SMILES was Hitomi Shimatani’s 30th single. It was released March 4, 2009 and debuted at no. 24 on the Oricon Charts. The title track was used as the theme song for the movie Parallel which Shimatani starred in.

Tracks:
1. SMILES
2. Stay with me
3. SMILES (Instrumental)
4. Stay with me (Instrumental)

Review:
It’s seems like it’s been such a long time since Hitomi Shimatani’s released anything. But she’s back and better than ever with SMILES. It’s not her strongest song, but it’s certainly refreshing and expected. It’s filled with the sounds of the strings and the acoustic guitar, along with some brass, she’s channeling something, not sure what it is, but she’s doing it. The song is really ethnic, and the Spanish guitar clinches it. In this song her vocals are surprisingly vibrant and happy, like a breath of fresh air. The up-beat mood is just perfect for the chorus, which is surprisingly catchy and actually memorable. The verses were a little dull at times, but that’s to be expected I guess.

I’m sort of surprised by the title Stay with me because it’s been used by countless artists, just to name a few: Kuu, ayaka, melody., etc. But instead of this song being a ballad, it’s more up-beat but still romantic and lovely-dovey. There’s a hint of ethnic flare like her previous song, it might be due to the piano, percussion, acoustic guitar, or strings, either way it’s good. And while the song isn’t all that catchy it does sound remarkable and splendid. Again her vocals were just lovely and refreshing.

Overall Review: SMILES was jolly ethnic splendidness! Hitomi is back finally, and this time she’s returned with some amazing material. I wouldn’t go as far as classifying it was crossover, but it’s still amazing and features the strings; although some channeling Shinku wouldn’t hurt. Both songs were up-beat and just really marvelous. It’s much better compared to her previous singles. Still it wouldn’t hurt if it was more modern or more pop, but I guess that’ll be on the next release. I still have to say that this is overall an improvement that still holds true to her ethnic music. And she looks amazing, much better with long hair. She’s giving Ayu a run for her money now in the looks department. An outstanding way to begin the new era.

Final Grade: 94A-

PRIMA ROSA was Hitomi Shimatani’s 6th studio album. It was released on March 7, 2007 and reached number 16 on the charts with 13,789 copies. In all this album has sold over 24,818+ copies. On the CD only version, the CD is a CD-ROM that includes three live performances.

Tracks:
1. Ramblin’
2. Kimi no Koe
3. Hareta Hi wa…
4. Dragonfly
5. Psychedelic Future
6. Camellia (PRIMA ROSA Version)
7. Destiny -Taiyou no Hana-
8. Prague no Onna
9. Koimizu -tears of love-
10. PASIO
11. El Dorado
12. Haru Machibito
13. Brand new Dream

Review:
Beginning PRIMA ROSA is sensational Ramblin’. The distorted vocals in the beginning were odd but once that stopped things got better. It features the electric guitar, bells, piano, and some percussion. And the music is very fast paced for the most part, and a little rock at times, but it still retains that pop feel. The song seemed pretty up-beat, especially the up-tempo chorus. Which was pretty catchy, not to mention Hitomi’s vocals were amazing. The background vocals during the bridge weren’t all that great, but I didn’t mind the opera like vocals. What an energetic way to begin PRIMA ROSA.

Another new track is Kimi no Koe lit. Your Voice, which is more crossover oriented than the previous track, well the strings elements anyway. There are some minor rock elements, including the guitar and drums, along with some pop . It’s still pretty up-beat like the previous too, however it’s still lighter and smoother in terms of music. But her vocals were a little better here, especially when she hits the high notes. The instrumentals were great too, similar yet again to the previous track. It’s more of a continuation of the previous track, just with strings, still good though.

Still very strings oriented is the up-beat Hareta Hi wa… lit. Clear Day. The opening instrumentals give you a sign of what to expect, which is very up-beat. The percussion is very good, it provides some constant beats that are very catchy. The strings however are so wonderful, and seem to give life to this song, making it a little cheerier. And I’m pretty suer there’s an acoustic guitar playing throughout the song. Either way it’s all good. Again Hitomi’s vocals were great, just not as strong as before. But the climax was a little odd, but it led to a rather catchy chorus. And the English in it wasn’t all that bad either.

