Mystery Virgin (ミステリーヴァージン) is Yamada Ryosuke's debut single. The single will serve as the theme song to NTV’s special drama, Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo: Hong Kong Kowloon Zaiho Satsujin Jiken‘. Following Domoto Tsuyoshi, Matsumoto Jun, and Kamenashi Kazuya, Yamada will also play the 4th generation ‘Kindaichi Hajime’ in the drama.
Tracklist[]
Regular Edition[]
- Mystery Virgin
- Gin no Sekai ni Negai wo Komete
- Ai no Katamari
- Mystery Virgin (Original Karaoke)
- Gin no Sekai ni Negai wo Komete (Original Karaoke)
- Ai no Katamari (Original Karaoke)
Limited Edition 1[]
- CD
- Mystery Virgin
- Asia no Yoru
- DVD
- “Mystery Virgin” video clip & making footage
Limited Edition 2[]
- CD
- Mystery Virgin
- Moonlight
- DVD
- “Moonlight” video clip & making footage
Japan Limited Edition TV Drama[]
- Mystery Virgin
- Asia no Yoru (Chinoiserie Ver.)
- Mystery Virgin (Original Karaoke)
- Asia no Yoru (Original Karaoke (Chinoiserie Ver.)
Oricon Chart Positions[]
Yamada Ryosuke Promoting Single
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Week Rank | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x | #1 87,555 |
#1 37,724 |
#1 15,304 |
#1 27,958 |
#1 9,556 |
#1 6,067 |
#1 | 188,862 |
| #1 2,747 |
#12 | #9 | #12 | #13 | #6 | #2 3,047 |
#7 | 13,592 |
| #4 | #20 | #14 | #13 | #13 | #6 | #5 | #14 | 7,928 |
| #11 | x | x | #27 | x | x | x | #24 | 3,591 |
| x | x | x | x | x | x | x | #46 | 1,907 |
Total Reported Sales: 219,871*
Chart performance[]
In Japan, “Mystery Virgin” debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart, for the issue dated January 21, 2013, making him the first teenage male artist in thirty three years to have a #1 debut single as well as being one of the only two artists to achieve this milestone. He is also the first teenage male artist in twenty eight years to have a #1 single. He is currently the only teenage male artist with a #1 single in the [21st century] and the first male artist born in the Heisei period with a #1 single.
“Mystery Virgin” sold 87,555 copies on the day of its release and 188,862 copies in its debut week. The song remained at the top 10 the following week, selling another 13,592 copies. It has sold over 215,000 copies as of February 2013
Background and composition[]
“Mystery Version” was specially written as the theme song for the fifth season of the popular Japanese television drama series, Kindaichi Case Files, which Yamada will be starring in. In explaining the concept of the song, Yamada said, “I think the song is perfect for the Kindaichi [television series]. There are a lot of words and phrases that link to the story”. The lyric, “In the name of the future…” is a pun for the character’s famous catch phrase, “In the name of my grandfather…”. The show aired on January 12, 2013, three days after the single’s release.
The song is predominantly upbeat, featuring Yamada’s unique dance style along with the dance infused beat.
Yamada wrote the B-side track, “Gin no Sekai ni Negai wo Komete” recorded in the Regular Edition. He started writing the song in 2011, essentially to be performed by Hey! Say! JUMP but after his solo debut was decided, he changed the lyrics and transformed it into a song designed for a solo vocal.
Release[]
The single was originally set to be physically released on January 9, 2013 in three different formats: Limited Edition 1, Limited Edition 2, and Regular Edition, although it was later revealed a new version, NTV Limited Drama Edition, will be released for a limited period of time until January 31, 2013.
Limited Edition 1 and 2 contained a CD and a DVD. Along with “Mystery Virgin”, Edition 1 included “Asia no Yoru”（Japanese:アジアの夜, lit. A Night in Asia） as the B-side and a DVD with a “Mystery Virgin” music video. Edition 2 included “Moonlight” as the B-side and a DVD with a “Moonlight” music video. Both DVDs contained a short filming footage of each music video. The Regular Edition contained “Gin no Sekai ni Negai wo Komete” (Japanese: 銀の世界に願いを込めて, lit. Wish Upon a Silver World) and a cover version of “Ai no Katamari”（Japanese: 愛のかたまり, lit. Mass Of Love）as the B-side. The former was written by Yamada and the latter was composed by popular Japanese duo, KinKi Kids, who first released the song in 2001. The single also included instrumental versions of the three songs. Source
On December 14, 2012, J Storm revealed that a new version of the single titled NTV Limited Drama Edition will be added. Along with “Mystery Virgin”, it included a Chinoiserie version of “Asia no Yoru”. The cover art for this version differed from the other three, featuring Yamada as Hajime Kindaichi, the role he will be playing in the NTV drama series, Kindaichi Case Files.
Promotion[]
Since Yamada was starring in the musical “Johnnys’ World” from November 2012 to January 2013, he was not able to actively promote the single live on television as he had been doing with his past singles. He premiered the song on November 28, 2012 on Best Artist 2012. On December 31, 2012, Yamada performed the B-side track “Ai no Katamari” with KinKi Kids on Johnnys’ Countdown Live. He performed “Mystery Virgin” twice in December 2012 and three times in January 2013 on television.
From January 1, 2013, the Yamanote Line wearing temporary “Mystery Virgin” wrap advertising started running to promote the single. The entire train was painted with the single’s cover art and title logo. All posters and advertisements inside the vehicle were removed and transformed into a promotion dedicated train. The television screens inside the vehicle were also changed. The commercials and weather reports that are usually broadcasted were removed and the music video for “Mystery Virgin” and “Moonlight” were the only two clips aired.
Music Video[]
Filming for the music video took place in November 2012. Yamada joined the director and participated in the composition of the concept. Two music videos were filmed, “Mystery Virgin” and “Moonlight”, the former included in Limited Edition 1 and the latter in Limited Edition 2 on DVD.
The leather jacket Yamada wears in the “Mystery Virgin” music video was designed by the singer himself.
Live performances[]
Yamada premiered the song on November 28, 2012 live on Best Artist 2012. He later performed the song for a second time on December 5 on The Shounen Club. On December 9, 2012, Yamada performed the song for a third time on a weekly variety show he appears in, School Kakumei. He guest starred in The Shounen Club again on January 9, 2013, on the day of its release. On January 13, 2013, he guest starred in Music Japan.
From November 10, 2012 to January 27, 2013, Yamada starred in “Johnnys’ World”, a musical performed at the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo, Japan, created in celebration of Johnny Kitagawa’s certification by Guinness World Records for producing the most number of artists who have claimed number one on the charts. For three months, Yamada performed “Mystery Virgin” during the second act in a total of 103 stage performances.