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is the second major label
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
by the Japanese
kawaii metal Kawaii metal (also known as cute metal, J-pop metal, or kawaiicore) is a musical genre that blends elements of heavy metal and J-pop that was pioneered in Japan in the early 2010s. The genre combines both Eastern and Western influences that appe ...
band
Babymetal (stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
. It was released in Japan on June 19, 2013 as the fifth single from the album ''
Babymetal (stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
''. It is also the first single released independently from the idol group
Sakura Gakuin was a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010 by the Amuse talent agency. The group's membership fell within the age range of Japanese compulsory education, typically containing between 10 and 12 members at a time who fall between the ages of ...
.


Release and promotion

The single was first announced for a June release on April 1, 2013. The single was released in four versions: a standard edition and three limited editions. The "Ki", "Tsu", and "Ne" (''Kitsune'' means "fox" in Japanese) limited editions included single artwork focused on Nakamoto, Mizuno, and Kikuchi respectively, and their included DVDs feature footage of two songs from each of the live performances from '' Live: Legend I, D, Z Apocalypse''. Additionally, the single included a chance to contain a ticket to the premium event Kitsune Festival at Meguro Rock May Kan on July 14, 2013. To promote the release, the band was featured in the June issue of ''Marquee'' and on the cover of the July issue of ''Hedoban'', in addition to collaborating with Tower Records for the 34th rendition of the event ''No Music, No Idol?''.


Babymetal Death Match Tour 2013: May Revolution

The was a promotional concert tour by Babymetal, occurring in conjunction with the promotion of "Megitsune". The band performed four shows, with two on the final tour date, at the same venue.
Customers who purchased tickets to the tour could receive an exclusive edition of the single, with a remix by
Yuyoyuppe , known professionally as , is a Japanese DJ, songwriter, producer, and singer, known for his Vocaloid music. Early life Takehiro Mamiya was born on September 25, 1989, when his parents were expecting a baby girl. He first learned to play the gu ...
, under the name DJ'Tekina//Something. According to Mizuno, the tour was designed to be a "training tour". During each of the four shows the three members wore stage costumes for the eras of " Doki Doki ☆ Morning" (which had become nostalgically small for them), "
Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! is a music single, single by the Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. Released in Japan on July 4, 2012 in promotion for the album ''Sakura Gakuin discography#Sakura Gakuin 2012 Nendo: My Generation, Sakura Gakuin 2012 Nendo: My ...
", and "
Ijime, Dame, Zettai is the debut major label single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on January 9, 2013, as the fourth overall single from the album ''Babymetal''. Background and release The single was first announced after the co ...
", respectively, with the final show premiering new costumes for "Megitsune".


Composition


"Megitsune"

