Returner (Yami no Shūen)

"Returner (Yami no Shūen)"
Single by Gackt
Released	June 20, 2007
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	20:46
Label	Nippon Crown
Writer(s)	Gackt C.
Producer(s)	Gackt
Gackt singles chronology
"No ni Saku Hana no Youni" (2007) "Returner (Yami no Shūen)" (2007) "Jesus" (2008)
Alternative cover Limited edition

"Returner (Yami no Shūen)" (RETURNER～闇の終焉～, lit. "Returner: Demise of Darkness") is a single released by Gackt, on June 20, 2007, by Nippon Crown. It is Gackt's first single to top the Oricon charts, and the theme song for NHK drama Fūrin Kazan.^[1]

Summary

In 2006, Gackt continued his tour "Diabolos: Aien no Shi" with a concert on January 14, in Korea, at Fencing Stadium in Korean Olympic Park, which was his first Asian solo concert.^[2][3] In August at an Otakon conference, it was publicly announced that he would form a band S.K.I.N with the co-founder of the Japanese famous metal band X Japan, Yoshiki Hayashi, for which the idea origins in 2002.^[4] With the band still in formation, Gackt on December 24 went on a small nationwide fanclub rock tour "D.r.u.g. Party", which was also continued with four concerts in Korea and Taiwan.^[5][6][7] In January 2007, Gackt starred in the NHK Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan, where portrayed the warlord Uesugi Kenshin^[8] Next week, after the single release, on June 29 was held the debut concert of S.K.I.N. at the Anime Expo in Long Beach, California, called the "Japanese rock concert of the century".^[9] Although there were high expectations by the public, and Gackt and Yoshiki themselves,^[10][11] all activities were suddenly stopped.

Release

The single was released in a regular and limited edition, which beside the title song also included two live recordings of previously published songs from D.r.u.g Party Tour,^[12] only the limited edition to come with the music video for the title song. The inspiration for the image used in this single ties into the NHK drama Fūrin Kazan, in which Gackt plays the warlord Uesugi Kenshin. Gackt performed the song live on the 58th Kōhaku Uta Gassen.^[13]

The single topped the charts on the day it was released, on the initially counting week of July, with sales of 43,275 copies. In the upcoming week, it was at number nine, with sales of 11,257 copies. It charted for 11 weeks,^[14] and sold 70,000 copies in total.

Music video

In the music video are shown Samurai's arriving and fighting at the battlefield, but the background behind this song is a woman awaiting for the return of her lover from the battlefield, as Gackt sings the lyrics from the woman's perspective while playing the role of the husband in the video. The husband died in the battle and never came back.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Gackt.C, all music composed by Gackt.C.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Returner (Yami no Shūen) (Returner ～闇の終焉～)"	4:21
2.	"Cube (Drug I Ver.)"	5:35
3.	"Birdcage (Drug I Ver.)"	6:37
4.	"Returner (Yami no Shūen) (Instrumental)"	4:14

Notes

• "Returner" is Gackt's first single to reach the number one spot on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts.
• The song was also used as the theme song for the Japanese release of the movie The Prestige.

References

1. "Gackt、1999年デビュー以来初の1位獲得!" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2007-06-26.
2. 日 록가수 각트, 내한 공연 중 실신 (in Korean). chosun.com. 2006-01-14.
3. "U.S.’s Backstreet Boys-Japan’s Gackt". english.donga.com. 2006-01-11.
4. "Yoshiki×Gackt、07年より新バンド始動！" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2006-08-15.
5. "Gackt ファンクラブ限定のスペシャルライブ・レポート!" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2007-01-10. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
6. "Gackt、ファンクラブ限定ライヴで大サービス" (in Japanese). Barks. 2007-01-05. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
7. "Gackt Training Days 2006 Drug Party (Photo album)" (in Japanese). Barks. 2007-01-05. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
8. 来年の大河ドラマ｢風林火山｣、主役に内野聖陽さん. asashi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
9. "Skin Concert Review". JRockRevolution. 2007-07-01. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
10. "S.K.I.N. Online". SKIN-online.net. Archived from the original on July 2, 2007.
11. "Asian Imports: Attempting to Break Into the U.S. Music Industry". JRockRevolution. 2007-06-19. Archived from the original on June 29, 2007.
12. "Special Interview – Gackt". apple.com (in Japanese). Apple Inc. 2007-10-23. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
13. "NHK reveals Kohaku lineup". tokyograph.com. 2008-01-27.
14. "Gackt singles on Oricon" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 28, 2012.