Final Distance

Single infobox
Name = Final Distance


Artist = Hikaru Utada
from Album = Deep River
Released = July 25, 2001
Format = CD, Maxi Single
Recorded = —
Genre = Pop
Length = 5:27
Label = EMI Music Japan
Writer = Hikaru Utada
Producer = Hikaru Utada
Reviews =
Last single = "Can You Keep a Secret?"
(2001)
This single = "Final Distance"
(2001)
Next single = "traveling"
(2001)

"Final Distance" is Hikaru Utada's 8th Japanese-language single (10th overall) and the 1st single on her "Deep River" album. "Final Distance" is the first song that Hikaru Utada's ex-husband Kazuaki Kiriya filmed the music video to. This is also the first time that Hikaru Utada has worked with m-flo. The song debuted at #2 on the Oricon charts with 225,860 in its first week. It had a tie-in as the DoCoMo M-stage CM song.

ong history

"Distance" originally appeared in the "Distance" album, and was planned to be released as a single. However, Utada heard of a school stabbing rampage in which 6 year old schoolgirl Rena Yamashita (山下玲奈) had died. Rena had previously won an essay competition; writing about how she wanted to become a singer just like Utada. Utada decided to rearrange the song into ballad form, creating the song "Final Distance". The Japanese Ministry of Education decided to incorporate Hikaru Utada's ballad "Final Distance" in the high school music textbook starting spring semester 2001, which was announced on 8th of April. In order to pass the proposal, they needed 313 points. The proposal was passed with 319 points. They will be targeting high school students in their second year to test the new curriculum. According to the publisher of arts in education, the song was chosen because it is closely familiar with high school students.

Critical and commercial response

The single sold 582,000 units in Japan, making it #2 in Oricon charts. It charted for 13 weeks. The single was the #24 single of 2001 in Japan. This single, as well as "Hikari" and "Sakura Drops / Letters", strangely did not chart in the world charts airplay charts or sales charts.

Track listing

#Final Distance - 5:40
#Distance (PLANITb Remix) - 6:15
#Distance (M-Flo Remix) (Produced by Taku - 5:56
#Distance - 5:42
#Distance (Original Karaoke) - 5:41
#Final Distance (Instrumental) - 5:36

Charts

"Final Distance" - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

External links

* [http://www.toshiba-emi.co.jp/hikki/ Hikki's Website] — official Toshiba EMI site