is the 24th
major
Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
single by the
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
ese girl
idol
Idol or Idols may refer to:
Religion and philosophy
* Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents
* Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...
group
AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with i ...
, released on December 7, 2011.
Release history and information
The AKB48 members participating in the single were determined in the
rock-paper-scissors
Rock paper scissors (also known by other orderings of the three items, with "rock" sometimes being called "stone," or as Rochambeau, roshambo, or ro-sham-bo) is a hand game originating in China, usually played between two people, in which each p ...
tournament held on September 20, 2011, at
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. While its primary purpose is to host martial arts con ...
, so called ''AKB48 24th Single Senbatsu Janken Taikai''. The
16 members from the group who advanced into the semi-final and final rounds of the tournament are those that were featured in this single. From this, the Top 8 were chosen to be the main vocalists while member
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
Career
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shor ...
, who came at first place in the tournament, is in the center position.
The single's title song was announced to be "Ue Kara Mariko" on October 29 at the
Flying Get handshake event at
Ajinomoto Stadium
, also known as Tokyo Stadium in AFC Champions League, is a multi-purpose stadium in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan. The stadium was founded at Kantō Mura, the redevelopment area formerly used by United States Forces Japan, in March 2001. It was the fir ...
.
The single was released in 4 versions: Type A, Type K, Type B, and Theater Edition.
It has sold 959,280 copies on its first day and later on sold over 1 million by the end of its first week making it the fourth most successful single from the group to sell over a million.
Concept and artwork
The name Mariko in "Ue Kara Mariko" ("Mariko from Above", "Mariko from the Top") refers to
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
Career
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shor ...
, the member of the group whom the single will be centered around for the first time, having won the rock-paper-scissors tournament. This is also the first song by the group with a member name in the title.
The words "ue kara" ("from above", "from the top") might be seen as referring either to Mariko being the eldest
or the tallest in the group, or both.
It was also revealed that title song was originally planned to be "Hashire! Penguin" ("Penguin, Run!") but was changed to fit Mariko Shinoda's image.
"Hashire! Penguin" was instead sung by Team 4 and appears only on the Theater Edition of the single.
Track listing
Type A
Type K
Type B
Theater Edition
Members
"Ue Kara Mariko"
Center:
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
Career
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shor ...
* Team A:
Shizuka Ōya,
Haruna Kojima,
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
Career
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shor ...
(#1), Ami Maeda
* Team K:
Sayaka Akimoto,
Ayaka Umeda
is a former Japanese idol and singer from the girl group NMB48, in which she is the co-captain of Team BII. She was also a member of the AKB48 and its subunit DiVA.
Biography
2004–2007: Early career, debut, injury
In 2004–2005, Umeda t ...
,
Reina Fujie
, is a Japanese idol who is a former member NMB48's Team BII and former member of AKB48. She is a cousin of Berryz Kobo
was a Japanese girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members cons ...
(#2),
Minami Minegishi
is a Japanese singer and actress, represented by Production Ogi. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, and its subunit no3b. She is noted for having the longest tenure among the group's original members from 2005 to 2021.
Ca ...
(#3)
* Team B:
Tomomi Kasai
is a Japanese singer, actress and a former member of the idol group AKB48, belonging to Team A. She had a recurring role on ''Kamen Rider W'' as Elizabeth, alongside group member Tomomi Itano. Together, they make up the sub-unit Queen & Elizab ...
,
Rie Kitahara
is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Japanese idol girl group NGT48 and former member of AKB48 and SKE48. She debuted in 2008 in Team A and was later co-captain of Team K (2014). In March 2015, it was announced Kitahara wo ...
,
Sumire Satō
* Team 4:
Suzuran Yamauchi
* Kenkyūsei: Marina Kobayashi (#4)
* SKE48 Team S: Mizuki Kuwabara
* NMB48 Team N: Yūki Yamaguchi
* NMB48 Kenkyūsei: Ayame Hikawa
Top 8 members are in bold.
"Noël no Yoru"
* Team A:
Aika Ōta
, is a former member of the Japanese idol group HKT48, the captain of its Team KIV. She has also been a member of AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) a ...
,
Haruna Kojima,
Rino Sashihara
is a Japanese tarento, singer, producer and actress. She is best known as a former member of idol groups HKT48, AKB48 and STU48, and was the theater manager for HKT48 and STU48. She was also a member of AKB48's unit Not Yet (band), Not Yet and i ...
,
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A.
Career
In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shor ...
,
Aki Takajō
is a Japanese tarento who is a former member of the idol groups AKB48 and JKT48. She auditioned for AKB48's sixth generation and was promoted to member of Team A. Her talent agency is Is.Field (she was previously affiliated with Watanabe Produ ...
