Live Tour: Continues

File:BRASILEIROS GANHAM MEDALHAS NO ATLETISMO DOS JOGOS PARALÍMPICOS RIO 2016 (29492202261).jpg broadcast of the 2016 Summer Paralympics (Men's 100 meters pictured).]]

Ending his Yellow Voyage tour at the Osaka-jō Hall in March 2016, Hoshino announced that he would like to tour again in the near future.{{cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000125411|title=星野源、約10万人動員の全国ツアーがファイナル。「また近々ツアーをしたい」|trans-title="I Wish to Tour Again in the Near Future", Gen Hoshino Ends National Tour to Audience of 100,000|language=ja|website={{ill|Barks Music News {{!}} Barks|ja|BARKS}}|date=March 22, 2016|access-date=May 23, 2024}} On August 5, 2016, Hoshino unveiled his new song "Continues" via a video message and commercial showed at a press event by the television channel SKY PerfecTV!. It would be used as the theme song to the channel's broadcast of the 2016 Summer Paralympics, set to be hosted in September in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.{{cite web|url=https://thetv.jp/news/detail/83647/|title=星野源がリオパラリンピックの放送テーマソングを歌う|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Sings Theme Song to Paralympics Broadcast|website={{ill|The TV|ja|ザテレビジョン}}|language=ja|publisher=Kadokawa|access-date=May 23, 2024}} A song about {{nihongo|following|伝う|tsutau}} and {{nihongo|continuing|続く|tsuzuku}}, "Continues" was written in respect to musician Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra after he told Hoshino: {{nihongo|"Take care of the future for me"|未来をよろしく|Mirai o yorshiku}}.{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/197238|title=星野源、パラリンピック放送テーマソングに新曲「Continues」|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Writes New Song "Continues" as Theme to Broadcast of the Paralympics|language=ja|website=Natalie.mu|date=August 5, 2016|access-date=May 23, 2024}}{{cite web|last=Wakata|first=Yuki|url=https://realsound.jp/2017/09/post-113456.html|title=星野源は“音楽の歴史”をつないでいく　アリーナツアー『Continues』追加公演を観て|trans-title=(Live Report) Gen Hoshino Connects the History of Music in Arena Tour Continues|language=ja|website={{ill|Real Sound (website) {{!}} Real Sound|ja|リアルサウンド}}|date=September 28, 2017|access-date=May 24, 2024}}{{rp|1}} "Continues" was included as a B-side on Hoshino's single "Koi" (2016) and also featured on his fifth studio album Pop Virus (2018).{{cite web|url=https://artist.cdjournal.com/d/-/4116081806|title=星野 源 / 恋|trans-title=Gen Hoshino / Koi|website={{ill|CDJournal|ja|CD Journal}}|language=ja|access-date=May 24, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://artist.cdjournal.com/d/pop-virus/4118101613|title=星野 源 / Pop Virus|trans-title=Gen Hoshino / Pop Virus|website={{ill|CDJournal|ja|CD Journal}}|language=ja|access-date=May 24, 2024}}

