Promise/Star

"Promise/Star"
"Promise" CD only cover
Single by Koda Kumi
from the album Best: First Things
Released	September 7, 2005 (JP)
Format	CD, CD+DVD
Genre	Promise J-pop, R&B Star Electronica, dance, house, J-pop
Length	17:50
Label	Rhythm Zone RZCD-45242/B (Japan, CD+DVD) RZCD-45243 (Japan, CD)
Koda Kumi singles chronology
"Flower" (2005) "Promise/Star" (2005) "You" (2005)
Alternative cover "Star" CD only cover

Promise/Star is the first double a-side single by Japanese artist Koda Kumi. It was the final single released before her first compilation album, Best ~first things~. It managed to chart at #4 on Oricon and stayed on the charts for fourteen weeks.

Information

Promise/Star is Japanese R&B-turned-pop star Kumi Koda's eighteenth single. The single was Kumi's first attempt at a double a-side, and was her final single released before her first compilation album, Best ~first things~.^[1] It peaked at #4 on the Oricon charts and remained on the charts for fourteen weeks.^[2]

The single consisted of the upbeat pop song Star and the emotional ballad Promise, along with their instrumentals. The CD+DVD edition was of limited release and contained unique cover art, compared to the CD only edition.

Promise was used as the ending theme on the TV Asahi show Telechika, while Star was used as a promotional campaign for the Nintendo DS game Urusei Yatsura: Endless Summer.^[3]

Despite being a double a-side, only a "short version" of Star was placed on the DVD portion. A "full version" of the music video was never released.

Packaging

Promise/Star was released in two editions:

• CD: contains four musical tracks.
• CD+DVD: contains four musical tracks, two music videos and one making video.

Limited editions of the single contained specialized cover art for both the CD and CD+DVD editions. However, on the standard editions, both Promise and Star received their own cover art, whereas the booklets were reversible.

Music Video

Promise carried a sad theme of a women crying at a wedding altar, missing her fiancé, who had died prior to their wedding.

Star was more optimistic, with Kumi in front of a starry background.

Reception

Upon the single's release, it received mixed reviews in North America and positive reviews in Japan.

In North America, many fans enjoyed the ballad, Promise, but were put off by the upbeat Star. However, those who enjoyed Star said it was very reminiscent of real Emotion, claiming that the two songs could be switched out for the opening theme of Final Fantasy X-2 and still work.^[4]

In Japan, however, fans gave the single positive reviews. Ranunculus praised Promise for its "perfectly painful lyrics" and said how they enjoyed Star for its addicting melody. Haryuuga Kono also gave a positive review to Promise for Kumi's vocal power and the ability to "make you sad." They compared her vocals to those used in Kiseki. They also enjoyed Star for "being a cute song." Other fans said how they enjoyed the upbeat tempo of Star and cute lyrics, while praising Promise for its meaning.^[5]

Track listing

(Source^[6])

Chart history

Oricon 2005 Singles Top 999

Chart position: #165

Charts and sales

Sales

First week estimate: 34,589 Total estimate: 61,312

Alternate Versions

Promise

1. Promise: Found on the single and corresponding album Best ~first things~ (2005)
2. Promise [Instrumental]: Found on the single (2005)
3. Promise [ELMER VoVo Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 6 (2014)

References

1. ↑ "Best ~First Things~". Discogs. Retrieved January 8, 2016. 
2. ↑ "Promise/Star by Koda Kumi". Oricon. Retrieved January 8, 2016. 
3. ↑ "Promise/Star CD+DVD". Play Asia. Retrieved January 8, 2016. 
4. ↑ "Customer Reviews - Promise / Star (SINGLE+DVD)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved October 4, 2016. 
5. ↑ "Promise/Star (with DVD) Reviews". Amazon Japan. Retrieved October 4, 2016. 
6. ↑ "Promise/Star". Rhythm Zone. Retrieved January 8, 2016. 

1. Avex Network (2005), Koda Kumi Official Web Site
2. Oricon Style (2005), Ranking – Oricon Style