love Shuffle than the rest combined.

Most Dramatic: Akai Ito
Because of Akai Ito, I’ve realized that Japanese middle schoolers and high schoolers lives consist of A) drugs and romance , B) adults that are all somehow connected to each other, and C) friends that get killed off / move away, etc. when they aren’t part of the main storyline anymore. But besides that, it was kind of cute at times. Although things were just a little too convenient. But that’s what dramas are all about, right?

Best Relationship (friends, romantic, family, or otherwise): Tara-chans which is Usa-tan (Tamaki Hiroshi) and Yukki (DAIGO) from Love Shuffle
Their relationship is a really interesting one, starting at first because they were both kind of pathetic and kind of clingy to their girlfriends, so they got along well. At first it seems like a very simple friendship, but it gets quite complicated in many different ways and at times can even be a little heartbreaking because of all the multi-threadedness. But still, in the end, they go past being just simple friends and the evolution of their friendship was quite an interesting progression.

I wouldn’t be too surprised if it was suddenly postponed, only to turn into a mini-album, but since the release date is looming at only a couple of weeks away (April 15, 2009) I’d say the we have a true single on our hands! And there’s even some promotion as the insert song for a video game called Devil Kings (Sengoku Basara).

Sailing Free sticks to OLIVIA’s alternative-pop-rock, a little heavy on electronica. It wasn’t instant love when I first heard it, but after just a few more repeats and I’m liking it so much more. It’s whimsical but still strong with just a touch of ethereal-ness in the arrangement. The chorus is surprisingly catchy, because I’ve found myself humming it at random times. The PV is similar to her past videos as well. The set is a fake ocean, like in an older style play and OLIVIA’s costume is still playful and crazy, though not as much as other (think Stars Shining Out). And she also has a faux ‘fro! Overall, another fun track…I may also do a write up on the two b-sides, Love love love and Undress…

I though I didn’t want to become an adult
But I am turning 20
Thank you my teens

Goodbye my teens….but still is 19 really any different than 20? Well who care? This will be the only day in my life where I can listen to Thank you my teens and have it actually apply! I must enjoy it =)

Besides that, I have to say I’m pretty sad that YUI went on a break, but the good news is that she’s going to be collaborating with stereopony! When I found out, I didn’t know who Stereopony was, but all the same I’m excited to see what kind of song YUI will compose for another group! Apparently they met unexpectedly in a recording studio in Okinawa and decided to it then (hm…no pun intended?). and of course I had to look up stereopony and let me say, I am pleasantly surprised.

X

= ???

Stereopony was formed in Okinawa and consists of (from left to right) Nohana (bass), Shiho (drums), and Aimi (vocals/guitar). Hitohiro no Hanabira was their first single and also ending theme for Bleach. Their second single, Namida no Mukou, was an opening theme for one of the Gundam series. Without Taiwanese girl band Cherry Boom releasing anything I am missing my girl power music…but now I think that void has been filled by Stereopony.

I’ve really been enjoying both their singles, especially the chorus of Hitohiro no Hanabira. Although I wasn’t in love with vocals, there’s definitely a charm to it that I think will grow on me.

I’m really interested to hear what YUI will do for them. Musically, Stereopony is similar to YUI’s recent style but I wonder how YUI will match up with their sound. The single, titled “I do it,” will be released on April 22, but the song will be available starting March 18, so I suppose I won’t have to wait too long…

And I don’t know if this is some marketing ploy to promote Stereopony or to keep YUI’s name out there during her break, but all that same: YAY! for more YUI! and for a newly discovered group that I like!

vs.

But that’s not really the important part – what’s really important here is how will they fare? Or how will they fare against each other? With one release being March 14 and the other March 17, are they asking for a competition? Seriously, why are the release dates so close together?

I think these three are what it essentially break down into:
1. Promotion
2. Production / Content
3. Existing fanbase

1. Promotion
To be honest, I hardly listen to the radio anymore, so any playtime will be totally lost on me. But all the same, I have to say BoA wins this hands down.

