Spinning Globe

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"Spinning Globe"
Single by Kenshi Yonezu
from the album The Boy and the Heron
LanguageJapanese
ReleasedJuly 26, 2023 (2023-07-26)
GenreChamber pop
Length4:33
LabelSME
Songwriter(s)Kenshi Yonezu
Producer(s)
Kenshi Yonezu singles chronology
"Tsuki wo Miteita (Moongazing)"
(2023) 		"Spinning Globe"
(2023) 		"Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!"
(2024)
Music video
"Spinning Globe" on YouTube

"Spinning Globe" (地球儀, Chikyūgi, lit. 'Globe') is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu. It was released as Yonezu's 14th single on July 26, 2023, by SME Records. The song served as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's animated fantasy film The Boy and the Heron (2023).

Background[edit]

"Spinning Globe" was written as the theme song for The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki's first full-length directorial work in a decade.[1] It was announced on July 14, 2023, the day of the film's release, as the film had a policy of keeping the content and cast confidential prior to its release. The song was constructed with a small chamber orchestra and Yonezu, who provided the piano track for the song.

Miyazaki asked Yonezu to write the theme song four years prior to the film's release after he heard Foorin's "Paprika", which Yonezu had produced, on the radio. Yonezu commented that he grew up watching Miyazaki's films, and "Spinning Globe" is a song about The Boy and the Heron but also a song to give back to Miyazaki.[1][2]

It has been about four years now since I was approached about the project. At first, I was surprised and at the same time bewildered, asking ‘Why me?’. It turned out that Miyazaki-san had heard the Foorin version of my song ‘Paprika’ on the radio, which triggered him to drop the handkerchief to me. I received five volumes’ worth of storyboards and an explanation from Miyazaki-san himself and gingerly began the writing process. It now feels like such a long time ago.
— Kenshi Yonezu

Release and promotion[edit]

The song was released a month after Yonezu's last single, "Tsuki wo Miteita (Moongazing)", and roughly a year after his last film theme song, "M87" for Shin Ultraman. It was first performed on July 1 and 2 at Yokohama Arena during Yonezu's tour, Kusou, as an unreleased new song, though details were not revealed. Advance distribution of the song began on July 17, 2023.[1] The jacket of the work was extracted from an original frame of The Boy and the Heron and chosen by Yonezu.[3] The single was released on July 26 with two versions: first version, which has a moss green hard cover with three-dimensional leaf patterns and images of herons, and a regular version with a soft cover; both have a photobook with documentary photos as well as a conversation Yonezu and Toshio Suzuki, the film's producer.

The music video, filmed in Yakushima and directed by Hiroshi Okuyama, premiered on July 26.[4] Two days later, a video of a conversation between Yonezu and Masaki Suda, who voiced the Grey Heron in the film and had previously collaborated with Yonezu on "Haiiro to Ao", was released.[5] A live video of a surprise performance of "Spinning Globe" at the final concert of Yonezu's tour, Kusou, was released. Animation from Takeshi Honda, the animation director for the film, was included in the beginning and end of the video.[6]

Commercial performance[edit]

On July 17, 2023, the day of its release, the song ranked first on all distribution sites with a total of 25 titles for daily and real-time rankings. It also ranked first on the Oricon Daily Digital Singles Chart.[7] It ranked third on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 released on July 26,[8] and first on the Billboard Japan Download Songs.[9] "Spinning Globe" also ranked first on the Oricon Weekly Digital Single ranking, Yonezu's 14th song to do so, breaking his own record for the most number-one digital singles.[10] In the Billboard Japan Hot 100 of the following week announced on August 2, the song rose to second place and kept its first place ranking on Download Songs and second place ranking on Hot Animation.[11] It also kept its first place ranking on the Oricon Weekly Digital Single ranking.[12]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

‹See Tfd›
Certifications for "Spinning Globe"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[25]
Physical 		Gold 100,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[26]
Digital 		Gold 100,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[27] Gold 50,000,000†

