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Amagasa

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"Amagasa"
An umbrella in the desert, with rain falling inside of it.
Standard edition cover.
Single by Tokio
from the album 17
A-side"Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō"
B-side"Kachū no Otoko", "Jōshō Shikō"
ReleasedSeptember 3, 2008 (2008-09-03)
Recorded2008
Genre
Length3:51
LabelJ Storm
Songwriter(s)
Tokio singles chronology
"Seisyun"
(2007) 		"Amagasa"
(2008) 		"Taiyō to Sabaku no Bara"
(2009)
Alternative cover
A line of five men in suits, running in the desert.
Limited B edition cover, featuring the members of Tokio.

"Amagasa" (雨傘, "Rain Umbrella") is a song by Japanese band Tokio. It was one of the two A-sides that composed the band's 39th single, along with the song "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō". The single was released on September 3, 2008, and was their first release with J Storm. "Amagasa" was written by Japanese rock musician Ringo Sheena. In 2014, Sheena covered the two songs she wrote for the single, "Amagasa" and "Kachū no Otoko", for her album Gyakuyunyū: Kōwankyoku.

Background and development

Tokio's 2006 single "Sorafune" was a hit, being certified by the RIAJ for 1,000,000 ringtone downloads.[1] The song was written by Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima, and acted as the theme song for the drama My Boss My Hero, starring Tomoya Nagase. Since then, Tokio has had several singles written by musicians famous in their own right, such as "Hikari no Machi" by Yoshihiro Kai, another song by Miyuki Nakajima called "Honjitsu, Mijukumono" and "Seisyun", which was written by Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi.

Ringo Sheena had previously worked with musicians Ryōko Hirosue and Rie Tomosaka between 1998 and 2000, writing and producing music for them. This single was the first time in eight years that she had written music for another musical act.[2] "Amagasa" / "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō" was Tokio's first single released under J Storm. From their debut in 1994 until 2001, Tokio had worked with Sony Music Entertainment Japan, before moving to Universal Music Japan with the single "Doitsu mo Koitsu mo" / "Boku no Mirai" (2001).

Writing and production

The two songs on the single written by Ringo Sheena, "Amagasa" and "Kachū no Otoko", featured her band at the time Tokyo Jihen performing the song arrangement.[3] Sheena felt that because both Tokio and Tokyo Jihen are structured in the same way (i.e. both are rock bands with instrument players), it was easy to give the songs added flair.[4] "Amagasa" took eight hours to record, as Tomoya Nagase felt very nervous recording for Sheena. He used polite honorifics when talking to her, as he accidentally thought that she was older than him. The chorus is sung in a high key that Nagase found difficult to sing, however even though he was struggling, Sheena felt that it sounded fine, as she wanted the changing key effect.[5]

Of the other songs on the single, "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō" by producer her0ism, and the song "Jōshō Shikō" was sung by Taichi Kokubun on lead vocals.

Promotion and release

"Amagasa" was used as the theme song for the NTV drama Yasuko to Kenji,[6] which starred Tokio member Masahiro Matsuoka as the titular Kenji. This was the ninth single released by the band that was a drama theme song for a drama starring a member of Tokio, after "Furarete Genki" (1997) for Psychometrer Eiji, "Love & Peace" (1998) for Love & Peace, "Ai no Arashi" (1999) for Psychometrer Eiji 2, "Hanauta" (2002) for Nurse Man, "Transistor G (Glamour) Girl" (2004) for Kanojo ga Shinjatta, "Jibun no Tame ni" (2004) for Nurse Man ga Yuku, "Sorafune" (2006) for My Boss My Hero, and "Honjitsu, Mijukumono" for Juken no Kamisama. "Amagasa" was performed live at Music Station three times. First on September 5, then the following week on September 12, and also at the New Years special on December 26, 2008.[7][8][9] The song was also performed at the Fuji TV FNS Kayōsai on December 3, 2008.[10]

Additionally, "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō" was used as an ending theme song for Tokio's Fuji Television variety show Mentore G.[6] It was used from May 11, 2008 until the program's final airing on September 14, 2008.

