~episode II~ is full of...drama, in a gives-me-goodbumps kind of way. There's not much left in HANABI once I've heard ~episode II~ (I never liked HANABI in the first place; too deppressingly minimalistic).

Hanabi ~Episode II~

It's emotionally charged, and that's always gonna be a quality that wins me over.

HANABI ~episode II~
I like HANABI, but ~episode II~ is just... wow.

A heartbreaking song or one ruined by wailing from a men's chorus...

I think my choice is obvious.

~episode ll~ for sure
Ayu sounds great in the song, her angry-ish tone just does justice to everything:P
But the original.. it's one of her ballads that I'm not very fond of, sadly.

HANABI was musically and lyrically superior. Her voice is nicer by the time she recorded HANABI ep II, but I always listen to lives of HANABI anyway and it's consistently one of her best performances. I've tried to listen to HANABI ep II several times, but I always get distracted before I am halfway through the song. It doesn't grip me the same way.

HANABI ~episode II~ this song does wonders for me! HANABI, on the otherhand, is a little boring to me.

Hanabi just because

HANABI

SOOOOOOOOOO difficult because these are two of my favorite ayu tracks EVER! They are both so dark, sad, meaningful, and beautiful.

So since I couldn't decide, I voted for HANABI simply because it was released first.

Ever since you said this I've been paying more attention to the men in the chorus and that made me go for HANABI. HANABI ~episode II~ is more emotional than HANABI, but HANABI is much stronger lyrically.

ME TOO

HANABI is ayu's most unique-sounding and emotional ballad for me. Both songs are strong though.

HANABI is far superior. One of her best songs ever in her vast library.

HANABI ~Episode II~ is still good and provided a different style but I actually prefer the HAL's mix to the original Episode II.

HANABI ~episode II~

I had to listen to them both again, closely, to decide. I like ~episode II~ quite a bit more, actually. Hadn't listened to them side by side before.

Tough call, I love both! I think they are both classics! If I had to choose one though, it would be ~episode II~ by a very small margin.

I think ~episode II~ is soooo unique itself. Both songs are just ... incredible to me.

HANABI

This was kind of easy for me since I hate that yeah yeah wow woah in HANABI ~episode II~ so HANABI winns.

Hanabi II. One of the best songs in her discography.