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c 米津玄師が宮崎駿監督「君たちはどう生きるか」の主題歌担当、4年間の制作経て「地球儀」書き下ろし（米津玄師コメントあり） [Kenshi Yonezu sings the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's How Do You Live? After 4 years of production, Kenshi Yonezu writes a new song "Spinning Globe" (with comments from Kenshi Yonezu)]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  2. ^ Moo, William (July 17, 2023). "Kenshi Yonezu's "Spinning Globe" Theme Song for The Boy and the Heron Now Released on Music Streaming Platforms". Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  3. ^ 米津玄師、新曲「地球儀」ジャケットは映画『君たちはどう生きるか』の原画に CDには鈴木敏夫プロデューサーとの対談も収録 [Kenshi Yonezu's new song "Spinning Globe" jacket is the original illustration for the movie How Do You Live? CD also includes a conversation with producer Toshio Suzuki]. Real Sound (in Japanese). July 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  4. ^ 米津玄師「君たちはどう生きるか」主題歌ミュージックビデオで奥山大史と初タッグ、撮影舞台は屋久島（動画あり） [Kenshi Yonezu collaborates with Hiroshi Okuyama for the first time in the theme song music video for How Do You Live? The filming location is Yakushima (video included)]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  5. ^ 米津玄師と菅田将暉が対談「僕たちはどう生きるか」（動画あり） [Kenshi Yonezu and Masaki Suda discuss "How Do We Live?" (Video included)]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  6. ^ 米津玄師「君たちはどう生きるか」主題歌ライブ映像公開、「エヴァ」でも知られる本田雄がアニメ制作（動画あり） [Kenshi Yonezu's How Do You Live? theme song live video released, Takeshi Honda, also known for Eva, producing animation (video included)]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  7. ^ 米津玄師、「君たちはどう生きるか」主題歌「地球儀」配信デイリーチャート25冠獲得！ [Kenshi Yonezu wins 25 crowns on the daily distribution chart for the theme song "Spinning Globe" for How Do You Live?!]. Pop Scene (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs | Charts". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  10. ^ 米津玄師「地球儀」が「デジタルシングル」1位 宮崎駿監督『君たちはどう生きるか』主題歌【オリコンランキング】 [Kenshi Yonezu's "Spinning Globe" ranks 1st among "digital singles", theme song for director Hayao Miyazaki's How Do You Live [Oricon Ranking]]. Oricon News. July 26, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  12. ^ 米津玄師「地球儀」、2週連続「デジタルシングル」1位 宮崎駿監督の映画『君たちはどう生きるか」主題歌【オリコンランキング】 [Kenshi Yonezu's "Spinning Globe" ranks first in the "Digital Singles" for 2 weeks in a row, theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's movie How Do You Live [Oricon Ranking]]. Oricon News. August 2, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  13. ^ "Kenshi Yonezu Chart History (Global Excl. US)". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  14. ^ "Kenshi Yonezu Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Animation – Week of July 31, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  16. ^ Oricon Weekly Single Ranking – 2023-08-07 Oricon News. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  17. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2023-08-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  18. ^ "Oricon Top 20 Anime Singles: 2023-08-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  19. ^ "Download Chart – Week 29 of 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  20. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Singles: 2023-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  21. ^ "Oricon Top 10 Anime Singles: 2023-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  22. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2023 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  23. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Animation – 2023 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  24. ^ "Oricon Top 100 Singles: 2023". Oricon. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  25. ^ "Japanese single certifications – 米津玄師 – 地球儀" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 24, 2023. Select 2023年7月 on the drop-down menu
  26. ^ "Japanese digital single certifications – 米津玄師 – 地球儀" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved April 19, 2024. Select 2024年3月 on the drop-down menu
  27. ^ "Japanese single streaming certifications – 米津玄師 – 地球儀" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 29, 2024. Select 2024年1月 on the drop-down menu
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