The discography of Japanese musician Chara consists of fifteen studio albums, four compilation albums, two live albums, three extended plays one soundtrack, eight video albums and fifty singles. Chara debuted as a musician in 1991 with Sony Music Entertainment Japan, and saw great success with the singles "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)" (1996), the theme song for the film Swallowtail, and "Yasashii Kimochi" (1997). After releasing ten albums with the label, Chara left Sony in 2004 to become an independent musician, releasing the album Something Blue (2005). The next year, Chara signed her second major label contract with Universal Music Japan, releasing four albums between 2007 and 2011.
After a second brief period where she worked independently, releasing the extended play Utakata (2011), Chara signed a contract with Sony sublabel Ki/oon Music, releasing the albums Cocoon (2012), Jewel (2013) and Secret Garden (2015).
Albums Studio albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN) CertificationsJPN SweetReleased: November 1, 1991 Label: Sony Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download 64 11,000 Soul KissReleased: September 1, 1992 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 14 65,000 Violet BlueReleased: September 9, 1993 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 4 123,000 Happy ToyReleased: October 10, 1994 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 4 145,000 Junior SweetReleased: September 21, 1997 Label: Sony Formats: CD, MiniDisc, digital download 1 1,055,000RIAJ: Million Strange FruitsReleased: March 17, 1999 Label: Sony Formats: CD, MD, digital download 3 317,000RIAJ: Platinum Released: July 18, 2001 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 8 117,000RIAJ: Gold Released: March 19, 2003 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 17 47,000 Something BlueReleased: August 31, 2005 Label: independent Formats: CD — UnionReleased: February 28, 2007 Label: Universal Japan Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 4 51,000 HoneyReleased: June 25, 2008 Label: Universal Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 12 38,000 CarolReleased: December 9, 2009 Label: Universal Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 20 16,000 Dark CandyReleased: April 13, 2011 Label: Universal Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 27 5,000 CocoonReleased: October 31, 2012 Label: Ki/oon Music Formats: CD, digital download 20 6,000 Secret GardenReleased: March 4, 2015 Label: Ki/oon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 39 5,000 SympathyReleased: July 19, 2017 Label: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 32 Baby BumpReleased: December 19, 2018 Label: Universal Formats: CD, digital download "—" denotes items that did not chart.
Collaborative Studio albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales CertificationsJPN echoReleased: February 14, 2020 Label: Sony Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download7 "—" denotes items that did not chart.
Live albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPN Live 97–99 Mood Released: March 8, 2000 Label: Sony Formats: 2CD, digital download 20 45,000 MTV Unplugged Chara Released: February 27, 2013 Label: Ki/oon Formats: CD, digital download 254 400
Compilation albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN) CertificationsJPN Chara the Best Baby Baby Baby XXX Released: October 10, 1995 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 5 190,000RIAJ: Gold Caramel Milk: The Best of Chara Released: November 1, 2000 Label: Sony Formats: CD, MD, digital download 2 520,000RIAJ: Platinum Sugar Hunter: The Best Love Songs of Chara Released: September 5, 2007 Label: Sony Formats: 2CD, digital download 14 65,000 Very Special Released: January 26, 2011 Label: Universal Formats: CD, digital download 24 7,000
Self-cover albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPNTWN East Asian A Scenery Like Me Released: February 18, 2004 Label: Sony Formats: CD, digital download 27 — 19,000 Jewel Released: November 13, 2013 Label: Ki/oon Formats: CD, digital download 24 12 5,000
Soundtrack albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN) CertificationsJPN Montage Among Yen Town Band for the film Swallowtail Butterfly Released: September 16, 1996 Label: Sony Formats: CD, MiniDisc, digital download 1 784,000RIAJ: 2× Platinum
Extended plays
+ List of EPs, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPN The Singles Re-Mixed Released: September 21, 1995 Label: Sony Formats: 8cm single 95 3,000 Kiss Released: September 24, 2008 Label: Universal Formats: CD, digital download 30 12,000 Released: November 2, 2011 Label: Happy Toy Formats: CD, digital download 56 3,000Inner Peace Released: December 15, 2020 Label: Happy Toy Formats: digital download
Singles
As a lead artist
+ List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Sales (JPN) Certifications AlbumOricon Singles ChartsBillboard Japan Hot 100 "Heaven" 1991 — — Sweet "Sweet"1992 — — "No Toy" — — — — Soul Kiss — — 1993 66 — 14,000Violet Blue 70 — 10,000 "Private Beach" — 87 — 7,000 "Gifted Child" — — 1994 55 — 15,000Happy Toy 41 — 38,000 "Tiny Tiny Tiny" 1995 62 — 13,000 Chara the Best (among Yen Town Band) 1996 1 — 878,000 RIAJ (physical): Platinum Montage 1997 7 76 521,000RIAJ (physical): Platinum RIAJ (cellphone): GoldJunior Sweet 12 — 204,000RIAJ (physical): Gold 48 — 17,000 "Duca"1998 25 — 44,000Strange Fruits 17 — 54,000 1999 36 — 22,000 (Chara+Yuki) 6 — 230,000RIAJ (physical): GoldNon-album single 2000 12 — 59,000Caramel Milk 14 — 51,000 2001 32 — 26,000Madrigal 37 — 13,000 78 — 2,000 2002 16 — 12,000Yoake Mae 2003 71 — 3,000 2006 24 — 9,000Union "Crazy for You" 24 — 4,000 "Fantasy"2007 13 — 13,000 "Cherry Cherry" 44 — 6,000Honey 44 — 7,000 "Trophy" 2008 37 57 3,000 "Breaking Hearts"2009 28 78 4,000Carol 47 69 4,000 2012 102 48 700Cocoon 105 — 600 87 96 1,000 "Hug"2013 148 — 400Secret Garden 118 45 600 2014 — — "Rainbow" — — — — (among Yen Town Band) 2015 28 67 4,000 "A.O.U." 2022 34 "—" denotes items that did not chart, or were released before the creation of the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in 2008.
