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Single Collection+ Hotchpotch

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Single Collection+ Hotchpotch
Compilation album by
Maaya Sakamoto
ReleasedDecember 16, 1999
Genre
Length1:09:27
LabelVictor Entertainment
ProducerYoko Kanno
Maaya Sakamoto chronology
Dive
(1998) 		Single Collection+ Hotchpotch
(1999) 		Lucy
(2001)
Singles from Single Collection+ Hotchpotch
  1. "Yakusoku wa Iranai"
    Released: April 24, 1996
  2. "Gift"
    Released: September 22, 1997
  3. "Kiseki no Umi"
    Released: April 22, 1998
  4. "Platinum"
    Released: October 21, 1999

Single Collection+ Hotchpotch (シングルコレクション＋（プラス）ハチポチ, Shinguru Korekushon Purasu Hachipochi) is the first compilation album released by Japanese singer Maaya Sakamoto. The album was originally released in Japan by Victor Entertainment in 1999.[1]

Background and release

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The idea behind releasing Hotchpotch came partly to compile her 8-cm singles before they were discontinued, gathering tracks from singles and soundtracks. She named the album Hachipochi (in katakana) after the English word "hotchpotch," giving the idea of multiple things mixed together.[2] The plus (+) on the title represents the new songs included as bonus apart from the singles.[3] She further explained the idea of the album as to keep Sakamoto's anime tie-in songs separate from tracks intended for her studio albums.[4] In this line, Sakamoto explained: "Hachipochi was produced by Yoko Kanno [but] even though it was one producer, she had me sing such a wide range of sounds. The original Maaya Sakamoto albums and the anime tie-in songs actually had slightly different directions at times, so it felt tricky to blend the singles into the original albums. In a way, we had no choice but to separate them."[5]

Hotchpotch primarily compiles Maaya Sakamoto's early anime tie-in singles and soundtrack contributions from 1996 to 1999. "Yakusoku wa Iranai" was her debut single, and also served as the opening theme for The Vision of Escaflowne, while "Tomodachi", "Pocket o Kara ni Shite", and "Hikari no Naka e" were also used as insert and image songs from the same series;[6] "Bokura no Rekishi" was used as theme song for the radio drama Clamp School Detectives, while "Gift" was used as ending theme for the Clamp School Detectives TV anime series.[6] "Kiseki no Umi" served as opening theme for Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight,[6] "Platinum" as opening theme for the Sakura Card Arc of Cardcaptor Sakura, and "Light of Love" was used as image song for Brain Powerd.[6] Non-tie-ins include "Kimi ni Ai ni Ikō" (b-side to "Gift") and "Active Heart" (b-side to "Kiseki no Umi"), "24" (b-side to "Platinum), and "Pilot" (b-side to "Hashiru"). The only two previously-unreleased songs at the time of this release were "Koibito ni Tsuite" and "Call Your Name". "Koibito ni Tsuite" is the Japanese-lyric version of Sakamoto's song "Dreams in a Pie", which was used as insert song on the Dreamcast video game Napple Tale: Arsia in Daydream released in 2000,[7][8] while "Call Your Name" served as ending theme for the radio drama Escaflowne: Prologue.[9]

On July 5, 2005, the album was released in the United States by Geneon Entertainment USA,[10] becoming her first US release. This edition features the same track listing as the Japanese release, but includes English translations of the song titles in brackets on the back cover and booklet. That same year, Sakamoto attended the US Anime Expo 2005 held in Anaheim, California, invited by Geneon, where she performed songs from Hotchpotch.[11]

On March 24, 2010, the album was re-issued by FlyingDog.[12]

