An Awesome Addition to my Meisa Kuroki Collection

Meisa Kuroki "Magazine" CD Versions A and B

Meisa Kuroki is a beautiful and capable actress and I love the dramas I’ve seen her in, and another thing I really love from her is her musical output. Sure, it’s almost a given that most popular young actors and actresses try their hand singing, (Ayase Haruka, Mirei Kiritani and Emi Takei all have done so, heck, even Fujiki Naohito and Tamaki Hiroshi have released singles!) and while some are decent, every once in awhile you get one that’s really GREAT, and Meisa’s debut release HELLCAT was so good that the electronic dance album has gone on the become one of my favorite J-pop CDs of ALL TIME!

Meisa Kuroki "Hellcat" CD

 Bad Girl, Like This, Criminal, oh MAN this album was sooo sooo good, since then I’ve always kept an eye on her singing career, and up until Meisa’s abrupt departure from music (to get married and give birth to her first child) I’ve tried to pick up as many of her releases I could get my hands on!
 Meisa returned to acting in 2013 and has been involved in some great shows, and with her latest drama “Designer Baby” on right now, I’m back into Meisa mode and have been trying to get the singles and CDs I’m missing from my collection.  Slowly I’ve managed to get most of them (truthfully, Meisa has only a handful of albums, so it wasn’t that hard) but the one album I was having a time getting was her second album MAGAZINE.

Meisa Kuroki "Magazine" Regular Edition

 Well, it wasn’t that it was hard to get the regular release, as it was and is still available on the CD Japan website, but what I wanted was the FIRST PRESSING version. All my Meisa Kuroki albums are the First Editions because they come with DVD bonus featuring her sultry and sexy VIDEOS, but the first pressing for Magazine came not only with the bonus DVD with video, but came with TWO different cover versions!
 I HAD to get these First Edition releases somehow, and after checking regularly on ebay with no results, I was told to check out Amazon Japan. Well, they DID have it, but just then I was able to find a seller on the Domestic Amazon seller list...and they were selling BOTH versions A and B!!!! I jumped on that immediately!

  My parcel came registered mail so I had to pick it up at the post office, and I have to say that the first thing that surprised me was the sheer SIZE of the package. I’d assumed (from the pictures on the auction site) that they were 5x7 sized CD boxes…little did I know that the Magazine release’s theme was to look like a REAL magazine, and came not only in standard magazine sized 8½ x11 dimensions, but came with GLOSSY HARDCOVERS with 46 glossy pages of luscious Meisa photographs inside as well! Holy CRAP, these were AWESOME!!!

As far as the music goes, Magazine is another fine addition to the Meisa Kuroki catalog, like her later album Unlocked, this album features some strong singles (in this case Shock, 5-Five, and LOL) and balances it out with some softer songs and some bright , sunshiney pop tunes as well! (Wasted’s a big fave)
Usually Meisa includes the c/w songs from her singles on the parent album, but “The Only One” and “So Smooth” off 5-Five aren’t here…better hold onto my single!!
  I bought both versions of Magazine because of the different artwork on the cover and back, knowing that the inside content was going to be the same, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that while Version A’s bonus DVD included Meisa’s Video Clips (from debut single Like This~ to the then-current LOL) Version B’s DVD had a MINI CONCERT! WHOA! Talk about STOKED! I couldn’t WAIT to pop in that baby!

Meisa’s mini concert “1st Solo Live Attitude 2010” consisted of 7 tracks: Hear The Alarm, Shock, Bad Girl, Awakening, Are Ya Ready?, Kind Of Guy, Stand Up, LOL, and Wasted.
This was a really great treat because I’ve only seen Meisa’s songs in PV form and never got to really see her do these songs live, and the latter songs in particular, Meisa is grooving and having a lot of fun onstage. One really funny thing happens when she’s performing “LOL”, in the middle of the song’s second verse, the glitzy Egyptian looking necklace she’s wearing snaps and falls off, and as she scrambles to pick it up, you can hear her chuckling as she sings, a REAL “LOL” if you will!”
  Magazine’s packaging is so beautiful I couldn’t wait to add it to my Meisa Kuroki Collection, but when I put ‘em all together,  the oversized Photo album dimensions just didn’t sit right with the regular jewel case CDs….

