Kurage, Nagareboshi's booklet image
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Artist: Ai Otsuka
Product Code: AVCD-31497/98/99/500
Release Date: 9.10.2008
Genre: Pop/Ballad
Label: avex trax
Limited Edition: 5th aniversary edition covers, Comment Card, Jacket Sticker
Format: CD+DVD
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Rumors of Ai Otsuka’s 18th single began two months prior to its release just as its predecessor, Rocket Sneaker. Many were skeptical, preferring a new album to avoid another LOVE PiECE and its high single content. Fans despaired too soon though as more would be revealed at the end of the month.
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Ayumi on SCawaii, January 2009 Issue
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Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki
Product Code: AVCD-31580/81/82/83
Release Date: 2008.12.17
Highest Ranking: #1
Genre: Pop/Ballad
Label: avex trax
Format: CD or CD+DVD
First Press: Vertically long cardboard slipcase and poster
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Yet another year is almost over and the festive Christmas season is back. Despite of the current world economical situation, the whole J-Pop industry is once again booming with winter releases. The plethora of releases by the end of the year, create a rather exciting atmosphere at the end-of-year variety shows, especially since many artists perform and unveil their winter releases for the very first time. Pop-diva, Ayumi Hamasaki has also returned after eight months of absence to release her 44th single, just in time for the festive season.
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Official Promotional picture for PEACH/HEART
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PEACH/HEART
Artist: Ai Otsuka
Product Code:AVCD-31269
Release Date: 2007. 07.25
Debut Ranking: #1
First Press: Bonus Track
Label: avex trax |
Ai Otsuka is staking her claim in the Japanese music world, with the release of her second single of 2007. “PEACH/HEART” reached the top of the Oricon charts, and spread throughout the country quickly after being used as the ending song for the popular dorama, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, starring Oguri Shun and Maki Horikita.
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The special photobook cover that was included with first press DVD.
To celebrate her third year since her debut with Momo no Hanabira, Otsuka Ai held a special concert at Hibiya Yagai Ongaku-Do on September 9, 2006 entitled 【LOVE IS BORN】～3rd Anniversary 2006～. But this was more than an anniversary concert for her, as September 9 was also her 24th birthday and hence the title of the concert “Love is Born” as Ai’s name means “love” in Japanese.
The concert’s DVD was released on January 1, 2007 making it the 3rd DVD concert released by Ai. In addition to a special 40 page photobook that was released as a first press item for the DVD, fans who pre-order the DVD online from mu-mo by November 16, 2006 also received a replica of the staff passes used at the concert.
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At Home Dad is a family comedy dorama that aired in the spring of 2004 consisting 12 episodes and a special. Abe Hiroshi and Shinohara Ryoko played the leading roles along with some fresh young faces that play the neighborhood’s children. The story revolves around the lives of two stay at home dads and the challenge to master the various household tasks that has to be done while holding on to a sense of male pride.
The interesting thing about this dorama is that it challenges Japan’s stereotypical gender role and the belief that a man should enter a good university, graduate from it and enter the workforce with a promising future to support his family. While the general storyline is about a stay at home dad, it also touches other society norms such as the belief that women should stay at home after marriage and being a housewife is a very simple task.
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