Sexy Zone New Single Release Information

[faded_lace]

In an update from yesterday, here's a quick translation of the fanclub mail that I got today. As always, this is from a mail, so I have no way to prove that I actually got this,

◆ Sexy Zone Family Club member-limited　info mail ◇『mail bulletin』July 16th edition

o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.
　　
　Sexy Zone 7th Single「otoko never give up」9/17 (Wed) On Sale!!　　 　　　

o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.。+o★*.。+o☆*.

It's been decided that Sexy Zone's first single in four months,
「otoko never give up」will go on sale starting September 17th (Wed)!
This work sings a cheering message of "Cheer up!" "Don't give up!"
towards a member of the opposite sex who's a little depressed.
While being the sparkling support song you'd expect of Sexy Zone,
it's also a song directed at Sexy Zone themselves, cheering them up with a message of "let's face forward and progress onward!"

With a characteristically easy to remember chorus, the upbeat and lively melody
will brighten the listener's mood！ Please wait for previews with raised expectations!

The limited editions will be S・K・F versions, and will each have Sato Shori, Nakajima Kento, and Kikuchi Fuma's solo songs on them, respectively.
「Keep The Challenge」will serve as the image song
for Fuji TV's 『Women's Volleyball World Grand Prix』
for which Sexy Zone are the official supporters.

There are limited special videos, as well, so make sure to check out Sexy Zone's new single!


■Limited Edition S (CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
☆ Special Present： Sato Shori interchangeable jacket (Includes 1 out of 3 varieties)

［CD］
01. otoko never give up
02. Keep The Challenge
03. Title TBA (Sato Shori Solo)

［DVD］
「otoko never give up」Music Clip


■Limited Edition K (CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
☆ Special Present： Nakajima Kento interchangeable jacket (Includes 1 out of 3 varieties)

［CD］
01. otoko never give up
02. Keep The Challenge
03. Title TBA (Nakajima Kento Solo)

［DVD］
「Keep The Challenge」Image Clip in USA


■ Limited Edition F (CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
☆ Special Present： Kikuchi Fuma interchangeable jacket (Includes 1 out of 3 varieties)
☆ Special Deluxe 12 page photo booklet

［CD］
01. otoko never give up
02. Keep The Challenge
03. Title TBA (Kikuchi Fuma Solo)

［DVD］
Making of 「otoko never give up」Music Clip ＆ Jacket Shooting　


■Regular Edition (CD)・・・1,065 yen plus tax
――――――――――――――
☆ First press only:
＊ Picture Label
＊ Original trading card (Includes 1 out of 3 varieties)　

［CD］
01. otoko never give up
02. Keep The Challenge
03. Ashita ni Mukatte Ute！
04. Boku wa Kimi no Subete ni Naritai
05. otoko never give up Inst.
06. Keep The Challenge Inst.
07. Ashita ni Mukatte Ute！ Inst.
08. Boku wa Kimi no Subete ni Naritai Inst.


□Venue Limited Version (CD)・・・926 yen plus tax
――――――――――――――――
☆ Original Sticker Sheet included

［CD］
01. otoko never give up
02. Keep The Challenge
03. Ashita ni Mukatte Ute！
04. Boku wa Kimi no Subete ni Naritai
※ The Venue Limited Version will only be sold at the locations for「Sexy Zone Summer Concert 2014」
　Please note in advance that it won't be sold in stores.

※The jacket photos will have a unique design for each version.

☆ For more details on the CD, please check the Pony Canyon Official Sexy Zone homepage.

∽∞∽∞∽∞∽∽∞∽∞∽∞∽∞∽∽∞∽∞∽∞∽∽∽∞∽∞∽∞∽∞∽

Some things to consider:
1) They never once mention the exclusion of two members. I don't really understand the point of this, since everyone must have heard it on the news by now…?
2) Of course they included solo songs >__< Since being a hardcore fan of one member is quite common in Japanese fandom, I'm afraid that this will make the single too hard to pass up to a lot of fans, even if they're unhappy with the situation.
3) I guess Fuma's versions don't sell anymore, since they're including another extra in his. I have a lot of feelings about this, but… I don't know if this is the place for them.
4) I haven't officially seen anywhere in Japanese that it's supposed to be read "otoko" so take this with a grain of salt. Other possibilities for the character before "never give up" include "dan," "oto," and "o." I'll report back if I see anything.

