■ “It’s a bright and crazy song, but I aimed for it to be something that makes you feel sad as you listen to it.” (Yuzu’s Kitagawa Yuujin)
Yuzu’s new song “Fusen Tokushu” has been chosen as the theme song for the TV Asahi Tuesday drama “Minami-kun ga Koibito!?” which will begin airing on July 16th. The theme song for the drama, which uses the song, has been unveiled, along with a special promotional video.
This work is the first Reiwa era adaptation of the popular manga “Minami-kun no Koibito” by Shungiku Uchida, which was published in 1987 and has been adapted into a TV series four times in the past. This time, “Minami-kun” will be depicted in a “gender-reversed version” in which he becomes palm-sized and 15 centimeters in size.
The main character, Horikiri Chiyomi, will be played by Iinuma Ai, and “Minami-kun” (also known as Minami Hiroyuki) will be played by Yagi Yusei of FANTASTICS. It has also been talked about how Okada Yoshikazu, who also wrote the script for the 1994 Takahashi Yumiko & Takeda Shinji version of “Minami-kun no Koibito”, will be writing the script for the first time in 30 years.
The theme song, “Fusen Tokushuu,” was written by Yuujin Kitagawa and arranged by bassist Yu Sudo, who is also a member of XIIX. The song features a light guitar sound and catchy melody, and if Yuzu’s representative song “Natsuiro” is described as a “Heisei summer song,” then “Fusen Tokushuu” is a “Reiwa summer tune.”
Kitagawa had originally written a fragment of a song during the production period, but when he received the offer to write the theme song, he began working on it in earnest. After reading through the contents and script of the drama, he completed the entire song, including writing new lyrics, and provided it to us.
The special PR released in conjunction with this announcement shows Chiyomi and “Minami-kun” walking along the coast and playing basketball on a sandy court in Shonan, which gives a feeling of early summer. The fast-paced melody of the theme song “Fusen Tokushu” overlaps with this, adding color to the love story of the two young people.
■Comment from Yuzu’s Yuujin Kitagawa
During the production period, I suddenly decided to write a song with the title “Foreshadowing Collection.”
I thought it would be interesting, so I started making pieces of songs.
Just then, I received an offer to sing the theme song for “Minami-kun ga Koibito !?”
I thought this song would be a good fit, so I had the drama team listen to it, and it was a big hit (laughs).
Things progressed smoothly from there, and we thought it would be a good idea to link the worldview of the lyrics to the work.
I wrote it while reading the script.
It’s a bright and crazy song,
As I listen to it, I feel a little sad.
That’s the kind of song I was aiming for.
The bittersweet love story of Chiyomi and Minami-kun unfolds in Shonan.
But sometimes the feelings of the summer go awry,
I hope that all the loose ends will be resolved at the very end.
Along with Yuzu’s Reiwa summer song “Fusen Kaikō”,
Let’s have fun together this summer.■ Comment from Ai Iinuma
When I heard that Yuzu would be singing the theme song, I was totally surprised! I think the theme song is a huge part of a drama, so I was excited to see what kind of song it would be, and when I heard it would be Yuzu, I thought, “Awesome!”
“Fusen Koshuu” was a more pop song than I had imagined, and when I heard it I was like, “It’s summer! It’s Yuzu!” I heard that it was written specifically for this drama after reading the script, and the straightforward words in the lyrics make me feel “Chiyomi-esque,” and the overall content of the song seems to be from “Minami-kun’s point of view,” so I think it’s a song that has both elements. I’m really looking forward to hearing what scenes in the drama it will be played in!
I think that the combination of the gentle, warm, and slightly sad world of Okada Yoshikazu’s script and Yuzu’s songs will make for a very adorable drama, so I hope that everyone can feel the summer with me.■ Comment from Yusei Yagi
I think most people think of Yuzu as a group that sings summer songs, and I feel the same way, so I was really excited to listen to the song.
It’s a song that’s perfect for summer, with a light and refreshing tempo, and lyrics that have a strong message.
It felt like a drama was being depicted.
If it was to be played in a drama, would the chorus be played? I wonder.
If you listen to the full song, it will make you feel a little sad,
After listening to it in the drama, I would like you to listen to the full song, including the lyrics.
I hope that when people listen to this song they will be reminded of “Minami-kun ga Koibito !?”, and I also hope that when people watch “Minami-kun ga Koibito !?” they will be reminded of “Resolving the Plot Points”, creating a wonderful synergistic effect.
I hope you will tune in many times and enjoy the drama and the resolution of the plot twists this summer.
Program Information
TV Asahi“Minami-kun ga Koibito !?”
Starts July 16, 2024 Every Tuesday 21:00-21:54
Cast: Ai Iinuma, Yusei Yagi
Yoshino Kimura, Shinji Takeda, Ikki Sawamura, Mariko Kaga
Rena Takeda, Nao Yamato, Hiroshi Iwase, and others
Original story: Shungiku Uchida’s “Minami-kun’s Lover” (published by Seirin Kogeisha), “Minami-kun is a Lover” (Bunkasha)
Screenplay: Yoshikazu Okada
Director: Tadaaki Horai, Takashi Komatsu
Executive Producer: Seiko Uchiyama (TV Asahi)
General Producer: Nobuyuki Hattori (TV Asahi)
Producers: Akiko Kanda (TV Asahi), Hitoshi Fuse (MMJ), Taro Murayama (MMJ)
Produced by: TV Asahi, MMJ
“Minami-kun ga Koibito !?” program site
https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/minamikun/
Yuzu OFFICIAL SITE
https://yuzu-official.com/
FANTASTICS OFFICIAL SITE
https://m.tribe-m.jp/Artist/index/168
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