Red Swan (song)

"Red Swan" is a song by Japanese musician Yoshiki, featuring vocals by Hyde. Written and produced by Yoshiki, it is the opening theme song of the first 12 episodes of the third season of the Attack on Titan anime series. The television edit of the song was published on digital platforms on July 23, 2018, while the full single version was released on October 3, 2018.

"Red Swan"
Cover of the standard edition
Single by Yoshiki feat. Hyde
ReleasedOctober 3, 2018 (2018-10-03)
Recorded2018
Studio
  • Yoshiki Studio, Los Angeles
  • East West Studio, Los Angeles
  • Studio Tanta, Tokyo
GenreRock
Length8:43
LabelPony Canyon
Songwriter(s)Yoshiki
Producer(s)Yoshiki
Music video
"Red Swan" (Attack on Titan anime theme) – Official Lyric Video on YouTube

The single debuted at No. 4 on the Oricon Singles Chart and number 5 on Billboard Japan's Hot 100. It also topped the iTunes Rock Chart in 10 countries, making it the best-performing anime song in the chart's history, and reached the top ten on the iTunes mainstream charts in 16 countries.

Background and release

On July 8, 2018, it was revealed at Anime Expo in Los Angeles that X Japan had teamed up with Hyde from L'Arc-en-Ciel to create the theme song of the third season of the Attack on Titan anime.[1] "Red Swan" was originally announced as an X Japan song, that would only feature Yoshiki and Sugizo, with Hyde on vocals.[2] However, later that month the song was announced to now be credited to "Yoshiki feat. Hyde".[3]

"Red Swan" was inspired by a section of X Japan's 1994 number-one single "Rusty Nail". Its standard edition cover art was designed with elements from the cover art of "Rusty Nail", namely the blood dripping from a woman's mouth.[4] On September 15, Yoshiki revealed that "Red Swan" was actually completed just days earlier in Los Angeles.[4] Two days later, Yoshiki and Hyde performed the song live on Music Station.[5]

The television edit of the song was published on digital platforms on July 23, 2018, while the full song was released digitally and on CD, in two different versions, on October 3, 2018.[6][7]

Reception

Michelle Minikhiem of J-Generation called "Red Swan" "grand in the way only songs written by Yoshiki can be," with a vocal performance that "absolutely aches with longing." She described the track and its "swelling percussion, passionately romantic lyrics, and murmured philosophical questioning about life" as telling the story of a bittersweet love.[8]

Chart performance

"Red Swan" debuted at No. 4 on the Oricon Singles Chart and charted for 19 weeks.[9] It also debuted at No. 3 on the Oricon Digital Singles Chart.[10]

The song debuted at number 5 on Billboard Japan's Hot 100.[11] It also reached number 6 on Billboard Japan's Top Singles chart, which is based only on physical sales,[12] and topped Billboard Japan's Hot Animation chart, which tracks anime and video game music.[13]

The single topped the iTunes Rock charts in Japan, Finland, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Hong Kong, making it the best-performing anime song in the chart's history. It also reached No. 6 on the US Rock chart and No. 8 on the UK Rock chart. The song reached the top ten on the iTunes mainstream charts in 16 countries.[14]

Tracklist

All tracks are written by Yoshiki.

Yoshiki feat. Hyde Version
No.TitleLength
1."Red Swan"4:23
2."Red Swan (Instrumental)"4:20
Total length:8:43
Attack on Titan Version
No.TitleLength
1."Red Swan"4:23
2."Red Swan (Instrumental)"4:20
3."Red Swan: TV Edit"1:30
Total length:10:13

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Singles (Oricon)[9] 4
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard Japan)[15] 5

Sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ) 27,954[16][17][18][19]

References
  1. Chapman, Jacob (2018-07-16). "Anime Expo 2018: Attack on Titan Season 3 Premiere Report". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  2. "X JAPAN×HYDE、初のコラボ曲が『進撃の巨人 Season3』OPに決定" (in Japanese). Barks. 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  3. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (2018-07-21). "New Attack on Titan Season 3 Video Previews YOSHIKI Featuring HYDE's Opening Theme". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  4. "YOSHIKI feat.HYDE、「Red Swan」は「Rusty Nail」を一部意識". Barks (in Japanese). 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  5. "YOSHIKI feat.HYDE、Mステ『ウルトラFES』で『進撃の巨人』OP披露" (in Japanese). Barks. 2018-09-08. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  6. "TVアニメ「進撃の巨人」オープニングテーマ『Red Swan』アーティスト名は 『YOSHIKI feat. HYDE』 に正式決定！YOSHIKIインスタグラムで 『Red Swan』 の楽曲と共にトレーラー映像初公開！前代未聞の最高傑作！" (in Japanese). Gekirock. 2018-07-21. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  7. "X JAPAN & HYDE Join Forces for 'Attack on Titan' Anime Series Opener, 'Red Swan'". Billboard. 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  8. "Yoshiki feat. Hyde – Red Swan (Review)". J-Generation. 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  9. "Red Swan (Yoshiki feat. Hyde)". Oricon (in Japanese). 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  10. "Kis-My-Ft2, Mr.Children, Yonezu Kenshi, and Yumi Matsutoya Top the Oricon Charts for the Week of 10/1 – 10/7". Arama! Japan. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  11. "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  12. "Billboard Japan Top Singles". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  13. "Billboard Japan Hot Animation". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  14. Luster, Joseph (October 6, 2018). "YOSHIKI feat. HYDE's Attack on Titan Theme Song Tops the Charts". Crunchyroll. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  15. "Japanese Music: Top Japanese Songs Chart". Billboard. 2018-10-13. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  16. "週間 シングルランキング 2018年10月15日付（2018年10月01日～2018年10月07日）" [Weekly single ranking October 15, 2018 (October 1–October 7, 2018)] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2018-10-15. Archived from the original on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  17. "週間 シングルランキング 2018年10月22日付（2018年10月08日～2018年10月14日）" [Weekly single ranking October 22, 2018 (October 8–October 14, 2018)] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2018-10-22. Archived from the original on 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  18. "週間 シングルランキング 2018年10月29日付（2018年10月15日～2018年10月21日）" [Weekly single ranking October 29, 2018 (October 15–October 21, 2018)] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2018-10-29. Archived from the original on 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  19. "週間 シングルランキング 2018年11月05日付（2018年10月22日～2018年10月28日）" [Weekly single ranking November 5, 2018 (October 22–October 28, 2018)] (in Japanese). Oricon. 2018-11-05. Archived from the original on 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
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