CD + Blu-ray
1) Beyond
2) Beyond -TV Size-
3) Beyond -Instrumental-
This is Mika's 1st single release of 2023 & before the single's physical release , the A-side was 1st released digitally on 22nd Jan .
No B-sides are included in Beyond & unusually only 1 version ie. CD + Blu-ray release is made available .
Promo wise Beyond was used as the opening theme no. to promote the anime Mado Soushi Final Edition .
Mado Soushi Final Edition is a Mandarin to Japanese dubbed anime & the original Mandarin title for the anime is Mo Dao Zu Shi .
Mika wrote the lyrics to Beyond & she also co-composed the song . Beyond is a love ballad which lyrically it depicts a fated love over time .
A video was made for Beyond but it's not included in the physical release of the single . In addition , Mika herself does not appear in the video .
Based on the promo pictures , I would not have thought Beyond would be another ballad Mika released because she's giving off some serious punk vibes in the images .
Music wise , Beyond is not bad although the song didn't blew me away on 1st listen . Despite this , kudos to Mika for having personal input towards creating Beyond .
Aside from this , a few other aspects of Mika's latest release felt strange which things this time round are done differently in not necessary a good way .
I guess I've been very used to the usual way of Mika releasing her singles & last Nov when she released Wish it felt like the start of her trying different ways in marketing her singles especially since Wish is her 1st single that she has done away with the DVD version(s) .
That said I look forward to Mika's next music release . It would be nice if her next release would be a new studio album & if so , it will be another milestone in her discographhy ie. her 10th album & Mika most definitely should do something to celebrate it .
Regular
1) Zero Step Feat Ono Kensho
2) Zero Step -GRANRODEO ver.-
3) Zero Step (OFF VOCAL)
Kuroko's Basketball anime 10th edition
1) Zero Step
2) Zero Step (OFF VOCAL)
Last year was the 10th anniversary broadcast since the Kuroko no Basuke anime 1st started airing in April 2012 .
GRANRODEO was picked to produce a special 10th anniversary song that features the vocals of voice actor Ono Kensho who voiced the main character Kuroko Tetsuya
Before the physical release of Zero Step , the A-side was 1st released digitally last Dec .
B-side wise , a standalone version of Zero Step sung by GRANRODEO only is included in the single .
1 of GRANRODEO's most prominent single releases is Can Do which was used as the 1st opening theme song to promote Kuroko no Basuke .
So naturally or not , Zero Step is almost in the same music vein as Can Do but what makes things different this time is enlisting Ono Kensho to sing alongside with GRANRODEO which I thought it's quite cool & fitting .
And for GRANRODEO to include a standalone version of them singing Zero Step is also appreciated too .
It has been more than a decade since Kuroko no Basuke was aired & for it to still have a long lasting impact , that says a lot of the anime's influence .
CD
CD + Blu-ray
CD & Toys
1) Trust・Last (Koda Kumi x Shonan no Kaze)
2) Change my future (Koda Kumi)
3) Trust・Last (TV size)
4) Trust・Last (Instrumental)
5) Change my future (Instrumental)
Promo wise , Trust・Last promoted the drama Kamen Rider Geats & the A-side was 1st released digitally on 6th March before the CD single's physical release .
Serving as the B-side in the single is Change my future which's sung solely by Koda . Change my future was used as the theme song to promote the Kamen Rider Geats × Revice: Movie Battle Royale movie which opened on the same day as Change my future's digital release ie. last year on 23rd Dec .
Both Trust・Last & Change my future contrast each other extremely well . I wasn't sure what to think about Trust・Last when I 1st heard it but this duet grown on me over time . It's not a full out right Rock song but it still manages to pack quite a bit of a punch .
On the other hand , Change my future is something I loved on 1st listen & I personally feel this should have been included in Koda's 1st joint music & video release WINGS as the song would have fit in the release .
For Change my future to be included in Trust・Last felt a bit out of place & it's also strange that Shonan no Kaze did not have a standalone B-side song unlike Koda .
That said , hopefully this will not be the 1st & last time Koda release something together with Shonan no Kaze . Considering Koda collaborated with many artistes over the years , at least now she can add Shonan no Kaze into the list .
Cover same for all versions
1) Genkai Toppa
2) THE GHOST
3) Kaikyou no Machi Nite
4) GONE WITH THE WIND (Gen 3)
This's GLAY's 1st release of 2023 .
In HC 2023 episode 1 -THE GHOST/Genkai Toppa- , only Genkai Toppa has a video made .
In addition , Genaki Toppa was chosen to promote the mobile game app Black Clover Mobile Mahou Tei e no Michi The Opening of Fate .
When I saw the title of GLAY's latest single release offering it caught me a bit off guard because I was not sure how to classify HC 2023 episode 1 -THE GHOST/Genkai Toppa- as so & my assumption was is it a double A-side single release ?
In the end despite the weird single title , only 1 song out of 4 songs have a video made which's a shame cos I feel each of the song is actually good & distinct from each other .
That said , hopefully HC 2023 episode 1 -THE GHOST/Genkai Toppa- will not be the only new release GLAY put out this year .
Cover for both versions
CD Regular
1) Envelope
2) Betelgeuse (LIVE at Osaka Jo Hall 2022.11.01)
3) Ano Taiyou ga, Kono Sekai wo Terashitsuzukeru You ni. (LIVE at Saitama Super Arena 2022.11.20)
4) Envelope (Instrumental)
CD Limited
1) Envelope
2) Betelgeuse (LIVE at Osaka Jo Hall 2022.11.01)
3) Ano Taiyou ga, Kono Sekai wo Terashitsuzukeru You ni. (LIVE at Saitama Super Arena 2022.11.20)
4) Toki no Ashioto (LIVE at Saitama Super Arena 2022.11.20)
5) Envelope (Instrumental)
This's the duo's 1st single release of 2023 .
Promo wise , Envelope was chosen to promote the TV Asahi's drama Liaison -Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryosho- .
Before the physical release of Envelope , the A-side was 1st released digitally on 20th Jan , on the same day when Liaison -Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryosho- drama began airing .
The B-sides included in Envelope are live tracks that were recorded at last year's KOBUKURO LIVE TOUR 2022 "GLORY DAYS" .
After releasing the highly energetic yet memorable Kono Hoshi no Tsuduki wo last Oct , Kobukuro has gone back to their music roots with the release of their latest single offering Envelope .
Envelope is classic Kobukuro as their very best . Some might not like the upbeat songs Kobukuro has done before but for Envelope , it should make most longtime fans of the duo happy including myself .