Giving off a rock vibe is the abnormal Dragonfly. It was the final single in the PRIMA ROSA Era, and ended the era on a very blaring note. But let the fact that it’s a rock stop you from listening to this great tun. It might be rock and synth but it’s pretty good. The guitars playing sounded invigorating, and the chronic drum beats were incredible. The vocals are great and as is the melody. And the chorus is catchy in its own way. It might be different but this time it’s good.

With a title like Psychedelic Future I expected somewhat of a 70s song for some reason. And yet with a unique title, comes a unique song, although it’s not so 70s. But with the blaring brass, it does sound a little nostalgic, somewhat Motown reminiscent. However the song wasn’t all that great in my opinion. Hitomi’s vocals were great but I just couldn’t get into the melody. That and the chorus isn’t all that catchy. And despite the English in the song, it doesn’t help that much. This song is mediocre at best sadly.

Next is Camellia (PRIMA ROSA Version) which is a new take on the original. Although the original was very dance and somewhat synth oriented, this version utilizes some of the crossover elements. The song mostly sounds different in the beginning but after a while it gains its original instrumentals plus some strings. The chorus sounded a little more epic in this version, it’s actually a very nice touch. Plus, the song still retained some of its dance roots. This version is a nice improvement from the original, especially the strings.

Continuing the crossover style is the strong, classical Destiny -Taiyou no Hana-. Despite featuring strings this song is rather aggressive and dramatic, similar to Shinku. That being said, a lot of people seem to love this song, as do I. The overall melody is indescribable, it’s so amazing. The instrumentals give this song an epic feel that’s so invigorating. The vocals are as perfect as ever, they seem to go rather well with the music. And the chorus is absolutely divine. It sounds so powerful and perhaps even heavenly. Not to mention that it was released as part of a double A-Side single, and the far superior title track.

Getting back to some of her cultural roots is Prague no Onna lit. Prague Woman. And like the title suggests, this song is somewhat eastern European. The instrumentals remind me of some mascaraed ball or some gypsy music for some reason, it must be the strings and clapping. It also features some constant clapping along with some strings I believe. The up-tempo music is incredible and so catchy, not to mention you can dance to it. Overall it’s one of the more unique songs on the along with one of the most memorable.

On the lighter side is the ballad Koimizu -tears of love-. The strings arrangement is serene and sounds beautiful. It’s also one of her better ballads, which makes it even better. And if that wasn’t good enough, her vocals are amazing. Plus the strings and drums are excellent and the melody is great. But I do think it could have been better.

Following in the footsteps of Prague no Onna is PASIO. It’s another one of her cultural songs, especially the Spanish guitar. And the accordion, very cultural. The chorus is fast paced and the climax is amazing, and the chorus is pretty catchy as well. But what I loved even more were her vocals, they were so impressive.

Still Spanish sounding is El Dorado. And honestly it sounds Spanish, and it means The Golden One, and it’s also also a legend, point is, it’s Spanish, and she’s getting back to her roots. The music is pretty up-tempo and all the instrumentals are reminiscent of Spanish festivals. And let’s not forget the great strings, the acoustic guitar, and castanets too, I think. Hitomi’s vocals were amazing and so awesome. Overall the song was rather catchy, especially the instrumentals during the climax and chorus. It proved to be a flawless combination.

Oddly positioned is the traditional, pop sounding Haru Machibito. It’s up-beat, happy, and just plain fun. And the instrumentals are great. It’s traditional but with the guitar, keyboard, strings, and harp it’s very modern. And although it’s oddly placed in this album it’s pretty good. The guitar was amazing as well as the vocals. Give this lovely little number a shot, you won’t regret it.

Ending the album is Brand new Dream. It’s one of her crossover songs that utilize the strings. But it seems to be different from her other songs. It’s more calming yet at the same time more epic. And although it’s not all that catchy it sounds great. It ends the album on such a positive and light note.

Overall Review: PRIMA ROSA was diverse excellence. One good thing about this album was all the different genres. There was some rock, pop, Spanish, and some crossover. It was all good, and for the most part amazing. I wish that the arrangement were better but it’s minor. The new songs were memorable for the most part and enjoyable. The singles were great though, so that made up for some of the forgettable songs. This album is better than Flare, that’s for sure.

