Kenshi Yonezu's newest single Umi no Yuurei was released just last Monday and clocked in at number one on both Oricon's Weekly Digital Singles for June 17 as well as on Billboard JAPAN's "Download Songs." It has now been revealed that the track has dominated not only the daily charts but the weekly charts too for a 2019 release.   The song's music video hit 10 million views on YouTube in just over 4 days, Yonezu's fastest video to do so. It has now amounted over 20 million views.

ⒸDaisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan

On its first day of release it hit number one on 26 music platforms and enjoyed 51,967 downloads according to Oricon. A week later for Oricon's Weekly Digital Single charts, it amounted 126,715 downloads, shooting it up to top place for the weekly charts. These numbers make Umi no Yuurei the song with the most downloads after a week for a 2019 release as of today.   This is Yonezu's 4th song to make it to number one on Oricon's Digital Charts since December 11, 2017 following the success of LOSER, Lemon and Flamingo.

Photo by Tomokazu Yamada

Not only did Umi no Yuurei top Billboard JAPAN's "Download Songs" but the Japan Hot 100 too. Its ability to reach number one on the charts despite not yet having a CD release is proof of its popularity.   Umi no Yuurei will be used as the main theme for the upcoming Japanese animated movie Children of the Sea.

Kenshi Yonezu’s new song Umi no Yuurei, which is the main theme for the upcoming animated film adaptation of Children of the Sea, was released on Monday for digital download and on streaming platforms. It has now been announced that an exclusive music video featuring Yonezu himself will be available at JOYSOUND karaoke branches across Japan for a limited time from June 7 to August 6. JOYSOUND is also offering special karaoke booths at six branches from June 7 to July 31 made in collaboration with the film. These rooms will plunge customers into an immersive experience that showcases the ocean in a 360℃ view. Look forward to singing Umi no Yuurei while watching the gorgeous music video. A special talk between Kenshi Yonezu and Daisuke Igarashi, the author of the original Children of the Sea manga series, was also posted on Monday to celebrate the film's release.

Kenshi Yonezu's new song Umi no Yuurei, which is the main theme for the upcoming animated film adaptation of Children of the Sea, was released today for digital download and on streaming platforms. An animated music video for the song was released last week and as of today has already amounted over 12 million views.

ⒸDaisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan

The single’s digital CD cover is illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi, the author of the seinen manga series Children of the Sea. Up to now, Yonezu’s jackets have been illustrated by Yonezu himself.   To celebrate the release of the film, a special website has gone live featuring a talk between Yonezu and Igarashi in Japanese.

Photo by Yoshiharu Ōta

The talk features several photographs of Yonezu and Igarashi at Enoshima Aquarium. The two of them give their personal thoughts on Children of the Sea as well as backstory to the recording process of the main theme by Yonezu. It is an insight not just for fans of the film and song but for creators too.

Photo by Yoshiharu Ōta

Children of the Sea will be released in Japan on June 7, 2019.   ©Daisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan / “Children of the Sea” Production Committee

Kenshi Yonezu will release his new digital single Umi no Yuurei on June 3. The song will be used as the main theme for the upcoming animated film Children of the Sea which is set to hit Japanese cinemas on June 7.   Until now, the song could previously only be heard in the film's trailer. 100 lucky people were also invited to an event for the film where they enjoyed an early screening of the song's official music video.   Fans of Yonezu and those looking forward to the forthcoming film will be pleased to hear that the music video has now been posted onto the singer's official YouTube channel.  

The music video contains scenes from the movie itself. Those who were able to attend the premiere of the music video were plunged into a full oceanic experience as they watched it aboard a boat. The boat's bottom floor was made to look like the deep sea. Dark and bubbly underwater sounds echoed through the vessel while an exhibition of sea creatures were put on display such as starfish and jellyfish. The display was made in collaboration with Enoshima Aquarium. There was also a huge picture of the Umi no Yuurei CD cover in the centre of the room. Originally illustrated by manga author Daisuke Igarashi, the picture spanned 1.2m on each side. Dim lights also filtered throughout the area to heighten that sense of being below the sea. The first floor was made in the image of a beach. Heard up here were the sounds of waves. The huge visual pictured above is taken from Children of the Sea. There were also lit-up panels featuring scenes in the movie. There was also a video of whales running too. Finally, up on the second floor, attendees were able to stand atop the deck which was dubbed the "Sea Sky." It was here the music video was projected onto the boat's mast. This unique experience makes it the first time in Japan a music video was debuted on the ocean surface. It wasn't merely a viewing―it was a full body experience. The event was praised as making people feel as if they had become part of the music video. In the animated music video, we get another peek at STUDIO4℃'s gorgeously detailed environments and sea life.

ⒸDaisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan

The CD cover for the single was also illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi.

Photo by Tomokazu Yamada

Umi no Yuurei will be released next Monday. Until then, be sure to check out the music video.  

©Daisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan / “Children of the Sea” Production Committee

It has been revealed that Kenshi Yonezu's new song Umi no Yuurei―which is the main theme song for the upcoming animated film Children of the Sea, set for release on June 7―will be released as a digital single on June 3.

Photo by Tomokazu Yamada

In the run up to the release, people can sign up to be invited to a special pre-screening of the music video in Tokyo on May 27 before it is officially released.

©Daisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan

The single's digital CD cover is illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi, the author of Children of the Sea. Up to now, Yonezu's jackets have been illustrated by Yonezu himself.   "Children of the Sea" Trailer

In the film's trailer released earlier this month, we get a small listen of the theme song with its melancholic yet beautiful melody.   ©Daisuke Igarashi / Shogakukan / "Children of the Sea" Production Committee

Manga artist Daisuke Igarashi enthralls his readers with his unique representation of nature and his respect for the natural world. This manga has been turned into an intense film by world-famous animation studio STUDIO4℃. The film will be released in Japan on Friday 7th June! The second sneaky movie preview has now been released!Kenshi Yonezu’s new song “Umi no Yuurei” has attracted rather a lot of attention as the theme song for the movie. Now, the veil has finally been lifted, as the movie trailer features this song. Yonezu has been charmed by this manga since he was in his teens and he now he has written this song specifically for the new movie. Both the movie and the song share the same theme; “the most important promises cannot be put into words”. Both the song and the movie represent this new outlook on the world. The beautiful animation of STUDIO4℃ resonates beautifully with the emotional and beautiful melody sung by Yonezu, creating an entirely unique perspective on the world for the audience to dive into.

Key lines from the movie such as “we are just as bad as those blind to everything”, spoken by the character Anglade who is voiced by Win Morisaki, and “the festival of life has begun”; the words of the main character Ruka, are included in the trailer. Strange occurances in Ruka's body, a sparkling star falling from the night sky, followed by a series of mysterious occurrences in space and in the sea ー for 60 seconds, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen! The end of the trailer even shows Ruka being consumed by an enormous whale! The film just keeps bringing the adventures drawn in the manga to life! You could get your hands on the first volume of the Children of the Sea for free via the LINE campaign that is being launched today so please check it out!   ©2019 Daisuke Igarashi・Shogakukan / “Children of the Sea” Production Committee   Cameraman: Tomokazu Yamada