Track listings

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)ArrangementLength
1."Amagasa"Ringo SheenaTokyo Jihen3:51
2."Kachū no Otoko" (渦中の男, "Vortex Boy")R. SheenaTokyo Jihen2:21
3."Jōshō Shikō" (上昇思考, "Rising Thoughts")Kazuaki YamashitaShogo Ohnishi4:06
4."Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō" (あきれるくらい　僕らは願おう, "Let's Wish So Much that We Are Amazed")her0ismKazuhiro Yamahara4:26
5."Amagasa (Backing Track)"R. SheenaTokyo Jihen3:53
6."Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō (Backing Track)"her0ismK. Yamahara4:23
Total length:23:00
Limited editions A and B
No.TitleLength
1."Amagasa"3:51
2."Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō"4:26
Total length:8:17
Limited edition A DVD
No.TitleDirectorLength
1."Amagasa (music video)"Hiroaki Matsunaga 
2."Amagasa (Making)"H. Matsunaga 
Limited edition B DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō (music video, version 1)" 
2."Tokio Station II: Akireru Kurai Tokio wa Shaberō-hen" 

Chart rankings

Charts (2008) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[11] 6
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[12] 3
Japan Oricon weekly singles[13]
  • "Amagasa" / "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō"
 2
Japan Oricon monthly singles[14]
  • "Amagasa" / "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō"
 14

Sales

Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[15]
  • "Amagasa" / "Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō"
 67,000

Release history

Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan August 20, 2008 (2008-08-20)[16] Ringtone J Storm —
September 3, 2008 (2008-09-03)[13][17] CD, CD/DVD type A, CD/DVD type B, rental CD JACA-5114, JACA-5116, JACA-5118
Taiwan September 19, 2008 (2008-09-19)[18] CD Avex Taiwan JAJSG27015

References

  1. ^ レコード協会調べ 1月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: January Digital Music Download Certifications]. RIAJ (in Japanese). February 20, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  2. ^ "椎名林檎、初のセルフカバー集『逆輸入 ～港湾局～』リリース＆レコ発ライブ開催発表" [Ringo Sheena, first self-cover album collection Gyakuyunyū: Kōwankyoku release and release party live]. Barks. March 25, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  3. ^ "TOKIO、椎名林檎提供によるニュー・シングル"雨傘/あきれるくらい 僕らは願おう"を9月3日にリリース" [Tokio, Ringo Sheena written new single "Amagasa/Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Utau" release on September 3]. Barks. July 28, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "椎名林檎がTOKIOへの楽曲提供に「ひらめきをくれた」" [Ringo Sheena "gave flair" to her songs for Tokio]. Oricon. September 7, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  5. ^ Tokio (September 9, 2008). "Music Station September 9, 2008 episode". Music Station (Interview). Interviewed by Tamori. Tokyo, Japan: TV Asahi.
  6. ^ a b 雨傘／あきれるくらい 僕らは願おう【通常盤】 (in Japanese). JBook. Archived from the original on June 4, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "2008/09/05 Guest Lineup Back Number" (in Japanese). TV Asahi. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "2008/09/12 Guest Lineup Back Number" (in Japanese). TV Asahi. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "2008/12/26 Guest Lineup Back Number" (in Japanese). TV Asahi. Archived from the original on June 12, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "2008 FNS歌謡祭" (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard Japan. September 15, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  12. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. September 15, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "「雨傘／あきれるくらい 僕らは願おう」 TOKIO" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  14. ^ ランキング シングル 月間ランキング 2008 年 09 月 度 [September 2008 Monthly Single Ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  15. ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  16. ^ "TOKIO、最新シングル「雨傘」は椎名林檎作詞作曲" [Tokio new single Amagasa has lyrics and music by Ringo Sheena] (in Japanese). Barks. August 19, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  17. ^ 雨傘 (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  18. ^ 東京小子/ 雨傘／讓我們許下心願 直到天荒地老 (in Chinese). G-Music. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
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