2005–2006Hamasaki’s 35th single, “Step you/Is this Love?,” was released in April. It was a double a-side single featuring “Step You” (used in TV spots for Panasonic) and “Is This Love?” (for Morinaga chocolates). The single topped the daily, weekly, and monthly Oricon charts. It held the number-one spot on the weekly charts for two weeks running and went on to sell over 345,000 copies, becoming Hamasaki’s highest-selling single in 2005 as well since her 2003 single “No Way to Say.”
Her 36th single, Fairyland, which was coupled with the song Alterna, was released on August 3, 2005. It debuted at number-one on the Oricon charts. It was also her first single to feature different cover art for the CD version and the CD + DVD version.
Hamasaki's 37th single, Heaven, was released on September 14, 2005. The song was used as the theme song of the movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade. The single had also included Will, which Hamasaki co-composed under the name of CREA. It was her 12th consecutive number-one single starting with Free & Easy in 2002.
Hamasaki's 38th single Bold & Delicious/Pride, a cover of the Sweetbox songs by the same name, followed with its release on November 30, 2005. The single had first-week sales of about 84,000, achieving the number-one spot on the Oricon charts. Bold & Delicious became Hamasaki's 25th number-one single, tying her with Seiko Matsuda for the most number-one singles by a solo female artist.
Hamasaki’s 7th studio album, (miss)understood, was officially released on January 1, 2006. It debuted with sales of about 650,000 copies, reaching the number-one spot on the World Global Charts, a first-time feat for her.
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