Sakura no Hanabiratachi

"Sakura no Hanabiratachi" (桜の花びらたち, Cherry Blossom Petals) is Japanese idol group AKB48's debut single, released independently through AKS on February 1, 2006.^[1] The single was the highest debuting girl group single since Morning Musume's "Morning Coffee", released in 1998.^[2] The song was composed by Hiroshi Uesugi and written by Yasushi Akimoto.^[3] The song was re-recorded and released again in 2008 as the group's final single with major label DefStar Records. The song was sung by the original 21 members of AKB48 that later formed Team A. The center of the 2006 version was Minami Takahashi. while the center of the 2008 version was Atsuko Maeda.^[4]

"Sakura no Hanabiratachi"
Single by AKB48
from the album Set List: Greatest Songs 2006–2007 and 0 to 1 no Aida
B-side	"Dear My Teacher"
Released	February 1, 2006 (2006-02-01)
Genre	J-pop
Length	5:24
Label	AKS, Avex Distribution
Songwriter(s)	Yasushi Akimoto, Hiroshi Uesugi
Producer(s)	Nobuhiko Kashiwara, Yasushi Kubota, Kotaro Shiba
AKB48 singles chronology
"Sakura no Hanabiratachi" (2006) "Skirt, Hirari" (2006)

Promotion

The launching of "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" was held on February 1, 2006, at the AKB48 theater. During this event, a video presentation of the events that occurred during the formation of Team A was shown. 20 Members of AKB48 Team A then performed "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" and "Dear My Teacher," and later introduced themselves one by one to the public. Notable during this event was the absence of Tomomi Ōe due to school activities.

The song was used as the theme song of the TBS drama Desu yo Nee., along with being used in videophone commercials for NTT docomo. The B-side "Dear My Teacher" was used as the ending theme song for the variety show Mitake Uranai.

The re-released version had several tie-ups. The lead track was used as an ending theme song for the variety show Arabiki-dan, while the B-side "Saigo no Seifuku" was used as an image song for the 26th Yokohama International Women's Ekiden.

2008 version

"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008"
Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008
Single by AKB48
from the album Set List: Greatest Songs Kanzenban & 0 to 1 no Aida
B-side	"Saigo no Seifuku"
Released	February 27, 2008 (2008-02-27)
Genre	J-Pop
Length	5:20
Label	DefStar
Songwriter(s)	Yasushi Akimoto, Hiroshi Uesugi
Producer(s)	Nobuhiko Kashiwara, Yasushi Kubota, Kotaro Shiba
AKB48 singles chronology
"Romance, Irane" (2008) "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" (2008) "Baby! Baby! Baby!" (2008)

The Team K and Team B members were invited to join in creating a new 2008 version of the song, "Sakura no Habiratachi 2008" (桜の花びらたち2008). A poster was given for a purchase of any version of this single at the AKB48 Theater Café. Since only one member from AKB48 was featured on each poster, 44 different types of posters were available. These posters were handed out randomly to any purchaser. Anyone who had collected all 44 types had been invited to a Spring Festival with AKB48.^[5] DefSTAR Records later announced, however, that this offer would be cancelled, due to the apparent scandal of attracting purchasers to effectively buy a special reward by spending an inordinate amount of money chasing down all 44 versions of the poster.^[6][7]

A special B-side is featured on the type B limited edition, where the song is rearranged into the form of a school choir performance.^{[citation needed]}

2010 version

"Sakura no Hanabiratachi HaruUta 2010 Special" (桜の花びらたち 春うた2010スペシャル),^[8] with special lyrics written by Yasushi Akimoto applied at the very last part of the song, was sung by the members appeared on "HaruUta 2010" (春うた2010, Spring Songs 2010), live broadcast on March 27, 2010, by NHK.^[9]

2015 version

For the group's 10th anniversary, a new version of the song (along with Skirt, Hirari) was recorded for the opening track of upcoming album 0 to 1 no Aida, featuring current members.

Reception

The single debuted at #10 in its first week, with 22,000 copies sold.^[10] It charted for a further three weeks in the top 50, before finally leaving the top 200 eight weeks after its initial chart entry, having doubled the sales from the first week.^[10]

The 2008 version was less commercially successful. While it also debuted at #10 with 22,000 copies sold in its first week,^[10] it only spent a single week in the top 50, leaving the charts five weeks after its initial week, selling a total of 25,000 copies.^[10]

This was the best-selling single from AKB48's independent period and their time under major label DefStar Records. The record would only be broken by their first single with King Records in 2008, "Ōgoe Diamond", which sold over 80,000 copies.^[10]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Arranger	Length
1.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi" (桜の花びらたち "Cherry Blossom Petals")	Yasushi Akimoto, Hiroshi Uesugi	Nobuhiko Kashiwara	5:24
2.	"Dear My Teacher"	Akimoto, Mion Okada	Jun Kageie	4:15
3.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi (Karaoke version)"	Akimoto, Uesugi	Kashiwara	5:24
4.	"Dear My Teacher (Karaoke version)"	Akimoto, Okada	Kageie	4:15
Total length:				19:18

