Toei Animation Teams With Japanese Pop Star Yoshiki For Saint Seiya Movie Theme Song
Upcoming Feature Film Based On Hit Anime To Debut June 21
TOKYO, (April 18, 2014) – Toei Animation's upcoming CGI feature film, Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary, has signed on Japanese pop sensation, YOSHIKI, leader of the band X Japan, to pen and perform the film's worldwide theme song ahead of the film's June 21 release in Japan.
Saint Seiya began as a highly popular series in the manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1985-1990. The manga was animated by Toei Animation and broadcast on television only nine months after it's publication; an unusually fast transition into animation on television at that time. The anime earned deeply rooted popularity among many fans with its diverse array of deadly techniques utilized by attractive characters and knights. It became a masterpiece representative of the 1980s. The total worldwide number of copies printed of the original books reached 34.4 million and the animated version was broadcast on television in over 80 countries including France, Italy and Brazil, gaining a tremendous following and cementing its popularity.
YOSHIKI is the leader and pianist of X Japan. His theme song, entitled “Hero (YOSHIKI Classical Version),” will be introduced live during his upcoming YOSHIKI Classical World Tour 2014, which is set to play 13 venues in 10 countries. The song will be performed by YOSHIKI's UK band, Violet UK and its vocalist Katie Fitzgerald.
Of the song, YOSHIKI has said:
“I feel greatly honored to write the theme song for SAINT SEIYA. I truly believe I have created a touching song with a beautiful melody using a hero as the motif. I very happily accepted this offer since I of course knew SAINT SEIYA and I am a great fan of anime. I saw the manga a long time ago. Before writing the song I had the chance to see the new movie, which feels like it was created at a magnificent scale. I actually faced a big struggle with matching my music with the movie. The result is a sort of ballad, rather than a loud piece. I think the song suits the magnificent scale sensitivity of SAINT SEIYA.”
A YouTube link to the song is available at: http://youtu.be/fXzcD0RyY10
About Toei Animation Co., Ltd.
With headquarters in Tokyo and sales offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and representative office in Shanghai, Toei Animation (Jasdaq: 4816) ranks amongst the world's most prolific animation production studios. Toei Animation's operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing. Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation has produced more than 10,000 episodes of TV series (more than 200 titles) and more than 200 long feature films
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