It’s the third installment of our week-long ClariS Special!
On the last article, we were able to look at the start of their professional career and their shift from Alice☆Clara to ClariS, their first four singles that each made it to the top of the charts, and how their songs captured the ears and hearts of fans by being featured as anime and game themes.
A few weeks after Naisho no Hanashi was released, a new track, “Graduation”, from their upcoming first album, was revealed. On March 15, 2012, the girls announced on their Twitter page that they were graduating from junior high-school, which meant that the revealing of the specific track had a special significance.
After graduating, their first album, “Birthday”, was released in April 11, 2012. It contained 12 tracks total, with the first four ClariS title tracks (irony, Connect, nexus and Naisho no Hanashi) being joined by 8 new tracks. A Limited Edition version was also released with included a bonus track (NEN-DO-ROIDO). Four days after its release, this album peaked at #1 in the Oricon CD sales charts for that week (April 15th). This album was awarded a Gold Disc by the RIAJ a month later, in May.
For this album, the girls are illustrated like schoolgirls, of course not losing their trademark motifs:
On August 15, 2012, their fifth single was released, “Wake Up”. The title theme was used as the OP for agriculture-themed anime Moyashimon Returns. The song “Wake Up” was composed by Mayuko Maruyama, who has written songs for the likes of Ayumi Hamasaki, Yuna Ito and Ami Suzuki.
This time, the girls have two sets of depictions: As normal girls, and as chibi versions with the sun and moon motifs shaped like the “bacteria” characters in the anime.
Another two months passed and “Luminous”, their sixth single, was released on October 10, 2012. The song “Luminous” was used as the theme for the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime movies. This single stayed in the Oricon Top 10 charts for three consecutive weeks, peaking at No.4.
A new style for the girls was done by Ume Aoki for this single, which was also featured as a special promo card for the Precious Memories TCG (included in the Limited Edition version of Luminous).
A few months passed and their seventh single, “reunion”, was released on April 17, 2013. the title track being composed again by Kz, this marks the fourth time that the girls have teamed up with him since their Alice☆Clara days. The song was also used as the OP theme to the second season of Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai.
Truly a reunion in a sense, Kanzaki Hiro once again illustrates the girls for this single:
After three singles, their second album, “Second Story”, was released on June 26, 2012. This album has 12 tracks (Wake Up, Luminous and reunion plus 9 new songs). The album reached the No.4 spot in the Oricon daily sales charts on its release.
And for this album, the girls are illustrated with a more “matured” look, with elegant flowing dresses.
Almost three years, several successful singles with chart-topping songs, two albums and two Gold Disc awards. With their youth and potential, one can only wonder what these two talented young women can achieve later on in life.
On our next part, we’ll look at the other projects and collaborations ClariS have done, and also have look at some adorable figures and merch based after the girls!
We hope you enjoyed their story, and stay tuned for more! 🙂
(Sources: Wikipedia, VGMDB, ClariS FB Fanpage (unofficial))
really really nice post! Full of nostalgia, reminds me of back when i first heard of the girls