Final Grade: 100A+

Dragonfly was Hitomi Shimatani’s 24th single. It was released on February 21, 2007 and reached number 29 on the charts with 5,532 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 7,787+ copies. This was also the fourth and final single in the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Tracks:
1. Dragonfly
2. Bye-Bye
3. Dragonfly (Instrumental)
4. Bye-Bye (Instrumental)

Review:
Straying off from both her pop roots and crossover genre is Dragonfly. It’s actually a rock song that features some great synth lines, but it’s still very rock oriented, but not heavy, more of a light punk rock. Great instrumentals overall with the rock and synth, but still so foreign. The constant drum beats sounded pretty great and the synth made it sound so amazing. Hitomi’s vocals were great as usual, but I was shocked that she could handle a song of this caliber. The melody was catchy and so were the verses to some extent. I still think the chorus was a lot better, I mean better instrumentals, and vocals. Not to mention it’s easy to get it stuck in your heard. And the electric guitar solo during the bridge was amazingly good. Maybe in the future she’ll take on more rock songs.

Venturing even farther is Bye-Bye. It might not be as far fetched as the previous track but it’s pretty different. It’s laid-back to some degree and it’s not all that cheery in my opinion. It’s very funky during some points, but for the most part features a jazz feel, thanks to the brass. The piano beginning threw me off, but it then changed into more of a jazz tune. Her vocals were really great in this song to my surprise. But overall the song wasn’t all that memorable. I think it’s purely B-Side material. It might be good for a few listens, but it’s not going to stick.

Overall Review: Dragonfly was divergence with some new exploration. This has got to be one of Hitomi’s more foreign sounding singles, not another country, but just different from the norm. I did like how she tried something new though, pretty gutsy on her part but it paid off. It just goes to prove that she’s even more talented than people thought. And that she can handle more than pop and classical/crossover. What an odd yet fantastic way to end the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Final Grade: 94A-

PASIO was Hitomi Shimatani’s 23rd single. It was released on November 15, 2006 and reached number 12 on the charts and has sold over 12,078+ copies. This was the third single in the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Tracks:
1. PASIO
2. True Blue
3. Tsuioku LIVE REC from Special Live “crossoverII”
4. PASIO (Instrumental)
5. True Blue (Instrumental)

Review:
Far from her crossover themed singles is the Spanish PASIO. I still love all of her crossover singles, but it’s a nice change to hear some of her older material. Anyway, PASIO has that infamous Spanish vibe like some of her previous singles. The Spanish guitar is such an amazing instrumental in this song, along with the other foreign instrumentals. It’s a very up-tempo song and Hitomi’s vocals are fantastic. The song overall is pretty catchy, especially the chorus. Hitomi’s vocals sound so amazing and the instrumentals are fantastic. And the melody is great too. It’s no surprise that this song is so good, I mean she’s done songs like this before. And lastly, the bridge was to die for. The flutes, guitars, and all of the exotic instrumentals made for one great combination.

Whereas PASIO was Spanish sounding, True Blue is a slower paced song. It’s more of a ballad than anything. The instrumentals consist of the piano, organ, strings and church bells. It almost has a gospel/church feeling, must be that organ. The instrumentals for some reason seem to be so sad, yet from the overall perspective, the song sounds rather happy. I liked her vocals in this song, especially the high notes. The only problem I had with it was the fact that it sounded a little bland. It was used as the ending theme song for the final episode of the anime The Law of Ueki.

The final song is a special live version of Tsuioku, which is a cover song. Hitomi exhibits some amazing vocals in this song, which are quite powerful. And not only that the instrumentals are amazing. There were some great strings along with piano, a flawless combination. This live version is amazing, a MUST hear, so listen already.