Did I mention that I saw BoA LIVE?? Well, I did. She performed at the L.A. Kollaboration a couple of weeks ago, and she will be performing again at Universal Boardwalk (I think? something like that) on March 21 for free. not sure what time, though. And she has done a couple of other performances, too. As far as I know, Utada’s not having any performances promoting the new album.

And BoA’s American website is eons better than Utada’s. Utada doesn’t even get multiple pages! Myspaces are both pretty much the same, though BoA’s looks a little better.

It seems like Utada’s company is just releasing the album, but not trying to make it a success. Maybe it’s because BoA’s English debut is under the US version of her Korean label that she’s actually getting some decent promotion. Maybe Utada’s company doesn’t want to invest too much money in her because of her previous failure, who knows? But I’m just glad to see some Asian faces in the American market. Still, without much promotion, it’s like setting her up for failure. It doesn’t matter how good the music is or how slick the production is if no one knows about it.

2. Production / Content

BoA’s take on American hip-hop in Eat You Up is very danceable, very slick, and very catchy (at least the chorus is). I’m not the biggest hip-hop fan, but I actually kind of like it. Her English could use some work, though, because it sounds it sounds really stilted in the verses. Maybe that’s what they’re going for though.

The American version of the music video is not bad, but not that great either. BoA’s dancing is really good (did I mention that I was really impressed by her at Kollaboration?). The fadeout effects look kind of cheap and I’m not sure what that super long intro is supposed to accomplish. The shots over the city look pretty nice, though.

The intro to Utada’s Come Back to Me is gorgeous. (oh piano, how I love you so.) It’s similar to some of her recent works, but it has a definite ‘American’ quality to it that’s kind of hard to place. I really love the verses, but the first time I heard the chorus I was so disappointed, because it was just so plain and I just didn’t like it at all. Now that I’ve listened to it more and more, I’ve come to like it more.

The MV is actually really beautiful with gorgeous costumes and elaborate sets. Nothing much happens, though, it’s just nice to look at.

What I would really love to see on Utada’s album is material like her HEART STATION album…like an English version of Prisoner of Love?? That would be really interesting.

3. Existing fanbase

It’s hard to say…BoA had that one Inuyasha theme song and Utada had theme song for Kingdom Hearts. Between those two, Utada would have to win since video games are more widespread than anime. But BoA is big in the Japanese and Korean industry while Utada’s only big in the Japanese industry. However, Utada may have more of an existing fanbase because of her previous English album.

Actually, I’m not much a BoA fan so I’ll probably only pick up Utada’s album. They’ll probably both do pretty poorly in the states, but I’m sure the Japanese/Korean releases will chart and sell amazingly. I hope I’m wrong, though, it’d be cool to see them succeed in the American market.

Now for the next American debut: YUI! and Olivia Lufkin! I wish….but it would be epic!

Tracklist:
1. LOVE LETTER
2. Rocket Sneaker
3. Bye Bye
4. Kurage, Nagareboshi
5. Ningyou
6. Kimi Fechi
7. Creamy & Spicy
8. Do☆Positive
9. 360°
10. Shachihata
11. One×Time
12. Pocket
13. Ai

Ai Otsuka’s fifth album, LOVE LETTER, is definitely her most mature album to date. Usually, her album includes one crazy, out there song, but LOVE LETTER doesn’t have it. And she even included a title track! This was an album of many firsts, and unfortunately it her also her first to chart for only 4 weeks and sell less than 200,000 copies (some her singles sold more than this album!). But despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed LOVE LETTER.

Even though there isn’t one overly crazy song, there are still plenty of fun and upbeat tracks. Bye Bye is one such track, utilizing electric guitars and piano. The chorus is super fun (and catchy!) and I love the way she sings “bye bye!” Actually, this track will be released as a re-cut single, so hopefully it’ll sell well. Creamy & Spicy is another upbeat track, with lots of guitar riffs to go around. Sometimes she sounds a little strained, but I still like the overall happy and giddy feeling to the whole thing. She even experiments with a little bit of vocal distortion.