During the encore of his two-day concert Yellow Pacific at Pacifico Yokohama on January 24, 2017, Hoshino announced Hoshino Gen Live Tour 2017: Continues, his first arena tour, to visit venues across nine cities in Japan under the same name as the song.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinra.net/news/20170125-hoshinogen|title=星野源が初のアリーナツアー　全国9都市巡る『Continues』|trans-title=Gen Hoshino To Tour 9 Cities in National Arena Tour Continues|website={{ill|Cinra|ja|CINRA}}|language=ja|date=January 25, 2017|access-date=May 24, 2024}} A tenth show at the Saitama Super Arena was added to the performance list post-announcement.{{cite web|url=https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/132118|title=星野源　全公演ソールドアウトの全国ツアーに、さいたまスーパーアリーナ公演2DAYSを追加発表|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Announces Two Day Show at Saitama Super Arena to Sold-Out National Arena Tour Continues|language=ja|website=Spice|publisher={{ill|EPlus (Japanese company){{!}}EPlus|ja|イープラス}}|date=June 27, 2017|access-date=May 24, 2024}} A concept tour,{{cite web|author=Oguri|url=https://tower.jp/site/artist/hoshinogen/discography/solo|title=Live Tour "Continues" [2DVD/Blu-ray+ブックレット] <初回限定盤>|trans-title=Live Tour: Continues (2 DVD / Blu-ray + Booklet) (First Limited Edition)|language=ja|publisher=Tower Records Japan|date=November 30, 2019|access-date=May 26, 2024}} it focused on heritage in music and connecting music history. Setlists were opened with a cover of Martin Denny's instrumental "Firecracker" (1959), the song which inspired Hosono to write "Mad Pierrot" (1978) on Yellow Magic Orchestra's debut eponymous studio album. "Mad Pierrot" features as the thirteenth song, followed by Hoshino's "Mad Pierrot"-inspired "Tokiyo" (2015).{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/248342|title=星野源、自身の音楽ルーツ込めたツアー「Continues」6万人熱狂のたまアリで幕|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Expresses His Musical Roots in Tour Continues, Closed at the Saitama Arena to Audience of 60,000|language=ja|website=Natalie.mu|date=September 11, 2017|access-date=May 23, 2024}} The theming of the tour made Hoshino feel comfortable including songs that had personally impacted him and those he would not usually perform live, such as a cover of Number Girl's "Tōmei Shōjo" (1999) or his own single "Gag" (2013).{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/55234/2|title=星野源、初の全国アリーナツアー完走、「Family Song」をライブ初披露|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Gives Debut Performance of "Family Song" During First National Arena Tour|language=ja|magazine=Billboard Japan|date=September 11, 2017|access-date=May 26, 2024}}{{cite magazine|last=Sugiura|first=Emi|url=https://rockinon.com/live/detail/166926|title=星野源 / さいたまスーパーアリーナ|trans-title=Gen Hoshino / Saitama Super Arena|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=September 10, 2017|access-date=May 26, 2024}} "Family Song" (2017), written by Hoshino during the tour,{{cite magazine|last=Sugiura|first=Emi|url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/172223|title=星野源のツアー「Continues」のコンセプトはなぜ生まれたか? その答えがドキュメンタリー映像の中にある|trans-title=How Did Gen Hoshino Conceive the Continues Tour? The Answer Lies in the Video Documentary|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=January 18, 2018|access-date=May 25, 2024}}{{rp|2}} was exclusively featured in the Saitama show in its debut live performance.

Continues opened at the Marine Messe Fukuoka on May 21, 2017, and ended at the Saitama Super Arena on September 10.{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/233666|title=星野源アリーナツアーが福岡で開幕、会場では「恋」MV衣装展示も|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Opens Arena Tour Continues in Fukuoka, Featuring Display of Costume from "Koi" Music Video|language=ja|website=Natalie.mu|date=May 22, 2017|access-date=May 25, 2024}} Among others, the tour featured Eiko Ishibashi on keyboard and marimba, tour bandleader Ryosuke Nagaoka on guitar, the troupe Elevenplay with background dance performance, and also saw Hoshino playing guitar or marimba on select tracks, such as the cover of "Firecracker". The opening of shows featured a voice drama written by Hoshino, starring voice actors Akio Otsuka and Mamoru Miyano, the latter known for work as Rintaro Okabe in Steins;Gate (2011) and the former as Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, a personal favorite video game of Hoshino.{{rp|2}}{{cite web|url=https://realsound.jp/2017/11/post-133129.html|title=星野 源、初のアリーナツアー『Continues』映像作品詳細発表　特典は"ポラロイド風のニセ"|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Reveals Details to Video Release of First Arena Tour Continues, To Feature "Polaroid-Style Nise" as Bonus|language=ja|website={{ill|Real Sound (website) {{!}} Real Sound|ja|リアルサウンド}}|date=November 28, 2017|access-date=May 26, 2024}} The drama sees Kayōkyoku-senpai (Otsuka) and his music junior J-POP (Miyano) attending a concert of yellow music, the term used by Hoshino to describe his music. In its second part, TV writer Naoki Terasaki portrays the characterization of yellow music. A writer for Billboard Japan described it as a drama about the past and present, and the music that connects to the future. The tour also featured video messages by characters portrayed by comedians Ryūji Akiyama of Robert, Bakarhythm, and Bananaman members Yūki Himura and Osamu Shitara.