Overall Review: PASIO was sporadic nostalgia. This single definitely brought back some memories of Hitomi’s older material. That being said, the title track is pretty good. It’s up-beat, fast paced, and enjoyable overall. The B-Side could have been better but it will suffice. I did however love the live version of Tsuioku, it was such an amazing cover. Not a bad single at all, another wonderful addition to the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Final Grade: 95A

Destiny -Taiyou no Hana- / Koimizu -tears of love- was Hitomi Shimatani’s 22nd single. It was released on June 21, 2006 and reached number 14 on the charts. In all this single has sold over 26,858+ copies. This was her first single to be released in both CD and CD+DVD editions. Destiny -Taiyou no Hana was used as the opening theme song for the anime Black Jack 21, while Koimizu -tears of love- was used as the theme song for the drama Wednesday Mystery. This was the second single in the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Tracks:
1. Destiny -Taiyou no Hana-
2. Koimizu -tears of love-
3. Destiny -Taiyou no Hana- (Black Jack 21 Mix)
4. Destiny -Taiyou no Hana- (Instrumental)
5. Koimizu -tears of love- (Instrumental)

Review:
I was somewhat scared off by the seemingly scary strings of Destiny -Taiyou no Hana-. They actually remind me of a Beetles’ song. But after that things get more interesting. Hitomi’s vocals are a little distorted I think, more like echoed, either way with the strings it sounds so fantastic. I really loved the strings in this song, they were so classical, and I’m pretty sure there were some other instrumentals present, like a church bell. It reminded me a little of Shinku. I did find this song overall rather catchy. The melody was actually infectious to say the least. The vocals were excellent as usual and I loved the instrumentals, a fusion between dance beats and strings. One of her finer songs for sure.

More gentle and southing is Koimizu -tears of love-. This song is somewhat of an opposite to the previous track. Instead of being fast paced, it’s mid-tempo, instead of aggressive, it’s laid back. One thing they have in common though are the use of strings, which works out quite nicely. Hitomi’s vocals were so impressive here. Well maybe not so impressive as the fact that they were perfect for this song. Compared to some other ballads though it’s very awing. I think that while the strings might not be as powerful in this song, they were certainly more gorgeous and lovely in the ballad sense. I also didn’t mind the acoustics during this song, quite magnificent.

The Black Jack 21 Mix of Destiny – Taiyou no Hana- is just the TV size. it’s played during the opening credits of the anime. And like most TV sizes, you get all the good stuff, without all the bad. Nothing much to say after that I guess.

Overall Review: Destiny -Taiyou no Hana- / Koimizu -tears of love- was classical eloquence. I loved how this single incorporated the strings, gave the single a unifying theme. But despite that I loved how each song was so different, from dance & classical to ballad & classical. Not to mention the fact that each was amazing in its own way and that they just sound great, still very Crossover though. And a random fact, the little girl above is voiced by Hikki in the online version apparently.

Final Grade: 100A+

Haru Machibito / Camellia was Hitomi Shimatani’s 21st single. It was released on March 15, 2006 and reached number 19 on the charts. In all this single has sold over 12,443+ copies. This was the first single in the PRIMA ROSA Era.

Tracks:
1. Haru Machibito
2. Camellia
3. Sky High
4. Haru Machibito (Instrumental)
5. Camellia (Instrumental)

Review:
One of my favorite songs from Hitomi has got to be Haru Machibito lit. The Person Waiting for Spring. One thing that comes to mind when I think of this song is Japanese instrumentals! Besides the obvious traditional Japanese instrumentals this song features an amazing and light guitar, and the some strings. The song is very up-beat and light hearted. I loved Hitomi’s vocals, they were just right for this song, not too overwhelming. And the song was somewhat fast paced, but it still sounded great. As for the chorus, well it was fantastic! Not only did it sound amazing, but it was actually catchy. This has got to be one of her best light hearted songs!

The next is equally as up-beat, but this time it’s Camellia. Most fans of Hitomi will recognize how much this song sounds like Marvelous, actually it’s the other way around but still. This song is just as up-beat as the previous track and it sounds incredible. The instrumentals are unique and yet so fitting. The chorus has somewhat of a dance quality to it and it’s pretty infectious. I loved the vocals that followed afterwards too, they were great! The organ towards the end was interesting yet amazing. I’d have to say this song is more dance than anything else, that and pop, it’s actually pretty good.

Sky High was actually released on her previous album Heart & Symphony. And a few of the songs feature the same synth and strings in the song, giving the song a rather unique vibe. The beats are interesting, they actually sound dance, but with the strings it’s very evened out. Her vocals were wonderful in this song, no complaints. And one of the things I noticed about this song is that it actually sounded somewhat epic, those strings were just outstanding.