Above: My Meisa Kuroki Collection:

Magazine

Hellcat

Shock~Unmei

Atttitude

Wired Life

One More Drama

Unlocked

5-Five

LOL

Upon considering the size of the releases, it seems it makes more sense to store the Magazine books with my Meisa Kuroki “Love Meisa” Photobook, dessho? Mmm, Yup!

Now that Meisa’s back into the acting game, I’m wondering if it’s safe to start hoping that she’ll resume her musical career as well. Perhaps she won’t be singing the same kind of songs she did before, but having children never stopped Namie Amuro from continuing to rock! Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s STILL a single from Meisa that I need to hunt down….the collector in me won’t rest ‘til I’ve got it!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Next Up, My Ribbon Collection!

Back when my entire world was about CoCo, I couldn't help but also fall in love with CoCo's Pony Canyon sister group RIBBON as they were all part of the Paradise GoGo and Otomejuku Matsuri scene and would regularly appear alongside each other in concerts!
 A trio of powerful vocalists, girls Hiromi, Arimi and Aiko's music style was of a slightly harder rocking edge than Coco and though nowadays Ribbon are probably best known for being the act where actress Hiromi Nagasaku came from, back then they were the rocking "Rolling Stones" counterpart to CoCo's pure pop "Beatles" sound!

My Ribbon Collection:
Ribbon CDs

Lucky Point

Wonderful Deikou!

Jessica

Delicious

Knight

R753 

More Delicious

Hoshi No Ki No Shita De

Merry-Hurry

Rock N Roll Ribbon

Singles

Ribbon Singles

Little Date

Sobani Iru Ne

Ano koni Yoroshiku

Virgin Snow

Taiyo no Yukue

Silent Summer

Sore Wa Iwanai Yakusoku

Deep Breath

Taiyo ni Hi Wo Tsukete

"S"ENSATIONAL WIND

Do You Remember Me?

Be My Diamond!

Yoake Nande Iranai

Ribbon Laserdiscs

Parade Parade!! Ribbon First Concert

Harlem Night Joint

Harlem Night

Extra

Bootle Ribbon

Hiromi Nagasaku CDs and Singles

Hiromi Nagasaku CD

N

Here And Now

Hiromi Nagasaku Singles

My Home Town

Without You

Ai ni Kite

Ribbon Photobooks and Magazines

Ribbon Photobook

Heaven

Hiromi Nagasaku Photobook

UK Asagan

Hiromi Nagasaku Magazine

Weekly Playboy

Shukan Post

In Red

Way back when Pony canyon released CoCo's Laserdisc catalog onto DVD (well, most of 'em, anyway) It was announced that Ribbon's concerts were the next project to get the DVD treatment...Sadly, the feedback from fans over the CoCo DVDs quality were largely negative, and all future titles were withdrawn. To date no such DVD releases are expected, but nostalgia grows strong, and one can only hope they'll eventually do what's right!!!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

And Finally, My Princess Princess Collection!

Couldn't wrap up posting my various J-pop Collections without mentioning Princess Princess, one of the last BIG J-pop acts I fell in LOVE with back in my early years of J-pop discovery- a love that continues to this day! 
  While groups like CoCo and Ribbon had already broken up by the time I discovered them, in 1996, Princess Princess were RIGHT on the cusp of their Final Tour before splitting up t, and as it was their final bow, they promoted EXTENSIVELY, singing all their classic tunes on music and variety shows, so much that by the time they stepped onstage for their Final Concert, I knew all their hits and went head over heels for them!
Falling in love with a group that had 10 years under their belt became quite an adventure- trying to collect all their various CDs, singles and Laserdiscs was an almost impossible task, especially back in the days before the internet, but over time I was able to put together a meager, humble little assortment, one that although still missing a lot of parts, I love and treasure dearly!

Princess Princess CDs

Kiss de Crime

Teleportation

Here we Are

Lovers

Let's get Crazy!

Princess Princess

Dolls In Action

Singles 1987-1992

Bee-Beep

Presents

Majestic

The Last Princess

The Last Live

The Complete Songs of Princess Princess 1986-1996

Princess Princess CD Singles

Go Away Boy

Oh Yeah!

Get Crazy

KISS

Seven Years After

Jungle Princess
Power/Regret

Dakara Honey

The Summer Vacation

Pilot Ni Naritakute

Birthday Song

Natsu No Owari

Princess Princess 7" Vinyl Singles

Koi Wa Balance

Sekai De Ichiban Atsui Natsu

My Will

19 Growing Up

Diamonds

Go Away Boy

Get Crazy!