And then there’s Do☆Positive. If there was one crazy song, it’d be this one. Although the arrangement isn’t anything too wild, Ai’s vocals are very free, fun, and silly. And then when you factor in the video, she must have had a lot of fun with this one. In the PV, she and her band are all wearing these crazy afro wigs and playing in some kind of basement thing. And of course, I can’t forget Rocket Sneaker. I have to admit that lately, I’ve fallen in love this song. At first I liked it, but didn’t think it was anything special, but now I just looove it! Especially the chorus and the pre-chorus. Actually, that whole single was amazing.

There’s also plenty of ballads here, starting with the title track, LOVE LETTER. The only thing backing up Ai is a solo piano, which really puts emphasis on her vocals. It’s a really gorgeous and touching piece with Ai’s lovely singing. The album also closes with a ballad with the same name as herself, Ai. It starts off softly but gradually builds up. Though the melody can get repetitive, it’s still really pretty and there’s so much emotion that I don’t really mind. The only thing that really bothers me about this song is that at the end when a bunch of kiddies come and sing together. Ugh. (Not that I don’t like kids or anything…)

Ningyou is a very pretty and very sad song, as if seems like the song is about a girl who feels like she’s just a lifeless doll. The arrangement is really beautiful, as are Ai’s vocals. Something about this song is enchanting and I think I could listen to it over and over. There’s also two of her ballad singles: Pocket and Kurage, Nagareboshi. I still like Pocket a lot, it’s kind of like a song about a quiet and gentle love. Kurage, Nagareboshi is an epic piece with a sweeping arrangement. I like this one, but it’s nowhere at the top of my favorite Ai songs.

Kimi Fechi is a mid-tempo track with an ethereal feel to it. I really like this track, because it’s so simple and so relaxing. It’s kind of like a love letter, but not like decorated or anything, just honest feelings. 360° is just as relaxing as Kimi Fechi, especially with that lovely piano part (is there a score??). It’s really repetitive, but it’s quite interesting because she compares love to a ferris wheel and merry-go-round, she loves it but at the same time she also hates it. The PV for 360° is actually kind of freaky. It uses a lot of distortion effects and Ai is in some really interesting makeup and clothes. Last of the mid-tempo track is OnexTime. As with Rocket Sneaker, I’ve been really enjoying this track recently too. It’s just so lovely and relaxing to listen to.

Ai also experiments with jazz this time, with Shachihata. Or is it Shiyachihata? I’m really confused on this name. I see it written everywhere as Shachihata, but when I checked it on her website, it was definitely Shiya and not Sha. But besides that, I really like this one, not only because jazz is so fun but also because of her scatting, which is surprisingly really good! And Ai also sings in a lower register, and though at first it’s hard to tell it’s her singing, you can hear that it’s really her very unique voice.

I really love LOVE LETTER. The first time I listened to the entire thing, I wasn’t too taken by it, but now that I am familiar with every song, I can appreciate the whole thing. The happy songs are fun and upbeat without being annoying and the ballads are so gorgeous in its simplicity. Plus, there’s also the surprise of Sha(Shiya)chihata. It’s sad that as her music matures (and her as well!) it seems that people don’t like it as much as anymore. We all mature and change and it’s natural that the way we express ourselves would change as well. But just because Ai and her music is maturing doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have that craziness inside her still (just look at the Do☆Positive PV!). I’m looking forward to see she releases next (well, after Bye Bye that is).

Buy this album: CD only | CD + DVD

Tracklist
1. Koi wa groovyx2
2. Mafuyu no Seiza
3. miss you – Hawaiian Breeze Remix -
4. Koi was groovyx2 -Instrumental-

Yuna Ito’s 12th single, Koi wa groovyx2, uses a big band brass for a fun and upbeat track. Yuna’s vocals are really great, but that’s probably the best thing about it. I mean, it’s certainly fun to listen to a couple of times, but I tire of it quickly. The chorus is not bad, the high notes are quite good but generally, it gets annoying after awhile. The cover is gorgeous, though.

