"Sexy Zone" new single announcement

[faded_lace]

Well, it's official. Sexy Zone's new single will be another 3 member single. As always, I've translated the fanclub email that came today's contents:

◆Sexy Zone Fan Club Member limited information mail◇『Mail Message Board』10/14 edition

◇──+゜*。:゜+─◆───+゜*。:゜──────────◇──+゜*。:゜+─◆

Sexy Zone New Single「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」11/19 (Wed) on sale！

◆──+゜*。:゜+─◇──────────゜:。*゜+───◆──+゜*。:゜+─◇

Sexy Zone's new single「君にHITOMEBORE」marks the first time the group has released a new single two months in a row!
This single will be the theme song for Nakajima Kento's starring TV Asahi Friday night drama, 「Kurofuku Monogatari」which starts on 10/24 (Fri).

The song, which was written for the drama, is a casual love song which sings straightforwardly about the exciting feeling of love at first sight amidst a sparkling encounter.
While continuing the group's signature, same as ever sparkling presence, they've created a song in which the audience can enjoy a sensuality that Sexy Zone has never shown until now.

On the Limited First Press Edition, the music clip for「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」, as well as the making video, and special footage from Sexy Zone's trip to America during the summer.
Definitely check Sexy Zone's charming new face during the drama broadcast!


■Limited First Press Edition A (CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen, plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
［CD］
01. Kimi ni HITOMEBORE
02. Trophy
03. Lady Spicy

［DVD］
「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」Music Clip

★ Included special goods: Nakajima Kento Changing Jacket (1 out of 3 types)


■Limited First Press Edition B(CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen, plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
［CD］
01. Kimi ni HITOMEBORE
02. Trophy
03. Snow ＆ Stars

［DVD］
Making of 「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」Music Clip ＆ Jacket Shooting

★ 12 page photo pamphlet
★ Included special goods: Sato Shori Changing Jacket (1 out of 3 types)


■Limited First Press Edition C(CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen, plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
［CD］
Same Contents as the Limited First Press Edition A

［DVD］
Special Movie in Grand Canyon/USA

★ Included special goods: Kikuchi Fuma Changing Jacket (1 out of 3 types)


■Limited First Press Edition D(CD+DVD)・・・1,296 yen, plus tax
―――――――――――――――――――
［CD］
Same Contents as the Limited First Press Edition B

［DVD］
Special Movie in Los Angeles/USA

★ Included special goods: Changing Jacket (1 out of three group types)


■Regular Edition (CD)・・・1,065 yen, plus tax
―――――――――――――――
［CD］
01. Kimi ni HITOMEBORE
02. Trophy
03. Lady Spicy
04. Snow ＆ Stars
05. Kimi ni HITOMEBORE Inst.
06. Trophy Inst.
07. Lady Spicy Inst.
08. Snow ＆ Stars Inst.

★ First press goods: Picture Label

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

And then, what the Pony Canyon Official Sexy Zone site says about the single:

8th SINGLE「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」（2014.11.19 on sale）
Nakajima Kento Starring role!
TV Asahi's Friday Night Drama「Kurofuku Monogatari」's theme song's sale date has been decided!
Sexy Zone's first time releasing two singles in two months will be the theme song for TV Asahi's Friday Night Drama「Kurofuku Monogatari」!
On the Limited First Press Edition, the music clip for「Kimi ni HITOMEBORE」, as well as the making video, and special footage from Sexy Zone's trip to America during the summer. The song is performed by the main members this time(Sato Shori/Nakajima Kento/Kikuchi Fuma).

This is just the facts. You're welcome to discuss in the comments, but I can't promise I'll comment back in a timely manner, or that I'll have anything particularly deep to say. This whole thing since July has been taking a huge toll on my physical and mental health, and at this point, I'm just sitting back and reminding myself that no amount of crying or anxiety is going to change anything. I wanted to share this information as soon as possible, but this time with no hysterics from me. Only time will tell what will happen.

