Hajimete no

Hajimete no
Author
Original titleはじめての
LanguageJapanese
GenreShort story collection
PublisherSuirinsha
Publication date
February 16, 2022
Publication placeJapan
Media typeTankōbon hardcover
Pages224
ISBN978-4-16-401004-4
Websiteyoasobi-music.jp/hajimeteno

Hajimete no (Japanese: はじめての; lit. 'The First Time Of') is a book collected short stories by Japanese novelists Rio Shimamoto, Mizuki Tsujimura, Miyuki Miyabe, and Eto Mori under the theme of "a story to read when you do [something] for the first time" in collaboration with Japanese duo Yoasobi to perform songs based on the stories.

The collection comprises Shimamoto's Watashi Dake no Shoyūsha, Tsujimura's Yūrei, Miyabe's Iro Chigai no Trump, and Mori's Hikari no Tane, resulting the songs "Mr.", "Umi no Manimani", "Seventeen", and "Suki da", respectively. All songs were included on the EP titled Hajimete no – EP, released in May 2023. Upon its publication, Hajimete no received positive reviews and sold 13,000 copies in its first week, according to Oricon.

History

On December 1, 2021, the same day as the EP The Book 2 release, Yoasobi announced a collaboration with novelists Rio Shimamoto, Mizuki Tsujimura, Miyuki Miyabe, and Eto Mori, who all won Naoki Prize, to write short stories for the book titled Hajimete no.[1] The theme of "a story to read when you do [something] for the first time", the short stories consists of Shimamoto's Watashi Dake no Shoyūsha, Tsujimura's Yūrei, Miyabe's Iro Chigai no Trump, and Mori's Hikari no Tane.[2] Yoasobi would be in charge of producing and performing songs based on all short stories.[3]

Surinsha first published Hajimete no on February 16, 2022, alongside the release the first song based on Shimamoto's short story "Mr.".[4] The Taiwanese edition was published by Crown Publishing on July 10, 2023.[5] Two more songs were released in 2022: "Suki da", sourced from Mori's story, on May 30;[6] and "Umi no Manimani", based on Tsujimura's story, on November 18.[7] The last song "Seventeen" came on March 27, 2023.[8] All songs are featured on the book's companion EP Hajimete no – EP, released on May 10, 2023.[9]

100 promotional videos for the book, voiced texts from all four stories by Ikura and other 99 voice actors, were used as a commercial airing during the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships broadcast via Fuji TV, as well as the duo's social media.[10] Yoasobi, sometimes alongside the writers, promoted Hajimete no by giving interviews in various media, such as magazines Da Vinci[11] and Aera,[12] newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun,[13] radio show Takahiro Inoue Doyōbi no "A",[14] and television shows Mezamashi TV[15] and Tetsuko's Room, etc.[16]

Contents

Title Writer Song Plot
Watashi Dake no Shoyūsha
(私だけの所有者; "My only owner") 		Rio Shimamoto "Mr." A story when you first fall in love: What happening between "Boku" and their owner? "Boku" was protected by a facility in a certain country, and started writing letters to their "Sensei", Mr. Naruse.[17]
Yūrei
(ユーレイ; "Ghost") 		Mizuki Tsujimura "Umi no Manimani" A story when you first run away from home: After running away from home, I got off at a seaside train station, and suddenly, a mysterious girl, who holds a bouquet, called out to me in the beach at night.[18]
Iro Chigai no Trump
(色違いのトランプ; "Color-different playing cards") 		Miyuki Miyabe "Seventeen" A story when you first become a suspect: Natsuho, Sōichi's beloved daughter, was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a terrorist attack that occurred in a parallel world. To save Natsuho, Sōichi goes alone to another "mirror world".[19]
Hikari no Tane
(ヒカリノタネ; "Seeds of light") 		Eto Mori "Suki da" A story when you first confess: Yuma, a high school girl who is irresistibly fond of her childhood friend Shiita, tries to erase her past confessions to secure her fourth confession.[20]

Reception

Tomonori Shiba from Real Sound praised Hajimete no for the excitement conveyed by the work, the fun of the troupes, and the tricks. He also was sure that "many young readers will consider this work their 'first book,' " because of "a wide frontage that even teens can easily get into."[21] Writing for Good Life with Books, Moe Oshikiri reviewed that the book, "even with the same theme, the worlds depicted are varied," and "span a wide range of genres, from science fiction to fantasy, mystery, and teen drama."[22] Commercially, Hajimete no debuted at number eight on the Oricon weekly Books Chart dated February 28, 2022, selling 13,379 copies in its first week.[23]