However, the b-side, Mafuyu no Seiza, is really beautiful. The piano part is just lovely and gives the entire track a melancholy feel. The rest of the arrangement is really well done, and vocals are very pretty, calm but with enough emotion. Plus, the mix of English and Japanese is done just right. I didn’t realize how beautiful this song was until recently, but for awhile I had it on repeat.

The Hawaiian Breeze Remix of miss you is for once appropriately titled, but it’s not very good. Yuna’s vocals are still lovely, but the arrangement is a bit..lacking and kind of annoying. And it’s really really long.

Buy this single: CD only

Akai Ito

Starring: Minamisawa Nao, Mizubata Junpei, Kimura Ryo
Akai Ito follows the story of Mei and Atsushi (A-kun) who are kind of like star-crossed lovers. They first met as children on their very unusual birthday, February 29 and later unknowingly become high school classmates. And even though fate seems to be bringing them together, it’s also pulling them apart.

This drama also has tie-ins to the movie; the drama starts the story off, and then the movie and drama are intertwined. I don’t know if you have to watch the movie to understand the rest of the drama, though. But so far I have been enjoying this one – it’s a young cast and it’s set in high school, but not crazy like Hana Kimi’s production. It’s a sweet young love story, so if you like innocent love type stories, this would be a good pick.

Arifureta Kiseki

Starring: Nakama Yukie, Kase Ryo, Jinnai Takanori
It’s the story of two strangers who tried to stop a man from jumping off the platform at the train station and their subsequent relationship. I haven’t really watched too much of Nakama Yukie outside of Gokusen and her role there is such a iconic image and when I think of her I’ll just think of Gokusen. So I was interested too see her in a different role but actually it’s kind of boring. It’s really slow paced and while I can enjoy slow pace, none of the characters or anything else interested me. Not sure if I’ll watch any more of this one.

Kiina

Starring: Kanno Miho, Hiraoka Yuta, Tsukaji Muga
Kanno Miho play the titular character, a detective who’s the head of the one-man investigations unit that specializes in weird cases. When rookie Yamazaki (Hiraoka Yuta) gets put into her unit, he finds that she’s not exactly detective-like and has reservations about being in her unite. But, Kiina has an amazing memory, which helps her to solve these strange cases.

The last Kanno Miho drama I watched was Watashitachi no Kyokasho, which was simply amazing, so of course I had to try her mystery series. Her character here is completely different and she does a great job. Mysteries so far seem pretty solid too. I’m interested to see what else this’ll have

Love Shuffle

Starring: Tamaki Hiroshi, Matsuda Shota, Kuriyama Chiaki, Karina, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Kanjiya Shihori, DAIGO, Tanihara Shosuke
Basically, 4 couples who “shuffle” their relationships. I haven’t watched it yet, but I want to! There are a lot of faces here that I like and a pretty random premise. But that’s what makes things fun, right?

Mei-chan no Shitsuji

Starring: Mizushima Hiro, Eikura Nana, Sato Takeru
This one is about a girl named Mei who finds out that she is actually the successor to the richest corporation in Japan, the Hongo group. She must then transfer to St Lucia Academy, an extremely exclusive school for girls, where every student has a butler. No one is supposed to know about her connection to the Hongo group, so the girls bully her thinking that she doesn’t belong there. However, that’s not her only problem, there’s someone else plotting against her.

