New Wada Kouji Album: re-fly

[MarcFBR]

A new Wada Kouji album will be coming out on March 25th.

The price will be 2376 yen.

The track lineup is: (rough translations from the product listing at NeoWing)

Butter-fly (the original version from Digimon Adventure)
Bravery (from his 2008 album)
Hirari (apparently a new cover of the Digimon Savers theme)
Kaze (apparently a new cover of the insert song from Digimon Tamers)
Unknown new song
Unknown new song

It also appears he has moved record labels to Lantis from King Records.

Update- Here is the final tracklist.

Hirari ～re-fly Ver.～
Kaze ～re-fly Ver.～
Bravery
Pieces of Hope
Butter-Fly
re-fly

Edit- Here is the PV for re-fly.

 

[PonyoBellanote]

So being it an "album" is it gonna have a few songs, more than five, for example? I wonder if it's just gonna be new covers. I'd like a new original song from him, and it doesn't have to be Digimon related.

 

[Abysswalker90]

How far fetched is it to think that one of those unknown songs is actually called Re-fly, and is going to be the Digimon Adventure tri opening theme?

 

[Theigno]

That's a really good thing to hear. Wada didn't look especially good at the adventure event so if this release means that he's back in full form I'm really happy for him. But did we really need another CD with Butter-Fly on it? looking through the Digimon discography this song and the various versions of it have been featured on at least 21 CDs...
I'm looking forward to hearing those new covers, I really loved the 10th memorial version Seven on the butter-fly strong version single (the titular strong version was I found rather meh lol).
And of course I want to hear the new songs too... I really liked some of his previous stuff that wasn't featured on digimon, for example one of my favouite songs of his was for "Egao" the biggest dreamer single.

 

[MarcFBR]

So being it an "album" is it gonna have a few songs, more than five, for example? I wonder if it's just gonna be new covers. I'd like a new original song from him, and it doesn't have to be Digimon related.

I gave a six long track listing. The wording at Neowing suggests the 2 unknown new songs are ACTUAL new songs, not covers.

How far fetched is it to think that one of those unknown songs is actually called Re-fly, and is going to be the Digimon Adventure tri opening theme?

It's possible... I mentioned Lantis partially because they haven't released Digimon music either for the prior shows, or even when it swapped record labels for Xros. It's certainly interesting timing though.

The listing of the album itself would suggest 'probably not' though, as it appears to be an actual Wada Kouji album and not a Digimon single/album with him singing on it. But that could easily be changed via a reveal.

 

[Seymour Butz]

How far fetched is it to think that one of those unknown songs is actually called Re-fly, and is going to be the Digimon Adventure tri opening theme?

Strikes me as unlikely, given that 1) they would first want to sell it as a single, then later on an album, and 2) for year-long series, opening theme singles are usually released a month or two into the run, while Tri probably won’t premier until April at the earliest. The only way I see this being an exception is if both 1) the six tracks currently listed are the whole album, making it something like an EP (in this day and age!), and 2) Tri is only a one-cour series, as those tend to release their theme songs much earlier for obvious reasons (hey guys time start freaking out again).

Good question though.

Wada didn't look especially good at the adventure event so if this release means that he's back in full form I'm really happy for him.

It doesn’t. It just means he’s in good enough form to record two new songs for the franchise whose music he personifies and which in turn made his career — two songs which, for all we know, are substantially less vocally taxing than the dynamically and sometimes highly-pitched ‘Butterfly’.

But did we really need another CD with Butter-Fly on it?

No, but did you really expect it not to be there?

 

[Vande]

It's nice to see him release new stuff after his cancer battle. I'd be interested to hear the new 2 songs.

 

[Velocifaptor]

OMG!! You're right. This opens up the possibility of Tri being an OVA. Still OVA or full series, I'm super excited for it. Also, many artists still release EPs these days, although it is rarely the case that said artist or band is not in the underground scene. If Re-Fly is truly going to be the opening theme for Digimon Adventure Tri (and I sincerely hope that it will be), then that is probably because they want to maintain the retro feel of the whole thing. I mean, EPs were still pretty big in 2005, right? I just hope he later releases Re-Fly as a single though, with its own instrumental.

 

[Seymour Butz]

[M]any artists still release EPs these days, although it is rarely the case that said artist or band is not in the underground scene.

Precisely, although I’m not sure if Japanese artists do that even within the underground scene. Does Japan even have an underground music scene? Their entertainment industry is so damned corporatised.

 

[Lord Puppetmon]

[M]any artists still release EPs these days, although it is rarely the case that said artist or band is not in the underground scene.

Precisely, although I’m not sure if Japanese artists do that even within the underground scene. Does Japan even have an underground music scene? Their entertainment industry is so damned corporatised.

Every industrialized country has an underground music scene, especially where entertainment is so corporate. I've been told the manga BECK is a pretty good representation of Japan's underground music scene and indie music in general (and even if it wasn't, it's a really good manga).

I'm not sure why everyone is surprised about Wada releasing an EP, I've gathered that's common practice in Japan.

 

[Seymour Butz]

I mean sure, but I thought Japan’s underground music scene was almost garage band-tier, truly underground like alternative used to be in like the early Nineties over here, without widely circulated releases like this one. The fact that it’s an EP doesn’t surprise me, but the possibility that a show’s OP might see initial release on an EP instead of as a single in this day and age did.

On the topic of opening themes, here’s a thought: I’ve been apprehensive to conclude in favour of a remix of ‘Butterfly’ as the new opening theme, even if one is produced and sold as a single, for various reasons, among them the possible apprehension of not giving Tri enough of its own identity. However, it occurred to me that since Savers, Digimon has changed openings every half-year, which means Tri will probably have two. With that it becomes entirely possible to ride the nostalgia train with a ‘Butterfly’ remix for the first half, followed by a second opening that would be more emblematic of the new series.

 

[MatthewZMD]

Cover image

 

[Py687]

Looking good! Glad he really does seem healthy. About one month to go~

 

[Mittenmon]

Is there anywhere to preorder this?

 

[Vande]

Is there anywhere to preorder this?

CD Japan have it up for pre-order: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/LACA-15485

 

[Fugitivo]

Koji Wada just released the PV of Re-fly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5VnM8AGM0

Do you see this song appearing somehow on Digimon Adventure tri.?

 

[sugarplumfairy]

That video is certainly filled with Adventure/02 references...
I suppose could be used occasionally as an insert song. If it was the Ending Theme or a major song they would have probably announced it as such, and then release it as a proper Digimon single.

 

[Vande]

It sounds very 'Digimony' i would love to see it in the show.

 

[Spongebond]

Nice song would not mind it in the show.

 

[Sabrblade]

New York City, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo... all places seen during and out of what the dub called the "World Tour" of Zero Two.