That being said, I'd be grateful, even if you're a Kento, Shori, or Fuma fan… even if you're a JUMP, Arashi, KisuMai, Ebi, Juniors, Johnny's West, Tackey & Tsubasa, NEWS, Kanjani8, KAT-TUN, V6, TOKIO, SMAP, Kinki, or some other fan… if you could keep Marius and Sou in your thoughts for the time being.

Comments

[mayura-news.livejournal.com]

Kento is my bias in Sexy Zone... but no matter what I love MariSou, I love all the members,I love the 5 of them being together (it's so nice to see them in Sexy Zone Channel). I got into SexyZone thanks to Marius so it saddens me so much to see that they keep doing the 3nin thing. The boys don't like, the fans don't like, why keep doing it ? T_T

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. The guys are clearly miserable, all five of them. I'm really glad to hear solidarity from Kento, Shori, Fuma, Marius, and Sou fans alike, though. Let's just hope that the boys get through this and things get better soon.

[mayura-news.livejournal.com]

Everyone I know around me has his favourite member and no one accepts this situation. It saddens pretty much everyone ;_;

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm really glad to hear that Sexy Zone fans are all together in this, no matter who they have as their favourite. ;___;

[ichigobanana]

I think it was a HUGE sign that the Sexy Zone-album ranked so high in the charts as protest, so I honestly don't understand why they keep going with 3nin.

I'm not following Sexy Zone that closely, but it makes me wonder how they felt, knowing that Marichan is in New York (was it New York or a different city? Anyway, in the USA) while they're in LA. Who knows if it happened at the same time, but it still must have felt stupid.

All I can say is that I'm really disappointed by the management or whoever is responsible for this. Especially Sou looks a lot more confident already and Marius naturally gets more used to his idol status, so they could as well go back to the other three. I have the feeling JE is still trying to make us accept 3nin, so they can split Sexy Zone. No, I really don't understand it. And I hope the Japanese will find another way to show their protest against the new single, even though it doesn't seem to help much this time...

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

This single is in the drama, which has already begun airing. So that means the song was recorded probably at least a month ago, which means that it was recorded before the stuff with the Sexy Zone debut single ranking so high, and before ongu sold so horribly. I'm not saying that I have a ton of hope, but I also genuinely think that things might change based on that.

But I entirely agree. Marius and Sou are better at some things than KFS-- I saw them live in the Matsuri this past summer, and they were truly amazing performers. I don't know what's going to happen, but I hope JE come to their senses. Marius and Sou are so talented and have so much to give to the group. I hope the Japanese fans find another way, too… I'll be right there with them.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

But it doesn't say anything about the b-sides, right?

Like Snow was saying, maybe the b-sides will still have them..?

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I took the statement on the website to mean that it would be 3nin due to the "main members" thing, but you're right, it's not 100% clear. We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose… Either way, my heart can't take this.

[r1k1t0.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the translation :)

All we can do is just hold on and wait, I suppose.. I'm just glad that Sou & Marius are still in Sexy Zone Channel :D

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I'm glad for that, too.

[narqissa.livejournal.com]

I'm not really a sexy zone fans, but even for me it sucks to hear this.

And one thing though....
Since when Johnny's have "main" and "not-main" members in their groups? -_-

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your support, even not being a Sexy Zone fan. ♥

Who even knows. It's pretty awful.

[snow.livejournal.com]

Bullet points because I'm lazy.

■ The formation for the single was decided & everything was recorded before they had any idea how 男ngu would be received. We can't really determine whether or not any 5人 fan campaigns had an effect until the next release, which, ostensibly, hasn't been sitting around for two months.

■ An announcement & release date within a month of the previous single implies (to me) that the agency wants this thing out the door & gone as quickly as possible.

■ B-sides could go either way but I'm assuming we're getting another 3人 single so I'll just be happily surprised if we don't.

■ Dear Johnny's, please don't put a picture of a woman's shoe on the cover. No more feet. Please!! Have mercy!! lol

■ I suppose that what upsets me isn't just the existence of this single (though of course any 5人/Marius/Sou fan is really sad/disappointed), but the fact that the agency lied, and now that decision is falling back on the members. I've seen a lot of Japanese fans calling FKS (especially Fuma) liars & traitors and that's just so unfair. I can deal with bad news because bad news is a part of life but it's really hard for me to see FKS get raked over the coals for a decision they had nothing to do with.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

1) Yup, totally with you there. There's literally no way this could have been made in the past week.

