Your favourite Jpop album of the year?
 

I think I only bothered with FIVE and Girls' Generation so I have to say Girls' Generation. It really surprised me..

MAA's BubbleMan Engine, hands down. ;)

I've only "liked" two or three jpop albums this year, and MAA's is the only one I've listened to more than like three times.

Love Songs and FIVE
Super Girl by Kara was really good
Voice -Maki Goto amazing album
Girl Generation was also good :)

- Shojo Jidai - The 1st Japan album
- Perfume - JPN
- Tohoshinki - TONE


There were a lot of fantastic kpop albums this year though. Like Brown Eyed Girls, IU, Miss A, TVXQ, f(x), Infinite, Wonder Girls, Tablo, and SISTAR. And these are just the artists who released full albums, there were so many flawless minis too.

Nishino Kana - Thank you, Love
Tohoshinki - TONE
Shoujo Jidai - The 1st Japan album

My 5 favourites...
• MAA - BUBBLEMAN ENGINE - Awesome electropop with a dark twist.
• Girls' Generation - GIRLS' GENERATION - I love the way that this featured their best melodies so far, every song was addictive.
• Maki Goto - Ai Kotoba (VOICE) - She really topped herself on this one, it was preceded by four amazing EPs, and this did not disappoint.
• Perfume - JPN - I just loved the cute atmosphere on this album, the production value was amazing.
• Kyarypamyupamyu - Moshimoshi Harajuku - It contains PONPONPON. Duh.

In no particular order.

The 5 worst were:
• School Food Punishment - Prog-Roid - This was SO disappointing after the eargasm that was amp-reflection, one of 2010's best albums.
• Ayumi Hamasaki - FIVE - Every song was boring except BRILLANTE.
• Berryz Kobo - 7 Berryz Times - Typical H!P fodder. Some tracks were good, but overall it was like everything else Berryz have done since 2003.
• TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE - Kodou no Himitsu - CUTENESS OVERLOAD! Too cute.
• AKB48 - Koko ni Ita Koto - Not enough group songs. And the songs were, um, unusual.

Except for FIVE I haven't heard anything good this year I think...Namie's Collab album, but does that count as 2011?

^ Why wouldn't it? It was released in april this year.

Checkmate! is my favorite album this year.... and it is pretty much the only Jpop album I've listened to.. I've listened to Five but only liked 2 songs on it. Kinda neglected the whole jpop scene this year.

Because I wasn't sure if it counts as original album or just compilations since most of the tracks had been released before? But well, it was definitely very good. With a few low points, but overall good.

KOTOKO's Hiraku Uchuu Pocket with its amazing songs, great variety, few missteps and tons of replay value. I can't even count how many times I've heard the whole thing in its entirety since it came out.

Others deserving a mention would be:
- Maon Kurosaki's Butterfly Effect, a very refreshing surprise from an artist I had never heard about before.
- Do As Infinity's EIGHT, which I still consider their best album due to the uplifting sound, some very catchy songs and complete lack of bad tracks.
- Lia's Key+Lia Best 2001-2010, which might also have been competing for #1, but I can't really give it the honor since it's just her old stuff with one new track thrown in. All of the old tracks are still gorgeous pieces of music though, some made even better with remastering or rearrangements. Too bad the only new track was kinda mediocre.
- MAA's Bubbleman Engine and Saori@destiny's Domestic domain, both featuring what these awesome women do best. However, these albums actually had some not-so-good tracks, which keeps them away from the top spots.

MAA's Bubbleman Engine, it was just pure epicness

Ayu - FIVE

Mademoiselle Yulia's Mademoworld slightly beat out MAA's Bubbleman Engine for me as my favorite.

But those are my two top albums.

JPN and Checkmate!

• ayumi hamasaki - FIVE

2011 was very disappointing year for me + I don't listen to japanese music so much anymore, some single artists only. :P

Definitely Kalafina's After Eden.

BUBBLEMAN ENGINE :yes

Albums must have really sucked this year because I can hardly think of one. I would say Checkmate, but that is mainly a compilation album. Maki's Aikotoba also was half compilation album.

Can Love Songs still count? If so, it would have to be Love Songs.

MAA's Bubbleman Engine!! :luv2 :luv2
And TVXQ's TONE :luv2