Mirrorcle World

"Mirrorcle World"
Single by Ayumi Hamasaki
from the album A Complete: All Singles
B-side Life, You, Depend on You
Released April 8, 2008
Format JPN Maxi Single
USA Digital Single
Genre J-pop, synthpop
Label Avex Trax
Writer(s) Ayumi Hamasaki (lyrics)
Yuta Nakano (music)
Tetsuya Yukumi (music)
Yasuhiko Hoshino (music)
Kazuhito Kikuchi (music)
Producer(s) Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology
"Together When...
(2007)		 "Mirrorcle World"
(2008)		 "Days/Green
(2008)

"Mirrorcle World" is the forty-third physical single and forty-fourth single overall by Ayumi Hamasaki. The title track is an extended version of the song "Mirror," a two-minute introductory track on Hamasaki's ninth studio album, Guilty.[1] The single was released on April 8, 2008,[2] exactly ten years after her debut single, "Poker Face";[3] the single features two new recordings of her second and fifth singles, both released in 1998, "You" and "Depend on You," respectively.[1]

Mirrorcle World has been certified platinum by RIAJ for shipment of more than 250,000 copies in Japan, Hamasaki's first single to do so since 2006's "Blue Bird". As of 2008 Oricon Yearly Chart, it is the #33 best-selling single in Japan of 2008 and #1 best-first week sales for female artist in Japan of 2008. "Mirrorcle World" made Hamasaki the first female artist to have a single reach #1 on the Oricon for ten consecutive years.[4]

Packaging and design

The CD+DVD version of "Mirrorcle World," according to Avex, was released in a "special limited-edition package" which consists of a vertical sleeve. Also, first press editions of the CD+DVD versions comes with posters of the respective cover, and an extra-long vertical casing.

The CD-only version, however, was released in regular sleeves.[5] Also, Spoinichi Annex revealed that the cover of "Mirrorcle World" would feature Hamasaki in a topless shot, in the vein of the covers of her album and single Loveppears and "Appears," respectively. However, whereas Hamasaki's hair covered her bust in the covers of the aforementioned records, the covers of "Mirrorcle World" depicted Hamasaki covering her breasts with her arm.[6]

Commercial and promotional videos

A screenshot from the promotional video for "Mirrorcle World"
Billboards promoting "Mirrorcle World" in Tokyo, Japan.

On January 9, rumors began circulating through Japanese media that Hamasaki was to fly to Venice to shoot a new commercial for Panasonic. The following day, the rumor was confirmed,[7][8] and on February 22, Panasonic released the commercials, featuring "Mirrorcle World."[9] In addition to shooting the Panasonic commercial in Italy, Hamasaki flew to Paris where she shot a music video for "Mirrorcle World."[6] The promotional video was officially released on March 19, 2008.[10]

The PV for Mirrorcle World starts off in Paris. Hamasaki (dressed in a trench coat) walks near the Eiffel Tower as she notices that men clad in black are following her. She flees from them and goes to Venice (where she is clad in a large, red, Spanish ballgown). The men find her and Hamasaki runs away from them again, leaving a handkerchief. Hamasaki goes back to Paris and she is finally cornered by the men inside a telephone booth (this time, she is clad in a white evening gown). A car arrives and the men disperse. Hamasaki steps inside the car before giving a smile to the camera. The video is also inter-cut with scenes of Hamasaki singing in lingerie and headshots of Hamasaki wearing furry nails and lash extensions.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. 

CD single (version 1)
No. TitleMusicArrangement Length
1. "Mirrorcle World" (Original Mix)Yuta NakanoNakano 5:14
2. "Life" (Original Mix)Tetsuya YukumiNakano 3:49
3. "You" (10th Anniversary Version)Yasuhiko HoshinoHΛL 4:47
4. "Mirrorcle World" (Instrumental)   5:16
5. "Life" (Instrumental)   3:49
6. "You" (10th Anniversary Version -Instrumental-)   4:43
CD single (version 2)
No. TitleMusicArrangement Length
1. "Mirrorcle World" (Original Mix)   5:14
2. "Life" (Original Mix)   3:49
3. "Depend on You" (10th Anniversary Version)Kazuhito KikuchiCMJK 4:41
4. "Mirrorcle World" (Instrumental)   5:16
5. "Life" (Instrumental)   3:49
6. "Depend on You" (10th Anniversary Version -Instrumental-)   4:38

Live performances

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak Position First Week Sales Sales Total Chart Run
April 8, 2008 Oricon Daily Singles Chart 1
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 1 145,576 193,016 15 weeks
Oricon Monthly Singles Chart 2
Oricon Yearly Singles Chart 33

Total Sales : 193,016 (Japan)
Total Sales : 254,000 (Avex)

Billboard Japan Sales Chart

Release Chart Peak Position
April 8, 2008 Billboard Japan Hot 100 2
Billboard Japan Hot 100 Airplay -
Billboard Japan Hot Singles Sales 2

Digital Sales Charts

Chart Peak
position
Recochoku Chaku-Uta[11] 2
Recochoku Chaku-Uta Melody[12] 8
Recochoku Chaku-Uta All[13] 3
Mu-mo Song Download Chart[14] 1
Dwango Truetone Ringtones (Chaku Uta)[15] 2
Dwango Polyphonic Ringtones (Chaku Mero)[15] 4
USEN 1

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
"Drink It Down" by L'Arc-en-Ciel		 Japanese Oricon Chart number one single
April 21, 2008 		Succeeded by
"Burn (Fumetsu no Face)" by B'z

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ayu Debut Anniversary Special!" (in Japanese). HMV. 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  2. ↑ "4月8日（火）発売 NEW SINGLE「Mirrorcle World」" (in Japanese). Avex Marketing Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  3. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ、10周年記念シングル"Mirrorcle World"を4月8日に4形態にてリリース" (in Japanese). Bounce.com. 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  4. ↑ http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2997
  5. ↑ "The new single "Mirrorcle World" to be released on Tuesday, April 8". Avex Marketing Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "浜崎あゆみ　初の手ブラショット". Spoinichi Annex. 2008-03-12. Archived from the original on 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  7. ↑ あゆ　ファンに感謝！告白後初の肉声（芸能） ― スポニチ (in Japanese). Spoinichi Annex. 2008-01-10. Archived from the original on 2008-01-17. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  8. ↑ あゆ、ベネチアへ気丈に出発…衝撃告白以来初めて公の場 (in Japanese). Sanspo.com. 2008-01-10. Archived from the original on 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  9. ↑ チャンネルパナソニック│松下グループのブロードバンド放送 (in Japanese). Panasonic. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  10. ↑ アーティスト名：浜崎あゆみ (in Japanese). Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  11. ↑ (Japanese) 「着うたフル」・「着うた」なら「レコ直♪」 - デイリーランキング
  12. ↑ (Japanese) 「着うたフル」・「着うた」なら「レコ直♪」 - 着信メロディダウンロードランキング
  13. ↑ (Japanese) 「着うたフル」・「着うた」なら「レコ直♪」 - トータルダウンロードランキング
  14. ↑ (Japanese) 着うた(R)/着うたフル(R)/着信メロディ 無料・先行・最新楽曲が充実のオリコン・モバイル
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 (Japanese) dwango.jp | 着うたフル(R)＆着うた(R)無料検索