Empathy (Asian Kung-Fu Generation song) explained

Empathy
Cover:	Empathy Asian Kung-Fu Generation.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Album:	Planet Folks
Released:	August 4, 2021
Studio:	Landmark Studio Cold Brain Studio Xylomania Studio LLC
Length:	4:44
Label:	Ki/oon
Producer:	Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Ryosuke Shimomura
Prev Title:	Dialogue/Furetai Tashikametai
Prev Year:	2020
Next Title:	Demachiyanagi Parallel Universe
Next Year:	2022

is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as single on August 4, 2021, and it was used as the theme song for the 2021 anime film, .^{[1] [2]} The single's B-side, Flowers also added as insert song for the same film.^[3] The single was produced and arranged by Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Ryosuke Shimomura, who also support member for their live concerts.

Personnel

Adapted from the single liner notes.^[4]

Asian Kung-Fu Generation

• Masafumi Gotoh – vocals, guitars
• Kiyoshi Ijichi – drums
• Kensuke Kita – guitars, vocals
• Takahiro Yamada – bass guitar, vocals

Production

• Asian Kung-Fu Generation - production
• Kenichi Koga – recording (track 1 & 2), mixing (track 1 & 2), protools programming (track 1 & 2)
• Mai Kondo – assistant engineered (track 1 & 2)
• Randy Merrill - mastering
• Kenichi Nakamura – recording (track 1 & 2)
• Ryoma Nakamura – assistant engineered (track 1 & 2)
• Hajime Yamamoto – editing (track 1 & 2)

Artwork and design

• Yusuke Nakamura – illustration

Additional musicians

• ermhoi – chorus (track 2)
• Yosuke Inoue – acoustic guitar advisor (track 2)
• Fumihiro Ibuki – drum technician (track 1 & 2)
• Mariko Hirose – strings section arrangement (track 2)
• Shuta Nishida – guitar sound adviser (track 1 & 2) guitar noise (track 1)
• Seiho – remix (track 3)
• Ryosuke Shimomura – synthesizers (track 1 & 2), programming (track 1 & 2), editing (track 1 & 2), production
• Naoto Tange – equipment staff (track 2)
• Koji Yamada – equipment staff (track 1 & 2)
• YOUSAYSOUNDS – fuzz (track 2)
• Tomoe Nakajima (Yasuko Murata Strings) – 1st violin (track 2)
• Leina Ushiyama (Yasuko Murata Strings) – 1st violin (track 2)
• Sena Oshima (Yasuko Murata Strings) – 2nd violin (track 2)
• Anzu Suhara (Yasuko Murata Strings) – 2nd violin (track 2)
• Mikiyo Kikuchi (Yasuko Murata Strings) – viola (track 2)
• Yasuko Murata (Yasuko Murata Strings) – viola (track 2)
• Robin Dupuy (Yasuko Murata Strings) – cello (track 2)
• Shuhei Ito (Yasuko Murata Strings) – cello (track 2)

Charts

Chart (2021)	Peak positions
Japanese Singles (Oricon)^[5]	17
Japanese Anime Singles (Oricon)^[6]	8
Japanese Rock Singles (Oricon)^[7]	1
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard)^[8]	60
Japan Hot Animation (Billboard)^[9]	7

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
Japan	August 4, 2021	Ki/oon	CD	KSCL-3308
			CD+DVD	KSCL-3306
Various

Notes and References

1. Web site: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATIONがシングル＆MV集同時発売、11月には2年半ぶりツアー . Natalie. July 15, 2021 . July 15, 2021 . ja.
2. Web site: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION to simultaneously release a new single and MV collection . July 15, 2021 . ustar . July 15, 2021 . Tokyohive .
3. Web site: Asian Kung-Fu Generations Perform Insert Song for My Hero Academia The Movie: World Heroes' Mission Anime Film. Anime News Network. Hodgkins. Crystalyn. August 1, 2021. August 11, 2021.
4. Empathy. liner notes.
5. Web site: エンパシー(初回生産限定盤). Oricon. August 11, 2021. Japanese.
6. Web site: 週間 アニメシングルランキング. Oricon. August 18, 2021. Japanese.
7. Web site: 週間 ROCKシングルランキング. Oricon. August 11, 2021. Japanese.
8. https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2021&month=08&day=16 BILLBOARD JAPAN HOT 100
9. https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=anime&year=2021&month=08&day=23 BILLBOARD JAPAN HOT ANIMATION