Mei-chan no Shitsji’s production is a lot like Hana Kimi’s – just look at that promo image! But it also reminds me a lot of Hanadan, what with all the rich girls and things like that. To be honest, it’s a kind of stupid, but if you’ve enjoyed Hana Kimi and Hanadan, you’ll probably enjoy this one. I’ll probably be watching this one too – Mizushima Hiro is just too good to resist and Sato Takeru will most likely be my newest interest…

Q.E.D

Starring: Nakamura Aoi, Takahashi Ai
Q.E.D is a mystery series with lead characters of Kana, a energetic and athletic girl, and Toma, a child genius who attended MIT as a young teenager. As far as mystery series go, they range from silly school debates to murder, but they’re all pretty fun. And while I know that Takahashi Ai is from H!P and is older than me, she looks like a middle schooler in this drama. As usual, I’ve been enjoying this mystery series, but I doubt it’ll propel me into H!P fandom

Triangle

Starring: Eguchi Yosuke, Inagaki Goro, Hirose Ryoko, Aibu Saki, Kohinata Fumiya
Triangle is about a young girl’s murder that happened 25 years ago. At the statue of limitatinos (15 years after the murder, 10 years ago), a doctor (Eguchi Yosuke) suddenly quits his job and becomes a detective (Hirose Ryoko). And now, year after the murder, he starts searching for an answer along with another detective (Inagaki Goro).

I have really been enjoying Triangle so far. It’s not too intense, but there are definitely plenty of plot twists and the leads have done a great job so far. The intro was kind of slow and seemed kind of irrelevant, so I wasn’t very interested but still wanted to stick it out to at least one full episode. So I finished it and there was this plot twist…which kept me to the next and on and I’m glad I did this is a solid mystery drama (well, so far).

Voice

Starring: Eita, Ikuta Toma, Ishihara Satomi
Voice is a lot like the American drama Bones, except way less gory and less murder-y. It centers around 5 university seniors in a forensic pathology, studying dead bodies and how the person died, in other words listen to their voices, thus the name. Well, I love Bones and the three main leads are definitely some of my favorite actors, so there was no question as to whether or not I’d be watching it. I’m also happy to see that it’s not your typical mystery drama (could you really call them mysteries?) and it’s definitely more character-driven than anything. And Eita’s hair is waaaay shorter now, looks pretty good.

Zeni Geba

Starring: Matsuyama Ken’ichi, Mimura, Miyagawa Daisuke
It’s basically the story of a guy who will do anything for money, including getting close to a pair of sisters in order to take over their father’s company. I watched the first episode and it’s kind of freaky. I’m not sure if I’m going to watch anymore or not, but let me say that this drama is dark, in more ways than one.

Honorable Mentions

Kami no Shizuku – Kame stars in yet another underdog role. I’ll think about it, because Kame is nice to look at. but it’s show about wine and I really don’t like wine…
Uta no Onii-san – After being an evil vengeful lawyer, Ohno decides to love kiddies and go on a kid’s show. Um…I think I’ll pass. unless sometime tells me it’s really really good.
RESCUE – It’s a fireman drama with lots of young stars (Yamamoto Yusuke, Masu from NEWS) and Kaname Jun, who’s not really old but not young either…I want to but don’t know if it’s worth it. I’ll probably watch at least the first episode.

Track listing
1. Long Zhan Qi Shi
2. Gei Wo Yi Shou Ge De Shi Jian
3. She Wu
4. Hua Hai
5. Mo Shu Xian Sheng
6. Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne
7. Lan Ting Xu
8. Liu Lang Shi Ren
9. Shi Guang Ji
10. Qiao Ke Shu Shu
11. Dao Xiang

Jay Chou’s latest album was definitely a commercial success, selling over 1 million copies just in the first couple of weeks despite previous leaking online. But that’s not really a surprise. I think the real question is does the album match up to its huge sales?

If every song on the album was as good as the opening track, Long Zhan Qi Shi, then yes. The arrangement and the beats are superb, his rapping is smooth and the chorus is awesome. This track is an excellent example of his rock/R&B/hip-hop fusion style. She Wu is also fusion track but not as strong as the opening. It uses traditional Chinese sounds mixed with some beats. Actually after a while, the chorus gets a little annoying, but the rapping during the verses is not bad.

