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Anime OST from Japan

This came in my Tenso box. Most were used purchases from Amazon Japan. All were in good shape although the City Hunter CD needs some TLC as it was a rental. Key The Metal Idol is a double CD with a beautiful cover.

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Jpop CDs from Japan

These CDs came in my Tenso box. All purchases from Amazon Japan. Most of them were iTunes recommendations except for Perfume–I heard that one on Youtube. I love the cover on Toko Furuuchi’s Purple.

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Fourteen music CDs from Japan

Last month Tenso shipped 14 CDs (including 3 double CDs) for $113. Not bad considering it would have cost $280 shipped separately. The box was heavy and stuffed with air pillow packing. Several bundles of CD were bubble wrapped inside.

Tenso box from Japan (12x8x7.5")
Tenso box from Japan (12x8x7.5″)

Tenso shipping box opened
Tenso shipping box opened

Tenso box packing
Tenso box packing

bubble wrapped CDs in box
bubble wrapped CDs in box

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More CDs arrive from Japan

Tenso shipped my 9 CDs from Japan for $82.00.  That’s the most I’ve had shipped at once.  The box was bigger than before too (12x8x5.5″).  Everything was well padded.  The CDs were encased in bubble wrap and the box was stuffed with air pillows.  I purchased all of the CDs from Amazon Japan–most of them used.  The used ones were listed as “Used – Good” but most were better condition.

Contents of Tenso box

  • TV Anime Lucky Star Opening Theme Motteke! Sailor Fuku
  • Rosario to Vampire IDOL COVER BEST
  • Toradora! BEST ALBUM √HAPPYEND
  • Nankai Kio (Neoranga) Second Season
  • Nankai Kio SOUND TRACK
  • Mariya Takeuchi: Whisky Ga Osuki Desho
  • AYUSE KOZUE: U & I
  • EPO: VITAMIN E・P・O
  • EPO GOLDEN☆BEST – EMI YEARS

Rosario to Vampire IDOL COVER BEST

This has to be my favorite anime CD in the bunch.  There’s a lot of reasons why I like Rosario+Vampire and the music is one of them.  I love that the director put so much effort into giving this anime a musical theme.  He gave it an 80s theme which this otaku appreciates since he grew up listening to 80s music.  I read one of the reviews on Amazon Japan.  The reviewer thought it was okay but cheesey.  Obviously, he doesn’t know of or appreciate 80s music.

This CD is a gold mine of 80s j-pop which I’ll use for research.  Before I bought the album I was watching one of the episodes and the insert song was familiar.  It was “Desire-Jounetsu.”  Nana Mizuki sang it just like Akina Nakamori. Akina has a throaty commanding voice.  Nana was singing it as the grown-up version of Moka.  I’m not sure if that’s her natural voice.  Rie Kugimiya does a cute job of singing “Slow Motion.”  It’s another Akina Nakamori song but one when she was very young so Rei’s soft voice goes well.  All the seiyuu do a good job singing.  The director must have made it a requirement.  A few of these songs are OP/EDs to other anime too. See track information.

EPO

EPO is another singer from the 1980s.  I’m really liking her songs from her album Vitamin and I’ll probably get the rest of her CDs.  Her Golden Best album doesn’t have that 80s sound though:  I think she covered her own songs with just a acoustic guitar to give them more of a generic sound.  Some do have a Brazillian feel to them like Brazil 66.  Golden Best songs are soft and mellow–something you could sleep to.

Toradora! BEST ALBUM √HAPPYEND

Toradora! is one of my favorite anime.  I love Taiga’s character and the camaraderie between the others.  I love the addictive upbeat music too.  I could have bought the OP/EDs on iTunes but it was better to get the CD itself.  I love Yui Horie’s songs.  She has a lot on iTunes Japan.

 

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More CDs from Japan via Tenso shipping

EMS package from Tenso
EMS package from Tenso

Three CDs arrived the other day in an Express Mail Service (EMS) pouch.  I have to sign for EMS mail when it arrives.  I bought all of them from Amazon Japan.  All were listed as “Good-Used” but in much better condition than expected.  NaNa Mizuki’s Trickster included a retail plastic cover.  Trickster came in a Super Jewel Box which I’ve never seen before.  It had rounded corners and opens by pressing instead of prying. The cover artwork is enclosed on all sides preventing it from falling out.

Tsuyoshi’s All ABOUT LOVE has varying styles of R&B.  “tell me” is more a club mix.  Kono Mama Zutto is a ballad which uses the Stylistics’ You Are Everything as a background melody. “Magic” is an another ballad with an older R&B sound and very pleasing on the ears.

There’s several tracks on Trigun’s OST which I like but PHILOSOPHY in a Tea Cup is my favorite.  I like its soft jazzy sound.

Tenso package contents
Tenso package contents
NaNa Mizuki: Trickster
NaNa Mizuki: Trickster
TSUYOSHI: ALL ABOUT LOVE
TSUYOSHI: ALL ABOUT LOVE
trigun the first donuts
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More CDs from Japan via Tenso

My package from Tenso arrived last week. My CDs arrived in a recycled Amazon Japan box. It was smaller than expected considering Tenso sent me a much larger box with the same amount of CDs last time. They charged me about a $1.50 more than last time but I think it has to do the way they counted the mini CDs. Maybe it was the weight of the Fist of the North Star OST since it was a double CD. I’m not sure. Anyways, shipping was about $57.00 or $8.00 per CD.

Packaging

Tenso did a nice job on the packaging. The CDs were bundled then bubble wrapped. All the CDs arrived in very good condition as described by the sellers. The empty space inside the box was filled neatly with air pillows and industrial tissue paper. Tenso included the Amazon invoices from the original packages. Outside of the box was a sealed transparent pouch for the EMS (Express Mail Service) label, invoices, and customs form (Customs Form CN 23). If the Tenso site ever asks you a package value it’s for the customs form.

Fist of the North Star OST

This is actually a Pachislot OST. I wanted the the OP “Ai wo Torimodose!!” and this CD has it for $8.00. It has all the full version OPs and EDs for Fist of the North Star. It also comes with a DVD containing footage from the Pachislot game. The picture I took shows a defect in the case. It’s cardboard bonded to a plastic film making it glossy. Well, that film is wrinkled on the front. I used Photoshop to take out the defect for my iTunes cover.

The case was shrink wrapped. Once I opened the case the plastic CD holders fell out. The glue used to bond them to the case did not stick. The CD and DVD were new. Both played fine. I didn’t count the case against the seller when leaving feedback. He might have mentioned it in the description. Bottom line: I bought it cheap.

Urusei Yatsura TV Best Theme Songs

I shouldn’t have put off buying this CD till now. The songs are actually pretty good and full versions. All of them made it to my play list except “Hoshizora Cycling.” Steffanie sings great. Her songs could fit in today’s music. I had a tough time tracking her down. Her real name is Steffanie Borges. Of course, I’ve seen Urusei Yatsura. That’s the case with most of the anime music I buy. As a bonus, I have DVD volume 50 which has all the OPs and EDs.