,
Minami Takahashi
is a Japanese idol, singer, tarento and a former member of the Japanese girl idol group AKB48. She is in Team A of AKB48. She became the first of AKB48 and its sister groups. In an interview with Nippon Television in June 2010, AKB48 produc ...
,
Atsuko Maeda
is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the idol girl group AKB48, and was one of the most prominent members in the group at the time, regarded as the group's "absolute ace", "immovable center", and the "Face of AKB." After ...
* Team K:
Tomomi Itano
is a Japanese recording artist, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2011 she debuted solo with a single titled " Dear J", which wa ...
,
Yūko Ōshima
is a Japanese actress and former member of Japanese idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments ...
,
Minami Minegishi
is a Japanese singer and actress, represented by Production Ogi. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, and its subunit no3b. She is noted for having the longest tenure among the group's original members from 2005 to 2021.
Ca ...
,
Sae Miyazawa
is a Japanese actress, television personality and former singer, signed under the entertainment agency Horipro. She is best known for her affiliations with AKB48 and its various sister- and subgroups. Between 2006 and 2016, she was a part of th ...
,
Yui Yokoyama Yui may refer to:
People
* Yui (name), a Japanese name
*Yui (singer) (born 1987), Japanese singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress
* Yui people or Ibi, a Timucuan-speaking people in what now is Georgia, United States
Places
* Yui, Sh ...
* Team B:
Tomomi Kasai
is a Japanese singer, actress and a former member of the idol group AKB48, belonging to Team A. She had a recurring role on ''Kamen Rider W'' as Elizabeth, alongside group member Tomomi Itano. Together, they make up the sub-unit Queen & Elizab ...
,
Yuki Kashiwagi
is a Japanese idol and singer. She is a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 and a former member of NMB48 and NGT48. She auditioned for AKB48 on December 3, 2006, and is now a member of AKB48's Team B. She was previously the captain of T ...
,
Rie Kitahara
is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Japanese idol girl group NGT48 and former member of AKB48 and SKE48. She debuted in 2008 in Team A and was later co-captain of Team K (2014). In March 2015, it was announced Kitahara wo ...
,
Sumire Satō,
Mayu Watanabe
is a Japanese former idol, singer, actress, and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 under Team B. In the annual AKB48 General Elections event, she had consistently been voted by fans to rank among the group's top members. She has ...
* SKE48 Team S:
Jurina Matsui
is a Japanese Television personalities in Japan, TV personality, singer, actress, and YouTuber. She is a former member of Japanese idol girl group SKE48 and former concurrent member of AKB48 (in 2012–2015). She is recognized as SKE48's absolut ...
,
Rena Matsui
is a Japanese actress, singer, and novelist. Matsui is a former member of the Japanese idol girl groups SKE48 and Nogizaka46. As a member of the former, she also participated in the main lineup of AKB48's singles. As an actress, she has played r ...
* NMB48 Team N:
Sayaka Yamamoto
is a Japanese singer and songwriter signed to Universal Sigma. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group NMB48, where she served as captain of both the whole group as well as Team N, and a former member of AKB48's Team K. She mad ...
"Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai"
sung by Team A
* Team A:
Misaki Iwasa
is a Japanese idol. She is a former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48 and enka singer. Her nickname is Wasamin. Her talent agency is Nagara Productions. She was also a member of the sub-unit Watarirouka Hashiritai 7.
Career
2008
* Decem ...
,
Aika Ōta
, is a former member of the Japanese idol group HKT48, the captain of its Team KIV. She has also been a member of AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) a ...
,
Shizuka Ōya,
Haruka Katayama
, is a Japanese actress and ''tarento'' who is a former member of the idol group AKB48's team A produced by Yasushi Akimoto
is a Japanese record producer, lyricist, and television writer, best known for creating and producing some of Japan's ...
,
Asuka Kuramochi
is a singer, actress, and a former member of the idol group AKB48 under Team K.
Career
2007
* On May 27, she passed AKB48 first trainee audition (AKB48 第一回研究生(4期生)オーディション).
2008
* On March 4, it was a ...
,
Haruna Kojima,
Rino Sashihara
is a Japanese tarento, singer, producer and actress. She is best known as a former member of idol groups HKT48, AKB48 and STU48, and was the theater manager for HKT48 and STU48. She was also a member of AKB48's unit Not Yet (band), Not Yet and i ...
,
Shinoda Mariko,
Aki Takajō
is a Japanese tarento who is a former member of the idol groups AKB48 and JKT48. She auditioned for AKB48's sixth generation and was promoted to member of Team A. Her talent agency is Is.Field (she was previously affiliated with Watanabe Produ ...
,
Minami Takahashi
is a Japanese idol, singer, tarento and a former member of the Japanese girl idol group AKB48. She is in Team A of AKB48. She became the first of AKB48 and its sister groups. In an interview with Nippon Television in June 2010, AKB48 produc ...
