Global Artist Yoshiki Pens Theme Song for Globally Anticipated
SAINT SEIYA (a.k.a Knights of the Zodiac) Film
World's hottest collaboration finally a reality

We are pleased to announce that Yoshiki, leader of globally renowned band X Japan, has written the worldwide theme song for the new movie version of SAINT SEIYA: LEGEND of SANCTUARY, brought to film to honor the 40th anniversary Masami Kurumada's passionate career as a manga creator.

SAINT SEIYA  (a.k.a Knights of the Zodiac) was a highly popular series in the manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1985-1990. The manga was made into anime and broadcast on television only nine months after it began to be published; an unusually fast transition into animation on television at that time. The anime earned deeply rooted popularity among many fans with its diverse array of deadly techniques utilized by attractive characters and knights. It became a masterpiece representative of the 1980s. The total worldwide number of copies printed of the original books reached 34.4 million and the animated version was broadcast on television in over 80 countries including France, Italy and Brazil, gaining a tremendous following and cementing its popularity.

Yoshiki penned the worldwide theme song for the new movie based on SAINT SEIYA. Yoshiki is the leader and pianist of X Japan, and also just announced that he will embark on a world solo tour, Yoshiki Classical World Tour 2014, playing 13 venues in 10 countries. The song is called "Hero (Yoshiki Classical Version)," and will be sung by Katie Fitzgerald, vocalist of Violet UK, a band also led by Yoshiki. The main reason for the collaboration is that Yoshiki's global success synchronizes with the world tour of the SAINT SEIYA movie. A new legend will be born with the fusion of contents and an artist that have seized the world's attention.

We would appreciate your coverage. Yoshiki's comments are given below.

Hero (by Yoshiki)-Theme Song for SAINT SEIYA: LEGEND of SANCTUARY：http://youtu.be/fXzcD0RyY10

Yoshiki's comments

I feel greatly honored to write the theme song for SAINT SEIYA. I truly believe I have created a touching song with a beautiful melody using a hero as the motif.

I very happily accepted this offer since I of course knew SAINT SEIYA and I am a great fan of anime. I saw the manga a long time ago. Before writing the song I had the chance to see the new movie, which feels like it was created at a magnificent scale. I actually faced a big struggle with matching my music with the movie. The result is a sort of ballad, rather than a loud piece. I think the song suits the magnificent scale sensitivity of SAINT SEIYA.

I will play this song during the upcoming Yoshiki Classical World Tour at 13 venues in 10 countries.

Original work author and executive producer: Masami Kurumada

Director: Keiichi Sato; scenario writer: Tomohiro Suzuki: CG director: Ei Sato;

musical director: Yoshihiro Ike

Casts:

Kaito Ishikawa, Kenji Akabane, Kensho Ono, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Kenji Nojima,

Ayaka Sasaki (Momoiro Clover Z), Ren Osugi 

Mitsuru Miyamoto, Rikiya Koyama, Hiroaki Hirata, Gou Inoue, Mitsuaki Madono, Masumi Asano,

Toshiyuki Morikawa, Shinji Kawada, Daisuke Namikawa, Koichi Yamadera

Theme song: "Hero (Yoshiki Classical Version)" (written by Yoshiki) perfored by Yoshiki

feat. Katie Fitzgerald from VIOLET UK 

Japan Premiere: June 21st (Sat)

(C) 2014 Masami Kurumada/ SAINT SEIYA LEGEND of SANCTUARY Production Committee

Profile of Yoshiki, writer of the theme song

Theme song: performed by Yoshiki featuring Katie Fitzgerald from VIOLET UK 

"Hero (Yoshiki Classical Version)" (written by Yoshiki) 

Yoshiki is the leader, drummer and pianist of X Japan, a Japanese rock band that debuted in 1989. His past solo works include a song honoring the 10th anniversary of the accession of the Emperor of Japan (1999), the official theme song of the Aichi Expo (2005) and the official theme song for the Golden Gloves (2012).

Yoshiki Classical, Yoshiki's solo album released last year, was his first in roughly eight years. The epic work comprises newly released pieces and greatest hits from his previous two solo albums. This latest release, the subject of worldwide attention, was ranked #1 in the iTunes Store classical music album section in 10 countries including Canada, Japan and other Asian countries. The work also made the top 10 in France, Norway and Australia.

The movie's theme song, "Hero (Yoshiki Classical Version)," is performed as a classical version based on piano played by Yoshiki and sung by Katie Fitzgerald, a vocalist from Violet UK, also led by Yoshiki.

His first world solo tour "YOSHIKI CLASSICAL WORLD TOUR PART1" begins April 25, with performances at 13 venues in 10 countries.

"YOSHIKI CLASSICAL WORLD TOUR 2014" Part 1

Schedule Country Area Venue
April 25 USA Costa Mesa Segerstrom Center for the Arts
April 28 USA San Francisco Davies Hall
May 3 Mexico Mexico City Auditorium Blackberry
May 21 Russia Moscow Cocus City Hall
May 23 Germany Berlin Tempodrom
May 26 France Paris Trianon
May 29 UK London Royal Festival Hall
June 6 China Shanghai Oriental Arts
June 8 China Beijing Beijing Exhibition Center
June 10 Thailand Bangkok Royal Jubilee Hall
June 13 Taiwan Taipei NK101 Taipei
June 16 Japan Tokyo Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
June 17 Japan Osaka The Symphony Hall

【LINKS】

  YOSHIKI Official LINE Account：LINE ID @yoshiki

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