{{External media|title=External videos|float=right|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV6lkFiq3N8 "Amaoto" (Live at Saitama Super Arena 2017)]|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZwctAeWrVs "Sun" (Live at Saitama Super Arena 2017)]
In promotion of the live album, performances of "Amaoto" and "Sun" were uploaded to YouTube.}}

On October 24, 2017, it was announced that both days of Continues' show at the Saitama Super Arena would be released as a Blu-ray and DVD video album.{{cite magazine|url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/168699|title=星野源、20万人を動員した初の全国アリーナツアーより たまアリ追加公演を映像化|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Announces Video Release of Saitama Arena Show from National Arena Tour|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=October 24, 2017|access-date=May 25, 2024}} In promotion of the release, its performances of "Amaoto" and "Sun" were uploaded to YouTube throughout December 2017.{{cite magazine|url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/170805|title=星野源、ライブ映像作品『Live Tour 'Continues'』より'雨音'を公開＆特設サイトもオープン|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Opens Special Site and Releases Performance of "Amaoto" from Live Video Album Live Tour: Continues|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=December 13, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2024}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/58628/2|title=星野源 J-Popシーンを変えた楽曲「Sun」ライブ映像フル公開|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Releases Full Performance of J-Pop-Scene Changing Song "Sun"|language=ja|magazine=Billboard Japan|date=December 21, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2024}} A trailer to the album was uploaded on December 28, previewing select songs from the album including "Family Song" and "Koi", as well as short clips from its second disc tour documentary.{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/263273|title='一流ミュージシャン'からのお祝いも、星野源ライブDVD/BDダイジェスト|trans-title=Trailer to Gen Hoshino's Live DVD/Blu-ray Album Features Wishes from "Top Musicians"|language=ja|website=Natalie.mu|date=December 28, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2024}} Hoshino announced that the Nise Puppet Tour: Continues would be hosted through December to January to commemorate the release, displaying dolls of Hoshino's alter ego character Akira Nise at select Tower Records Japan stores.{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/260215|title=星野源、たまアリ映像作品リリース記念して全国タワレコを“ニセパペット”が巡る|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Commemorates Release of Saitama Super Arena Video Album By Touring Tower Records Stores with Nise Puppets|language=ja|website=Natalie.mu|date=December 8, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2024}}

Live Tour: Continues was released via the Victor Entertainment label Speedstar Records on January 10, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Discography/A023121/VIZL-1293.html|title=星野源 - Live Tour 'Continues'|trans-title=Gen Hoshino - Live Tour: Continues|publisher=Victor Entertainment|access-date=June 3, 2024}} The album's cover art was created by Yuni Yoshida, who had also designed the cover for "Family Song". With the entirety of the Saitama show except the encore on the first disc, the second disc includes the original tour documentary To Be Continue(s), following Hoshino throughout the four month-long tour. It includes footage of the backstage and rehearsals, Hoshino chatting with his bandmates, and an interview he gave a month after the tour's conclusion.{{rp|1–2}} Limited editions were bundled with a booklet of photos, an analysis of the tour by {{ill|Musica (magazine) {{!}} Musica|ja|MUSICA|italic=yes}} editor Arizumi Tomoko, and a three-way talk by Hoshino, Nagaoka, and Terasaki.