As a featured artist
+ List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Sales (JPN) Certifications AlbumOricon Singles ChartsBillboard Japan Hot 100 (Yasuyuki Okamura featuring Chara) 1992 25 — 29,000 Kinjirareta Ikigai (Chara with The 99 1/2) 1996 37 — 40,000 More (Than 100) "Let Me Know"(Towa Tei featuring Chara) 1999 34 — 20,000 Last Century Modern "Atari" ("Hit")(Satoshi Tomiie featuring Chara) 2000 68 — 11,000 Non-album single "Zero Landmine"(among N.M.L.) 2001 1 — 556,000RIAJ (physical): Platinum Non-album single (Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra featuring Chara) 2006 16 — 20,000 Wild Peace "I Don't Know"(Chara x Insist) 2014 30 64 4,000 Non-album single
Promotional singles
+ List of promotional singles with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumBillboard Japan Hot 100 "Junior Sweet" 1997 — Junior Sweet 2005 — Non-album single 2008 67 Honey "Time After Time"(Chara x Hanaregumi) — Kiss 2011 — Non-album single 2015 — Secret Garden"—" denotes items that did not chart, or were released before the creation of the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in 2008.
Other appearances
+ List of non-studio album or guest appearances that feature Chara Title Year Album (Titi Matsumura featuring Chara) 1993 Funa no Yō na Onna "Everytime We Say Good-bye"(Titi Matsumura featuring Chara) "I Want You"(Oh! Penelope featuring Chara) 1997 Milk & Cookies (Tadanobu Asano featuring Chara) 1999 We Love Butchers "Mind Expansions"(Cosmic Village featuring Chara) 2004 Re:KJM (Kumiko Yamashita featuring Chara & Mayumi Chiwaki & You) 2005 Duets 2006 Jewel Songs: Seiko Matsuda Tribute & Covers "Love to Live By"(M-Flo loves Chara)2007 Cosmicolor "Magicsweets"(Yoko Kanno featuring Chara) CM Yoko "Magicsweets (Masao Nisugi Remix)"(Yoko Kanno featuring Chara) "Love to Live By (FPM Eclectic Electric Mix)"(M-Flo loves Chara) ElectriColor 2008 Otanjōbi Kinengō (2008 anniversary kit issue) "Crazy for You (Club Edit)" Sound Concierge JAPAN "Japanese Lyric Dance" "Seven Nation Army"(Afra & Incredible Beatbox Band featuring Chara) World Class "Soul Ryder"(Kohey Tsuchiya featuring Chara) "Music Flower" (single) "Seven Nation Army (House Nation Sweet Monday Remix)"(Afra & Incredible Beatbox Band featuring Chara) House Nation Forth Gig "Chaos"(Curly Giraffe featuring Chara)2009 Thank You for Being a Friend E.P. / Thank You for Being a Friend "On Cloud Nine"(Curly Giraffe featuring Chara) Thank You for Being a Friend "Wherever You Go"(Basement Jaxx featuring Chara)2014 Junto "Shinkiro" ("Mirage")(TK from Ling Tosite Sigure featuring Chara) Fantastic Magic "Commit Ballad"(toe featuring Chara) 2015 Hear You
Video albums + List of media, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN DVDJPN Blu-ray Kiss Released: July 21, 1993 Label: Sony Formats: VHS, LaserDisc — — Chara's Clips 1991–1997 Released: September 21, 1997 Label: Sony Formats: VHS — — Chara's Clips 1997–2001 Released: October 11, 2001 Label: Sony Formats: VHS, DVD — — Skirt: Short Film Released: October 11, 2001 Label: Sony Formats: DVD — — Live Life: Chara's Union Live House Tour 2007 Released: August 29, 2007 Label: Universal Formats: DVD 34 — Live Life 2: Chara Tour 2008 Honey Released: July 29, 2009 Label: Universal Formats: DVD 56 — Live Tour 2011 "Very Special" Released: June 6, 2012 Label: Universal Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 97 — MTV Unplugged Chara Released: February 27, 2013 Label: Ki/oon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 208 144
Notes
References