what's the difference between Overseas version and the Japan version

[LacusClyne]

Originally Posted by Jordan

I just bought:

ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2005-2006 A (Hong Kong Version)

ayumi hamasaki ARENA TOUR 2005 A - MY STORY (Overseas Version)

Will any of them have subtitles?

no subtitles, but there will be a booklet with chinese translation. that's all

[pUrpLeSn0w]

oh no subtitles so sad..but then at least there'z a chinese translation.. T.T makes me wonder..for those who also listen to Ayu'z song but are don chi n also don understand pretty pony~pretty pony~pretty pony~..how ar??? also wont understand right??? =X

[~juJu~]

that's why you look at the english translatoins =D

her albums arn't officially released in any english speaking coutnires and that's why they have no english lyric translations in the booklets !!

[TakaSama]

Regarding the quality differences of the overseas versions versus Japan versions:

I recently moved to Japan and began the painstaking process of repurchasing all of my Ayu CDs. Why? The printing quality of the Avex Taiwan versions I used to own is unmistakably lower. The reason I say this is because the color quality on Duty and Memorial Address is off - the gold is a bit muddy looking compared to the Japanese press. A Song For XX is printed in the right color, but the silver foil has begun to flake off a little bit and I also gouged it with my fingernail once, creating a scratch where the white paper shows through. For the Japanese press, A Song For XX comes in an extra fat case to fit the thick booklet, but the OS one is in a standard CD case and the paper for the booklet is thinner, although still too thick to fit into the case properly.

Also, the CDs themselves are not pressed as nicely. There is a chip in the silver top rim (around the blue printing) of my copy of RAINBOW. It doesn't affect playing the cd, but it seems like a bad sign for the longevity of it. I've never dropped it or bumped it, so I think it was just weak to begin with.

If you have the money, get the Japanese versions! Also, if you are careful, you can get cheap used copies from places like Ebay. The Japanese versions will always have the code AVCD at the beginning, and overseas will have AVTCD. Bootlegs usually won't reference AVEX at all or will look extremely cheap.

If you have a chance to come to Japan, look at used CD shops. I bought A Song for XX, Duty, Rainbow and almost all of her singles for 100 yen (~ $1) a piece. This was a really good deal, but if even normally her older albums are only selling for 500 yen or less!

[LacusClyne]

^100 yen for a singles is so cheap. i'm happy for you to grab such a good deal. (^_^)

and true about the a song for xx album booklet, the first time i took the booklet out, i have difficulties keeping it back and end up tearing a small corner of it....(=_=) Since then, i don't dare to take the booklet out, i'm scared that i will damage it worse.
i never realise that the Japan version used a different case for this.

[AyumiBest]

Originally Posted by TakaSama

Regarding the quality differences of the overseas versions versus Japan versions:

I recently moved to Japan and began the painstaking process of repurchasing all of my Ayu CDs. Why? The printing quality of the Avex Taiwan versions I used to own is unmistakably lower. The reason I say this is because the color quality on Duty and Memorial Address is off - the gold is a bit muddy looking compared to the Japanese press. A Song For XX is printed in the right color, but the silver foil has begun to flake off a little bit and I also gouged it with my fingernail once, creating a scratch where the white paper shows through. For the Japanese press, A Song For XX comes in an extra fat case to fit the thick booklet, but the OS one is in a standard CD case and the paper for the booklet is thinner, although still too thick to fit into the case properly.

Also, the CDs themselves are not pressed as nicely. There is a chip in the silver top rim (around the blue printing) of my copy of RAINBOW. It doesn't affect playing the cd, but it seems like a bad sign for the longevity of it. I've never dropped it or bumped it, so I think it was just weak to begin with.

If you have the money, get the Japanese versions! Also, if you are careful, you can get cheap used copies from places like Ebay. The Japanese versions will always have the code AVCD at the beginning, and overseas will have AVTCD. Bootlegs usually won't reference AVEX at all or will look extremely cheap.

If you have a chance to come to Japan, look at used CD shops. I bought A Song for XX, Duty, Rainbow and almost all of her singles for 100 yen (~ $1) a piece. This was a really good deal, but if even normally her older albums are only selling for 500 yen or less!

wow! Thats pretty good! XD

[che0173]

ummm
imo i prefer pretty pony~pretty pony~pretty pony~ versions as they seem more *authentic* to me
but the difference between both is that overseas version (os versions) have distributed to hong kong singapore malaysia taiwan etc at the back of the case if it is an album, or on the obi if it is a single
the lyrics booklet and everything is the same as japanese version
but within the os version there is also a white booklet wif translations of all the songs
pretty much a third or even half price of Japanese versions but with different distributor information at the back or obi and extra translation booklet inside da case.
p.s. the translation is normally in chinese if you're in any of the asian countries...common sense xD
hahas
hope this helped

[pommy48]

hmm i have a question, if i buy an ayu album in a music store in taiwan...will it be the jp or overseas version?

