Today (well, today in Japan), as you may already know, is a global holiday.
December 9, 1998 marks the official debut of Hikaru Utada with the release of “Automatic” / “Time Will Tell,” which would eventually lead to the release of the best-selling album in Japanese recording history, First Love.
To mark the occasion 25 years later, Hikki is officially traveling once again…and going on tour. (!!!)
On Friday, Hikaru announced their inaugural greatest hits compilation, SCIENCE FICTION, set to be released in 2024, described as “a treasure trove of songs encapsulating the essence of the artist’s sensational career.”
The album is interestingly being billed as their first-ever greatest hits album. (Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1 & 2: Am I a joke to you?)
The announcement came alongside a teaser video, which provides a “tantalising peek into the imaginative universe found on the upcoming album,” per Hikaru’s official release. The clip is set to the sound of Evangelion soundtrack smash “One Last Kiss,” and features trippy projections that feel like an expansive, futuristic answer to the cover of their debut double A-side single.
SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024 comes six years since Hikaru Utada Laughter in the Dark Tour 2018 (which is on Netflix), and promises “an exhilarating experience for both seasoned fans and newcomers alike.” There’s already an official website for the tour, although no dates have been revealed just yet. (The official Hikaru Utada website also just got a chic facelift.)
It’s unclear whether the tour will extend beyond Japan, as the release explicitly says “nationwide.” Looks like I’m about to take that trip to Japan for the first time, at last.
Hikaru fans have truly won. Happy Debut Day, Hikaru Utada. Happy New Year, everyone.
In the anointed words of Hikki, celebrate.
Buy all of Hikaru Utada’s studio albums on vinyl right here.
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