One of the most famous artistes in Japan, Ikimonogakari, has just released their 33rd single “BAKU“! In addition to the title track “BAKU” — which has been used as the opening theme song for the anime “BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS” since January 2021, this release will also feature “Blue Bird” and “Hotaru no Hikari” — which were used as the opening theme song for the global phenomenon “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN” in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Last but not least, it includes the first remix of an Ikimonogakari song by world-renowned DJ/Producer Slushii.
The cover for this single pays tribute to the original cover of “Blue Bird” released in 2008, with the members of Ikimonogakari replaced by the main characters of “BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS”. It’s become a viral hit with both Ikimonogakari fans as well as NARUTO/BORUTO fans, in Japan and all over the world. “BAKU” has also proved popular on international streaming service Spotify, having been played over 2.5 million times prior to the release.
Also hyping up the “BAKU” release is a new music video for the remixed song “Blue Bird (Slushii Remix)”, by the internationally recognised DJ Slushii. The video was produced by REALROCK DESIGN using the opening image of “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN”, where the song “Blue Bird” was used back in 2008. The original “Blue Bird” ranked 4th on the list of the most played Japanese songs overseas in 2020, so “Blue Bird (Slushii Remix)” is sure to be a hit in Japan and overseas!
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for Ikimonogakari fans, the group is also planning to release their long-awaited new album “WHO?” on 31st March 2021, which will mark the 15th anniversary of their major-label debut! The track listing includes some of the group’s latest hits such as “Ikiru” – a song created in collaboration with “This Croc Will Die In 100 Days”, “Kirakira ni Hikaru” — the theme song for the TV Asahi Thursday drama “Mikaiketsu No Onna Keishichou Bunsho Sousakan”, “BAKU”, and more!
About Ikimonogakari
Yoshiki Mizuno and Hotaka Yamashita formed Ikimonogakari on 1st February 1999, after attending the same elementary, middle, and high school. The name “Ikimonogakari” comes from the fact that the two of them had one thing in common: they worked together as keepers feeding goldfish in the first year of elementary school. It is called “Ikimonogakari” in Japanese, keepers who take care of creatures as a class role at elementary school.
On 3rd November 1999, one of their classmates, Yoshioka’s younger sister, Kiyoe Yoshioka, suddenly joined in the Ikimonogakari street performance. Having had an interest in singing since she was a young girl, she joined the group and they became a group of three. With a strong vocalist like Kiyoe, the group began to perform actively in their hometown areas of Atsugi and Ebina, selling out one-man shows in live houses and halls.
Since their major-label debut with “SAKURA” on 15th March 2006, they have released numerous hit songs. On 5th January 2017, they made a “declaration of being free to pasture” and temporarily suspended their activities, but they resumed their activities with a “gathering declaration” on 2nd November 2018. In March 2020, they released “Ikiru”, a song created in collaboration with “This Croc Will Die In 100 Days”, and the music video became a hot topic with over 6 million views.
On 31st August 2020, they released the single “Kirakira ni Hikaru”, the theme song for the TV Asahi Thursday drama “Mikaiketsu No Onna Keishichou Bunsho Sousakan”, and on 19th September 2020, they held their first digital festival “BS IKIMONOGAKARI DIGITAL FES 2020 – It’s the 20th anniversary of our formation! – Let’s celebrate our 20th anniversary remotely!”.
On 24th February 2021, they released their 33rd single, “BAKU”. The title track “BAKU” has been chosen as the opening theme song for the TV Tokyo animation “BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS”. This single also includes their first remix song “Blue Bird (Slushii Remix)”, which has become a hot topic.
They are also planning to release their long-awaited new album “WHO?” in March, which will mark the 15th anniversary of their major-label debut.
Ikimonogatari Website: https://ikimonogakari.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IKIMONOofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflAJoghlGeSkdz5eNIl-sg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ikimonogakari_official
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YneEA2nLtAhkD5t2769lZ
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