2008 regular/type A track list

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Arranger	Length
1.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008"	Akimoto, Uesugi	Kashiwara	5:20
2.	"Saigo no Seifuku" (最後の制服 "Final Uniform")	Akimoto, Shintaro Ito	Ito	4:36
3.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008 (instrumental)"	Akimoto, Uesugi	Kashiwara	5:20
4.	"Saigo no Seifuku (instrumental)"	Akimoto, Ito	Ito	4:33
Total length:				19:49

2008 type B track list

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Arranger	Length
1.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008"	Akimoto, Uesugi	Kashiwara	5:20
2.	"Saigo no Seifuku"	Akimoto, Ito	Ito	4:36
3.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008 (Gakkō Mix)" (桜の花びらたち2008（学校　Mix） "Cherry Blossom Petals 2008 (school mix)")	Akimoto, Uesugi	Akiyuki Tateyama	5:31
4.	"Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008 (instrumental)"	Akimoto, Uesugi	Kashiwara	5:20
5.	"Saigo no Seifuku (instrumental)"	Akimoto, Ito	Ito	4:33
Total length:				25:19

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Sakura no Hanabiratachi
Oricon Weekly Chart[10]	10
Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008
Oricon Weekly Chart[10]	10
Billboard Japan Hot 100[citation needed]	26

Reported sales

Chart	Amount
Oricon physical sales[10]	46,000
Oricon physical sales (2008 ver.)[10]	25,000

Personnel

• Produced By: Yasushi Akimoto
• Executive Producer: Yasushi Kubota, Kotaro Shiba
• Creative Direction and Photography and Edit: Yasumasa Yonehara
• Photography: Hirohisa Sako
• Hair and Make Up: Hiromi Kawano
• Design: Takumi Matsubara

Other versions

• The Indonesian idol group JKT48, a sister group of AKB48, covered the song and named it "Kelopak-Kelopak Bunga Sakura". It was included on single Gingham Check. It was also performed on funerary of Inao Jiro, general manager.
• The Thai idol group BNK48, a sister group of AKB48, covered the song and named it "Khwamsongcham Lae Kham-amla" (Thai: ความทรงจำและคำอำลา; IPA: [kʰwaːm.soŋ.t͡ɕam lɛ́ʔ kʰam.ʔam.laː]; "Memories and Farewell"). It was included in the group's third single, "Shonichi – Wan Raek", released on 7 May 2018.^[11] The ghost of a girl reportedly appeared while this song was performed at the group's theatre, BNK48 The Campus, giving rise to the rumour that the place was haunted.^[12]
• The Filipino idol group MNL48, a sister group of AKB48, covered the song and named it "Talulot ng Sakura"^[13] It was released as a B-side to their debut single "Aitakatta - Gustong Makita", in 2018.
• The Chinese idol group SNH48, a former sister group of AKB48, covered the song and named it "Qingchun de Huaban" (青春的花瓣)
• The Taiwanese idol group AKB48 Team TP, covered the song and named it "Yinghua pan" (櫻花瓣), a coupling song from their debut single Yungwang chihch'ien.

References

1. "AKB48公式サイト｜ディスコグラフィー" (in Japanese). AKS. Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
2. "AKB48、デビュー作が初登場TOP10入り！モー娘。以来の快挙達成！" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
3. "J!-ENT Dennis A. Amith interviews Hiroshi Uesugi" (PDF). J!-ENT 20th Anniversary Annual (2013). J!-ENT. October 13, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
4. "AKB48 歴代シングル選抜メンバー(センター)【PRiVATE LiFE】データベース".
5. "AKB48劇場「桜の花びらたち2008」購入者特別プレゼント！" (in Japanese). 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
6. "「春の祭典」ご招待施策中止のご案内". 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
7. "「独禁法抵触の恐れ」AKB48ポスターコンプリート企画中止" (in Japanese). 2008-02-28. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
8. "「春うた2010」（6）曲目決定！". NHK. 2010-03-25. Archived from the original on 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
9. "「春うた2010」（5）桜の花びらたち2010". NHK. 2010-03-24. Archived from the original on 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
10. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-05-09. (subscription only)
11. RicchanSama (2018-03-24). "ข้อจำกัดของ BNK48 เมื่อแปลเพลง 'วันแรก' เป็นไทย ทำไมไม่ติดหูเท่า 'คุกกี้เสี่ยงทาย'". gmlive.com (in Thai). Bangkok: GM Multimedia Group. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
12. แมวหง่าว (2018-08-06). "เรื่องเล่าคุณเดซี่ ผีเธียเตอร์ BNK48 อยากลองของ แค่มองขึ้นเพดาน!". travel.trueid.net (in Thai). Bangkok: True Digital & Media Platform. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
13. News, Vincent Garcia, ABS-CBN. "New MNL48 music video is a lovely tribute to the original AKB48". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2018-11-23. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)