"Megitsune" has been described as "
festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
metal". Alongside the serious heavy metal tone, there is a mix of Western-style and Eastern-style music, noticeably with the use of Japanese traditional instruments. Unlike screams in traditional heavy metal, "Megitsune" is filled with festival chants by
Mizuno () is a Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno. Today, Mizuno is a global corporation which makes a wide variety of sports equipment and sportswear for table tennis, boxing, badminton, gol ...
and Kikuchi like "''wasshoi''" and "''sore sore''", while Nakamoto sings in the melodramatic style of
enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form which adopts a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ''ryūkōka'' music, pop ...
. The bridge has significant variety in genre, with elements of dubstep as well as interpolations from the traditional Japanese folk song "
Sakura Sakura , also known as "Sakura", is a traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season of cherry blossoms. It is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan. Contrary to popular belief, the song did not originate ...
". The song contains lyrics such as "from the time of birth, women are actresses" which reflect on the song's theme of women remaining strong when living with their varied facial expressions. The song relates foxes, which disguises themselves for deception in Japanese mythology, to women, who disguise themselves with makeup. According to Nakamoto, foxes are similar to women as they can keep their true feeling hidden, even through hard times, leaving a cool impression. The last chorus contains the phrase , which is also famously said by
Masako Natsume was a Japanese actress from Tokyo. Widely popular in Japan, she gained worldwide recognition for her portrayal of Tripitaka in the TV series ''Monkey,'' which is now considered a cult classic. Biography Masako was born Masako Odate at Japane ...
's character in the 1982
yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media (by request of the police) call them , while the yakuza call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ''yak ...
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
"
Onimasa is a 1982 Japanese film directed by Hideo Gosha. Based on the novel of Tomiko Miyao. It was Japan's submission to the 55th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee. Cast * Tatsuya Nak ...
"; whether or not this was intentional has never been confirmed. Recording had begun shortly after "
Ijime, Dame, Zettai is the debut major label single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on January 9, 2013, as the fourth overall single from the album ''Babymetal''. Background and release The single was first announced after the co ...
", with a tone reminiscent of " Doki Doki ☆ Morning" and " Iine!". After several rounds of remixing, taiko drums were added while the lyrics remained the same. In a ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' interview about the band's album ''
Metal Resistance ''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
'', Su-metal explained that the song "is popular among international fans, and I have a feeling that "Karate" will be something close to "Megitsune."" George Garner of ''
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...
'' called the song "the most hyper song abymetalhave ever put their name to."


Other songs

Performed solely by Nakamoto, is considered to be in the genre of speed metal. The song debuted as background music during the first live performance of "Iine!". Nakamoto went through voice training as the song was challenging with high tones. With more performances, her vocal performance improved as she stopped singing flat. Being her first solo, Nakamoto felt accomplished being able to sing the entire song by herself. While writing about the band's performance at
Wembley Arena Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...
, Mark Beaumont contrasted it with the previous songs "Awadama Fever", "Iine!", and "Yava!", stating it had a darker tone, as "a show-tune ballad sung by Su-metal in a black cape, running along a flame-flanked ego ramp". Under the stage name "Black Babymetal", Mizuno and Kikuchi perform in the style of rap metal, with dialogue-style lyrics in the nature of small devils. Due to the childish nature of the lyrics, Mizuno sang the song like a baby. Nakamoto has background vocals in the chorus, in a cool manner. Daniel Robson of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' called the lyrics of ''
Babymetal (stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
'' "delightfully tongue-in-cheek", explaining how "Onedari Daisakusen" "offers practical advice to teens on how to extract extra pocket money from one’s father with a well-timed shoulder-massage/flattery combo".


