Perfect Crime is the second studio album by Japanese recording artist Mai Kuraki. It was released on July 4, 2001, by Giza Studio.
Background and Production
Kuraki stated that while she was completely absorbed in the production of her first album, Delicious Way (2000), Perfect Crime felt like it had been created with so much diligence and character that listening to it was similar to watching a film. The album was recorded between 2000 and 2001 and was produced by Kanonji.
Genre and Style
The album is classified as Pop and R&B, with a total length of 56 minutes and 37 seconds.
Commercial Performance
Perfect Crime debuted at number one on the Oricon chart, selling 800,210 copies in its first week. It was certified 4× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) after shipping over 1.6 million copies. As of February 2018, the album had sold over 1,319,970 copies in Japan. It was the 12th best-selling album of 2001 in Japan and remained on the Oricon albums chart for a total of 17 weeks, with six weeks spent in the top 10.
Singles
Five singles were released from the album:
- "Reach for the Sky" (November 8, 2000) — Debuted at number three on the Oricon chart; sold over 468,320 copies; certified platinum by RIAJ. Used as the theme song for the 2000 Japanese TV program Audrey.
- "Tsumetai Umi / Start in My Life" (February 7, 2001) — Double A-side single that peaked at number two; sold over 356,310 copies; certified platinum. "Start in My Life" was used as the eleventh ending theme to the anime Case Closed.
- "Stand Up" (April 18, 2001) — The biggest hit from the album; sold over 476,000 copies; certified platinum. It became the 32nd best-selling song of 2001 in Japan.
- "Always" (June 6, 2001) — Sold over 219,940 copies; certified platinum. Used as the twelfth ending theme to Case Closed and as the theme song to the fifth film in the series, Countdown to Heaven.
- "Perfect Crime: Single Edit" (August 18, 2001) — Released as a double A-side with "Can't Forget Your Love"; peaked at number two on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Track Listing
All lyrics were written by Mai Kuraki except where noted.
- "Perfect Crime" — 4:37
- "Start in My Life" — 5:08
- "Reach for the Sky" — 4:48
- "Brand New Day" — 3:47
- "Stand Up" — 4:38
- "Come On! Come On!" — 4:10
- "Always" — 4:09
- "What Are You Waiting For" — 5:04
- "Think About" — 4:44
- "Tsumetai Umi" — 4:42
- "Reach for the Sky (Gomi Remix: Radio Edit)" — 4:12
- "Itsuka wa Ano Sora ni" — 4:32
- "The Rose ~Melody in the Sky~" — 2:00
Total length: 56:37
Charts
- Oricon Albums Chart (weekly): Peak position #1
- Japanese Albums Chart (daily): Peak position #1
- Japanese Albums Chart (monthly): Peak position #3
- Japanese Albums Chart (yearly, 2001): Peak position #12
Certifications
- Japan (RIAJ): 4× Platinum (1,600,000 units shipped)
Release History
- July 4, 2001: CD release in Japan on Giza Studio
- 2008: Digital download release
