Best: First Things

Best: First Things (stylised as Best ~first things~) is the debut greatest hits album by Japanese singer Koda Kumi. Rhythm Zone released it in a variety of formats on September 21, 2005. The album is divided into two discs, each containing a single released by Koda between her 2000 debut with "Take Back" and her most recent single, "Hot Stuff" in 2005. The second disc contains four new singles: "Butterfly", "Flower", "Promise", and "Star", as well as a bonus track, the solo version of "The Meaning of Peace".

CDJournal, a Japanese music magazine, praised Best: First Things for highlighting Koda's musical repertoire and vocal performance. It debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart and charted for more than 150 weeks. The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified the album double million for exceeding two million units sold, and holds as Koda's best-selling album. Before embarking on her 2005 First Things concert tour in Japan, Koda hosted a special event at Shibuya Station in which fans recreated the dress she wore on the album's cover.

Content and release
Best: First Things is Koda's first greatest hits album, including all of her singles from "Take Back" (2000) to her most recent single, "Hot Stuff" with KM-Markit. Rena Koyanagi remastered each song on Best: First Things, which was executive produced by Max Matsuura. The album is divided into two discs and has a total of 23 songs. The first disc includes a new song called "No Tricks," and the second disc includes four new singles: "Butterfly", "Flower", "Promise", and "Star", as well as a bonus track, the solo version of "The Meaning of Peace."

Rhythm Zone released Best: First Things in a variety of formats on September 21, 2005. The standard release included two discs of material and came in a large jewel case. The DVD version included music videos for all of the album's songs except "No Tricks," "1000 no Kotoba," "Flower," and "Star." First-press DVD editions included a promotional video for Best: First Things, while standard first-press editions included a slipcase and an additional booklet. Rhythm Zone later distributed the album across Asia, including China, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Promotion
On June 22, 2005, Rhythm Zone released the lead single "Butterfly" to promote the album. The single's physical and digital editions include the B-sides "Your Sunshine" and "Taisetsu na kimi e," as well as instrumental versions and a music video for "Butterfly". The single was commercially successful, peaking at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart. The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified it in three categories: triple platinum for over 750,000 ringtone downloads, platinum for over 250,000 cellphone downloads, and gold for more than 100,000 units sold in Japan.

"Flower" was released as the album's second single on August 10, 2005. The single's physical and digital versions contain both an acoustic and instrumental version of the song. The single achieved commercial success, peaking at number four on the Oricon Singles Chart. The RIAJ certified it twice: gold for 100,000 physical units and double platinum for 500,000 ringtone downloads.

On September 7, 2005, "Promise" and "Star" were released as a double A-side, becoming the third and final single from the album. Each track and its instrumental version are available in physical and digital formats, along with a DVD containing music videos for both songs. The single achieved commercial success, peaking at number four on the Oricon Singles Chart. The single was certified gold by the RIAJ, and "Promise" sold over 500,000 ringtone and 100,000 cellphone downloads.

Koda held a special event at Shibuya Station to promote the album, with fans replicating the dress she wore on the cover. Winners received either a signed copy of the album or Kumi's debut concert DVD, Secret First Class Limited Live (2005). Koda went on to tour Japan with her First Things concert tour in 2005. The tour was recorded at Osaka-jō Hall and released as a live DVD on September 13, 2006.

Reception
CDJournal, a Japanese music publication, praised Best: First Things for highlighting Koda's music catalogue and vocal performance, calling the album "gorgeous". The album and its content have received numerous accolades since its release; Koda won her first award at the 47th Japan Record Awards for "Butterfly" on December 31, 2005, and was awarded the Triple Crown at the Japan Gold Disc Awards on March 10, 2006, for winning three awards: Pop Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year for Best: First Things, and Music Video of the Year for "Butterfly". She won Best Female Video and Video of the Year for "Butterfly" at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.

Best: First Things achieved commercial success in Japan. The album debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 558,916 copies in its first week; it was her first number-one album and stayed there for a second week. It peaked at sixth place on the Oricon Year-end Chart in 2006, selling over 1.207 million copies. The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified the album double million for sales exceeding two million units. According to Oricon, Best: First Things has sold 1,916,661 copies across Japan.

Koda revealed in her lifestyle book Koda Reki (2011) that the Best: First Things era, as well as her experiences throughout 2005, were her career highlights, thanking her family and fans for emphasising Koda's Ero-Kawaii aesthetic, which was noted in various Japanese publications at the time.