Overall Review: Haru Machibito / Camellia was a marvelous single. The first title track was so impressive and I loved how it was so happy, so up-beat, so wonderful! Now the second title track was stronger and more infectious, well dance too, point is it was good. I wasn’t all that thrilled with the B-Side, but it wasn’t all that bad. Not a bad way to kick off PRIMA ROSA!

Final Grade: 97A

Flare was Hitomi Shimatani’s 7th album. It was released on July 16, 2008 and reached number 21 on the charts with 8,272 copies sold. In all this single has sold over 10,673+ copies, making it her lowest charting and selling album. I’m a bit skeptical about reviewing this album but we’ll see how good it is.

Tracks:
1. Heavenly
2. Start
3. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo
4. Dita
5. Shinku
6. Nakitai Nara
7. Dear…
8. Taiyou no Flare
9. WAKE YOU UP
10. Shake it up!
11. Neva Eva
12. Marvelous
13. Ai no Uta (Strings Version)

Review:
The album begins with Heavenly, how heavenly it is has yet to been seen. The song begins with some very heavenly sounding violins and some light beats that are somewhat dance oriented. The verses were very short and maybe that’s a good thing. The chorus however was pretty long but not long winded so it was rather good. Maybe a little corny and average but it’s not terrible. I really loved how her English was great and that’s what made the chorus so great, and so catchy. The song might be very pop, but I liked it. Might not be Heavenly, but it’s good, and not a bad way to start off Flare.

The next song is a little happier and the piano is more involved. Start for some reason reminded me a little of ragtime music, similar to Rocket Sneaker, but it was very laid-back you could say. Although I must admit that sometimes it’s hard to hear Hitomi’s vocals at times and the piano sounds a little annoying. I’m pretty sure I even heard an organ in the background, giving it a church feel almost. The chorus wasn’t all that great really it just sounded so out of the ordinary, maybe not in a good way.

And here we come to the longest title ever imagined, Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo. I really didn’t like this song, it was too slow and just so long winded. The R&B beats might have been nice and all, but it wasn’t interesting. Basically this song is mediocre and mundane and the worst of all her singles released in the Flare Era.

The next song is very unique with the lyrics and music. I’m pretty sure i saw some French or Spanish but it was just weird, Dita is one unique song. The music at first has an island feel with the reed playing but then it changes into a piano driven song, and I don’t mean ballad like. The violins were a nice touch but I don’t know how well it went with the song. The chorus wasn’t all that great nor was it catchy, everything sounded so out of place.

Perhaps the best song released as a single, and the highest charting and selling one in the era, Shinku. This song has been described as dance tune with a classic spin. The song begins with a beautiful instrumental of violins followed by some singing. And to my surprise I loved the verses as well as the chorus. Both were so addicting and so infectious. But the chorus was so amazingly excellent. I don’t think you could’ve asked for a better song, or a better PV for that matter.

And now we have Nakitai Nara. This song is just really a lackluster ballad to say the least. Ballads really aren’t her thing and she should stick with her pop / dance songs. The music sounded somewhat nice, sad and dreary but nice. But her vocals weren’t all that great either. And there was hardly a climax and the chorus wasn’t all that great. I just think that she needs to stop singing ballads, unless they’re of Hikki or Ayu quality.

The music of Dear… reminds me a little of some type of smooth jazz almost without the saxophone and with the piano. The song is very laid-back and it flows so smoothly. The verses weren’t all the great but the chorus was nice. Although that’s all it was really. It wasn’t that catchy nor did it sound all that great. I really didn’t like Hitomi’s vocals all that much. Sometimes they were great, and others they were monotone. It’s so sad to hear her new material on the album, most of the songs aren’t that great.

It’s about time I heard a great song on this album that’s new and Taiyou no Flare doesn’t disappoint. Literally the Sun’s Flare it’s the closest thing to a title track, and it’s a darn good one at that. It’s similar to Shinku with the classical instruments acting as the main instrumentals and the synth beats but this song sounds better. The music is so fun to listen to and it’s so amazing! And I loved Hitomi’s vocals here. I also loved the verses, especially how she dragged out the words, it was almost epic. I just fell in love with this song, it was so amazing. Those synth beats made it sound so dance like and with the violins it was heavenly. This song could’ve been released as its own single it’s so good. And the bridge was so exciting with the electric guitar.

