"Ren'ai Hunter" (恋愛ハンター, Ren'ai Hantā, "Love Hunter") is the 49th single by the Japanese female idol group Morning Musume,[1] released in Japan on April 11, 2012.[2]
| "Ren'ai Hunter" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Watashi ga Ite Kimi ga Iru" |
Background
"Ren'ai Hunter" is the second single for the 10th generation members and the last single by Morning Musume to feature Risa Niigaki.[3] It also became the last single to feature Aika Mitsui, who would announce her graduation from the group due to a foot injury that was taking a long time to recover.
Release details
The single will be released in six versions: a regular edition and five limited editions. The Regular Edition and the Limited Editions D and E are CD-only. The Limited Editiona A, B, and C come with a DVD containing a special version of the music video for the title song.[4]
The Limited Edition E is a special version to commemorate Risa Niigaki's graduation from Morning Musume. It contains an additional song, performed by her. The song is a cover of "Egao ni Namida (Thank You! Dear My Friends)" from Aya Matsuura's 2002 album First Kiss. As the group's producer Tsunku wrote in his comment about the single, the song is Risa Niigaki's favourite, although it is not a Morning Musume's song; she would always listen to it at the time when she was still a freshly joined member.[5]
All the limited editions include an entry postcard for a lottery to win a ticket to one of two single's launch events;[4] one will be held on April 28 in the Kansai region, and the other on May 3 in the Kanto region.[3] So, the Limited Edition D contains the same tracks as the Regular Edition, but sports a different cover and includes a lottery card.
Composition
The title track is an electropop song with a dubstep-influenced arrangement.
Morning Musume's producer Tsunku explained that he made an electronic dance music song with deep bass, wanting to create an opposite of the previous single "Pyoco Pyoco Ultra".[5]
Also, Tsunku has revealed that the coupling track "Watashi ga Ite Kimi ga Iru" is an energetic song.[5]
Music video
Aika Mitsui didn't participate in the dance parts of the video due to leg injury.
In her close-up at the end of the music video, Risa Niigaki says silently: "Morning Musume daisuki" ("I love Morning Musume very much").
The music video was published on March 21 on Morning Musume's official YouTube channel.
On Sunday, March 25, Tanaka Reina wrote in her blog that, in the YouTube most-viewed video rankings, "Ren'ai Hunter" was currently at number 1* in Japan and at number 8* in the world.[6]
* in the daily YouTube Charts for Music
Members at time of single
- 5th generation: Risa Niigaki (last single)
- 6th generation: Sayumi Michishige, Reina Tanaka
- 8th generation: Aika Mitsui (last single)
- 9th generation: Mizuki Fukumura, Erina Ikuta, Riho Sayashi, Kanon Suzuki
- 10th generation: Haruna Iikubo, Ayumi Ishida, Masaki Sato, Haruka Kudo
Track listing
Regular Edition, Limited Editions A, B, C, D
| No. | Title | {{{extra_column}}} | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter" (恋愛ハンター) | 4:47 | |
| 2. | "Watashi ga Ite Kimi ga Iru" (私がいて 君がいる) | 3:59 | |
| 3. | "Ren'ai Hunter (Instrumental)" (恋愛ハンター(Instrumental)) | 恋愛ハンター（Instrumental） | 4:47 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter (Close-up Ver.)" (恋愛ハンター（Close-up Ver.）) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter (Dance Shot Ver.)" (恋愛ハンター（Dance Shot Ver.）) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter (Dance Shot Ver.2)" (恋愛ハンター（Dance Shot Ver.2）) |
Limited Edition E: Risa Niigaki Graduation Edition
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter" (恋愛ハンター) | Morning Musume | 4:47 |
| 2. | "Watashi ga Ite Kimi ga Iru" (私がいて 君がいる) | Morning Musume | 3:59 |
| 3. | "Egao ni Namida (Thank You! Dear My Friends)" (笑顔に涙～THANK YOU!DEAR MY FRIENDS～) | Risa Niigaki | 4:48 |
| 4. | "Ren'ai Hunter (Instrumental)" (恋愛ハンター（Instrumental）) | 4:47 |
Bonus
Sealed into the Limited Editions A, B, C, D, E:
- Event ticket lottery card with a serial number
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 3 |
| Oricon Monthly Singles Chart | 9 |
| Billboard Japan Hot 100 | 3 |
| Billboard Japan Hot Top Airplay | 68 |
| Billboard Japan Hot Singles Sales | 3 |
| Billboard Japan Adult Contemporary Airplay | 81 |
| Release | Oricon Singles Chart | Peak position | Debut sales (copies) | Sales total (copies) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 2012 | Daily Chart | 1 | 14,613 | 49,232 |
| Weekly Chart | 3 | 41,036 | ||
| Monthly Chart | 9 | 48,648 |
DVD single
The corresponding DVD single is titled "Single V 'Ren'ai Hunter'".
- Track listing
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ren'ai Hunter" (恋愛ハンター) | Morning Musume | |
| 2. | "Ren'ai Hunter making eizō" (恋愛ハンター メイキング映像, "Ren'ai Hunter making-of") | ||
| 3. | "Suki da na Kimi ga (Live Ver.)" (好きだな君が（LIVE Ver.）／道重さゆみ・譜久村聖) | Sayumi Michishige, Mizuki Fukumura |
* from Morning Musume Concert Tour 2011 Aki Ai Believe: Takahashi Ai Sotsugyō Kinen Special (モーニング娘。コンサートツアー2011秋 愛BELIEVE〜高橋愛卒業記念スペシャル〜)
References
- ^ 現役メンバー、石黒彩、辻希美、サプライズの後藤真希も登場。ドリームモーニング娘。武道館ライブ. ハリウッドチャンネル (in Japanese). MSN. 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
- ^ 「モーニング娘。が頑張り続けてくれる限り、私たちも頑張らなければならない」 ── ドリーム モーニング娘。第一章、歓喜と興奮の中で終幕 (in Japanese). BARKS. 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
- ^ a b "Amazon.co.jp - Ren'ai Hunter - Morning Musume - Product Description" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-03-21.
- ^ a b "CD single, profile on the Hello! Project official website" (in Japanese). Up-Front DC Co., Ltd.
- ^ a b c 恋愛ハンター / つんく♂コメント. Tsunku (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-03-29.
- ^ "嬉しい事だらけ♪｜田中れいなオフィシャルブログ「田中れいなのおつかれいなー」Powered by Ameba". Tanaka Reina's official blog (in Japanese). 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-03-30.