is a song recorded by Japanese singer Misia, from her ninth studio album, '' Just Ballade''. It was released by Ariola Japan as the album's sixth single on November 18, 2009. "Aitakute Ima" is the theme song to the first season of the TBS drama series '' Jin''.

Background and release

"Aitakute Ima" was released five months after the previous double A-side single "

Ginga Ginga may refer to: Japanese Other * "Ginga" (single), a 2005 single from Japanese rock band Fujifabric * Yokosuka P1Y ''Ginga'', a Japanese bomber aircraft TV * Ginga (middleware), a Japanese-Brazilian digital TV middleware Series * Ginga N ...

" / "

Itsumademo is the twenty-second single by Japanese recording artist Misia. It was released on June 10, 2009 as the third single from Misia's ninth studio album '' Just Ballade''. Overview "Ginga/Itsumademo" was released simultaneously with The Tour of M ...

". It is Misia's first Japanese television drama tie-in in five years, since the '' Singer for Singer'' track "Hoshizora no Katasumi de" served as theme song to the CX drama series ''Minna Mukashi wa Kodomo Datta'' (2004). The first pressing of the physical release came housed in a sleeve case with a see-through cutout. The track was released in

truetone A ringtone, ring tone or ring is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. Originally referring to and made by the electromechanical striking of bells, the term now refers to any sound on any device alerting of a new incoming ...

format prior to the official release date, in sized-down version on October 18, 2009 and in full on November 9, 2009.

Composition

"Aitakute Ima" was written by Misia, while the composition and arrangement were handled by

Jun Sasaki is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his work as a record producer for acts including Misia, Chara, and Yuki Koyanagi is a Japanese pop singer. She released her first single, "Anata no kisu o kazoemash� ...

. It is composed in the key of G-flat major and set to a common time tempo of 70 beats per minute. Misia's vocals span from F₃ to C₅. Akihiko Ishimaru, the producer of ''Jin'', stated that he chose Misia to sing the theme song because, when imagining the music for the series, he pictured her "powerful and bittersweet" voice. In an interview with

Excite Excitation, excite, exciting, or excitement may refer to: * Excitation (magnetic), provided with an electrical generator or alternator * Excite Ballpark, located in San Jose, California * Excite (web portal), web portal owned by IAC * Electron ex ...

, Misia explained that one of directives given to her by Ishimaru was to not read the original ''Jin'' manga series, in order to avoid giving away potential spoilers in the song, she posits. The lyrics were therefore inspired solely by the story's theme of longing and nostalgia. Musically, Ishimaru requested a ballad that utilizes a major cord and that is "emotional but not dark". The song was recorded while on the Hoshizora no Live V Just Ballade tour. Misia remarked to Excite that she usually tries to take a few days off from singing before a concert, but had to make do with less vocal rest because of her busy recording schedule. She expressed being surprised that the final vocal take for "Aitakute Ima" turned out so well, despite the less than ideal conditions.

Critical reception

CDJournal described the song as a "punchy piano ballad" that "speaks of the fundamental theme of love across time" and praised it for its "evocative power". The Japan Maritime Daily called the song "a beautiful ballad" and praised Misia's "well-matched soulful vocal performance". "Aitakute Ima" won the Television Drama Academy Award for Best Drama Song, off the strength of its popularity with both viewers and critics. In a nationwide poll conducted by '' Music Station'' in April 2011, the song was ranked the 19th most memorable theme song to a TV series.

Music video

As of March 2018, the music video for "Aitakute Ima" is the second most viewed video on Misia's official

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channel, behind the music video to " Everything", with over 39 million views.

Chart performance

"Aitakute Ima" entered the daily

Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track download sales. In J ...

at number 9. It peaked four days later at number 6. The single debuted at number 9 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart, with 16,000 copies sold in its first week, making it Misia's first top-ten debut in two years, since " Royal Chocolate Flush" in December 2007. "Aitakute Ima" debuted on the ''

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Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

and Hot Singles Sales charts at number 3 and 9, respectively. The song also appeared on iTunes Japan Store and

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year-end charts, at number 85 and 44, respectively. The single charted for twelve weeks on the Oricon Singles Chart and sold a reported total of 47,000 copies during its run. The song was certified double platinum, for sales of 500,000 truetones, and triple platinum, for sales of 750,000 of single track downloads, by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Personnel *

Lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

– Misia *

Backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

, backing vocal arrangement – JP * Songwriting – Misia,

Arrangement In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...

, all other instruments – Jun Sasaki * Orchestral arrangement – Gen Itettsu *

Piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

– Tohru Shigemi *

Drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

– Fuyu *

Acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

– Shuhei Yamaguchi *

Electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

– Takashi Yamaguchi *

Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

– Takeshi Taneda *

Strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

– Gen Ittetsu Strings *

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

– Hiroyuki Minami, Hiroyuki Nakajima *

Flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

– Hideyo Takakuwa *

Harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

– Tomoyuki Asakawa *

Engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

– Masahiro Kawaguchi, Ken Nishi * Mixing – Masahiro Kawaguchi * Mastering – Herb Powers Jr.

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

External links

''Aitakute Ima''
Special Site {{authority control 2009 singles 2009 songs Misia songs Japanese television drama theme songs Songs written by Misia Songs written by Jun Sasaki Song recordings produced by Jun Sasaki Ariola Japan singles +