Tracks:

1. Rocket Sneaker

2. One×Time

3. Sora to Kujira

4. Rocket Sneaker (Instrumental)

5. One×Time (Instrumental)

Ai Otsuka’s Rocket Sneaker / One×Time was released on May 21st, 2008. It’s her 18th single and it debuted at #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts, selling  a total of 42,152 copies. The title track was used as the ending theme to the drama Sanma no Manma.

After Pocket, we were left with a little more reserved and quiet Otsuka, that was until Rocket Sneaker came around. This song ditches the pleasant ballad, and becomes a happy and upbeat pop song… well, I guess you could call it a pop song. Before when I didn’t like Ai Otsuka, this would probably be a song I would despise, mainly for the vocals, but now that I like her, I love her gritty, yet fun vocals that fit amazingly with the song. I love the upbeat piano and the amazing guitar riffs that really make the song a lot more enjoyable in terms of instrumental. I’d love to hear another song like this in the future, because I think Otsuka can really pull off the more upbeat, but less cutesy tracks.

To me, One×Time is like the ballad version of the A-side because it has a similar melody and arrangement (but with more strings and piano of course) as well as the less gritty vocals. I love the acoustics throughout the song, I think that’s what really made me like the song more. I also love the snapping beats during and after the chorus. I thought this was a nice contrast to the A-side.

I’ve heard a lot of positive AND negative about this next track. Sora to Kujira is a more reserved acoustic track that starts off a little on the boring side in the first verse/chorus but picks up after it, adding more percussion and backing vocals.. I have to say, I actually quite enjoy this song because I LOVE acoustic guitar and I think this song is quite pleasant. A certain friend of mine said this is the only Ai Otsuka song that can really put him to sleep (and in a bad way too) and another said he liked it so much he named his blog after it (dead giveaway.)

Overall Grade: