Tsukiyo no Shōzō

"Tsukiyo no Shōzō" (月夜の肖像, "Portrait of the Moonlit Night") (also known by its French title "Identité de la Lune"[1]) is Japanese entertainer Chiaki Kuriyama's fifth single, released on November 23, 2011. It acted as the theme song to Himitsu Chōhōin Erika, Kuriyama's first starring drama.[2] The two songs on the single were added to the deluxe edition of Circus, which was released on January 11, 2012. The single was produced by musician Ringo Sheena, who later covered the B-side "Seishun no Matataki" for her album Gyakuyunyū: Kōwankyoku in 2014.[3]

"Tsukiyo no Shōzō"
Single by Chiaki Kuriyama
from the album Circus Deluxe Edition
B-side"Seishun no Matataki"
ReleasedNovember 23, 2011 (2011-11-23)
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:49
LabelDefstar Records
Songwriter(s)Ringo Sheena
Chiaki Kuriyama singles chronology
"Oishii Kisetsu"
(2011)		 "Tsukiyo no Shōzō"
(2011)		 "Toyosu Luciferin"
(2013)

Background and development

After Chiaki Kuriyama debuted in early 2010 with the single "Ryūsei no Namida," she began to release collaboration singles, featuring a famous Japanese rock musician as the producer. "Kanōsei Girl" (2010) was produced by Tomoyasu Hotei, and "Cold Finger Girl" (2011) by Kenichi Asai of Blankey Jet City.[4] In March 2011, Kuriyama released "Oishii Kisetsu/Ketteiteki Sanpunkan," a double A-side single where both songs were produced by Ringo Sheena and performed by Tokyo Jihen.[4] This was followed two weeks later by Circus, Kuriyama's debut album.[5]

Writing and production

"Tsukiyo no Shōzō" was recorded is sessions after the release of her debut album Circus, during which Kuriyama felt more confident as a singer.[6] The songs were recorded with Sheena in the studio, with her band Tokyo Jihen performing the band instruments, with "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" recorded first, followed by "Seishun no Kagayaki."[7][8] Long-time Sheena collaborator Neko Saito arranged the classical instruments.

Kuriyama felt that "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" was a song that blended "a woman's coolness and femininity" that did not emphasise sweetness or strength. Kuriyama felt that Sheena wrote "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" closer to Kuriyama's personality, after spending time together in recording sessions.[6] She also believed it had a "strong image of women," and reflected the feelings of the character of Erika from the drama, who was a solo mother.[9] Kuriyama felt that adding "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" and "Seishun no Matataki" to Circus gave the album more balance.[6]

The songs were both given French titles by Sheena. "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" became "Identité de la Lune" (translated as "Identity of the Moon") and "Seishun no Matataki" became "Le moment" (translated as "The Moment").[1]

Promotion and release

The song was used as the theme song for the drama Himitsu Chōhōin Erika.[2] The drama starred Kuriyama as the eponymous Erika Tahakashi, and was the first time Kuriyama was the leading actress in a drama.[10]

A series of mini-lives were held in Japan to promote the release. The first two were in Tokyo on November 24 and 26, one in Osaka on November 27 and one in Nagoya on November 28.[11][12] This was after her in-store lives to promote Circus were cancelled, due to the effects of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[6] Kuriyama appeared on the Tokyo FM radio show School of Lock! on November 23, 2011.[13] She also appeared on the Nippon TV show Hiru Nan Desu and the Space Shower show Specha! on November 24.[14][15]

A music video was produced for "Tsukiyo no Shōzō," directed by Takumi Shiga and Yuichi Kodama.[16] Kodama is Sheena's current partner, and is the father of her daughter who was born in 2013.[17][18] Kodama frequently worked on Sheena's videos, directing all of Tokyo Jihen's music videos for singles single "OSCA" in 2007. He also worked on Sheena's solo singles "Ariamaru Tomi" (2009), "Carnation" (2011).

Ringo Sheena performed "Tsukiyo no Shōzō" during her solo Tōtaikai concerts in November 2013.[19]

Critical reception

Kazuhiro "Scao" Ikeda of EMTG called the song "impressive", and noted that it had a "running-like sound on top of a thrilling, restless melody". He praised Kuriyama's "comfortable and cold vocals"that shone in the song, and noted the symmetry of the song's lyrics: how two sets of different words were able to express the same ideas.[20]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Ringo Sheena.

No.TitleArrangementLength
1."Tsukiyo no Shōzō"Tokyo Jihen3:49
2."Seishun no Matataki" (青春の瞬き "A Blink of Youth")Tokyo Jihen4:30
Total length:8:19

Chart rankings
Charts (2011) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Hot Single Sales[21] 61
Japan Oricon weekly singles[2] 62

Sales and certifications
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[22] 2,000

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan November 23, 2011 (2011-11-23)[2][23] CD, digital download, Rental CD Defstar Records DFCL-1814
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gollark: Ages ago.
gollark: WyattL.
gollark: They were banned I think?
gollark: That is NOT what that means.

References
  1. "栗山千明* – 月夜の肖像 (Identité De La Lune)". Discogs. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  2. 「月夜の肖像」 栗山千明 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  3. "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.
  4. "栗山千明、椎名林檎プロデュース、東京事変の演奏による両A面シングルをリリース" [Chiaki Kuriyama releases the Ringo Sheena produced double A side single, featuring Tokyo Jihen performing.]. Rockin' On. January 28, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  5. Tomonori Nagasawa (March 16, 2011). "Chiaki Kuriyama Special Interview" 栗山千明 スペシャル・インタビュー (in Japanese). We Rock City. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  6. "【インタビュー】シンガーとして成長を続ける栗山千明" [[Interview] Chiaki Kuriyama, growing as a singer.]. Flying Postman. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  7. Keisuke Tsuchiya (January 11, 2012). "栗山千明の最新作は椎名林檎らが楽曲を提供したアルバムのデラックス盤。動画コメントも！" [Chiaki Kuriyama's new work is a deluxe version of her album featuring offerings from Ringo Sheena and others. Also featuring a video comment!]. EMTG Music. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  8. "栗山千明、自身主演のドラマ曲で林檎＆事変と再タッグ" [Chiaki Kuriyama tagged again on her drama's theme song with Ringo and Jihen]. Natalie. October 4, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  9. "Cover Interview 栗山千明" (in Japanese). Pocoe. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  10. "栗山千明、デビュー13年目で連ドラ初主演～"子持ち"でスパイ役に挑戦" [Chiaki Kuriyama stars in her first drama 13 years after her debut, as a spy with a son.]. Oricon. August 31, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  11. "栗山千明　ニューシングル『月夜の肖像』発売記念ミニLIVE＆握手会開催決定!!" [Chiaki Kuriyama's new single "Tsukiyo no Shozo" release mini live and handshake events!] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  12. "栗山千明　ニューシングル『月夜の肖像』発売記念ミニLIVE＆握手会追加決定!!" [An extra date added for Chiaki Kuriyama's new single "Tsukiyo no Shozo" release mini live and handshake events!] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. November 11, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  13. "Media" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  14. "SSTV「スペチャ！」" [SSTV Specha!] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. November 24, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  15. "Nippon TV Hiru Nan Desu" 日本テレビ「ヒルナンデス」 (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. November 24, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  16. 栗山千明 月夜の肖像 (in Japanese). Space Shower. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  17. 椎名林檎認めた！今春に第２子出産していた　女性自身報じる [Ringo Sheena admitted it! Giving birth to her second child last spring (Reported by Josei Jishin)] (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. December 10, 2013. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  18. Sheena, Ringo (2014). 党大会　平成二十五年度神山町大会 [The Party Convention: 2013 Kamiyama Event] (Blu-ray) (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: EMI Records Japan. 念願の女の子を授かりまして、現在育児中です。ごめんなさい。 だけど、その時お報告申し上げなかったのは赤ちゃんのリリースと、椎名林檎最新シングルのリリースが、見事にバッティングしており、折角の真っ新な命を図らずも親の商売の宣伝に駆り出す恰好にしてしまうような事態を、危惧したためです。(I was gifted my hearts desire, a little girl, who's currently nursing. I'm very sorry. However, I didn't say anything at the time because the release of my baby, and the release of my new single were amazingly scheduled for the same time. I was worried about having a long-awaited brand new life unexpectedly tangled up with her parent's publicity for work.)
  19. 党大会　平成二十五年神山町大会 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  20. Kazuhiro "Scao" Ikeda (November 28, 2011). "レビュー" (in Japanese). EMTG. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  21. "Hot Single Sales 2011/12/05" (in Japanese). Billboard. December 5, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  22. "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 14, 2014.
  23. 月夜の肖像／栗山千明（ＣＨｉＡＫｉ　ＫＵＲｉＹＡＭＡ） (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
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