Ai am Best (Limited Pressing Edition) (Japan Version)

Otsuka Ai

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Customer Review of "Ai am Best (Limited Pressing Edition) (Japan Version)"

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Average Customer Rating for All Editions of this Product: Customer Review Rated Bad 7 - 7.8 out of 10 (4)

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L.T.S.
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February 29, 2008

This customer review refers to Ai am Best (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)

An unbalanced retrospective Customer Review Rated Bad 6 - 6 out of 10

While Otsuka Ai's popularity has not equalled the massive influence other female artists, such as the ubiquitous Hamasaki Ayumi, or the provocative Koda Kumi, have had, Otsuka has still enjoyed considerable success, espescially when one considers the fact that she has only been in the industry since 2003. Ai Am Best, Otsuka's first best-of collection, attempts to sum up the path her career has taken in those few years.

Otsuka, an accomplished songwriter who composes all her songs, has a wide variety of songs to her repertoire. Tracks vary from the quirky debut single Momo no Hanabira, to the massive karaoke hit Sakuranbo, to the sexy and slightly perverted Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen.

Otsuka's standout tracks are undoubtedly ones in which she defies all conventions of pop songwriting, from which we see spectacular results, such as in the ballad Kingyo Hanabi, in which a gradual buildup through the song's entirety climaxes in an explosion of drum and bass, and in Cherish, where layered guitars and strings are placed over a skittish beat and combined with moving lyrics.

Of course, Otsuka is not without her flaws. While she can undoubtedly write a mean hook, her major downfall is in her voice; her range is surprisingly small, causing her tone to become increasingly more nasal as she approaches higher notes. While in the ballads and mid-tempo tracks, this comes off as a mere quirk found in several Japanese singers, it makes songs such as Smily and Happy Days borderline unlistenable. There are also occasions where Otsuka comes very close to a knock-out, but narrowly misses it, such as in the traditional Japanese styled Planetarium, which, while being extremely pleasant to listen to, never seems to reach the emotional peak it builds towards.

Ai Am Best's biggest problem is the way in which it has been compiled; instead of being a true best-of, including an mix of singles, album tracks and b-sides, all of Otsuka's promotional songs from 2003 to 2005 have been included in chronological order, with no regard for album flow. As perhaps a side thought, Love Music, an album track from Otsuka's last record, has been included; an odd choice considering that Love Music, while having charming lyrics, is not one of Otsuka's strongest works musically. Add to this the fact that half of the collection is made up of songs from the same album, and all of a sudden, it doesn't look like Ai Am Best is doing a great job of summarising Otsuka's career.

Make no mistake, these are twelve great songs that stand well both together or on their own. However, when you consider the vast wealth of amazing album tracks and the mis-steps Otsuka, or more likely, Avex have taken in terms of song choice, it would be more recommended to pick up one of her studio albums. Ai Am Best is strictly a gateway; it fails to define Otsuka Ai as an artist.

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Sakura-chan
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September 12, 2007

This customer review refers to Ai am Best (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)

1 people found the following helpful

Excellent singles colletion ! Customer Review Rated Bad 10 - 10 out of 10

This is a very good and complete best album. It includes all her singles from ''Momo no Hanabira'' to the amazing ballad ''Planetarium'', the never relased before ''Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen'' (the single version of ''Kuroge Wagyuu Joushio Tanyaki 735 Yen'' from the album ''LOVE JAM''), ''Cherish'' and ''LOVE MUSiC'' (from the album ''LOVE COOK'') as bonus track. The DVD is a unique chance to get all her videoclips together, always released separetly, and as a bonus it includes the never released before PV for ''LOVE MUSiC''.

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Ignored Truth
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May 18, 2007

This customer review refers to Ai am Best (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)

2 people found the following helpful

Not really necessary Customer Review Rated Bad 5 - 5 out of 10

I think Ai overdoes all her songs enough as it is. This album was not a necessary release right now. She should've done this probably after another original album or two. It's still early in her career! Now, she's doing the "Ai Am BEST!" tour + that's even more un-necessary!!! In all her past concerts, she already performs most all her 'hits'! =S It's silly, if you ask me. Avex is just trying to make tons of money off of her right now. I want to see a new album from her...not a compilation of songs we've heard all too much already!

However, for any new Ai fan, this is a great thing to own because it basically sums up her career so far...really catches you up. But for Ai fans who already have all her previous releases, this is just a waste of money. I'm more looking forward to Ai's "PEACH/HEART" single most of all because it's SOMETHING NEW!!!!!

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Hassan
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May 2, 2007

This customer review refers to Ai am Best (ALBUM+DVD)(Japan Version)

1 people found the following helpful

Ai am BEST! Customer Review Rated Bad 10 - 10 out of 10

Ai fans!! Buy this now!! Packaged in:

-Red plastic box with "AI am BEST" pressed into back
-CD+DVD
-Special present! (mine was an "AI" stamp!)

the booklet features all new + unreleased/left-over photos from single shoots

great compilation!!

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