Adaptation and sequel

Room NB Co. Ltd adapted Hajimete no into a readers theater, performed at Yomiuri Ōtemachi Hall between January 7 and 9, 2023,[24] and at Theater 1010 from January 6 to 8, 2024.[25] Starting in 2022, Yoasobi, four authors, Suirinsha, and creative writing social media Monogatary.com carried out the sequel project Hajimete no Bungei-bu to discover new novelists.[26] Kozumu Ayane's Kono Roku de mo Nai Yatsu Shika Inai Sekai de, Rei Hachikawa's Restart, Naruse Hazuki's Shiawase no Katachi, and Yoa Mabyō's Senpai o Koroshitai no de Josō Suru were selected.[27]

Hajimete no – EP

Hajimete no – EP
Digital cover
EP by
Yoasobi
ReleasedMay 10, 2023
GenreJ-pop
Length14:19
LanguageJapanese
LabelSony Japan
ProducerAyase
Yoasobi chronology
E-Side 2
(2022) 		Hajimete no – EP
(2023) 		The Book 3
(2023)
Singles from Hajimete no – EP
  1. "Mr."
    Released: February 16, 2022
  2. "Suki da"
    Released: May 30, 2022
  3. "Umi no Manimani"
    Released: November 18, 2022
  4. "Seventeen"
    Released: March 27, 2023

On March 27, 2023, following the release of "Seventeen", Yoasobi announced an EP, collected all tracks based on short stories written in Hajimete no, titled Hajimete no – EP (はじめての - EP). It was released on May 10, 2023, through Sony Music Entertainment Japan.[28] The physical formats came in five versions: four are Mini CD with different short story and cover, and a complete edition contains 12 cm CD and Blu-ray including the duo's selected live performances from Rock in Japan Festival, and Sweet Love Shower in 2022.[29]

To promote the EP, fan art goods inspired by each track from Hajimete no – EP's music videos were sold at MashRoom Cafe online store.[30] Yoasobi, alongside all novelists who wrote the short stories, appeared on the special program NHK Music Special, titled NHK Music Special Yoasobi: Shōsetsu o Ongaku ni Suru Mahō (小説を音楽にする魔法; lit. "Magic of novel into music"), on May 11, to talk about behind-the-scenes of the project, and give debut televised performances of all tracks from the EP.[31] Commercially, the EP peaked at number nine on the Oricon Singles Chart,[32] and sold 11,846 copies as of May.[33]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ayase.

Hajimete no – EP track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Seventeen" (セブンティーン)3:19
2."Umi no Manimani" (海のまにまに)4:16
3."Suki da" (好きだ)3:38
4."Mr." (ミスター)3:05
Total length:14:19
Hajimete no – EP – complete edition (Blu-ray)
No.TitleLength
1."Halzion" (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
2."Mō Sukoshi Dake" (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
3."Mr." (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
4."Moshi mo Inochi ga Egaketara" (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
5."Suki da" (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
6."Gunjō" (2022.8.6 Rock in Japan Festival 2022) 
7."Yoru ni Kakeru" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
8."Sangenshoku" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
9."Taishō Roman" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
10."Encore" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
11."Kaibutsu" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
12."Tsubame" (2022.8.28 Sweet Love Shower 2022) 
Total length:60:19

Credits and personnel

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for Hajimete no – EP
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various May 10, 2023
Sony Japan [39]
Japan
Taiwan May 19, 2023 Sony Taiwan [40]

Notes

  1. ^ Oricon, Billboard Japan, and retail stores considered Hajimete no – EP to be a quadruple A-side single.[34][35][36]

