"Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" (Japanese: ようかい体操第二, Hepburn: Yōkai Taisō Dai-ni) is the 14th and final single by Japanese co-ed group Dream5. Released as a single on June 17, 2015, "Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" is the fourth Japanese ending theme to the 2014 Yo-kai Watch TV-series, succeeding "Don-Don-Dooby-Zoo-Bah!", also by Dream5, and preceding "Space Dance!" by Kotori with Stitch Bird.
Background and release
"Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" acts as a sequel to Dream5's 12th single, "Yo-kai Exercise No. 1", which was also used as an ending theme to the Yo-kai Watch TV-series. Due to "Yo-kai Exercise No. 1" being "a hit", multiple Dream5 members stated that they felt pressured to make "Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" a good follow-up. The song was choreographed by Lucky Ikeda,[1] who had previously choreographed multiple other songs for the Yo-kai Watch series, such as "Gera Gera Po" and "Don-Don-Dooby-Zoo-Bah!". According to Dream5 member Kotori Shigemoto, Ikeda based the choreography on the song's lyrics.[2]
"Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" was first shown at the Level-5 Vision event on April 7, 2015, where it was performed live by Dream5.[3] The song later debuted in the Yo-kai Watch TV-series as the new ending theme in episode 68, aired May 8, 2015. On the same day, a short version of the song was uploaded to YouTube by Avex Trax. The song was released as a CD and DVD later on June 17, under the FRAME label.[4][5]
"Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" made nine appearances on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 4.[5] The song debuted on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart at number 47 for the week of July 4, 2015,[7] before dropping to number 100 and leaving the chart in the following two weeks.[8][9] "Yo-kai Exercise No. 2" also appeared on the Billboard Japan Hot Animation chart, where it peaked at number 7.[10]
Personnel
Credits adapted from the CD and DVD release of "Yo-kai Exercise No. 2".[11]