Reception

"Megitsune" received positive acclaim from music critics. Tomonori Shiba of ''M-ON! Press'' wrote that "Megitsune" has an intro filled with the shamisen, bass guitar, synths, and flying shouts of "Sore! Sore!", signifying its festival-like nature, fusing the genres of metalcore and "''wa''" (和; Japanese elements). Like the music of
Crossfaith Crossfaith ( Japanese: クロスフェイス) is a Japanese metalcore band from Osaka that was formed in 2006, which currently consists of vocalist Kenta Koie, guitarists Kazuki Takemura and Daiki Koide, drummer Tatsuya Amano, and keyboardist T ...
and
Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas is a Japanese electronicore band from Kobe that was formed in summer 2008. The band currently consists of vocalist So, keyboardist Minami, guitarist Taiki, drummer Tomonori, and bassist Tetsuya. They are best known for their heavy use of vocod ...
, it contains elements of electro-trance music. He further compared Nakamoto's vocal performance to that of
Evanescence Evanescence is an American Rock music, rock band founded in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody in Little Rock, Arkansas. After releasing independent extended play, EPs and a Origin (Evanescence demo album), demo ...
band member Amy Lee, calling the line "Kitsune. Kitsune. I am Megitsune" in the bridge stimulating. Patrick St. Michel of ''
The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...
'' considered the song one of the highlights on the album, praising it for not depending on the band's "gimmicks". He further called it and " Doki Doki ☆ Morning" memorable and similarly constructed to "
Gimme Chocolate!! is a song by the Japanese kawaii metal band Babymetal from their self-titled debut album. Though it was not released as a single in Japan, the song became an international success. Later, it was released via earMusic in the United Kingdom on Ma ...
". While reviewing a performance at
Brixton Academy Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Lon ...
, Colin McQuistan of ''
The Huffington Post UK ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' described "Akatsuki" as an opportunity for Nakamoto to "show off her remarkably powerful voice", while "wonderfully bonkers" "Onedari Daisakusen" gave Mizuno and Kikuchi an opportunity to "lead the audience on a wildly merry journey". The single peaked at number seven on the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
Weekly Singles Chart, selling 22,000 copies that week. The song also charted on the ''
Billboard Japan ''Billboard Japan'' is a sister organization of the U.S.-based music magazine '' Billboard''. It is operated by the Japanese Osaka-based company Hanshin Contents Link (a subsidiary of Hanshin Electric Railway), holding an exclusive licence fr ...
'' Hot 100, peaking at number 16 in the week of July 1, 2013. It also managed to peak at number two on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart. "Megitsune" was used as the opening theme for the Japanese talk/variety show '. "Megitsune" is used as one of the two pieces of walk-on music for Japanese
darts Darts is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, projectiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dartboard. Point ...
player
Mikuru Suzuki is a Japanese darts player. She was a two-time back-to-back British Darts Organisation (BDO) women's world champion. She plays in both World Darts Federation (WDF) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Career Suzuki is an experienced ...
, the other being "
Baby Shark "Baby Shark" () is a children's song associated with a dance involving hand movements dating back to the late 20th century. In 2016, "Baby Shark" became immensely popular when Pinkfong, a South Korean entertainment company, released a version ...
" by
Pinkfong Pinkfong () is an English-language South Korean children's educational brand of The Pinkfong Company (previously known as Smart Study and Smart Books Media), a South Korean educational entertainment company. Pinkfong content consists mainly o ...
.


Music video

A teaser for the single, featuring a sulphur-crested cockatoo named Robin seemingly
headbanging Headbanging is the act of violently shaking one's head in rhythm with music. It is common in rock music, rock, Punk rock, punk, heavy metal music, heavy metal and dubstep, where headbanging is often used by musicians on stage. Headbanging is als ...
to the song, was first uploaded to YouTube via the Toy's Factory channel on May 31, 2013, with the full music video, directed by , uploaded to the official Babymetal channel on June 4, 2013. The music video was shot on location at the in Tokyo; it is now a popular spot for Babymetal fans from outside Japan to visit. The three members are shown dancing in
Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. It is Japan's oldest major theater art that is still regularly performed today. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature featuri ...
theater alongside the "Kitsune band" (using traditional Japanese instruments) within the traditional scenery of Japan; this forms the significant contrast found in the music (specifically between metal and ''wa''), which has since garnered over 79 million views as of June 2022. In the last chorus, Nakamoto threateningly reveals that her microphone contains a
hidden blade ''Hidden Blade'' is a 2023 Chinese period spy thriller film directed by Cheng Er and starring Tony Leung and Wang Yibo. The film was released in China on January 22, 2023 (Chinese New Year). The film has grossed $139 million worldwide. Pre ...
, while saying the aforementioned phrase "underestimate maidens at your own peril". During the shooting of the music video, Kikuchi's outfit tore at the armpit; similar incidents had previously occurred at live performances.


