Five (EP)

Five
EP by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released August 31, 2011 (2011-08-31)
(see Release history)
Recorded 2011
Genre J-pop
Length 29:49 (CD+DVD)
31:53 (CD Only)
25:36 (CD Only - Limited edition)
Label Avex Trax
Producer Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
Love Songs
(2010)		 Five
(2011)

Five is the second mini-album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on 31 August 2011, in three editions: CD+DVD, CD-Only and a limited CD-Only edition. A Blu-ray version of the mini-album was released at 9 November 2011. This was the world's first album to be released in Blu-ray. This is her 18th album to top the Oricon charts,[1] her first album to top the Oricon charts for two consecutive weeks[2] since (Miss)Understood in 2006, also her first album to top the Oricon Monthly Chart since Next Level in 2009.

Contents

Information

Five is Hamasaki's first mini-album since Memorial address, which was released in 2003. This is Hamasaki first album not to have any singles. Its five songs had commercial endorsements prior to the release of the album: "Progress" was used as theme song of the PlayStation 3 videogame Tales of Xillia; "Another Song" was used as theme song of the TV show SweetTV of channel BeeTV; "Why..." was used in TV commercials of Taiwan campaigns of travel agency H.I.S., as well as in commercials for RecoChoku; "Beloved" was used as the theme song of August of NTV show Sukkiri!!; and "Brillante" was used in TV commercials of Music.jp.

The limited CD includes an access card to download a character costume for the PlayStation 3 game Tales of Xillia. Also, first pressings of the CD+DVD edition included a serial number to access a special website broadcasting making-of material of Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2010-2011 A: Do It Again.

Many netizens have wondered why this mini-album was named Five just because it have 5 songs. On the Sweet interview, Hamasaki hinted that there is a hidden word in the title of the mini-album,[3] which is actually 'H♡PE' which was figured out by her fans. They predicted that Five was released not only because it has 5 songs, it was also 5 months after the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. For the first time, Hamasaki undertook the artwork of the font design herself.

Tracklisting

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. 

CD
No. Title Music Arranger(s) Length
1. "Progress"   Yuta Nakano Yuta Nakano 5:06
2. "Another Song" (featuring Naoya Urata) Yuta Nakano Yuta Nakano 5:21
3. "Why..." (featuring Juno) Kazuhiro Hara Yuta Nakano 3:57
4. "Beloved"   Yasuhiko Hoshino Yuta Nakano 5:19
5. "Brillante" (CD+DVD ver. includes hidden song "Why..." feat. Naoya Urata) Timothy Wellard Yuta Nakano 5:58/
10:05 (CD+DVD)
DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Progress" (Video Clip)  
2. "Another Song" (featuring Naoya Urata) (Video Clip)  
3. "Why..." (featuring Juno) (Video Clip)  
4. "Beloved" (Video Clip)  
5. "Brillante" (Video Clip)  
6. "Progress" (Making Clip)  
7. "Another Song" (Making Clip)  
8. "Why..." (Making Clip)  
9. "Beloved" (Making Clip)  
10. "Brillante" (Making Clip)  

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak position First Week Sales Sales total Chart run
August 31, 2011 Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1
Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1 127,024 211,742 17 weeks
Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 1 189,551
Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 30 210,652

G-Music DVD Chart (Taiwan)

Release Chart Peak Position Percentage Sales Chart Run
September 2, 2011
 Combo Chart 7 1.58% 2 Weeks
Japanese Chart 2 17.73% 6 Weeks

Certifications

Country Provider Certification
Japan RIAJ Gold[4]

References

  1. ^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/music/2001317/full/
  2. ^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/2001457/
  3. ^ http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2759538#post2759538
  4. ^ "Recording Industry Association of Japan". Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://www.riaj.or.jp/e/index.html. Retrieved 2008-06-06. 

External links

Ayumi Hamasaki
Studio albums
EPs
Compilations
Remixes
Concert Tours
Countdown Lives
2000-2001 A · 2001-2002 A · 2002-2003 A · 2004-2005 A · 2005-2006 A · 2006-2007 A · 2007-2008 Anniversary · Premium 2008-2009 A · 2009-2010 A: Future Classics · 2010-2011 A: Do It Again
DVDs
A Film for ×× · A Clips · A Clips Vol.2 · Ayumi Hamasaki Complete Live Box A · Complete Clip Box · Distance Love · Tsuki ni Shizumu
Filmography
Twins Teacher · Battle Spirits Ryūko no Ken · Sumomo mo Momo · Miseinen · Like Grains of Sand · Gakko II
See also