References

  1. ^ Kyono, Yuhei (December 1, 2021). "YOASOBIと直木賞作家4人がコラボ 書き下ろし小説を楽曲に". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  2. ^ "YOASOBI 4人の直木賞作家とコラボ 書き下ろし原作に楽曲を発表". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). December 1, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Mugi (December 31, 2021). "Hit duo YOASOBI teams up with 4 Naoki Prize-winning novelists for new song project". Grape. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  4. ^ "4人の直木賞作家×YOASOBI 小説と音楽で紡ぐ奇跡のコラボレーション企画始動". Hiroshima Lead (in Japanese). February 16, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "YOASOBI 聯手直木賞4位名作家，打造「小說音樂化」奇蹟之作《第一次的…》". Ysolife (in Chinese (Taiwan)). July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家コラボ第2弾楽曲「好きだ」リリース決定＆ジャケット写真公開". Pia (in Japanese). May 22, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  7. ^ "YOASOBIが辻村深月の小説『ユーレイ』原作とした新曲｢海のまにまに｣リリース決定". Bezzy (in Japanese). November 7, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "YOASOBI、東急歌舞伎町タワー内"THEATER MILANO-Za"こけら落としライヴをTikTok LIVE配信。直木賞作家コラボ・プロジェクト第4弾楽曲「セブンティーン」3/27配信開始&同日20時MVプレミア公開も決定". Skream! (in Japanese). March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  9. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家とのコラボプロジェクト「はじめての」楽曲を収めたEP発売". Natalie (in Japanese). July 23, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "直木賞作家×YOASOBI『はじめての』プロジェクトより、PV100本の期間限定公開が決定". The First Times (in Japanese). March 25, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  11. ^ "YOASOBIが、直木賞作家・島本理生の短編をもとに楽曲制作! 歌詞に取り入れようと思った、原作のキーワードは?". Da Vinci (in Japanese). March 7, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  12. ^ "森絵都×YOASOBI 物語と出会った奇跡「運命的なものを感じました」". Aera (in Japanese). May 3, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "YOASOBI×宮部みゆき 直木賞作家の書き下ろしを楽曲化 『はじめての』プロジェクトを語る". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). March 16, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  14. ^ "4月16日(土)のゲストはYOASOBIのAyaseさんとikuraさん! TBSラジオ『井上貴博 土曜日の「あ」』". TBS Radio (in Japanese). April 11, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  15. ^ "THE FIRST TAKE前夜「実は大泣きした」YOASOBIの"はじめて"教えて企画【めざまし未公開インタビュー】". Mezamashi Media (in Japanese). March 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  16. ^ "YOASOBI、今日お昼の「徹子の部屋」初出演". AV Watch (in Japanese). April 13, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  17. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家コラボ第1弾「ミスター」配信スタート。プロジェクトトレーラー映像も公開". Barks (in Japanese). February 16, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  18. ^ "YOASOBI、辻村深月原作の新曲「海のまにまに」配信リリース　著名人による読書感想文やインスタ企画も". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). November 7, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  19. ^ "YOASOBI、「THEATER MILANO-Za」こけら落としライブのTikTok LIVE配信が決定". The First Times (in Japanese). March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  20. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家コラボ・プロジェクト第2弾楽曲「好きだ」配信リリース". CD Journal (in Japanese). May 30, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  21. ^ Shiba, Tomonori (February 19, 2022). "YOASOBI×直木賞作家4名『はじめての』は、小説と文芸のあり方をアップデートするーー柴那典が野心的コラボ小説を解説". Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  22. ^ Oshikiri, Moe (March 26, 2022). "「はじめての」書評 どう読み どう聴き どう感じる". Good Life with Books (in Japanese). Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  23. ^ "Oricon Top 30 Books: 2022-02-28" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  24. ^ "YOASOBI×直木賞作家4名のプロジェクト「はじめての」 宮野真守、蒼井翔太ら出演で2023年に朗読劇化決定". Spice (in Japanese). November 26, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  25. ^ "直木賞作家とYOASOBIがコラボ! 朗読劇『はじめての』後編に津田健次郎、梅田彩佳らが出演". Pia (in Japanese). October 20, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  26. ^ "YOASOBI、新人小説家発掘企画＜『はじめての』文芸部＞部員募集スタート". Barks (in Japanese). September 21, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "YOASOBI×水鈴社、新人作家発掘・育成プログラム『はじめての』文芸部 第一期部員決定! 部員によるYOASOBIのライブレポートも公開". The First Times (in Japanese). July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  28. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家コラボプロジェクト4曲＆小説入り『はじめての - EP』数量限定でリリース". Barks (in Japanese). March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  29. ^ "YOASOBI、直木賞作家コラボ・プロジェクト"はじめての"楽曲4曲と小説まとめた『はじめての - EP』数量限定CDリリース決定". Skream! (in Japanese). March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  30. ^ "YOASOBI、プロジェクト「はじめての」4曲収録EP発売＆グッズ販売開始 「アイドル」CDリリース決定も". CDJournal (in Japanese). May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  31. ^ "NHK、YOASOBIの秘密に迫る特集番組。5月11日夜". AV Watch (in Japanese). May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  32. ^ "5/22付週間シングルランキング 1位は関ジャニ∞「未完成」". Oricon (in Japanese). May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  33. ^ a b "Oricon Top 50 Singles: 2023-05" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  34. ^ a b "Song on Oricon News". Oricon News. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  35. ^ "YOASOBI「はじめての - EP 色違いのトランプ (「セブンティーン」原作) 盤」". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  36. ^ "YOASOBI/はじめての - EP コンプリート盤 ［CD+Blu-ray Disc+小説4種］＜コンプリート盤＞". Tower Records Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  37. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2023-05-22" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  38. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales – Week of May 17, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  39. ^ "本日、直木賞作家コラボプロジェクト『はじめての』のラストを飾る宮部みゆき原作の第4弾楽曲「セブンティーン」配信開始！＆MVも20時プレミア公開！そして、5/10(水)には本プロジェクト楽曲4曲と小説をまとめた『はじめての - EP』数量限定CDリリース決定！本日より予約開始！". Yoasobi Official Website (in Japanese). March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  40. ^ Citations
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.