I can’t say that I’m surprised that WAKE YOU UP was on this album. The music doesn’t belong in this century at all, but that’s music for you. And I couldn’t stand the opening with the gospel sounding choir. The song gets a little better gradually but it’s nothing to get all worked up about. Although I must admit that the chorus isn’t all that bad as it sounded before, but it’s still not all that great. Hitomi needs some better songs, that’s for sure.

If forgettable was a song it’d be Shake it up! This song just really didn’t interest me. I mean I normally like songs that Hitomi’s sung but this seems so mundane. The beats were nice and I can’t complain about the music but it was just so average. The constant drum beats and light-dance music were a nice touch but it just didn’t go to well with the lyrics. There was hardly a good climax and there’s hardly anything exciting about this song. It’s so sad that this was the last new song on the album.

One of the most up-beat songs released as a single is Neva Eva. With its brass section the song has become so addictive and so entertaining. And the fact that the song is fast paced doesn’t hurt either. Her vocals sound so great here too, not like in ballads. The chorus was so infectious and so so energetic. The song was just so much fun, especially with the brass section. This has got to be the most up-beat song on the album!

The final song on the CD+DVD edition of Flare is Marvelous. Whether you call Marvelous marvelous, well that’s up to you. The song is very happy, almost go lucky. It’s pretty pop although not too sugary. Even with the piano and fast moving music the song still lacks in some areas. But overall it is enjoyable. The chorus was very catchy to say the least. And I loved how she well her English was, it made it sound so catchy. It was probably the best song on last single released in the Flare Era.

The true final track is featured only on the CD Only edition of the album, Ai no Uta (Strings Version). It was the only worthy ballad mentioning in the Flare Era. The original version was released on her Shinku / Ai no Uta single. This version is very similar to the original, with the exception of the instrumentals. Well the piano is the main instrumentals for the most part until the chorus. Well the violins become more dominant then. But the point is is that this song is such a good ballad. It’s the one ballad that I like by Hitomi. From the beautiful music and serene vocals it makes for one lovely song. The strings and piano were just what this ballad needed, it makes it sound even better than the original. What a beautiful and elegant ending for Flare.

Overall Review: Flare was certainly a wonderful album. I’m not sure if it was all that hot but it was nice. Since this is the first album by Hitomi Shimatani that I’ve heard fully I must say that overall I liked it. Her singles got off to a great start but didn’t end on a good note. But the reason why I liked the album was mostly due to the singles, most of the new material wasn’t all that great. I did like the title track though and that’s an important thing, and it was pure excellence. And I must say that I loved the album scans! They reminded me of a cathedral in Spain for some reason. I wasn’t to happy about Hitomi’s appearance on the CD+DVD edition but I did love the scenery. What a vibrant album, a nice finish to great start.

Final Grade: 93B+

Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo was Hitomi Shimatani’s 28th equal single. It was released on June 25, 2008 and reached number 33 on the charts along with its counterpart. The first equal single was WAKE YOU UP / Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo / Marvelous. Both singles sold a combined total of 4,165+ copies. This with its counterpart was the final single in the Flare Era.

Tracks:
1. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo
2. Ameoto ~Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Zenya~
3. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo feat.GooF from SOFFet <SMOOTH RAP version>
4. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo (Instrumental)
5. Ameoto ~Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Zenya~ (Instrumental)

Review:
I’m pretty sure a few people were wondering what this first track was, I mean the title was long enough. Some people were thinking that’d it be so good, others thought it’d be a total flop. Well don’t hold your breath for Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo. I felt like it was a total flop. The song seemed to begin well enough with some nice R&B beats, but then they were quickly replaced by some foreign strange, and it’s not cultural either, music. Hitomi might sound happy singing but I wan’t happy listening. The song was laid back and everything but it was just so mundane. I mean the chorus was so slow moving and the beats weren’t all that great. This song was really a step down from her previous tracks. I don’t care if the lyrics were based off a poem by Aida Mitsuo, the song was bad. Lighthearted and happy yes, fun and so smooth NO.