In April 2020, three years after its release, the performances of "Yume no Soto e", "Family Song", and "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" were released to YouTube alongside videos from Hoshino's other tours/concerts.{{cite magazine|url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/193472|title=星野源、'恋'・'アイデア'・'Family Song'・'夢の外へ'などのライブ映像公開|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Releases Live Footage of "Koi", "Idea", "Family Song", "Yume no Soto e", and Others|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=June 26, 2024}}{{cite AV media|last=Hoshino|first=Gen|author-link=Gen Hoshino|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCy9kf-6MbY|title=Akira Nise - Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushi|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=June 26, 2024|via=YouTube}}

Continues was received positively by music critics, who praised it in both live reports and reviews of the video release. Emi Sugiura at Rockin'On Japan described the Saitama show as a "miracle-like" performance – deep but enjoyable to anyone – "undoubtedly" born from Hoshino celebrating music. She had wished for a home version after watching the tour in person and celebrated the release, praising the performance of Hoshino and the tour band as "wholeheartedly beautiful".{{cite magazine|last=Sugiura|first=Emi|url=https://rockinon.com/disc/detail/171577|title=「音楽は続く」という強い思い|trans-title=The Strong Desire of Continuing Music|language=ja|magazine=Rockin'On Japan|date=January 9, 2018|access-date=June 13, 2024}} A reporter for Billboard Japan wrote that the Saitama performance "heated up" when Hoshino appeared on stage with marimba to play "Firecracker". Both the Billboard writer and a reporter for Natalie.mu gave similar praise for the performances of "Gag" and "Sun".

The tour's theme and direction was a recurring point of praise. Oguri, a staff reviewer for Tower Records Japan, complimented the tour for its unique elements – covers of YMO, Martin Denny, Number Girl, and a voice drama – making it a "performance [...] unexperiancable elsewhere". Real Sound live reporter Yuki Wakata wrote that all aspects of Continues were carefully constructed with the theme of connecting music in mind, calling the lyrics sung on "Tokiyo" illustrative of this theme: "Time goes on, moving us forward" / "Without meaning".{{rp|1–2}} Sugiura felt that the Saitama show showcased, through entertainment and a "fantastic" tour, exactly what Hoshino wanted and his present thoughts on music.

Commercially, it was reported that Continues accumulated a total attendance of 200,000.{{cite magazine |date=October 24, 2017 |title=星野源、20万人を動員した初の全国アリーナツアーが映像化 |trans-title=Gen Hoshino Announces Video Release to First Arena Tour, Accumulated an Attendance of 200 Thousand |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/56730/2 |access-date=June 14, 2024 |magazine=Billboard Japan |language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2096984/full/|title=星野源、20万人ツアー大団円 壮観な3万人'恋ダンス'|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Ends Arena Tour with Attendance of 200,000, Putting 30,000 Into the Koi Dance|language=ja|publisher=Oricon|date=September 11, 2017|access-date=June 14, 2024}} The video album sold 47,000 DVDs and 52,000 Blu-ray copies within four days, opening at first place on Oricon's DVD and Blu-ray charts dated January 22, 2018. Following Live Tour: Yellow Voyage (2016) and Music Video Tour 2010–2017 (2017), it was Hoshino's third consecutive video release to top the charts, tying him with Koichi Domoto as the solo male artist with most consecutive DVD and Blu-ray number-ones;{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2104237/full/|title=1/22付週間Blu-ray総合ランキング1位は星野源の『Live Tour 'Continues'』|trans-title=Gen Hoshino's Live Tour: Continues Takes First Place on January 22 Combined Blu-ray Chart|language=ja|publisher=Oricon|date=January 18, 2018|access-date=June 14, 2024}} Hoshino would later take the record for himself with the release of Dome Tour: Pop Virus at Tokyo Dome (2018).{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2142281/full/|title=星野源、最新ライブ映像が4作連続通算4作目「映像3部門同時1位」【オリコンランキング】|trans-title=Gen Hoshino Reaches Four Consecutive Tops of Video Charts with Newest Video Album, Tops All Three Charts|language=ja|publisher=Oricon|date=August 15, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2024}} Combined sales climbed to 100,000 by the end of January 2018, receiving a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). By the end of the year, Live Tour: Continues had reached 118,291 accumulative sales (58,880 DVDs and 59,411 Blu-rays), ranking on Oricon's year-end charts as the 16th best-selling DVD and as the 25th for Blu-rays. For the music-specific video charts, it ranked at numbers 12 and 15 for Blu-rays and DVDs, respectively.