2) I think it may have something to do with how much ongu's release date was pushed back, but yeah, it feels really rushed.

3) The fact that they have A, B, and C versions but they still come with Kento, Shori, and Fuma covers (not KFS versions) makes me feel like Marius and Sou probably are not included at all, but if they are I'll be happily surprised.

4) lol please no feet. Though that might make it sell worse…

5) The agency really disgusts me with its lies about things like this, and it's really upsetting to hear the boys be blamed for it.

Wake me up on November 20th…

[xanithofdragons.livejournal.com]

Welp, Johnny's lied to pretty much everyone... I'm not even surprised anymore. But that "main member" stuff is awful.

But, releasing singles two months in a row and announcing a release only ~1 month prior are good ways to tank sales... Ugh, just trying to wrap my head around what's all going in is hard. So if I think of it like follows:

1.Johnny's/Pony Canyon (how much say do the record labels get in these relationships?) decide to do a 3 member single
2. Knowing that fans are likely to react negatively to this idea, they inflate sales by tricking people into preordering the single before knowing any details
3. Fans understandably react negatively
4. At some point they decide to do another three member song without first seeing how ongu sells
5. But they lie to fans and say they aren't going to do this again
6. ongu comes out and the sales are so-so
7. They rush out an announcement of the next 3 member single and rush the release date
8. ????

What a mess. T_T I feel like Johnny's is trying to justify their decisions and failing horribly.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised, and to be frank, I thought it was a lie from the beginning. It just reeked of the placating that they always do, a la "B.I.Shadow will continue their activities!" etc and so forth. But yeah, "main member"? Really? I suppose it's better than saying Marius and Sou aren't members at all, but it's pretty awful.

It seems to me like they're trying to rush getting this single over with after ongu's horrible sales, but that could be wishful thinking. Moving back ongu's release date so that they wouldn't be in competition for first place on the charts with any other groups seems to have bitten them in the ass with this second release, too. I don't really understand what they were thinking at all.

1. Not sure how much say the record labels get-- I've heard mixed things from none at all to so much that they're behind the KisuMai split, but I think that it's probably somewhere in the middle, mostly to do with how the single is advertised and the PV is directed and staged. I don't think they could have ousted two members all on their own without Johnny's management wanting it too.

2. I'm still utterly baffled by how they were expecting this to go. It does seem to suggest that they wanted to inflate sales, but that begs the question of why do it in the first place?? If you think it's going to fail? Is it just that Ijima has a grudge against Marius and Sou? Because she could just as easily push them and have them making just as much money and having just as many fans.

3. I can't imagine they were expecting anything other than this?? Johnny's idg you at all >__<;

4. Yeah, what the heck… I don't even…

5. I'm not really surprised that they said the easiest thing possible to placate the fans =___=; That smacks of Johnny's.

6~8. Yeah, I really don't understand. They had to get the single out because the drama is already airing, but it just seems like horrible timing. Why didn't they release ongu earlier?? What were they thinking??

What a mess is definitely the way I'd describe this. I don't know if they're trying to stick to their guns or they're just clueless, but it all makes no sense to me.

[xanithofdragons.livejournal.com]

1. Yeah, I figure generally the record label's influence would be mostly limited to music and music-release things. So even if they have influence about who gets the most solo lines or who has the most PV screentime, it's not like they can directly influence all of their other activities, like in tv shows, magazines, etc.

2. The "Ijima hates them" theory seems to be the only one that doesn't involve massive logic and planning fails on the part of management. T_T And even then, screwing over talents just because you want to sounds like a really bad plan.

6~8. I've seen times where groups have managed rapid single releases well, like when Arashi was just so active that they had to release a bunch of singles all close together or when Eito announced in advance that they'd be releasing singles over consecutive months, but what's going on with Sexy Zone seems so half-assed for their first time they're releasing singles two months in a row.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

1. Yeah, that's basically the feeling that I get, as well.

2. Agreed here as well, but it still is ridiculous. As a businesswoman, how could she possibly let her own feelings get in the way of the intelligent thing for the group? It just makes no sense.