So, Sexy Girls, are you buying this CD or not? I'm curious to know what foreign fandom's reaction to this will be. Remember that CDs bought through CD Japan and Yesasia being shipped out of Japan don't get counted into the Oricon rankings, but they do, in the end, affect the company's revenue, etc etc etc.

Comments

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

Still no. Every bit of news on this breaks my heart further. I only opened the mail to get my inbox to stop displaying it was there. Thanks again, J-fans, for being unable to see the big picture. ): Even if I'm voting with my money, it's a fruitless effort against the majority of the fandom.

I'm curious to your feelings on Fuma's. I'm actually surprised to even consider his stuff isn't selling like the others!

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's really frustrating to see people buying it because their favourite is the only one who matters to them. But I do think there are Japanese fans who won't be buying, as well. I do have hopes that there will at least be some impact. Marius, in particular, has a lot of fans here.

It's been interesting over the last two and a half years to watch the management push change from the original Kento and Fuma, to just Kento, to Kento and Shori. I think that Fuma has always been the member who's the least willing to compromise himself for the management and for being an "idol," which is a double edged sword, I guess. I mostly respect it in him, for being honest about his feelings about his work and his art and the group, and I feel like I can trust him and like him more because I know that he's showing his real self a lot of the time. For example, it was obvious at Yoyogi that Fuma was upset about this single, while with Kento, his words were much more positive and professional. But it also comes out in ways that you'd expect for a 19 year old boy, I think, and I do think it leads to fans (especially kids?) thinking that he's not friendly, because he's not as eager to run and touch everyone's hands, or smile at everyone in the crowd if he's not into it. So I think in the end it's cost him some popularity next to the ever-perfect, ever-performing Kento and next to Shori, who just loves the attention and thrives in the limelight.

Those are my personal feelings, of course… I'm not really sure in the long run what the reasoning is, but I'm a teacher and hear a lot of 12-14 year old kids' opinions on Sexy Zone. |D;;; So I at least know what 12-14 year olds are thinking.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

Ahh yeah I completely get what you're saying. Amongst my friends and I, we've always managed to be the type to like.. look beyond the surface? But it seems like maybe most fans aren't like that. I have a hard time seeing things from their point of view: To me, Fuma is a little insecure, and a little protective of himself because of it, but he's not a pushover and is someone who will protect what's important to him (including friends) in any way he can. I could totally tell just from his dancing how hard he's taking this; I bet he's blaming himself for not being able to do anything. But maybe most people don't see that about him. You're exactly right. Thanks for the perspective! And I hope you're right about the fans, and hope that there is some impact.

I'm a teacher, too- And I am incredibly jealous that your students talk about fandom with you. XD

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree; what I find interesting about Johnny's is trying to know more about them as people beneath the surface, but I think a lot of people just look at face value. Sigh. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, really? XD Where/at what level/what subject do you teach? Since I teach junior high school, my kids are all the right age to be like KYAAAA whenever they see my Sexy Zone clearfiles and stuff, so I lure them out XD;; When they found out I had shaken hands with all of Sexy Zone at the New Year handshake event in 2013, they all nearly tackled me to second-hand touch Shori. |D;;; Of course, it has the backlash of having to hear them talk about how Shori is so erotic and turns them on, because they don't realize that's really unfortunate to someone 10+ years older than them, but… there you go. XD;;

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

I'll be moving to Tokyo soon, actually. I was working at an eikaiwa but am switching to an international preschool! But all of my current students aren't really fans of anything. They like stuff, but not really in a "fandom" way. I've only met two people who might be considered "fans" and one is a Jin fan (hahahahahahahaha.) while the other is a Yamapi fan (okay, I'll give her that).

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's awesome! Where in Tokyo? I'm jealous; it takes me 2 hours by train to get into Tokyo XDD Will you be at the summer concert next week?

Good luck with your preschool, by the way, that sounds like fun ^^

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

I will be! For.. all three shows. We're really lucky that all 5 will be there, I think. I'm scared it'll be the last time for a while that we see them together. :\

I'll be in the Shinjuku area. I know what you mean about getting in there: I'm about the same distance out (a bit closer) and it's really a pain in the butt.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Oh wow XD I'm only going for the first two, so tell me how it works out for the last one. How are your seats? Maybe we'll run into one another there. But… yeah. I'm pretty worried, too, no matter what Johnny's is telling us ; I'll be seeing Marius and Sou again at the Matsuri, but that's really not how I want to be seeing them, so it's making me nervous.