Critical reception

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Tower Records praised Hotchpotch as an essential debut singles collection, highlighting the "straightforward and crystal-clear" quality of Sakamoto's voice, which "is sure to captivate every listener," and affirming her "more than enough charm and skill as a female vocalist" beyond her anime and game ties.[13] Writing a 2010 retrospective review on the album for Tower Records, Toshihiro Baba lauded this compilation, noting melodies that could be reminiscent of Carole King and Motown music ("Tomodachi", "Bokura no Rekishi"), and deeming the single tracks as a "tasteful pop" assortment, featuring "comfortable tempos, skillfully deployed sounds, and [Sakamoto's] vocals with a touch of melancholy." Additionally, Baba noted how the final three tracks showcase different facets of Sakamoto's vocal expression, with particular emphasis on "Call My Name", which, in Baba's opinion "[felt] like stepping into a new chapter" on Sakamoto's career.[13] On the other hand, Japanese magazine CD Journal praised Yoko Kanno's "healing world music" production on the record and, while noting similarities to Mimori Yusa, noted that "as a subculture idol, [Sakamoto] is undeniably more thorough" who "excels at satisfying the snobbery of otaku fans."[14]

Commercial performance

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Hotchpotch debuted at number 14 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart,[1] selling 23,170 copies on its first week.[15] The album charted for nine weeks, with reported sales totaling 60,130 copies.[15]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Yuho Iwasato, except where noted; all music is composed by Yoko Kanno.

No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Yakusoku wa Iranai" (約束はいらない, lit. 'I Don't Need Promises') 3:35
2."Tomodachi" (ともだち, lit. 'Friend') 3:41
3."Bokura no Rekishi" (ボクらの歴史, lit. 'Our History') 4:21
4."Gift" 5:48
5."Kimi ni Ai ni Ikō" (君に会いにいこう, lit. 'I'll Go Meet You') 5:14
6."Hikari no Naka e" (光の中へ, lit. 'Inside the Light') 4:40
7."Light of love" 7:54
8."Kiseki no Umi" (奇跡の海, lit. 'Sea of Miracles') 4:09
9."Active Heart" 4:15
10."Pilot" (パイロット)Maaya Sakamoto3:55
11."Platinum" (プラチナ) 4:11
12."24"Kazumi Someya4:49
13."Koibito ni Tsuite" (恋人について, lit. 'About My Lover')Yōji Kubota4:22
14."Pocket o Kara ni Shite" (ポケットを空にして, lit. 'Empty Your Pockets') 4:08
15."Call Your Name"Sakamoto4:17
Total length:1:09:27

Charts

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Chart Peak
position 		Sales
Oricon Weekly Albums 14[1] 60,130

References

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  1. ^ a b c "シングルコレクションプラス「ハチポチ」 | 坂本真綾". Oricon. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  2. ^ Usuki, Shigeaki (November 13, 2012). "坂本真綾「シングルコレクション＋ミツバチ」インタビュー＆ツアー直前座談会". Ongaku Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  3. ^ "Single Collection+ Hotchpotch at JVC Music Website". Archived from the original on 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  4. ^ Ueno, Miki (July 1, 2020). "坂本真綾 25周年スペシャルインタビュー". Maaya Sakamoto Official Website (in Japanese). FlyingDog. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  5. ^ Kato, Takeshi (July 14, 2020). "坂本真綾 デビュー25周年の今語る「様々な色に染まれる満足感」 4年半ぶりのインタビュー公開". Spice (in Japanese). Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "坂本真綾／シングルコレクションプラス「ハチポチ」". Kinokuniya (in Japanese). Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  7. ^ "菅野よう子が音楽を手掛けたゲーム『Napple Tale』サントラが復刻！坂本真綾も参加". CD Journal (in Japanese). June 9, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  8. ^ "Yoko Kanno feat. Maaya Sakamoto - Dreams in a pie". YouTube. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  9. ^ "Call Your Name". Yoko Kanno Official Website. Meow on the Bridge Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  10. ^ "Single Collection: Hotchpotch - Maaya Sakamoto". AllMusic. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  11. ^ Avila, Kat (August 2005). "Anime Expo 2005 Sets New Attendance Record". Sequential Tart. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  12. ^ "シングルコレクションプラス「ハチポチ」 | 坂本真綾". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "シングルコレクション プラス「ハチポチ」/坂本真綾". Tower Records (in Japanese). April 8, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2025. Go to "商品説明"
  14. ^ "坂本真綾 / シングルコレクション プラス ハチポチ【廃盤】". CDJournal (in Japanese). Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
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