Princess Princess Laserdiscs and DVD

Here We Are 1988 Concert

Let's Get Crazy

Live at Budokan 1994

Video Singles 1987-1992

Video Clips 3

The Last Live 

The Last Live DVD

The Greatest Princess; The Plantinum Days 1

The Greatest Princess; The Plantinum Days 2

Princess Princess Books

1986-1996 Hello, Goodbye

Signs and Wonders

Kaori Okui CD and Singles

Kaori Okui CD

Renaissance

KAORI

Kaori Okui Singles

Kiseki No Toki

Vanishing

Happyman

As you all know, Princess Princess returned to the stage some years ago, just to show that when it came right down to it, they still rocked harder and tighter than most young  and newer acts out there! Power To The Princesses!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

And Now...My CoCo Collection!

Some of my online friends have wondered, just WHAT was in my personal CoCo Collection anyway? Since I had a free Sunday and was in a Pony Canyon mood, I thought I’d take the time to go ahead and bring out what precious stuff I had! Spent the rest of the afternoon arranging and photographing everything, and so now, while it’s far from complete, I present to you all MY little COCO Collection!

CoCo:

CoCo CDs

Strawberry 

Snow Garden

Snow Garden First Edition

Straight

Ichiban

Share 

CoCo Personal Best

Sylph
Sample Battlers Tokyo: Modern Dohyou
Sweet and Bitter

Singles~ From 1989 to 1994

Legend Of Otomejuku 

CoCo No Dai Hyakka Sono Vol. One

CoCo No Dai Hyakka Sono Vol. Two 

CoCo Singles

Equal Romance

Hanbun Fushigi 

Natsu No Tomodachi 

Sasayaka No Yuuwaku

Live Version

News Na Mirai

Muteki No Only You 

Yume Dake Miteru 

Dakara Namida To Yobanaide

Natsuzora No Dreamer 

Yokohama Boy Style 
Chiisa Na Ippo De 
Koi No Junction 

You're My Treasure

CoCo Laserdiscs

Waiiha De CoCo

Heart To Heart: CoCo First Concert

CoCo 1991 Concert: Nakano Sunplaza

CoCo 1992 Concert: Live at Budokan

CoCo Natsu '92 Concert

CoCo Doco~ Hawaiian Kiss

CoCo Concert 1993: Deluxe Edition

CoCo Forever: 1994 Final Concert

The CoCo Collection

Legend: Singles Live Collection

Otomejuku Matsuri

CoCo DVD

Heart To Heart: CoCo First Concert

CoCo 1991 Concert: Nakano Sunplaza
CoCo 1992 Concert: Live at Budokan

CoCo Natsu '92 Concert

CoCo Concert 1993: Deluxe Edition

CoCo Doco~ Hawaiian Kiss

CoCo Forever: 1994 Final Concert
Legend: Singles Live Collection

CoCo Photobooks

CoCo

Yume Wa CoCo Kara

Bonny Bonnie

Sweet and Bitter Photo Album

Mirai Wa CoCo Kara

Rieko Miura:

Rieko Miura CD and Singles

Rieko Miura Albums:

Belong To You

Kiss

Rieko Miura Singles:

Namida No Tsubomitachi

Suiheisen De Tsukamaete

Nichiyo Wa Dameyo

Joke Nimo Naranai Koi

Kamisama Kara Moratta Chance

Tenshi No Iru Nagisa

Dakishimete Destiny

Racuen No Toriko

Girls, Be Ambitious!

Shiawase Na Hibi

Arigato

French Kiss

Rieko Miura Laserdiscs and VHS

Laserdiscs:

Belong To You: Rieko's First Concert 1991

Rieko's Vacation: Reiko Miura Second Concert 1992

Yume de Aitai~ Video Clips

Rendez-vous~ Rieko In New Caledonia & Vanuatu

Live at On Air EAST '96 Concert

VHS:

Belong To You: Rieko's First Concert 1991

Yume de Aitai~ Video Clips

Rieko Miura Photobooks and Magazines

Photobooks:

Virgo

Relish

Atashi

Hugs

Gekkan Miura Rieko

Magazines:

Weekly Playboy

Rieko Miura Promotional Posters

Promotional Poster for "Kiss" Album
Promotional Poster for "Shiawase Na Hibi" Single
Promotional Poster for "Live at On Air East" Laserdisc

