Fireworks (2017) is one of those Anime Movies, where you can only remember the brilliant Theme Song「Uchiage Hanabi」 while the story was completely forgotten already. Actually, once you have seen the official Music Video from DAOKO X Yonezu Kenshi, you have pretty much seen the entire movie.

Nevertheless, 「Uchiage Hanabi」 is simply a completely amazing song because even after 4 years, I still think it sounds fresh and original. Is it the rhythmic energy in the chorus? Or is it the piano melody in the intro? Or maybe the final chorus with the la-la-la chant at the end? Either way, I lost count how many times I have listened to「Uchiage Hanabi」and it is truly the embodiment of a perfect summer song.

My main goal for this piano arrangement was to preserve the rhythmic energy of the original song and that’s why I used so many staccato and syncopations in the left hand: in the first verse 0:42, in the second verse 1:51 and also in all three chorus sections. I paid special attention to careful pedaling this time to accentuate the rhythms as much as possible.

The most difficult part of this entire arrangement is by far the bridge part in 2:37, because you have to balance all the voices to avoid a messy sound and the right hand has to jump very quickly to play these bass notes on the first beat. This is actually a great example, where you can the “three-hand technique” in all its glory.

I even used the “three-hand technique” in the final chorus in 3:27 and the colorful ornaments in the right hand is representing the beautiful glittering from the launched fireworks (while the left hand is playing the main melody). And as a grand finale, I also included a “children choir” part in 4:06 to make the la-la-la chant even more “summer-like.”

Last but not least, I tried to create an extended echo effect in 4:25 by holding down the final Gb note with the pinky finger in the right hand. If you listen carefully, you can still hear the Gb note faintly in the background while the piano melody is playing. Who needs a synthesizer if you can do even reverb effects with your fingers only (笑)

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🎹Piano arrangement by Animenz

Original Song: Uchiage Hanabi / 打上花火

Anime: Fireworks (2017) / 打ち上げ花火、下から見るか？横から見るか？

Published by: TOY'S FACTORY (2017)

Composed by: Kenshi Yonezu / 米津 玄師

Performed by: Kenshi Yonezu feat. DAOKO / 米津玄師 × DAOKO

🎧Equipment

Piano: Nord Grand 88-key Stage Keyboard (Modified blue version)

Camera: Panasonic LUMIX GH5S