Credits adapted from Natalie.mu{{'s}} report of the Saitama performance and Real Sound{{'s}} article detailing the video album track listing.

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}

• Gen Hoshino{{snd}} vocals, marimba, guitar, voice drama script
• Eiko Ishibashi{{snd}} keyboard, marimba, flute
• Ryosuke Nagaoka{{snd}} bandleader, guitar
• Noriyasu Kawamura{{snd}} drums
• Wataru Iga{{snd}} bass
• Yasuhiro Sakurada{{snd}} piano, keyboard
• Satoshi Takeshi{{snd}} saxophone, flute
• Motoi Murakami{{snd}} trumpet
• Mio Okamura{{snd}} violin
• Mikiyo Kikuchi{{snd}} viola
• Kaori Imai{{snd}} cello
• Elevenplay{{snd}} background dancing
• Akio Otsuka (as Kayōkyoku-senpai){{snd}} voice drama
• Mamoru Miyano (as J-POP){{snd}} voice drama
• Naoki Terasaki (as Yellow Music){{snd}} voice drama
• Ryūji Akiyama (as Dragon){{snd}} video message
• Hidetomo Masuno (as the Bakarhythm){{snd}} video message
• Yūki Himura (as J-Tarō){{snd}} video message
• Osamu Shitara (as J-Tarō){{snd}} video message

{{div col end}}

All tracks are written by Gen Hoshino expect where otherwise noted.

;Disc one

1. "Firecracker" (Martin Denny){{snd}} 2:36
2. "Bakemono"{{snd}} 2:52
3. "Sakura no Mori"{{snd}} 6:00
4. "Night Troop"{{snd}} 4:11
5. "Amaoto"{{snd}} 4:59
6. "Kudaranai no Naka ni"{{snd}} 4:23
7. "Film"{{snd}} 5:27
8. "Yume no Soto e"{{snd}} 4:01
9. "Ichiryū Musician kara no O Iwai Message"{{snd}} 3:32
10. "Ana o Horu"{{snd}} 2:43
11. "Tōmei Shōjo" (Shutoku Mukai){{snd}} 4:04
12. "Kuse no Uta"{{snd}} 5:28
13. "Mad Pierrot" (Haruomi Hosono){{snd}} 5:35
14. "Tokiyo"{{snd}} 4:43
15. "Gag"{{snd}} 4:43
16. "Sun"{{snd}} 4:00
17. "Koi"{{snd}} 4:11
18. "Week End"{{snd}} 5:43
19. "Continues"{{snd}} 5:24

;Disc two

1. "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" (Kenji Kadoya, Mickie Yoshino) (Encore){{snd}} 9:29
2. "Drinking Dance" (Encore){{snd}} 4:12
3. "Family Song" (Encore){{snd}} 5:35
4. "Friend Ship" (Encore){{snd}} 7:09
5. "Tour Documentary: To Be Continue(s)"

:Total length: 4:02:00{{cite web|url=https://tower.jp/item/4631354/|title=星野源 / Live Tour 'Continues' <通常盤>|trans-title=Gen Hoshino / Live Tour: Continues (Regular Edition)|language=ja|publisher=Tower Records Japan|access-date=May 23, 2024}}

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Live Tour: Continues}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|title=Live Tour 'Continues'|artist=星野 源|type=video|award=Gold|certmonth=01|certyear=2018|refname=RIAJSales|salesamount=118,291|salesref=}}

{{Table end}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|url=https://www.hoshinogen.com/special/continues/|name=Live Tour: Continues}} (special page) at Gen Hoshino's official website {{in lang|ja}}
• {{official website|url=https://www.hoshinogen.com/works/detail/?id=9|name=Live Tour: Continues}} (product page) at Hoshino's website

{{Gen Hoshino}}

{{Subject bar|portal1=Japan|portal2=Music|portal3=2010s|d=y}}

Category:2015 live albums

Category:Gen Hoshino live albums

Category:Japanese-language live albums

Category:2010s Japanese-language albums

Category:Speedstar Records live albums

Category:Albums recorded at Saitama Super Arena