[Echidna]

anyone already bought OS ver of Asia tour 2007?
just want to know about quality video\dvd-case etc

[fanmail]

Originally Posted by Echidna

anyone already bought OS ver of Asia tour 2007?
just want to know about quality video\dvd-case etc

the quality is the same as the japan version on the video.
the slipcase and booklet etc re all great quality, the slipcase has the shiny gold, just like japan version.

[Echidna]

Originally Posted by fanmail

the quality is the same as the japan version on the video.
the slipcase and booklet etc re all great quality, the slipcase has the shiny gold, just like japan version.

thanx

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by pommy408

hmm i have a question, if i buy an ayu album in a music store in taiwan...will it be the jp or overseas version?

it depends because stores in Taiwan can either sell their own local press of her albums or they import it over from Japan .

1 big difference's the price . For Japan imports , it's always more expensive .

Alternatively you can check the back of the CD case as to where the CD's being manfactured but a big hint's the price difference .

& OS presses come with translation sheets of ayumi's lyrics from Japanese to Chinese

For my case , the local HMV do import her albums / singles from Japan but only the CD only versions due to region code issues so I have a feeling it will follow suit for Taiwan's case since DVDs produced in S'pore & Taiwan are region code 3 .

For Japan it's region code 2

Originally Posted by che0173

ummm
imo i prefer pretty pony~pretty pony~pretty pony~ versions as they seem more *authentic* to me
but the difference between both is that overseas version (os versions) have distributed to hong kong singapore malaysia taiwan etc at the back of the case if it is an album, or on the obi if it is a single
the lyrics booklet and everything is the same as japanese version
but within the os version there is also a white booklet wif translations of all the songs
pretty much a third or even half price of Japanese versions but with different distributor information at the back or obi and extra translation booklet inside da case.
p.s. the translation is normally in chinese if you're in any of the asian countries...common sense xD
hahas
hope this helped

I know that there're people who're willing to splurge more on Japan versions as they're the real McCoy & not to mention it's said that the quality's even better than OS presses

personally I don't see the need to buy the original . Since there're OS presses of ayumi's albums & singles , why bother to pay so much where you can have an OS press at a much much cheaper price ?

then again it all boils down to personal preferences

[Deneb]

you guys might be talking about cd, but anyone knows whats the differences between japan version and Os (hk) version of magazine. just say er, Vivi whats the differents except japanese and chinese texts.

i guess this falls in to difference between oveseas and jp version too xD

[Corrsgirl1]

I dont know about Japanese and Chinese magazines but here in the Netherlands they sell Ducth and English/American versions of the same magazines (like Cosmo etc.) And the Ducth version is pretty diffrent from the English one. Some things will be the same but a lot is diffrent to apeal more to the Ducth people.

[lovelism]

There is also A DIFFERENCE in SOUND QUALITY only if you use a Good MUSIC PLAYER Like an Amplifier with Good Surround Sound Speakers...I tried it For My mirrorcle World Japan Version and Hk version...Sounded so Different!

[LacusClyne]

^there! Thank you so much!

I had been telling people that THERE IS a difference in the sound, but hardly anyone believes me.
My ears are very sensitive when it comes to music

[fanmail]

....WTF. How is that possible!?!?! AND I BOUGHT THEM STINKIN' CHINESE VERSIONS? THEY MUST BE EVEN WORSE!!! >.<

[orangeland]

wow.

guys, i think the whole sound quality issue is all in your head.

[LacusClyne]

Originally Posted by fanmail

....WTF. How is that possible!?!?! AND I BOUGHT THEM STINKIN' CHINESE VERSIONS? THEY MUST BE EVEN WORSE!!! >.<

yup, the china version are the worst sound quality of all. it sounds like 192kbps to me.

[aqua_crystal]

Originally Posted by Chibinina4

I posted this before in another thread so I guess I'll post it again. The overseas versions are normally identical to the Japan versions except they contain an extra pamphlet with the Chinese translation (or transliterations -- not sure exactly) of all the songs. If it's an overseas VCD, it will have Chinese subtitles at the bottom with an extra pamphlet again with the Chinese translations (or transliterations) of songs. The packaging is also a little different. For example, the spines of overseas Ayu CDs will have the Chinese spelling of her name and the romanized version of her name while the Japan version only has the Japanese spelling (with the kanji and hiragana). The only major differences I've seen in overseas and Japan package designs are for other artists, but for the most part the overseas and Japan versions are identical. The music is the same, the booklets are usually the same, but there might be very minute packaging differences. Here's how YesAsia describes the differences:

"An original (in this case, Japan) version refers to a product that is imported from the country it was produced and released. Therefore the price is slightly higher than the overseas version.

An overseas version refers to a product that is released by a licensed local record label and therefore the price is more competitive to the local market. Other than the price difference, the overseas version may also include some slight changes, such as, the translation of the booklet into local language, different packaging and printing, or the inclusion of additional bonus tracks."

Thanks... i've been wondering what's so different about the packaging...