Infinity (Megumi Hayashibara song)

"Infinity"
8-cm CD single cover
Single by Megumi Hayashibara
from the album Vintage S
LanguageJapanese
B-side"Extrication"
ReleasedApril 24, 1998 (1998-04-24)
Genre
Length4:30
LabelStarchild
ComposerHidetoshi Sato
LyricistMegumi
Megumi Hayashibara singles chronology
"Fine Colorday"
(1998) 		"Infinity"
(1998) 		"Raging Waves"
(1998)
Audio
"Infinity" on YouTube

"Infinity"[a] is a song by Japanese voice actress and recording artist Megumi Hayashibara. Written by Hidetoshi Sato with lyrics penned by Hayashibara[b], the song was released as a single on April 24, 1998, via Starchild.[1]

Background and release

The title track served as the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime series Lost Universe created by Hajime Kanzaka, which happens in a world parallel to the one of Slayers.[2] The anime, in which Hayashibara also voiced the character Canal Volphied, aired from April through September 1998 in Japan.[3][4][5]

For the single release, the song was coupled with "Extrication", which served as ending theme for the same anime series.[3] Both songs first appeared in full on the soundtrack album Lost Universe Tracks Contents 1 released on July 3, 1998,[6] with subsequent Lost Universe albums including several alternative versions of the track.[7] It was not included on any studio album by Hayashibara, but it was later included on her best-of album Vintage S, released on April 26, 2000.[8]

The single was made available for streaming on March 30, 2021, along with the entire Megumi Hayashibara discography.[9] The alternative versions of both "Infinity" and "Extrication" were made available for streaming by King Records on July 8, 2025, along with the entire Lost Universe discography.[10]

Commercial performance

"Infinity" debuted and peaked at number 8 on the Oricon charts,[11] selling 64,040 copies on its first week.[12] The single charted for nine weeks and sold a total of 141,510 copies, making it Hayashibara's fourth highest-selling single. Among her non-Slayers-related tie-in singles, it holds the top sales position.[13]

Cover versions

Voice actor Sōichirō Hoshi covered the song under the title "Re:Infinity"[c] on his 2007 single "Starting Again".[14]

Track listing and versions

CD single/digital release track listing[15]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Infinity"MegumiHidetoshi SatoKeiji Soeda4:30
2."Extrication"Satomi ArimoriToshiyuki ŌmoriŌmori4:39
3."Infinity" (off vocal version)   4:30
4."Extrication" (off vocal version)   4:36

Official versions

Charts

Notes

  1. ^ Stylized as "〜infinity〜∞" on the Japanese release.
  2. ^ under the alias "MEGUMI".
  3. ^ Stylized as "〜Re.infinity〜∞" on the Japanese release

References

  1. ^ "林原めぐみ / 「ロスト・ユニバース」主題歌～infinity～∞ [廃盤]". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  2. ^ Auxier, Brian (13 April 2015). "Review: Lost Universe". Anime Herald. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "ロスト・ユニバース｜アニメ声優・キャラクター・登場人物・動画配信情報・1998春アニメ最新情報一覧". Animate Times (in Japanese). 17 February 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Lost Universe (TV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  5. ^ "【林原めぐみ】あなたが好きなシングル曲はなに？【人気投票実施中】". NetLab (in Japanese). ITmedia Inc. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "「ロスト・ユニバース」トラックス・コンテンツ1". CD Journal (in Japanese). 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  7. ^ "TVアニメ『ロスト・ユニバース』 OP・EDのリミックス・ニューアレンジとイメージソングを含む オリジナル・サントラ&ベストアルバムがサブスク解禁". King Records News (in Japanese). July 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  8. ^ "VINTAGE S | 林原めぐみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. 2000. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  9. ^ "【林原めぐみ】全シングル41枚＆全オリジナルアルバム14枚がサブスクにて一挙配信開始！". EnterJam (in Japanese). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  10. ^ "TVアニメ『ロスト・ユニバース』 OP・EDのリミックス・ニューアレンジとイメージソングを含む オリジナル・サントラ&ベストアルバムがサブスク解禁". King Records Today (in Japanese). King Records. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  11. ^ a b "～infinity～∞ | 林原めぐみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  12. ^ a b "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  13. ^ "林原めぐみのシングル売上TOP20作品". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Starting again | 保志総一朗". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Infinity - EP by Megumi Hayashibara". Apple Music (in Japanese). 2002. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "「ロスト・ユニバース」トラックス・コンテンツ2". CD Journal (in Japanese). 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  17. ^ a b "「ロスト・ユニバース」～トラックス・コンテンツ3". CD Journal (in Japanese). 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  18. ^ a b "「ロスト☆ユニバース」～the BEST of LOST UNIVERSE [from TV]". CD Journal (in Japanese). 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
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