Snow Halation

"Snow Halation"[a] is a pop song by the Japanese idol group μ's as part of the Love Live!

A re-animated sequence was broadcast in June 2014 as an insert song in the ninth episode of the second season of the Love Live!

Lyrically, the song describes the narrator's feelings of love and being unable to hold back from expressing them, an emotion they dub a "snow halation".

The single has been praised for creating a perfect harmony between the vocals and music, and the choice of words for the lyrics has been called masterful.

officially began with the August 2010 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine, which introduced the story, characters, and a more detailed explanation of the project.

[8] Also, the rest of the cast members who had previously been kept secret were unveiled in the November 2010 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine sold on September 30.

[9] Fans also determined the name of the idol group, ultimately choosing the name μ's (/mjuz/, muse) revealed in the January 2011 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine sold on November 30.

It is set in common time and moves at a tempo of 173 beats per minute in the A major key throughout the song (aside from the break, in which the mode temporarily changes to minor).

A break is used to transition into the original chorus, which includes a short solo by Honoka Kōsaka (Emi Nitta), as the outro.

Composer Takahiro Yamada attributed the popularity of the song to the lyrics written by Aki Hata, and the arrangement by Ryosuke Nakanishi.

[15] On the karaoke-based social media website Utasuki operated by the karaoke brand Joysound, "Snow Halation" ranked at No.

[18] In a review by LisAni!, an anime music magazine published by Sony Magazines under Sony Music Entertainment Japan, "Snow Halation" is described as producing a perfect harmony between the vocals that "convey fleeting feelings piled up like snow in one's heart, a gentle radiance that emanates from it, and a lively sound that enters into a brilliant climax.

In contrast, the drums and bass guitar are said to give an aggressive and brisk aspect that convey the high tempo of the song.

The choice of words for the lyrics is described as masterful, making the meaning easy to understand while trying to express the exhilarating feeling of the melody.

[21][22] The relative positions of each girl on the stage is retained from the original, but the re-animated version does not break away from the performance, and displays overall better animation and art quality.

In a review by Anime News Network, Nick Creamer described this as "the show's best idol song, [with the] best choreography, and best direction.

"[21] Freelance writer Yūko Shōji echoed this sentiment in Ohta Publishing's anime and video game magazine Continue, stating that it was "worth watching even just the performance," and that it was "clear from their mesmerizing expressions just how much work the production team put into it.

[30] "Snow Halation" was performed by Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra with six of μ's members as guest singers in Love Live!

A halation effect blurring the light from Tokyo Tower during a 2018 blizzard
μ's performing "Snow Halation" at the city square in Tokyo . The colors of the Christmas lights change from white to orange at the start of the final chorus.