Hanataba o Kimi ni

"Hanataba o Kimi ni" (花束を君に, lit. "A Bouquet For You") is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada. It was released digitally 15 April 2016, at the same as the single, "Manatsu no Tōriame". The song was the theme to the dorama Toto Neechan.[1] The single is Utada's first release since 2012's Evangelion 3.0 theme song "Sakura Nagashi" and it marks her official comeback to the Japanese music scene.[2]

"Hanataba Wo Kimi ni"
Single by Hikaru Utada
from the album Fantôme
Released15 April 2016 (2016-04-15)
Recorded2016
GenreJ-pop
Length4:42
LabelUniversal Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)Hikaru Utada
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Sakura Nagashi"
(2012)		 "Hanataba Wo Kimi ni"
(2016)		 "Manatsu no Tōriame"
(2016)
Music video
"Hanataba o Kimi ni" on YouTube

Composition

"Hanataba o Kimi ni" is a soft J-pop ballad featuring prominent strings, as well as a piano and drums. It is one of her few singles to be completely in Japanese, with no English words in it. Lyrically, it speaks about the appreciation felt for a departed person and symbolically sending them a bouquet to show it. During one verse, she talks about how pain and sorrow were vital for love to exist (If there weren't any of the daily secret pains and loneliness / And there were only fun things / Then we got away without feeling anything like love).[3]

Commercial reception

On 30 April 2016, the song entered Billboard's Japan Hot 100 at number 3, based on strong radio airplay and digital sales.[4][5] The next week, it rose one place to number 2, which became its peak position on the chart.[6] In its third week the song fell to number 7, then to number 9[7] and continued to slowly drop down on the chart during the following three months. After 16 weeks, it fell off the chart on the issue dated 20 August, but re-entered the next week at number 64.[8] Boosted by the release of the official music video in early September, "Hanataba o kimi ni" shot up 52 positions from 79 to 27 and then stayed in the top 40 nearly uninterrupted until early November, reaching number 23 shortly after the album's release.[9][10] It again descended down the charts and stayed in lower positions throughout November and December, but re-entered the top 20 after New Year's Day.[11] It has spent 45 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100, over a timespan of more than a year and a half.[12]

The song has received a double-platinum certification by the RIAJ for digital sales in excess of 500,000 copies or more and became the second-highest-selling download single of the year, behind only "Zenzenzense" by Radwimps. In October 2019, it was awarded triple-platinum for exceeding digital sales of 750,000. It thus became her highest-selling download single since 2008's "Prisoner of Love, which was certified Million.[13]

Credits
  • Lyrics by Utada Hikaru; music by Utada Hikaru
  • Produced by Utada Hikaru.
  • Arranged by Utada Hikaru
  • Mixed by Steve Fitzmaurice.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Hikaru Utada; all music is composed by Hikaru Utada.

Digital version
No.TitleLength
1."Hanataba o Kimi ni (花束を君に)"4:37

Release history
Region Date Format
Japan 15 April 2016 (2016-04-15) PC download

Charts

References
  1. "[2016/03/10] Title of theme song of NHK morning drama "Toto Nē-chan" is announced!". Universal Music Japan. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016.
  2. "[2016/07/08] Utada Hikaru Releases Her 6th Original Full Album, First in 8 Years, on Sep. 28!!". Universal Music Japan. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016.
  3. "Hanataba wo Kimini – A Bouquet To You". Animelyrics. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  4. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  5. "Japan Billboard Hot Radio Songs". Billboard Japan. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  10. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  11. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  13. "有料音楽配信認定". RIAJ. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  14. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  15. "Japan Top Radio Songs Chart" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  16. "Japan Billboard Hot 100-year-end chart 2016". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  17. "AKB48 and Justin Bieber Top Billboard Japan's Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  18. "有料音楽配信認定". RIAJ. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
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