Past Future

The only physical single to be released from this album is the double A-side single "Wild/Dr." The single was a success, becoming her eleventh number one on the Oricon Singles Chart.{{cite web|title=WILD/Dr. 安室奈美恵|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/191925/products/808118/1/|work=Oricon|accessdate=June 8, 2024}} "Wild" became her second number one on the Japan Hot 100, according to Billboard Japan.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2009&month=03&day=30 |title=Japan Billboard Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard Japan |language=Japanese |date=March 30, 2009 |access-date=August 21, 2024}} The single sold over 119,000 units in Japan, her seventh highest-selling single in the 2000s decade, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for exceeding shipments of 100,000 units.{{cite web | title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 |trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp |language=ja | work=Oricon |url-access=subscription | access-date=May 21, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200903.html|title=ゴールド等認定作品認定 2009年3月|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)|language=Japanese|accessdate=June 8, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417045533/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200903.html|archivedate=April 17, 2009}} Both "Wild" and "Dr." served as advertising jingles for Coca-Cola Zero and Vidal Sassoon respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/13236|title=コカ・コーラ・ゼロ新CMで安室が汗だくWILDダンス|access-date=2024-04-03|language=ja}}{{cite web | url=http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/090121/gnj0901210503008-n1.htm | title=Vidal Sassoon Commercial featuring Namie Amuro | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410081436/http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/090121/gnj0901210503008-n1.htm | archive-date=April 10, 2009}} After the release of the single "Wild/Dr.," the first songs to be promoted from the album were "My Love" and "Copy That," which appeared in new commercials for Vidal Sassoon. They premiered on the web first and later on television in October 2009.{{cite web|title=安室が宇宙でリボーン！ヴィダルサスーン新CM公開|url=http://natalie.mu/news/show/id/21592}} "My Love" would later make its radio premiere on J-Wave's Groove Line on October 27.{{cite web|title=新曲「MY LOVE」をラジオ初オンエア！〜|url=http://www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/info.html#info_091026|access-date=2009-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606052544/http://www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/info.html#info_091026|archive-date=2011-06-06|url-status=dead}} Both "My Love" and "Copy That" were released as ringtones online on November 18. Two more songs from the album, "Fast Car" and "The Meaning Of Us" also made their radio premieres on November 23 and 24.{{cite web|title=～待望のオリジナルアルバム発売決定!!!～|url=http://www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/info.html|access-date=2009-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606052544/http://www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/info.html|archive-date=2011-06-06|url-status=dead}}

The music video for "The Meaning Of Us," which was directed by Shigeaki Kubo,{{cite web | url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0077444&ch=0 | title= The Meaning of Us: ミュージックビデオサーチ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714181449/http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0077444&ch=0 | archive-date=July 14, 2014}} features Amuro alone in a house during several timelines and the video alternates between these scenes. The music video for "Dr." is entirely animated and is Amuro's first fully animated music video. It was animated by Kamikaze Douga, and directed by Mizusaki Junpei.{{cite web | url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0072538&ch=0 | title= Dr.: ミュージックビデオサーチ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714133948/http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0072538&ch=0 | archive-date=July 14, 2014}} Tanakazoo directed the music video for "Defend Love."{{cite web | url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0077846&ch=0 | title= Defend Love: ミュージックビデオサーチ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144359/http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0077846&ch=0 | archive-date=July 14, 2014}} The "Defend Love" music video was a collaboration with Sunrise Animation, featuring Namie Amuro as an animated character interacting with Amuro Ray of Mobile Suit Gundam.{{Cite web |date=June 11, 2010 |title=安室奈美恵がタツノコキャラに コラボ企画スタート |url=https://animeanime.jp/article/2010/06/11/6571.html |access-date=May 31, 2024 |website=animeanime.jp |language=ja}} Part of the video re-creates the encounter between Amuro Ray and Lalah Sune in the Ghost of Solomon event, with Namie Amuro in place of Lalah piloting a pink Elmeth.{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2009 |title=安室奈美恵がアムロ・レイと対決!? 新曲"Defend Love"のPVで「機動戦士ガンダム」との世紀のコラボレーションが実現! |url=https://tower.jp/article/news/2009/12/15/100020535 |access-date=May 31, 2024 |website=tower.jp |language=ja}}

|rev1=Rolling Stone Japan

|rev1score={{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web| url=http://www.rollingstonejapan.com/?p=4142 |script-title=ja:安室奈美恵『PAST < FUTURE』 |publisher=Rolling Stone Japan |date=December 1, 2008 |access-date=December 3, 2008 |language=ja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726232902/http://www.rollingstonejapan.com/?p=4142 |archive-date=July 26, 2011}}

| rev2 = CD Journal

| rev2Score = (positive)

}}

Past received positive responses from music critics. Takurō Ueno rated the album four and a half out of five stars on Rolling Stone Japan. He gave the album a glowing review, stating: "Amuro's vocals are perfectly integrated with the sound in songs that range from futuristic to rock, such as "First Timer" and the already released single "Wild/Dr.." This ambitious work is unstoppable."

Past debuted at number one on the daily Oricon Albums Chart, with a first day sales tally of around 112,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/71709/|script-title=ja:安室奈美恵、2年半ぶりのオリジナルアルバムが1位スタート|date=2009-12-17|language=Japanese|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=2010-09-11}} At the end of its first week of release, the album went on to top the weekly albums chart, selling 330,742 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/091228a.html|title=Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week December 28, 2009|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=December 28, 2009|access-date=April 3, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106014843/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/091228a.html|archive-date=November 6, 2018|url-status=dead}} With the number one position of this album, she became the first solo artist to have an original album top the charts in each age group from her debut as a teenager through her 20s and into her 30s.{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/71830/full/|script-title=ja:30代でもアルバム1位、安室奈美恵が女性初10～30代首位制覇|date=2009-12-22|language=Japanese|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=2024-05-31}} Past also topped the charts in five Asian countries and regions, with Japan included, thus becoming the first Japanese female artist in history to achieve this record.{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/72798/full/|script-title=ja:安室奈美恵、アジア5ヶ国・地域でアルバムNo.1 日本人女性アーティスト初の快挙|date=2010-01-27|language=Japanese|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=2024-05-31}} The album dropped to number three on the chart on its second week, logging sales of 87,210 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100104a.html|title=Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week January 4, 2010|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=January 4, 2010|access-date=April 3, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106014842/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100104a.html|archive-date=November 6, 2018|url-status=dead}} It stayed at number three on its third week, shifting 79,187 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100118a.html|title=Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week January 18, 2010|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=January 18, 2010|access-date=April 3, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106014842/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100118a.html|archive-date=November 6, 2018|url-status=dead}} Past stayed in the top ten one last week on its fourth week, ranking at number nine and selling 15,488 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100125a.html|title=Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week January 25, 2010|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=January 25, 2010|access-date=April 3, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106014842/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/100125a.html|archive-date=November 6, 2018|url-status=dead}}