Luminous (ClariS song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Luminous
| cover = Luminous (ClariS) cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = ClariS
| album = Second Story
| released = October 10, 2012
| recorded = 2012
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = J-pop
| length = 4:08
| label = SME
| writer = Shō Watanabe
| producer =
| prev_title = Wake Up
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Reunion
| next_year = 2013
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = ClariS - Luminous clip.ogg
| description = A 23-second sample from "Luminous", featuring ClariS singing the end the first verse and chorus.
}}
}}
{{Nihongo|"Luminous"|ルミナス|Ruminasu}} is a pop song by the Japanese duo and idol unit ClariS, written by Shō Watanabe. It was released as the unit's sixth single on October 10, 2012 by SME Records. The song was used as the opening theme to the first two Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime films.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-08-25/madoka-magica-films-ad-streamed-with-theme-by-claris-duo|title=Madoka Magica Films' Ad Aired With New Theme by ClariS|publisher=Anime News Network|date=August 25, 2012|accessdate=May 30, 2014}} A music video was produced for "Luminous". The single peaked at No. 4 on Japan's weekly Oricon singles chart, and was later awarded a Gold Disc by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for having exceeded 100,000 copies shipped in a single year.
Composition
"Luminous" is a J-pop song with instrumentation from piano, violin and drums. It is set in common time and moves at a tempo of 173 beats per minute. Beginning in the G major key, the introduction starts with only piano and adds drums and violin to transition into the first verse in C-sharp minor, followed by the chorus. After a bridge in G major, the key shifts back to C-sharp minor for the second verse and chorus, which use the same music with different lyrics. The key shifts from C-sharp minor to G major with a short break used to transition into the third verse, immediately followed by the chorus in C-sharp minor as the outro. A short coda is used to close the song.
Release and reception
"Luminous" was released in a regular edition and two limited editions on October 10, 2012 as a CD by SME Records in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/itemShw.php?site=S&ima=0204&cd=SECL000001195|title=ルミナス (通常盤)|trans-title=Luminous (regular edition)|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|accessdate=May 30, 2014|language=Japanese}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/itemShw.php?site=S&ima=0204&cd=SECL000001193|title=ルミナス【初回生産限定盤】|trans-title=Luminous (limited edition)|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|accessdate=May 30, 2014|language=Japanese}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/itemShw.php?site=S&ima=0204&cd=SECL000001196|title=ルミナス【まどか☆マギカ盤/期間限定】|trans-title=Luminous (Madoka Magica disc / limited production edition)|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|accessdate=May 30, 2014|language=Japanese}} One of the limited edition versions was packaged with Puella Magi Madoka Magica artwork and instead of containing an instrumental version of "Luminous" as in the other two editions, it has a short version of the song in addition to a short orchestral version of "Connect". The other limited edition version came bundled with a DVD containing the music video for "Luminous". The song peaked at No. 4 on Japan's weekly Oricon singles chart, selling over 39,000 copies in its first week of sales, and charted for 18 weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2017838/full/|title=ClariS、自己最高の初動売上3.9万枚で4位に|trans-title=A Self-record for ClariS with 39,000 Initially Sold at No. 4|publisher=Oricon|date=October 17, 2012|accessdate=May 30, 2014|language=Japanese}} In December 2014, "Luminous" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for having exceeded 100,000 copies shipped in a single year.{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/201412.html|script-title=ja:ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2014年12月|trans-title=Gold etc. Certified Works Summary December 2014|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan|accessdate=January 20, 2015|language=Japanese}} "Luminous" debuted and peaked on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 at No. 5.
Music video
The music video is entirely animated. It features throughout the video semi-animated illustrations of ClariS by Hideyuki Morioka blended with scenes from the first Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime film, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Beginnings.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Arrangement
| headline =
| total_length = 16:22
| title1 = Luminous
| note1 = {{Nihongo2|ルミナス}} Ruminasu
| lyrics1 = Shō Watanabe
| music1 = Shō Watanabe
| extra1 = Atsushi Yuasa
| length1 = 4:08
| title2 = Friends
| note2 =
| lyrics2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| music2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| extra2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| length2 = 3:49
| title3 = Blossom
| note3 =
| lyrics3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| music3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| extra3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| length3 = 4:04
| title4 = Luminous (Instrumental)
| note4 = {{Nihongo2|ルミナス}} Ruminasu
| lyrics4 =
| music4 = Shō Watanabe
| extra4 = Atsushi Yuasa
| length4 = 4:08
}}
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Arrangement
| headline = Madoka Magica limited edition
| total_length = 15:35
| title1 = Luminous
| note1 = {{Nihongo2|ルミナス}} Ruminasu
| lyrics1 = Shō Watanabe
| music1 = Shō Watanabe
| extra1 = Atsushi Yuasa
| length1 = 4:08
| title2 = Friends
| note2 =
| lyrics2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| music2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| extra2 = Toshikazu Kadono
| length2 = 3:49
| title3 = Blossom
| note3 =
| lyrics3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| music3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| extra3 = Ryōsuke Shigenaga
| length3 = 4:04
| title4 = Luminous (Movie Mix)
| note4 = {{Nihongo2|ルミナス}} Ruminasu
| lyrics4 = Shō Watanabe
| music4 = Shō Watanabe
| extra4 = Atsushi Yuasa
| length4 = 1:42
| title5 = Connect (Orchestra ver.) (Short Edit)
| note5 = {{Nihongo2|コネクト}} Konekuto
| lyrics5 = Shō Watanabe
| music5 = Shō Watanabe
| extra5 = Atsushi Yuasa
| length5 = 1:37
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = DVD
| title1 = Luminous
| note1 = Music Video
| length1 = 4:08
}}
Personnel
Charts
References
{{reflist}}
{{ClariS|state=expanded}}
{{Puella Magi Madoka Magica}}
{{authority control}}