6~8. Totally. It's sloppy, rather than driven by any sort of demand, especially considering how poorly ongu did. x__x;

[kananyan.livejournal.com]

definitely still not the time for me to come back to this site of the moon then, but thanks for translating~<3

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. ^^

[arisu-chan25.livejournal.com]

i love Sexy Zone, watched them as babies since debut and i am so upset =.= like, Iijima, what are you doing? did you not see the sales from OtokoNever? why did they ever hand Sexy Zone over to Iijima in the first place, they were doing well with Julie during the first 3 singles orz...

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

This single has to have been pretty much done already before ongu even went on sale, so I think that it's not really related to ongu's horrible sales. I'm hoping that the next single after that will reflect ongu's failure more ;;;

Actually, Sexy Zone were managed by Johnny himself for the first year, before they were handed to Julie because the old man doesn't really manage any groups by himself anymore. I don't know why it seems that he prefers Ijima to Julie these days (besides that he hated Mary? idk) but I really disagree with her management tactics >__<;;;

[arisu-chan25.livejournal.com]

nobody likes Iijima. the fans all hate it. and i definitely hope that the next volleyball group won't be under her =.=

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Me too ;;; Sad to say, that's my major concern… if 2015 is under her then they're probably going to have this horrible split, too.

[yomimashou.livejournal.com]

I don't have much else to comment either, but thanks for translating as always ♥ I'll definitely be keeping Marius and Sou in my thoughts... I really hope this will pass. I wouldn't expect it to sell well considering the timing, but I probably shouldn't get my hopes set on anything in terms of sales.

...also, no trading cards is weird.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah… I think not expecting anything and taking things as they come is the best choice.

Yeah, it is really weird, right? .___.;;

[yomimashou.livejournal.com]

Yeah, agreed. And yeah, it seems weird for them to not have trading cards... now no one will buy the LE lol?

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

lol seriously. Also having an LE D seems a bit like overkill to me.

[britkit27.livejournal.com]

Ugh. >< This is all just so, so sloppy and awful. I'm late to the party so pretty much everything I wanted to say has already been covered in the comments but....seriously Ijima, Johnnys, wtf are you even thinking...

Hopefully the next single after this will be better ;;

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yup. Me too. >___<;;;

[lilly0]

Wait a moment... I don't get it all... ^^
I'm not really in SZ fandom, I'm a Senpai, Kanjani and Arashi fan, but listen to the younger ones here and there too.
Did they really release two singles with three members only!? OMG, why? Is there a reason? That's even worse than Kisumai atm. Since when does the agency divide the groups like this? Former groups have done everything to stay united (K8's Subaru and Ryo even declined the frontsinger role after their debut, because they wanted the others be seen as well. Even TOKIO with Nagase as the main vocalist is a well balanced band!) - and it worked out really well every time. I can't believe that they agency thinks dividing groups into main members and sub members is a good idea. Kisumai-fans are already really pissed that they hardly get a glimpse on 'the other four', but releaseing two singles with only three members is even worse.
If at least they would call it a sub-unit. JE has done that several times and fans have always adapted to it. But this here is not a sub unit, right?

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Basically everything you said in your comment is true. Sexy Zone have now been forced to release two singles with only three members (in my personal opinion, you can tell from those three members' faces and reactions that they don't want to be doing it without their groupmates but have no choice), and I'm pretty much in shock over the fact that the management thinks this is okay, too. The first of the two singles sold absolutely horribly, but they've now done so many gimmicks that I'm sure this one will sell with flying colours. I also agree that it would be fine if they called it a sub-unit, but they haven't. Basically the message that they're sending is that Sexy Zone doesn't need those other two members, and that they're useless. This is the first time in the history of Johnny's that something like this has happened (that I know of) and frankly, I find it horrifying and disgusting. That's my personal opinion, but I, like you, am in shock that they're having a group release singles without all the members.