Real Face
Their debut single was released with seven different covers: a regular one, and six covers each focussing on a specific member.
Release date: 2006.03.22
Composed by: Matsumoto Tak of B'z
Arranged by: Chokkaku
Lyrics by: Suga Shikao, JOKER (rap lyrics)
Highest ranking:
~ Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: # 1 (1,040,249 copies sold)
~ United World Chart - Singles: #12
AWARDS:
~ #1 single of 2006
(Despite Japanese music trends, Real Face charted at #1 on the charts for three weeks, something usually unheard of.)
More information:
- KAT-TUN's debut single
Real Face is KAT-TUN's debut single, though the group has been around since 2001. This single comes in six "Limited" versions (Named Real Face A-F). It also comes available as part of a box set which also includes the Best of KAT-TUN album and the Real Face Film DVD. Due to a national holiday, Real Face was released on Sunday of the week before and was not charted for that week. It sold an amazing 754,237 in a week, breaking Arashi's record for best selling debut single. Despite Japanese music trends, Real Face charted at #1 on the charts for three weeks; something usually unheard of. Real Face was composed by Matsumoto Tak of B'z with lyrics written by Suga Shikao.
By the end of the year, Real Face had sold 1,038,430 copies, making it the # 1 single of the year.
There are two different versions of the song in KAT-TUN's discography. The single version is not the same song on Best of KAT-TUN which is named "Real Face #1" and features a different arrangement. "Real Face #1" was used as the theme song to band member Junnosuke Taguchi's drama two-part television movie, Happy!, aired by TBS on April 7, 2006 and December 26, 2006 respectively.
Promotion:
The single was released in two pressings - a normal edition containing the instrumental versions of all the songs released in this single and six limited editions containing the three songs with a music video of the single focusing on each respective member. As such, there are seven different covers. It was part of a tripartite release by the group and became available in stores on the same day as KAT-TUN's debut album, Best of KAT-TUN, and the tie-in DVD for the single, Real Face Film. All three releases were also available as a box set which has since gone out of print.
KAT-TUN performed the song on television for the first time on Music Station on March 10, 2006 and sang on variety show Utawara two days later where they were already regular guests with Jun Matsumoto of Arashi. They followed up with their first appearance on Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ on March 13 and performed live at the Tokyo Dome on March 17 which was simulcast on Music Station. The group were invited to Utaban for the first time on March 23 and performed on Music Fighter the day after. KAT-TUN rounded off the month by performing on Music Station for the third time in less than a month for the show's spring special episode on March 31.
Other subsequent promotional performances for the single were on CDTV (April 1), Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ (April 3), Shōnen Club (April 9 and 16), Utawara (April 16, May 14, July 30, September 17 and November 5), Music Station (April 28 and December 22) and NTV's Minna Terebi 24 Hours TV charity fundraiser special (August 26). KAT-TUN also acted as hosts of the latter event. The group also collaborated with Shikao Suga for a one-off live performance on Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ on May 12, 2008.
Oricon Chart:
The single displaced NEWS' double A-side single "Sayaendou/Hadashi no Cinderella Boy" from the top spot and stayed at number 1 for 3 weeks on the Oricon weekly singles chart, a feat rarely achieved in the Japanese music industry, selling over 754,234 copies in its first week which broke fellow JE boy band, Arashi's record for their debut single, A・RA・SHI. By the end of the year, the single had sold over a million copies and was certified as the best-selling single of 2006 by Oricon. The single was honored at the 21st Japan Gold Disc Awards when it was named "Single of the Year (Domestic)" and placed on the "Best 10 Singles (Domestic)" list along with "SIGNAL" and "Bokura no Machi de".
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Week Rank | Sales |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | --- |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 754,234 |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 87,223 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 51,207 |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 25,488 |
| 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 19,169 |
| 5 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 15,980 |
| 8 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 17,407 |
| 10 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 18,609 |
| 9 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11,738 |
| 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 28 | 5,037 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 31 | 4,679 |
|
Total Reported Sales: 1,038,430
|
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Tracks:
| 1. | "Real Face" | Shikao Suga (lyrics), Joker (rap), Tak Matsumoto (music), Chokkaku (arrangement) | 5:07 |
| 2. | "Gloria" | Yoji Kubota (lyrics), Kouji Makaino (music), Seikou Nagaoka (arrangement) | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Will Be All Right" | KAT-TUN (lyrics), Joker (rap), Kazuhiro Hara (music & arrangement) | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Real Face (Instrumental)" | ||
| 5. | "Gloria (Instrumental)" | ||
| 6. | "Will Be All Right (Instrumental)" |
PV: REAL FACE FILM (Released 2006.03.22)
Unlike the following singles, the PV of "Real Face" wasn't released with the single, but as a separate DVD (did I already mention that Johnny loves money? ^_~).
TRACK LISTING:
01. "Real Face" video clip (multi-angle*)
02. video clip making
03. interview
*"Multi-angle" means the PV has 7 different angles.
#1 is the regular video
#2 focuses mainly on Kame
#3 focuses mainly on Jin
#4 focuses mainly on Junno
#5 focuses mainly on Koki
#6 focuses mainly on Ueda
#7 focuses mainly on Maru.
