is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress Maaya Sakamoto. Co-written by Sakamoto and Shigeru Kishida of the band Quruli, the song served as the opening theme for the television anime series Deaimon, and was released as a double A-side single along with "Kotoba ni Dekinai" on May 25, 2022, by FlyingDog.
âÂÂSumireâ marks the first collaboration between Sakamoto and Shigeru Kishida of Quruli. Sakamoto, a long-time fan of Quruli, reached out to Kishida to compose the song after learning that the anime Deaimon was set in Kyoto, Kishida's hometown, and that the original author, Rin Asano, was also a Quruli fan. Sakamoto described the collaboration as serendipitous, given that both she and Quruli began their music careers around the same time in 1996, and she had long hoped to work with them.
Sakamoto provided Kishida with minimal direction, requesting a ballad in the vein of some of Quruli's past works, while also incorporating requests from the anime's production team. Kishida, who expressed a desire to write more songs for others, found the process freeing compared to writing for Quruli, where he typically writes for his own voice. Due to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two were unable to meet in person during the production process. Kishida crafted a melody suited to SakamotoâÂÂs voice, which he noted the key was slightly higher than his usual compositions. The song's arrangement, handled by Kishida and Kento Ohgiya, features warm live instruments with intricate guitar and synth elements, described by Kishida as a âÂÂfluffy futon with a spring insideâ due to its subtle syncopation and harmonic details. The recording process was split between Tokyo and Kyoto.
The song was released as a double A-side single along with "Kotoba ni Dekinai" (the ending theme for the third season of Ascendance of a Bookworm), in two formats: a limited first edition (CD + Blu-ray) and a regular edition (CD only). The limited edition includes a bonus Blu-ray featuring footage from the final day of Sakamoto's IDS! presents Acoustic Live & Talk 2020 performance at Zepp Tokyo. To celebrate the single's release, a three-day theatrical screening, Maaya Sakamoto Acoustic Live & Talk 2020 (5.1ch Surround Edition), was held in six Japanese cities: Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. The screening featured a specially edited version of the 2020 performance with 5.1ch surround sound, and attendees received an original message card from Sakamoto. The b-side to the single is a studio live version of "Senri no Michi", created to celebrate the thousandth episode of Sakamoto's radio program Vitamin M.
"Sumire" is a ballad, a departure from the often flashy requirements of anime opening themes, crafted to suit the human drama of Deaimon, which focuses on themes of passing down traditions and forming connections beyond blood ties. The lyrics for "Sumire" were written with a haiku-like approach, stripping down words to evoke imagery and scenery without being overly explicit. Sakamoto aimed for a timeless quality, blending the animeâÂÂs narrative with her own emotions, capturing both a youthful, adventurous perspective and a reflective, adult viewpoint. Kishida praised the lyrics for reflecting SakamotoâÂÂs 25-year artistic intuition, aligning with the strength of DeaimonâÂÂs protagonist, Nagomu.
In a review for Rockin'On Japan, music writer Sayako Oki praised "Sumire" for reflecting SakamotoâÂÂs artistic stance, commenting "SakamotoâÂÂs voice exudes elegant refinement while evoking a rustic closeness, like friends standing shoulder to shoulder." She highlighted how Sakamoto's lyrics resonated with the songâÂÂs gentle opening with piano and band sounds, to its dramatic midsection with strings and synths, noting that the trackâÂÂs meticulous details and expansive melody result in a compelling and elegant pop song.
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the "Sumire/Kotoba ni Dekinai" CD single.