Hakujitsu

"Hakujitsu" (白日, lit. "sun" or "daytime") is a song by Japanese band King Gnu. It was released on February 22, 2019, by Ariola Japan, as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer.

"Hakujitsu"
Single by King Gnu
from the album Ceremony
LanguageJapanese
ReleasedFebruary 22, 2019 (2019-02-22)
Length4:34
LabelAriola Japan
Songwriter(s)Daiki Tsuneta
Producer(s)King Gnu
King Gnu singles chronology
"Prayer X"
(2018)		 "Hakujitsu"
(2019)		 "Hikōtei"
(2019)
Music video
"Hakujitsu" on YouTube

Background and release

The song was written as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer, starring Kentaro Sakaguchi, at the request of the drama's producer, Tetsuhiro Ogino.[1] He requested a song that reflected the prayers of the main character for his clients to move forward towards the future, as even though clients are innocent and acquitted, they are exposed to harsh public scrutiny.[2]

On January 7, 2019, it was announced that King Gnu would be performing the theme song for the drama.[1] As the drama aired in January, Tsuneta spent his New Year's holiday alone, composing the song; recording with the band members was conducted around January 9. Though Tsuneta would typically send a demo recording to the other members, who would modify it, due to the imminent deadline, King Gnu worked on the song in the recording studio across four days.[3] "Hakujitsu" was digitally released on February 22, 2019, by Ariola Japan.[4]

Composition and lyrics

Tsuneta, the songwriter, described "Hakujitsu" as dark and emotional, based on him working alone in his room during the New Year's holidays.[3] Additionally, he said that the death of his two friends made him conscious of life and death, influencing his songwriting.[5][6]

Music video

The music video for "Hakujitsu", directed by Perimetron's Osrin, was released on February 28, 2019.[7] It was filmed at Helena International Hotel in Iwaki, Fukushima, an unfinished hotel built during the Japanese asset price bubble.[8] Consistently monochrome or grayscale throughout, with the exception of the title in the opening, the credits at the end, and the Perimetron logo, the music video consists entirely of clips of King Gnu performing.[7][8] On the simplicity of the music video, Osrin said that it "relied on the power of the subject" and "turned out to be a work of art".[9]

Reception

The video won Best Video of the Year and Best New Artist Video (Japan) at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards Japan held on September 18, 2019.[10] It exceeded 100 million views on December 11, approximately nine and a half months after the video's release.[11]

Charts

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "Hakujitsu"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[22] Million 1,000,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[23] Diamond 500,000,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. King Gnuが初のドラマ主題歌、坂口健太郎主演「イノセンス 冤罪弁護士」に書き下ろし（コメントあり） [King Gnu writes their first drama theme song for Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer starring Kentaro Sakaguchi (with comments)]. Music Natalie (in Japanese). January 7, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  2. King Gnu、初ドラマ主題歌として坂口健太郎主演ドラマ「イノセンス 冤罪弁護士」に新曲“白日”を書き下ろし [King Gnu has written a new song "Hakujitsu" for the drama Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer starring Kentaro Sakaguchi as the first drama theme song]. Tower Records. January 7, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  3. King Gnu常田大希にインタビュー『白日』のヒットで報われた、次は皆で大合唱できる曲を [Interview with King Gnu Daiki Tsuneta Rewarded with the hit of "Hakujitsu", next time we will write a song that everyone can sing along to]. Fashion Press (in Japanese). July 5, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  4. King Gnu、ドラマ「イノセンス 冤罪弁護士」主題歌を配信リリース [King Gnu, drama Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer theme song to release]. Music Natalie (in Japanese). February 8, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  5. King Gnuの美しき名曲“白日”のMVはなぜモノクロであるべきなのか [Why should the music video for King Gnu's beautiful masterpiece "Hakujitsu" be monochrome?]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). March 12, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  6. Daiki Tsuneta [@daikitsuneta] (March 1, 2019). "白日"MV公開しました。去年は地元の友人が2人も立て続けに亡くなったりして生と死を強く意識した年になりました。最近の自分の作詞作曲にはその出来事の影響が強くあります。ずっと避けていた墓参りに行こうと思えたのはこの曲のお陰かもしれません ["Hakujitsu" MV has been released. Last year, two of my local friends passed away in quick succession, making me very conscious of life and death. My recent songwriting has been strongly influenced by that event. Maybe it was this song that made me want to visit the grave, which I had been avoiding for a long time.] (in Japanese) – via Instagram.
  7. King Gnu、坂口健太郎主演ドラマ主題歌「白日」MV公開 [King Gnu releases music video for drama theme song "Hakujitsu" starring Kentaro Sakaguchi]. Oricon News. August 7, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  8. Watanabe, Waka (March 5, 2019). King Gnu「白日」のMVを徹底解説 [Thorough explanation of King Gnu's "Hakujitsu" MV]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 24, 2020.
  9. King Gnu、ドラマ「イノセンス 冤罪弁護士」主題歌MV公開（動画あり） [King Gnu releases theme song MV for drama Innocence: False Accusation Lawyer (video included)]. Music Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  10. King Gnuが2冠の偉業達成！GLAY、日向坂46らがライブで観客魅了した「MTV VMAJ」 [King Gnu achieved the feat of winning two titles! GLAY, Hinatazaka46 and others captivated the audience with their live performance on "MTV VMAJ"]. Music Natalie (in Japanese). September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  11. King Gnu「白日」MVが1億再生突破、ビルボードジャパン年間ランキング【Hot 100】4位のナンバー | Daily News [King Gnu's "Hakujitsu" MV exceeds 100 million views, ranks 4th on Billboard Japan's annual ranking [Hot 100] | Daily News]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). December 11, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  12. "Billboard Global Excl. US: Week of October 10, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of January 13, 2020". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  14. "King Gnuの合算シングル売上" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  15. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year-End 2019". Billboard Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  16. "【オリコン年間ランキング 2019】嵐が18年ぶり200億円超えで総合首位、米津玄師、あいみょん、髭男がデジタルシーンを席巻 | 年間合算シングルランキング 1位~25位". Oricon (in Japanese). December 23, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  17. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year-End 2020". Billboard Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  18. "【オリコン年間ランキング2020】嵐、総合で通算9度目の首位獲得 | デジタルシングル(単曲)ランキング 1位~10位". Oricon (in Japanese). December 25, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  19. "【オリコン年間ランキング2020】嵐、総合で通算9度目の首位獲得 | ストリーミングランキング 1位~10位". Oricon (in Japanese). December 25, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  20. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year-End 2021". Billboard Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  21. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year-End 2022". Billboard Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  22. "Japanese digital single certifications – King Gnu – Hakujitsu" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2021年10月 on the drop-down menu
  23. "Japanese single streaming certifications – King Gnu – Hakijitsu" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 28, 2023. Select 2023年8月 on the drop-down menu
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