Infinite's She's Back [Limited + Normal versions: Review/Unboxing]
11:36 PM
Hello everyone! Today I am back with another Infinite review/unboxing. This time it will be about an oldie but a goodie, She's Back Japanese single limited and normal versions. I've own the limited edition release of this single for a couple of years now since it was one of the things I purchased when I first began collecting Infinite's merchandise. At the time, the thought of being an actual collector didn't really cross my mind so this version was my only priority (over the normal jewel case version). I recently received the normal version in the mail after years of putting it off. I found it for a very cheap price along with a special bonus while browsing on Yahoo Japan Auctions so it finally pushed me to purchase it. Now, this single only comes with three tracks and they are the Japanese versions of Infinite's She's Back and Come Back Again. Here's the tracklist:
- She's Back -Japanese Ver.-
- TO-RA-WA (Come Back Again) -Japanese Ver.-
- She's Back -Korean Remix Ver.-
The songs are nothing new aside from the fact that they are sang in Japanese lyrics instead of the usual Korean. Of course there are a couple of variations in terms of the actual lyrics themselves when compared to their original Korean versions. I won't be diving too deep into details about the song contents since everyone and their mothers knows about these by now (unless you're new to the Kpop scene. Otherwise I can't think of any other excuses). Let's just jump right into the other contents of these two versions. First let's take a look at the limited edition version (that's been sold out for a while now! can safely considered to be one of Infinite's rare merchandise):
Limited edition version & Normal version
Inside content of limited edition (photobook)
The limited edition version includes a regular CD (top) and a DVD (bottom)
The photobook itself is very thick and heavy. It's an A4 size in dimensions. There are 180 pages in total counting. It's printed on a high quality material paper and feels securely binded. Of course I wouldn't recommend you bending the pages while handling it since it can still be exposed to be possibility of damages if not careful. It's sturdy but it's still isn't a textbook format where you can easily bend the spine however you want. The front and back covers are not stiff hard cover material but they're slightly tougher material compared to the content's pages. The following photos are some shots of the pages inside.
The back image of the photobook.
Up next I will move on to reviewing the Normal version of She's Back. As per usual, it's packaged in the traditional jewel case and comes with a mini photobook. The photos are chosen straight out of the Limited edition version. They are the same exact photos, arranged in different manners. Of course not all are included.
Front, back, and the inside of Normal version
First pages of the photo booklet
Cute OT7 shots and the back of the photo booklet
For this release back in 2012, a special limited edition postcards were included as a pre-order bonus. Depending on where you made your purchase during this offer period, you'd be given one random member's postcard. Now when I said random, it isn't quite exactly random since you have the choice of choosing where you'd want to make your purchase according to a list that was released. This is how the order has been set ever since this release of She's Back (because it was the same case scenario for Koi ni Ochiru Toki):
- Sunggyu → CDJapan
- Dongwoo → Famima
- Woohyun → Shinseido
- Hoya → Yesasia
- Sungyeol → HMV
- Myungsoo → Tower Records
- Sungjong → Yamano-Music
When I ordered my copy of the Limited edition version, I made it through Yesasia back in 2013, about a year later. It has been sold out since then so I was lucky enough to snag a copy for myself along with a member postcard. Back then, I still didn't have much knowledge about collecting and the little bits and bobs that came along with certain merchandise. It was a surprise receiving Hoya's postcard in my order when I received it. Hopefully from the previous post, you can tell that Hoya isn't my bias so I went on for 2 years, stuck with his postcard. Last month, I was lucky to have found a listing for the Normal version CD plus Sungyeol's postcard for only about ¥300 ($2.51 American dollars) in total. If that's not a bargain I don't know what is. The CD has been opened but it has never been played and everything is in perfect condition so I'm very happy about that. The Normal version didn't come with a photocard, however but the Limited edition version did in fact come with a photocard the size of the photobook (A4). Here's some photos:
A4 random member photocard (included in Limited edition only) and the limited member postcard gifted by respective pre-order music sites.
As a final thought on this release of She's Back, it's a must have for those who's obsessed with photobooks (like I am) because the Limited edition version is probably one of my favorite Infinite photobooks that I own in my collection. For casual fans I'd suggest buying the Normal version since they're still copies available for purchase under a reasonable price compared to the out of print Limited edition.
I honestly didn't think I'd be able to stumble upon Yeol's postcard after a year of searching for sellers and traders all over the web. Collecting merchandise (Infinite and Bangtan alike) can be a big waiting game with a lot of luck required. You can encounter the item(s) that you're after with a heavy and pricey amount pinned to it. Depending on how much the item's actually worth at the moment, you should do more research and check up on respective collectors' (for whichever fandom you're collecting) social medias to find out more for your money and efforts worth. I've encountered a couple of very nice folks who had helped me out with collecting Bangtan merchandise so I'm sure you'll be able to meet a few on your own too. Collecting is a big investment in time and money but it can be very satisfying to own merchandise from your favorite kiddos. I'm thinking of putting out a post entry solely focusing on the topic of collecting Infinite and Bangtan merchandise with things like a basic guide, my thoughts and previous experiences, along with where to actually look for merchandise in the very near future. Please do stay tune and check back for that! Thank you for visiting and reading my review/unboxing! See you in my next post! (^-:
-H
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