View source for MARS

{{Infobox Album | 
| Name        = MARS
| Type        = Mini
| Artist      = [[B'z]]
| Cover       = MARS.jpg
| Released    = May 29, 1991
| Genre       = Hard rock
| Recorded    = 
| Length      = 23:16
| Label       = BMG Victor
| Producer    = [[Tak Matsumoto]]
| Reviews     = 
| Last album  = '''2nd Mini'''<br>[[File:02m.jpg|link=WICKED BEAT|border|65px|right]]<br>''[[WICKED BEAT]]''<br/>(1990)
| This album  = '''3rd Mini'''<br>[[File:03m.jpg|link=|border|65px|right]]<br>''[[MARS]]''<br/>(1991)
| Next album  = '''4th Mini'''<br>[[File:04m.jpg|link=FRIENDS|border|65px|right]]<br>''[[FRIENDS]]''<br/>(1992)
}}

'''''MARS''''' is the third [[B'z Albums#Mini Albums|mini album]] by [[B'z]], released on May 29, 1991. The self-expressed genre of the album was "hard rock dance". While the album opens with a new Japanese song titled "Kodoku no Runaway" and is followed by a mostly instrumental title track, the track closes with three [[B'z English Songs|English reversions]] as had become a staple of their mini album releases to that point.

Notably, "Kodoku no Runaway" was originally written by B'z for another artist, female guitarist Ataka Miharu. Although not explicitly advertised as much, her version of the song actually features B’z outright. For the sessions, Tak wrote all-new music and Koshi provides chorus vocals throughout. It would be a year later that B'z would return to the composition as the source for the song found here, with Koshi completing the lyrics and often utilizing it as a vocal showcase in live shows for years to come.

The B-side to "[[LADY-GO-ROUND]]" and ''[[BREAK THROUGH]]'' album song "[[LADY-GO-ROUND|Love & Chain]]" was given its only reversion here as "Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~", while ''[[OFF THE LOCK]]'' inclusion "[[OFF THE LOCK|LOVING ALL NIGHT]]" received similar treatment. This would also be the first album to feature an English version of 1991 single "[[LADY NAVIGATION]]" which had just been released two months earlier. Later, for 1994's double album ''[[The 7th Blues]]'', a bluesy rendition would be released under the original title.

The title and harder sound of the album as opposed to previous mini album releases ''[[BAD COMMUNICATION]]'' and ''[[WICKED BEAT]]'' was inspired by the New York City club "MARS". The band visited the establishment whilst filming their first home video ''[[FILM RISKY]]'' the previous year where they also worked with mixer [[Jason Cosaro]] for the first time. He would return to mix all of the tracks found here as his last collaboration with the band.

Upon release, ''MARS'' debuted at the top of the Weekly Oricon Album chart with 664,010 copies. The release came eleven months after previous effort ''[[WICKED BEAT]]'' and saw a 550,000 copy increase over its sales total. As with all other B'z mini albums released to date, ''MARS'' has been certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for sales in excess of 1,730,500 physical copies sold. This would prime it as the highest-selling of the B'z mini albums, trailed by ''[[FRIENDS II]]''.

== Track listing ==
All music and guitar by [[Tak Matsumoto]]. All lyrics and lead vocals by [[Koshi Inaba]].

#'''[[Kodoku no Runaway (Lyrics)|Kodoku no Runaway]]''' — ''Lonely Runaway'', 孤独のRunaway
#: [[File:m03_01.ogg]] <font color="white">.</font>
#'''[[Mars (Lyrics)|Mars]]'''
#: [[File:m03_02.ogg]] <font color="white">.</font>
#'''[[Loving All Night ~Octopus Style~ (Lyrics)|Loving All Night ~Octopus Style~]]'''
#: [[File:m03_03.ogg]] <font color="white">.</font>
#'''[[Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~ (Lyrics)|Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~]]'''
#: [[File:m03_04.ogg]] <font color="white">.</font>
#'''[[LADY NAVIGATION ~Cookie & Car Stereo Style~ (Lyrics)|LADY NAVIGATION ~Cookie & Car Stereo Style~]]'''
#: [[File:m03_05.ogg]] <font color="white">.</font>

== Reversion history ==
{{Main|B'z Reversioned Songs}}
{|class=wikitable width="90%"
|-
! width="30%"| Original Song
! width="70%"| Reversion History
|-
{{Kodoku no Runaway Versions}}
{{LOVING ALL NIGHT Versions}}
{{Love & Chain Versions}}
{{LADY NAVIGATION Versions}}
|}

== Live appearances ==
===Live Performances===
{{Kodoku no Runaway Live}}
{{Loving All Night ~Octopus Style~ Live}}
{{Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~ Live}}
{{LADY NAVIGATION (English Version) Live}}

===Home Videos===
{{Kodoku no Runaway Video}}
{{Loving All Night ~Octopus Style~ Video}}
{{Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~ Video}}
{{LADY NAVIGATION (English Version) Video}}

== Sales data ==
{{Main|B'z Sales Records}}

{|class=wikitable width="85%"
|-
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:50px;" rowspan="2" | No.
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:45px;" rowspan="2" | Cover
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:370px;" rowspan="2" | Mini Album
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:150px;" colspan="2" | Physical Copies Sold
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:150px;" colspan="3" | Chart Positions
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff; width:110px;" rowspan="2" | Certification

|-
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff;" | <small>FIRST WEEK</small>
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff;" | <small>LIFETIME</small>

!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff;" | <small>WEEK</small>
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff;" | <small>MONTH</small>
!style="color:black; background-color:#e6f2ff;" | <small>YEAR</small>

{{MARS Sales}} 

|}

== Personnel ==
'''B'z'''
*[[Tak Matsumoto]]: Guitar, Music Composition, Arrangement
*[[Koshi Inaba]]: Vocals, Lyric Composition, Arrangement

'''Support Members'''
*[[Jun Aoyama]]: Drums <small>(Tracks 1, 3, 4)</small>
*[[Masao Akashi]]: Manipulator, Arrangement
*[[Ikkoh Tanaka]]: Drums <small>(Track 5)</small>
*[[Tomohiko "cha cha" Katoh]]: Harmonica <small>(Track 3)</small>
*[[Maki Ohguro]]: Chorus <small>(Track 4)</small>
*[[Rima Fujita]]: Voice <small>(Track 4)</small>
*[[Jason Corsaro]]: Mixing