is a song recorded by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo, from her twelfth studio album, '' Dress''. It was released by

Pony Canyon , also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese mass media publishing company founded on October 1, 1966. The company publishes mainly physical home media on compact discs, including music, films and TV shows and video games. It is affiliate ...

as the album's lead single on November 7, 1996. It is the theme song of the CX television series ''Yuzurenai Yoru'', starring Kudo herself. "Gekijō" was written by Miyuki Nakajima specifically for the

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

; after reading the script, Kudo immediately thought of Nakajima for the soundtrack and sought to have her write the theme song. Nakajima's lyrics invoke the series' title, which loosely translates to "Unyielding Night".

Background and composition

"Gekijō" marks the first collaboration between Kudo and Nakajima since "

Dōkoku is a song recorded by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo for her eighth studio album, '' Rise Me''. It was released by Pony Canyon as the album's lead single on February 3, 1993. "Dōkoku" is the theme song of the CX getsuku television series ''Ano Hi ...

", and the first song Nakajima has written for Kudo on which she is credited for both the lyrics and the music. It is composed in the key of G minor and set to a tempo of 120 beats per minute. Kudo's vocals span from G₃ to C₅. Nakajima produced the song with her long-time collaborator Ichizō Seo. Lyrically, the song deals with the theme of infidelity. Nakajima writes about a protagonist having to face adversity in love because her lover is romantically committed to someone else. The narrator laments having to cause others pain and ponders where succumbing to passion will lead her. Nakajima received acclaim for the sorrowful and typically Japanese tone of her lyrics and melody. Kudo's vocal performance was praised for its firmness.

Cover versions

In 1997, Nakajima covered the song in concert while touring for the album ''

Paradise Cafe " is the 23rd studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima, released in October 1996. The album includes a new recording of her 1995 chart-topping hit "Wanderer's Song", and also features her own interpretation of "Lie to Me Etern ...

''. In 2014,

Momoiro Clover Z is a Japanese idol girl group, commonly abbreviated as MCZ or . The four members of MCZ are known for energetic performances, incorporating elements of ballet, gymnastics, and action movies. MCZ is notable for being the first female group to ho ...

performed the song with Kudo on the CX

variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...

''Shin Dōmoto Kyōdai''. That same year, Tomomi Kahara performed "Gekijō" in duet with Kudo on the CX music show ''Atashi no Ongaku''. In 2017,

Tomokazu Seki is a Japanese voice actor and singer. He has previously worked with Haikyō. He is honorary president of and affiliated with Atomic Monkey and the chairman of theater company HeroHero Q. He is a special lecturer at Japan Newart College. Caree ...

recorded a cover of the song for the tribute album, ''Shizuka Kudo Tribute''.

Chart performance

"Gekijō" debuted at number ten on the

Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track download sales. In J ...

with 68,000 copies sold in its first week, becoming Kudo's first single to break the top 10 since " Ice Rain". It slid to number twelve on its second week, selling 52,000 copies. It spent the following five weeks in the top 20 before dropping to number 25 on its tenth charting week. The single charted for a total of 15 weeks. With only its first two weeks counting towards the year-end tally, "Gekijō" did not place in the top 100 for 1996. However, with sales exceeding 303,000 copies, the single ranked at number 99 on the year-end Oricon Singles Chart for 1997.

Track listing

Charts

Certification

References

{{authority control 1996 songs 1996 singles Songs written by Miyuki Nakajima Japanese television drama theme songs Shizuka Kudo songs Pony Canyon singles