Wow, that's lucky! Where are you now? I'm in Gunma; I'm actually pretty close, but trains out here suck so it takes, forever, sigh.

Also, do you mind if I friend you on LJ? ^^; I feel like we enjoy fandom in a similar way.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

Our seats for the first show are decent (I think; it'll be my first time actually going INSIDE the Super Arena, although I've been there a handful of times XD), the second show are bad, and the third show is like 7 rows behind the spot we're at for the forst show (lol).

I'm in Saitama. A little bummed to be leaving; Saitama is home to me, but 'ya gotta do what 'ya gotta do.. And Shinjuku is a better location overall for fandom.

Also, please do! I don't really use my journal for anything and sort of lurk around most of the time, but it's been really fun talking to you. ^^

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've never been inside, either. XD; I've only ever ridden past on the Shounan Shinjuku Line / Utsunomiya-sen XD;; Mine are high-ish numbers for Arena A-block for 10 am, and 200-level first row stands for the second show (I somehow super lucked out and me and my friend hit for both of those o__o;)… so we might run into one around before/after the first show? XD I'm thinking there won't actually be much time to meet up, considering, but it might be nice to say hi XD

Ahh, that's nice. I'd like to live in the close-to-Tokyo part of Saitama after I'm done my contract in Gunma since it's cheaper than Tokyo itself. XD; Shinjuku is definitely best for fandom, though. That sounds really awesome. I lived in Takadanobaba back in 2010 and I really miss it.

Awesome! I've had a lot of fun talking to you, too, so I'm glad~

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

Good luck moving here! It's certainly much cheaper than Tokyo for the size out here, even if you wind up in a big area like Omiya. Saitama is a nice place, I really like it here.

And I hope we do run into each other! I'm going with a friend so I don't know what our plans are yet; I think we're going to buy goods after the first show since the first one is so early, or else I would say "let's plan something!" I'm sort of obvious- blonde hair blue eyes, decked out in purple. u_u stupid Fuma.

Congratulations on hitting for arena!!! That makes me hopeful that one day I might be able to do the same. XDD We're in the 200 level... somewhere, I don't remember where >.> for the second show, too! ♪♫ I hope you have an awesome time in the arena! I saw HSJ for arena (my friend is the best ever, going with me T^T) and it was seriously one of the greatest moments of my life. X3

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Thanks! XD It's not for three more years, so it might be a while XD But I'm glad to hear it's nice living there! It seems really nice.

That makes sense. I think our plan was to buy goods after the second show since we're just going home after that, but we'll see; we might end up buying them between shows so we might see you XD;; Either way, I hope we run into one another! The friend I'm going with has red hair, so she stands out as well XD (I'm half, so I blend in slightly better. |D;)

Thanks!! It was totally lucky that we both hit for amazing seats (actually, equivalent ones my first row ones were going for more than some arena seats on ticket.co.jp). I thought it would never happen to me (and actually it hasn't… it's all my friend |D), but she's hit for arena twice now, so you can do it too! We were in the arena for countdown, which she also hit for (second row from the stage, I don't know how the heck she does it) and we've bought arena for HSJ in Nagano Big Hat and KisuMai in Tokyo Dome, so we're pretty excited to be there again! 200 level should be good, though! Super Arena is still slightly smaller than Tokyo Dome (I think??) so hopefully anywhere in 200 level should have a great view~

Did you guys manage to hit for seats in all three shows? That's really awesome XD;

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

Ahh no we didn't; we both put in two ballots: first choice 2 on one and 6 on the other, then flip-flopped them for the second choice, and put 10 as the third choice on both. And on both ballots hit for 10. :| We bought from a friend for 2pm and online for 6pm XD;

Be sure to wave at Matsushima extra hard for me during your arena show T^T

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, yeah, I hate when that happens. XD We do the same thing usually, and hit for the same show for the Sexy Second tour. =__= So we had to sell and rebuy.

Will do ♥ My little sister, who doesn't live in Japan, left me her Sou uchiwa, so I'll have that to show my support, too~