Wake Up (ClariS song)

"Wake Up"
Single by ClariS
from the album Second Story
Released August 15, 2012
Format Maxi single
Recorded 2012
Genre J-pop, synthpop
Length 4:13
Label SME
Writer(s) Mayuko Maruyama
ClariS singles chronology
"Naisho no Hanashi"
(2012)		 "Wake Up"
(2012)		 "Luminous"
(2012)
Music sample
"Wake Up"
A 28-second sample from "Wake Up", featuring ClariS singing the end the first verse and chorus.
Second Story track listing
"Halla"
(2)		 "Wake Up"
(3)		 "Rainy Day"
(4)

"Wake Up" is a pop song by the Japanese duo and idol unit ClariS, written by Mayuko Maruyama. It was released as the unit's fifth single on August 15, 2012 by SME Records. The song was used as the opening theme to the 2012 anime series Moyashimon Returns.[1] A music video was produced for "Wake Up", directed by Junya Morita. The single peaked at No. 12 on Japan's weekly Oricon singles chart.

Composition

"Wake Up" is a synthpop song with instrumentation from a synthesizer. It is set in common time and moves at a tempo of 132 beats per minute in the G major key throughout the song. The introduction starts with the synthesized music and moves into the first verse with ClariS' vocals followed by the chorus. After a bridge, this pattern is repeated for the second verse and chorus featuring the same music with different lyrics. A break is used to transition into the third verse, immediately followed by the chorus as the outro. A coda is used to close the song.

According to Clara and Alice, the songwriter Mayuko Maruyama has a strong understanding of ClariS' image and writes music for them that matches their feelings. Lyrically, Alice describes it as a "girly" song about the excitement that accompanies becoming interested in someone but not yet knowing what to do. Clara and Alice related the lyrics referring to a transition to a new lifestyle to their enrollment into high school earlier in 2012.[2] The cover artwork features a pink macaron with blue filling and "ClariS" printed on top of it. The art direction and design was handled by Tatsuo Murai.

Release and reception

"Wake Up" was released in limited and regular editions on August 15, 2012 as a CD by SME Records in Japan.[3][4] The limited edition was packaged with Moyashimon artwork and came bundled with a DVD containing the music video for "Wake Up" and a non-credit opening video from Moyashimon Returns.[4] The song peaked at No. 12 on Japan's weekly Oricon singles chart and charted for 9 weeks.[5] "Wake Up" debuted and peaked on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 at No. 45.[6]

Music video

The music video is entirely animated and is directed by Junya Morita, with character design by Satomi Higuchi. It begins with anime depictions of Clara and Alice and shows the microbes from Moyashimon throughout the video. The microbes are initially shown dancing around an alarm clock, and chibi versions of Clara and Alice are also introduced. It moves on to the microbes and the girls on a swing, followed by them all floating in the air. It then moves on to the original depictions of Clara and Alice performing on a stage with a crowd of microbes in the background. The chibi versions of the girls also join the crowd and dance down towards the stage. It concludes with a shot of the girls with the microbes around them.

Track listing

No. TitleLyricsMusicArrangement Length
1. "Wake Up"  Mayuko MaruyamaMayuko MaruyamaMayuko Maruyama 4:13
2. "Nakanai yo" (泣かないよ I Won't Cry)Ryōsuke ShigenagaRyōsuke ShigenagaRyōsuke Shigenaga 4:24
3. "A Moment"  Ion OkumuraMakoto SakumaAtsushi Yuasa 4:52
4. "Wake Up (Instrumental)"   Mayuko MaruyamaMayuko Maruyama 4:13
Total length:
 17:43
Moyashimon limited edition
No. TitleLyricsMusicArrangement Length
1. "Wake Up"  Mayuko MaruyamaMayuko MaruyamaMayuko Maruyama 4:13
2. "Nakanai yo" (泣かないよ I Won't Cry)Ryōsuke ShigenagaRyōsuke ShigenagaRyōsuke Shigenaga 4:24
3. "A Moment"  Ion OkumuraMakoto SakumaAtsushi Yuasa 4:52
4. "Wake Up (TV Mix)"  Mayuko MaruyamaMayuko MaruyamaMayuko Maruyama 1:33
Total length:
 15:05
DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Moyashimon Returns Non-credit OP" (もやしもん リターンズ　ノンクレジットOP ) 1:33
2. "Wake Up" (Music Video) 1:31
Total length:
 3:04

Personnel

ClariS
  • Clara – vocals
  • Alice – vocals
Additional musicians
  • Masaomi Shiroishi – guitar
  • Hiroomi Shitara – guitar
  • Yūto Matsumoto – bass
  • Atsushi Yuasa – bass
  • Ryōsuke Shigenaga – keyboard
Production
  • Takashi Koiwa – mixer
  • Yuji Chinone – mastering
  • Tatsuo Murai – art direction, design

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[6] 45
Japan Oricon Weekly Singles[5] 12

References

  1. ↑ "ClariS, Hiiragi Sing Moyashimon Returns Anime Themes". Anime News Network. June 26, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  2. ↑ "ClariS Exclusive 1st English Interview". The-O Network. August 8, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Wake Up (通常盤)" [Wake Up (regular edition)] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Wake Up【もやしもん盤/期間限定】" [Wake Up (Moyashimon disc / limited production edition)] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Wake Up" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Billboard Japan Hot 100 2012/08/27" (in Japanese). Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
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