Rieko Miura Calendars

Rieko Miura 1996 Calendar

Rieko Miura 1997 Calendar

Rieko Miura 1998 Calendar 

 Reiko Miura Promotional One-Sheets

Vendor One-Sheet for "Kiss" Album Release
Vendor One-Sheet for "French Kiss" Single

Azusa Senou 

Azusa Senou CDs and Singles

Azusa Senou CD
Crystal Eyes
Horizon

Azusa Senou Singles
Mou Nakanaide
Kimi no Tsubasa ~Daijoubu Dakara~
Anata Jyanakereba
I Miss You
Mitsumeteitemo
Shitsuren
Aki

Azusa Senou Laserdiscs

Azusa Senou First Solo Concert 1992
I.D. Azusa Senou Video Clips
After, I Miss You 1993 Concert

Azusa Senou Photobooks

Yokan
Liberty
Legende

Erika Haneda, Maki Miyamae and Mikiyo Ohno

Erika Haneda, Maki Miyamae and Mikiyo Ohno CD and Singles

Erika Haneda Album:

Tsurechan No Yuutsu Soundtrack

Erika Haneda Singles:

Yume Kara Samedaide

Maigo Ni Samenaide

Sha La La

Maki Miyamae Single:

Yume E No Position

Mikiyo Ohno Singles:

Yurushite....

Furueru Kesshin 

Erika Haneda and Maki Miyamae Photobooks

Erika Haneda Photobook:

Pink

Maki Miyamae Photobook:

Candied

Mikiyo Ohno Photobooks (And Laserdisc)

Photobooks:

The Wind Rose

Scarlet

True Blue

Laserdisc:

Zero Woman: Kesenai Kioku The Hunted

Sooo yeah, this is my humble little collection that I've been amassing ever since I first heard CoCo waaaaay back in 1995 with their album Sweet and Bitter, their Greatest Hits CD Singles, and their amazing Concert Laserdisc "Forever". Listening to those albums and watching that concert made me fall in love with the girls and their music, until I wanted to have it all!
    From there I worked my way backwards trying to get all of the girls' wonderful releases, albums, singles and concerts! As I live in the United States and all that magical CoCo stuff was in Japan, it was really painstaking and difficult getting ahold of a lot of the older releases! But with the arrival of the internet and great online vendors like Otokichi Premium, I've managed to get a LOT of my much-desired Coco related goods over the years!

Been now over 20 years since the beginning, and Coco are still one of my very favorite J-pop groups out there and I'll STILL pick up any new things they release- especially their photobooks which show that no matter how long time marches on, the girls are still as dazzling as ever !!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

...And While We're at It, Here's My Chisato Moritaka Collection, Too!

HEY! Since I've been spending so much time hauling out all of my CoCo Collectibles, I thought it would be a good time to catalog all my Moritaka Chisato items as well! It's true that my Chisato Collection is far, far from being complete, but I'm pretty happy with what I've got! Peruse if you wish...

Chisato Moritaka CD

New Season

Romantic

Mite

Mi-Ha

Moritaka Land

Hi-jitsuryokuha Sengen

The Moritaka

Kokon Tozai

Rock Alive

Lucky 7

Step By Step

Pepperland

Do The Best

Taiyo

Peachberry

Sava-Sava

Kotoshi no Natsu wa More Better

The Singles

Chisato Moritaka Singles

Alone

Junanasai

Daite

Michi

Kusaimono Niha Futa-O Osiro

 Ame

Hachigatsu No Koi

Watashi Ga Obasan Ni Nattemo

Watarase Bashi

Watashi No Natsu

Kaze Ni Fukarete

Kibunsokai

Natsu No Hi

Futari Wa Koibito

Jin Jin Jinglebell

So Blue

Let's Go

Miracle Light

Snow Again

My Anniversary

Chisato Moritaka Laserdisc

GET SMILE ~Nihon Seinenkan Live~ 

Mite ~Special~ Live in Shiodome

LIVE ROCK ALIVE

Lucky 7 LIVE

Do The Best at Yokohama Arena

Taiyo On and Off

1997 Peachberry Show

FIVE~ Video Clips

Chisato Moritaka DVDs

Hijitsuyorkuha Sengen

Kokon Tozai

Kokon Tozai Deluxe Edition

LVE ROCK ALIVE

Lucky Seven LIVE

Kibunsokai~ Video Clips

Chisato Moritaka Magazines

1994 CD Data

1995 CD Data

1996 CD Data

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com