I guess this is the flying-get day. As much as I had a meltdown with the covers I would probably still buy it. Look at ayaka sexxxing up that tv, she just sold a copy to me just with that. I'd get the 3cd one because it's the best cover.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCh0a8WVEAAS0_M.jpg

https://twitter.com/tsutaya_ns/statu...47770075045889

I recently saw a picture of her first live dvd cover and became extremely nostalgic. I miss that ayaka...

My goodness, a whole lot of pictures! Maybe this is one of the most anticipated J-pop releases for April, I assume!

It seems it's getting closer to me...! But I'm going to have to wait until next week due to delivery issues, because I may have found out I accidentally written the wrong address... :(

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCh8LvoUkAAB4uJ.jpg

https://twitter.com/DiscPier/status/587856293987135488

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiBSgqUAAAsZM_.jpg

https://twitter.com/HMV_Fujimi/statu...61907312218112

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiOrr_UkAAryWG.jpg

https://twitter.com/HMV_Osaka/status/587876634591506432

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCh9E1zUEAANEuD.jpg

https://twitter.com/HMV_Takaoka/stat...57275441774592

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiUh_bUEAAW0a5.jpg

https://twitter.com/TOWER_ArSendai/s...83064774098945

http://p.twpl.jp/show/orig/saGVz

https://twitter.com/TOWER_Hashimoto/...81939039756288

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCh9KAOUwAERKkO.jpg

https://twitter.com/TOWER_Higasiura/...57363723386882

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiSgDFUEAAX115.jpg

https://twitter.com/TOWER_Kitahanad/...80842300526592

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiMdFkUMAEfowY.jpg

https://twitter.com/TOWER_Marubiru/s...74182865661952

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiGt_dUkAAFzii.jpg

https://twitter.com/TOWER_Namba/stat...67895184527360

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCh68jDVIAEQRro.jpg

https://twitter.com/vandafukushima2/...54932960645121

Zutto Taisetsu na Kimochi PV will be aired tomorrow on Spaceshower TV

https://twitter.com/spaceshowertv/st...25279454072835

Rainbow Road has leaked

http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTEFDcV

Credits - http://www.alljpnews.com/

Rainbow Road TV Spot

https://twitter.com/astation_info/st...68173179940864
https://twitter.com/miyakoKOBEKITA/s...76546290085889
https://twitter.com/TOWER_Marubiru/s...60698926108672

Rainbow Road overall feels very uplifting which's different from The beginning in a good way

Birthday Song is cute & my fave album track as expected is No end

No end remains the best track.
Number One is actually not so bad in the end.
Have Fun!! is kinda cute but… I don't like the chorus at all.
Tsuyoku Omou isn't that good.
Beautiful is as it was before. The opening is and will always be the most flawless part of the song. At 1:08 the song dies, and comes back to life at 1:30. Then it becomes great at 2:53. The ending is flawless too. If only the chorus was good. This song could have shat all over other ayaka songs but she had to have that chorus. Bless.
Gensoukyoku is still classic ayaka.
Lose Control is the second best song on the album.
Through the Ages left no impression except for the violin.
Zutto Taisetsu Na Kimochi is a snoozefest.
I appreciate Chiisana Ashiato more than I did before because my love for percussion has grown exponentially but I still don't like it.
Birthday Song never happened. Let's never talk about it starting from now.
This entire album made me appreciate Nijiiro in the end. After all the junk and filler ayaka gives us a cute lil song. Makes me appreciate it even more.

Overall 4.5/10.
Keep for the iPod: No End, Lose Control, Nijiiro, Beautiful, Gensoukyoku, Number One.
In the end, ayaka didn't deliver. I'm disappointed since I know she can do better. The six songs I recommended are basically 25 minutes of solid pop music. Put them in the order as they appear in the album and you have a great mini album. As for the other songs...

Rainbow Road [AAC]

http://jpfiles.blog138.fc2.com/blog-entry-11394.html

CD only

http://i60.tinypic.com/28rihz6.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/hwbepf.jpg

No end is the only track in the album that doesn't have a tie in

http://i60.tinypic.com/346qlg6.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCm3ISaWYAADzvz.jpg

https://twitter.com/Ayaka_1218/statu...02579470974976

Cute & I have received my copy of Rainbow Road earlier on

ayaka looks really bad in the photos inside the booklet . Suddenly the covers aren't as horrible looking :x

The back cover is giving me OCD
Ayaka needs to just end this era asap. Thank god eras end in like weeks in Japan.

Rainbow Road 1st day sales - #3 ; 13,663

http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2015-04-14/

Man that's really low :-\ I was expecting higher numbers but sigh

hmm she's indie after all but I can see some longevity

The album is really enjoyable, I think I only skipped one song half way through. No end and lose control are two gems and obviously the best tracks on the album, which is a bit surprising because I'm usually a sucker for her ballads rather than her upbeat tracks.

usually ayaka sales is based on longevity...it will have steady sales...we will see...

that's what happens when you wait ages to release your album... :/

Edit: monkeys

I was surprised to find Rainbow Road on iTunes this morning. iTunes has never kept up to date with Ayaka releases before and the current offerings are limited.

:headache

Ouch. 2PM gets #1. I'm quite shocked at the numbers. It should've been higher!

http://s26.postimg.org/75frilhp1/201...CD_2015_04.jpg

Apparently a Sony 1-2, with the Korean boyband taking the top spot and ClariS second. But both of these are best albums, and Ayaka's a studio album...that's weird.

It's going to take a miracle if Ayaka wants to be #1! :o But I think she has a shot at #2. She's behind...by 310? #2 is doable! Still disappointed about 2PM though.

April has been overwhelming, especially for female soloists - first Ayu and miwa gets overshadowed by Masaharu Fukuyama and Southern All Stars, and then this...seems like Ayaka missed expectations? We expected more out of it. (Conspiracy theories: too much 'recycled' content much like miwa? More digital sales compared to physical sales?)