Live performances

Prior to the release of the single, "Megitsune" was performed live on the
Nippon Broadcasting System , or JOLF, is a Japanese radio station based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, headquartered near the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is also the main company of the Nippon Broadcasting Group. Nippon Broadcasting System is a subsidiary of Fu ...
program ''MC Plus'' on June 4, 2013. The band also performed the song at the single's release event Pray for Success with "Inarin" & Mini Live at Tower Records Shibuya on June 22, 2013. The next day, the song was performed again at a free concert at the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza Festival. The band performed the song on the
Nippon TV JOAX-DTV (channel 4), branded as (NTV) or Nippon TV, is a Japanese television station serving the Kantō region as the flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned and operated by the , a sub ...
program ''Music Dragon'', which would be broadcast on June 21, 2013. Later, they performed the song on the
NHK General TV , abbreviated on-screen as NHK G, is the main television service of NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster. Its programming includes news, drama, quiz/variety shows, music, sports, anime, and specials which compete directly with the output of its co ...
program ''Music Japan Annex'', which was broadcast on July 16, 2013. In February 2014, the band performed the song with Taiwanese band
Chthonic In Greek mythology, deities referred to as chthonic () or chthonian () were gods or spirits who inhabited the underworld or existed in or under the earth, and were typically associated with death or fertility. The terms "chthonic" and "chthonian" ...
. During the live performances, Nakamoto is shown holding a Kitsune mask to her face during the bridge, before tossing it out into the crowd.


Track listings and formats

Standard edition "Ki", "Tsu", and "Ne" limited edition May Revolution Exclusive promotional edition


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from "Megitsune" standard and limited "Tsu" single liner notes.
Recording and management * Recorded at ABS Recording, MukuStudio, Sound Arts Studio, S.O.L.I.D. Sound Lab, and Heat icBeat Recording Studio * Mixed at King Sekiguchidai Studio * Mastered at Parasight Mastering Personnel * Suzuka Nakamoto (SU-METAL) – vocals (lead and background) * Yui Mizuno (YUIMETAL) – vocals (lead and background) * Moa Kikuchi (MOAMETAL) – vocals (lead and background) * Key Kobayashi ( Kobametal / KxBxMETAL) – executive producer, arrangement * Millennium Japan (millennium JAPAN) – executive producer * Tucky – mastering * Miki Watanabe (MK-METAL) – lyrics * Norikazu Nakayama (NORiMETAL / NAKAMETAL / ) – lyrics, music * Tatsuya Tsubono (TSUBOMETAL) – lyrics, music * Ryugi Yokoi (RYU-METAL) – lyrics * Shinichi Fujita (FUJI-METAL) – lyrics * Shuhei Takahashi (TEAM-K) – music * Kazuki Higashihara (TEAM-K) – music * Takehiro Mamiya (
Yuyoyuppe , known professionally as , is a Japanese DJ, songwriter, producer, and singer, known for his Vocaloid music. Early life Takehiro Mamiya was born on September 25, 1989, when his parents were expecting a baby girl. He first learned to play the gu ...
/ DJ'TEKINA//SOMETHING)
 – arrangement,
audio mixing Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more audio channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This practical, aest ...
, remixer * Kyoto () – arrangement * Tatsuo (tatsuo) – arrangement, guitar, bass * Masatake Osato –
recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, re ...
* Naoki Ibaraki – recording * Seiji Toda – audio mixing * Hironobu Takikawa – audio mixing * Leda – guitar


Charts


Weekly charts


Daily charts


Cover versions

Violinist Ayako Ishikawa covered "Megitsune" on the violin; the song appeared on her 2016 album ''Sakura Symphony''. On December 7, 2014,
Sakura Gakuin was a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010 by the Amuse talent agency. The group's membership fell within the age range of Japanese compulsory education, typically containing between 10 and 12 members at a time who fall between the ages of ...
members Aiko Yamaide and Megumi Okada covered "Onedari Daisakusen" as a "One-Night Shuffle Unit" in the concert Sakura Gakuin ☆ 2014: Celebration in December.


Release history


References


External links


Babymetal singles discography
– Toy's Factory website {{authority control Babymetal songs Toy's Factory singles 2013 singles 2013 songs Songs in Japanese Songs about foxes