The long-awaited new single from Etsuko Yakushimaru, the musician who leads the project Soutaiseiriron (Theory of Relativity) — “Unknown World Map.” This is the ending theme song for “High Score Girl II,” following the long-running hit “Houkago Distraction.”
As both an artist and producer, Yakushimaru has led numerous projects such as Soutaiseiriron and has been active across artistic boundaries. She even won the Grand Prize at the Ars Electronica STARTS Prize, known as the “Oscar of media art.”
In July 2019, she released Soutaiseiriron’s first live album “Shiraberu Soutaiseiriron.” The work was highly acclaimed, with critic and editor Masato Matsumura noting that she “is reaching a new height,” and musician Keiichi Suzuki (Moonriders) praising it as “music unlike anything else.” Amid this acclaim, Yakushimaru has now released her long-awaited new single “Unknown World Map.”
Yakushimaru has previously performed theme songs for series such as Arakawa Under the Bridge, Mawaru Penguindrum, The Tatami Galaxy, Space Dandy, and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal, creating truly one-of-a-kind pop songs. The theme song she created for “High Score Girl”—“Houkago Distraction”—was born after the manga’s author Rensuke Oshikiri passionately requested, “Only Yakushimaru’s voice can speak for Oono-san’s heart.” The song became a long-lasting international hit, loved by fans around the world alongside the anime itself.
With growing demand from fans in Japan and abroad for a new theme for the sequel, the ending theme for “High Score Girl II,” “Unknown World Map,” has finally been released. It is a new masterpiece that accompanies the series’ finale, evoking the bittersweet passage of youth and the step toward the future.
As with Yakushimaru’s and Soutaiseiriron’s previous works, she personally handled all production and direction for both the music and the artwork. The jacket illustration once again features collaboration between Rensuke Oshikiri and Etsuko Yakushimaru, with a newly drawn cover illustration. The single is available in CD and 7-inch analog vinyl formats.
Tracklist
| A |
アンノウン・ワールドマップ |
|
| B |
アンノウン・ワールドマップ [Yoshinori Sunahara Remix] |