After that atrocious song I was hoping for something better. But with the song Ameoto ~Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Zenya~, I had no hopes. I mean the song looks a little like the previous track right? Well to my surprise this song was more enjoyable than the previous track. It was a ballad, and although her ballads aren’t the best this seemed to be an easy listen. The song was a little better than Nakitai Nara but it still needed a little push in the right direction. I just really wish that there was more of a climax for this song. However, I really enjoyed this song with the slow pace, the piano instrumentals and some seemingly jazz beats. Still it’s an improvement from the previous track.

If you didn’t think that the title track couldn’t get worse, you were wrong. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo feat.GooF from SOFFet <SMOOTH RAP version> sounded even worse in my opinion. I felt that this was just a filler song I mean there was no reason for it. The guy was only present for what seemed like a few seconds and that was it. The song sounded the same for the most part, I couldn’t tell the difference. This song was just sad.

Overall Review: Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo was utterly disturbed. This single is screaming “I need some help, AVEX my label of so many years HELP ME!” I think that she really needs a push in the right direction. I think that Hitomi needs some better songs too, something a little Kuu-Chan like, or even comeback queen Namie, just something new and exciting. I find myself in another predicament listening to this single. It’s not really worth the money, the only thing remotely good was the B-Side, the B-Side for god’s sake. Hitomi has just fallen and it seems that no one can save her. I miss her good old days. The only thing interesting thing about this single was maybe the cover and that title. The worse way to end the Flare Era.

Final Grade: 77D+

WAKE YOU UP / Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo / Marvelous was Hitomi Shimatani’s 28th equal single. It was released on June 26, 2008 and reached number 33 on the charts along with its counterpart. The second equal single was Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo and it was released on the same day as this single. In all these two singles combined have sold over 4,165+ copies. WAKE YOU UP was used as the theme song for TV Tokyo’s dorama Keitai Sousakan 7. Marvelous was image song of NTV’s live broadcast wrestling show. This with its counterpart is the fourth and final single in the Flare Era.

Tracks:
1. WAKE YOU UP
2. Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo
3. Marvelous

Review:
WAKE YOU UP, the up-beat tune. This begins with some very up-beat music followed by some gospel sounding choir singing in English. Hitomi then begins to sing and the first thing i think is “man this music is loud” but it seems to quiet down enough so you can hear her. I honestly had no clue where the verses ended and where the chorus began, but it’s safe to say that it wasn’t that memorable. Although during the last two minutes the song got better. But an electric guitar as the bridge seemed so out of place. I personally think this song belongs in another time, not the 21st Century. This reminds me of old music from either the 80’s or 90’s, especially with the last few seconds.

Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo lit. In the Rain When It’s Rainy, In the Wind When It’s Windy. This song’s lyrics were part of a poem by Mitsuo Aida. This song begins with some R&B beats, but then it stops, and then some very odd music replaces it. Hitomi’s vocals sound nice, but the music is just so odd. But the song seemed to move slowly. The verses sounds pretty dull, but the chorus. The chorus was just so long winded and so boring. It started off fine, but ended so so flat. The only interesting thing about this song was the abnormally long title.

Marvelous, finally a tolerable song. After the previous lackluster songs I was about to give up on this single. But this song has given me something to look forward to. It begins with a little fast piano solo and some fast moving music. Hitomi begins to sing and it’s actually pleasant, not dreadful. And the verses move pretty fast and smoothly to the chorus. This time not only was the chorus noticeable, but it sounds good, in a sweet almost sugary pop kind of way. I really love how it used some English too, no Engrish either. The chorus moved pretty fast and it was actually catchy, almost addictive. But it’s something that Hitomi would do so I can’t say I’m not surprised. And as vinyabarion stated, it was similar to Camellia but not as good.

Overall Review: WAKE YOU UP / Ame no Hi ni wa Ame no Naka wo Kaze no Hi ni wa Kaze no Naka wo / Marvelous was certainly a unique single. It was a step up from her previous single, but it seemed a little rushed and ill-prepared. I mean it’s one thing to release a triple A-Side single with another single, but it should be a good one. It’s really depressing what’s happened with Hitomi, her singles were so good once, now they seem so dull, so lifeless. The only real track I was interested in was Marvelous and that was only fair. What’s happened to her, hopefully Flare will be better. This single will only be known as the “extremely long and useless titled single” nothing more. A deeply saddening way to end the Flare Era, not so marvelous.

Final Grade: 85C+