Of course, the album has its share of ballads, actually quite a large portion.There’s Gei Wo Yi Shou De De Shi Jian; it’s got a sweet verse and a lovely bridge, though the chorus is average. He tries to spice it up a bit with some light rapping near the end and an R&B influence throughout the whole thing. It works to some degree, because in the end it’s still an enjoyable track. Hua Hai has the elements of a great ballad – a beautiful arrangement, a pretty melody – but there’s just this short segment in the chorus that’s just short of unbearable. I know he does it on purpose, but it kind of makes me want to rip my ears off. I think it’s supposed to emulate some instrument in the intro, but seriously – FAIL

Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne simplifies it a bit here using piano as the forefront, strings here and there and a bit of percussion and guitar to round things out. The chorus is quite pretty and Jay’s vocals are very heartfelt, making this one the best ballad on the album. Shi Guang Ji is a quality, mid-tempo track with a light melody. It’s actually quite pretty but not too memorable. Though the chorus is very pleasant to listen to, by the end of the song it gets repetitive.

Dao Xiang closes the album nicely with its R&B and classical fusion. The arrangement is pretty good, and the rapping is not as annoying as other things I’ve heard. I do like the chorus, though, it has a nice rhythm and doesn’t get repetitive after multiple listening.

Jay also experiments with a bunch of different styles. There’s Mo Shu Xian Sheng, a throwback to the big bands of the roaring 20′s and he even yodels (which, I should have to say, but it’s kind of strange – only Julie Andrews should yodel). Jay uses a more cutesy voice, which is okay sometimes, but also kind of annoying at the same time. He probably had fun recording this, but it’s not too much fun to listen to. The worst thing is that it’s kind of catchy and hopefully I won’t have it stuck in my head. He also samples a bit of Niu Zai Hen Mang, from his Wo Hen Mang album last year.

Liu Lang Shu Ren has a bluesy sound, starting off with a harmonica solo, and using a calming arrangement with string bass and such. He also layers in a bit of rapping against the chorus. As experiments go – this one is definitely better than Mo Shu Xian Sheng. Lan Ting Shu takes elements from those old Chinese oldies – traditional instruments and sweeping melodies. If it weren’t for the R&B and hip-hop parts in the middle, I could easily see this as one of those oldies people sing at karaoke.

Qiao Ke Shu Shu is kind like a fusion track, but he uses his annoying voice – which is, of course, annoying. The melody is actually kind of nice but there’s also there freaky laughing sounds, and I’m not sure if it’s supposed to add to the annoying atmosphere or scare me. It also has a bit of a Latin feel to it, which becomes quite obvious later on the track.

Okay, so there are really only a couple of bad tracks on this album, but there are only a couple of amazing tracks. The rest are pretty average, sure to be loved by a diehard Jay fan but mediocre for the people like me who are fans but aren’t obsessed. He’s done better on previous albums and I only hope that his successive albums will be better, use less annoying sound effects, use less annoying voices, and stop the weird experiments.

Buy this album: CD + DVD (Metal Case Edition) | CD + DVD (Calendar Edition) | CD + DVD (Regular Preorder Version) |

Tracklist
1. miss you
2. BREEEEEZIN!!!!!!!
3. Urban Mermaid -Bittersweet Movement Blood-I Riddimix-
4. miss you -Instrumental-

Yuna Ito’s 11th single is a mid-tempo ballad with a stunning arrangement. The first few times I listened to it, I wasn’t too taken by it, but I’ve come to really love it. One time the chorus was stuck in my heard but I couldn’t remember what song it was and it was really driving me crazy but then I remembered and appreciate it so much more now. The verse is really beautiful but it’s the chorus that really shines. The repetition like ‘masugu ni masugu ni’ is lovely and Yuna’s vocals are just gorgeous.

The b-side, BREEEEEZIN!!!!!!!, is a great fun summery song. The rhythms are super infectious and the melodies are really catchy. Though Yuna is pretty much known for her ballads, this shows that she’s just as good as upbeat tracks too. Seriously, with those vocals, she could pull off almost anything. The remix of Urban Mermaid is pretty much like her other remixes, not really bad, just kind of weird. This version just adds some more synth and is it just me or are her vocals covered up a bit by the new arrangement?

Buy this single: CD only