Shukuen
{{Infobox song
| name = Shukuen
| cover = Asian Kung-Fu Generation Shukuen.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Asian Kung-Fu Generation
| album =
| released = February 8, 2023
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Indie rock, alternative rock
| length = 3:33
| label = Ki/oon
| writer = Masafumi Gotoh
| producer = Asian Kung-Fu Generation
| prev_title = Demachiyanagi Parallel Universe
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title = Life is Beautiful
| next_year = 2025
| misc =
}}
{{nihongo|"Shukuen"|宿縁||"Karma"}} is a song by the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. The song was initially released on digital streaming platforms on January 18, 2023, with the full single releasing on February 8.The song was used as the 12th opening theme for the anime series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.{{Cite web |title=アジカン新シングル「宿縁」詳細明らかに、初回盤に野音ライブBlu-ray(動画あり) |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/507918 |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=音楽ナタリー |language=ja}}
It is the fourth time the band has provided music for the Naruto franchise, after "Haruka Kanata", "Sore dewa, Mata Ashita", and "Blood Circulator".{{Cite web |title=Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Humbreaders Perform New Themes for Boruto Anime |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-12-04/asian-kung-fu-generation-humbreaders-perform-new-themes-for-boruto-anime/.192524 |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}
On writing a new theme for the series, Gotoh joked in an interview with Billboard that the story has become "more complicated" than when he initially started reading Naruto in Weekly Shonen Jump. He also notes research is key when writing a theme song, and that he had to write this song without knowing the future of the story, though he hoped that "the main characters would overcome these obstacles thrown at them by fate" pointing out that the story would eventually circle back to a face-off between Boruto and Kawaki (which is how the Boruto series begins).{{Cite magazine |last=Japan |first=Billboard |date=2023-02-08 |title=ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION on New 'BORUTO' Theme Song 'Karma' & Modern Sense of Entrapment Reflected in the Series |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/asian-kung-fu-generation-interview-boruto-theme-song-karma-1235250497/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}
The single has two B-sides, "Weather Report", which is sung by their guitarist, Kensuke Kita, and "Nissaka Down Hill", which is a continuation of the band's 2008 album Surf Bungaku Kamakura, with tracks named after stations on the Enoshima Electric Railway.{{Cite magazine |last=Japan |first=Billboard |date=2023-02-08 |title=ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION on New 'BORUTO' Theme Song 'Karma' & Modern Sense of Entrapment Reflected in the Series |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/asian-kung-fu-generation-interview-boruto-theme-song-karma-1235250497/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION『宿縁』/重なり合う足跡の先に-rockinon.com|https://rockinon.com/disc/detail/205423 |url=https://rockinon.com/disc/detail/205423 |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=rockinon.com |language=ja}}
Track listing
{{tracklist
| all_lyrics = Masafumi Gotoh
| title1 = Shukuen
| note1 = {{nihongo2|宿縁}} "Karma"
| length1 = 3:33
| music1 = Masafumi Gotoh
| title2 = Weather Report
| note2 = {{nihongo2|ウェザーリポート}}
| length2 = 3:11
| music2 = Masafumi Gotoh, Kensuke Kita
| title3 = Nissaka Down Hill
| note3 = {{nihongo2|日坂ダウンヒル }}
| length3 = 3:59
| music3 = Masafumi Gotoh
| total_length = 10:43
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Blu-ray (ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Tour 2022 "Planet Folks" at Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall 2022.7.23)
| title1 = De Arriba
| note1 =
| title2 = Senseless
| note2 =
| title3 = Travelogue
| title4 = Rolling Stone
| title5 = Slow Down
| title6 = Solanin
| title7 = Kaihōku
| note7 = {{nihongo2|解放区}} "Liberation Zone"
| title8 = Zai Jian
| note8 = {{nihongo2|再見}} "Goodbye"
| title9 = Be Alright
}}
Personnel
- Masafumi Gotoh – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Kensuke Kita – lead guitar
- Takahiro Yamada – bass
- Kiyoshi Ijichi – drums
- Asian Kung-Fu Generation – producer
Charts
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" |Chart (2022) ! scope="col" |Peak positions |
scope="row" |Japanese Singles (Oricon){{Cite web |title=2023年02月06日~2023年02月12日 オリコン週間 シングルランキング 11~20位 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2023-02-20/p/2/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=ORICON NEWS}}
|14 |
---|
scope="row" |Japanese Rock Singles (Oricon){{Cite web |title=オリコン週間 ROCKシングルランキング 2023年02月06日~2023年02月12日 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/rs/w/2023-02-20/ |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=ORICON NEWS}}
|1 |
Release history
class="wikitable"
!Region !Date !Label !Format !Catalog !Notes |
Worldwide
|18 January 2023 | rowspan="4" |Ki/oon | | |Pre-release of A-side track "Shukuen" |
rowspan="2" |Japan
| rowspan="3" |8 February 2023 |CD |KSCL-3419 | rowspan="3" |Full release of single, including B-side tracks |
CD+BD
|KSCL-3417 |
Various
| | |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Asian Kung-Fu Generation}}
{{Naruto}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Asian Kung-Fu Generation songs