,
Haruka Nakagawa
, is a Japanese media personality based in Indonesia. She is a former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48 and its sub-unit Watarirouka Hashiritai, as well as its Indonesian sister group JKT48, all produced by Yasushi Akimoto.
Career
At t ...
, Chisato Nakata,
Sayaka Nakaya
is a Japanese voice actress and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She is from Iwate. While with AKB48 she was a member of the subunit No Name. Her biggest role as a voice actress was as the title character Chitose Sakuraba in ...
,
Aika Ōta
, is a former member of the Japanese idol group HKT48, the captain of its Team KIV. She has also been a member of AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) a ...
, Ami Maeda,
Natsumi Matsubara
The Japanese idol girl group AKB48 has many members who have left the group for various reasons such as focusing on solo careers. Some members have left to help launch AKB48's sister groups. The member lineup often changes as when girls get olde ...
"Zero-sum Taiyō"
sung by Team K
* Team K:
Sayaka Akimoto,
Tomomi Itano
is a Japanese recording artist, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2011 she debuted solo with a single titled " Dear J", which wa ...
,
Mayumi Uchida
The Japanese idol girl group AKB48 has many members who have left the group for various reasons such as focusing on solo careers. Some members have left to help launch AKB48's sister groups. The member lineup often changes as when girls get olde ...
,
Ayaka Umeda
is a former Japanese idol and singer from the girl group NMB48, in which she is the co-captain of Team BII. She was also a member of the AKB48 and its subunit DiVA.
Biography
2004–2007: Early career, debut, injury
In 2004–2005, Umeda t ...
,
Yūko Ōshima
is a Japanese actress and former member of Japanese idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments ...
,
Ayaka Kikuchi,
Miku Tanabe
is a Japanese idol who is a former member of AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's produce ...
, Tomomi Nakatsuka, Moeno Nitō, Misato Nonaka,
Reina Fujie
, is a Japanese idol who is a former member NMB48's Team BII and former member of AKB48. She is a cousin of Berryz Kobo
was a Japanese girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members cons ...
,
Sakiko Matsui
is a Japanese singer and pianist. She was a member of AKB48. Concurrently as a student specializing in piano at Tokyo College of Music, she has released a piano instrumental album ''Kokyū Suru Piano'' on October 3, 2012, which reached number 1 ...
,
Minami Minegishi
is a Japanese singer and actress, represented by Production Ogi. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, and its subunit no3b. She is noted for having the longest tenure among the group's original members from 2005 to 2021.
Ca ...
,
Sae Miyazawa
is a Japanese actress, television personality and former singer, signed under the entertainment agency Horipro. She is best known for her affiliations with AKB48 and its various sister- and subgroups. Between 2006 and 2016, she was a part of th ...
,
Yui Yokoyama Yui may refer to:
People
* Yui (name), a Japanese name
*Yui (singer) (born 1987), Japanese singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress
* Yui people or Ibi, a Timucuan-speaking people in what now is Georgia, United States
Places
* Yui, Sh ...
, Rumi Yonezawa
"Yobisute Fantasy"
sung by Team B
* Team B:
Haruka Ishida
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She has been a co-host on the variety show ''Dream Creator'' on TV Tokyo. and has voiced on a handful of anime shows, including ''Nobunaga the Fool'' ...
,
Tomomi Kasai
is a Japanese singer, actress and a former member of the idol group AKB48, belonging to Team A. She had a recurring role on ''Kamen Rider W'' as Elizabeth, alongside group member Tomomi Itano. Together, they make up the sub-unit Queen & Elizab ...
,
Yuki Kashiwagi
is a Japanese idol and singer. She is a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 and a former member of NMB48 and NGT48. She auditioned for AKB48 on December 3, 2006, and is now a member of AKB48's Team B. She was previously the captain of T ...
,
Rie Kitahara
is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Japanese idol girl group NGT48 and former member of AKB48 and SKE48. She debuted in 2008 in Team A and was later co-captain of Team K (2014). In March 2015, it was announced Kitahara wo ...
,
Kana Kobayashi
is a Japanese idol who is a former member of AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer ...
, Mika Komori,
Amina Satō
is a Japanese voice actress and a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. In AKB48, she was originally a fourth generation trainee, then in Team A, in Team B, and finally in Team K. Amina Sato was also a member of a pop group named N ...
,
Sumire Satō, Natsuki Satō, Shihori Suzuki,
Mariya Suzuki
is a Japanese idol, singer and actress. She joined the girl group AKB48 in 2009 where she participated in a number of their singles, and was one of two Japanese members to transfer and to become founding members of the Chinese idol sister group ...
,
Rina Chikano
The Japanese idol girl group AKB48 has many members who have left the group for various reasons such as focusing on solo careers. Some members have left to help launch AKB48's sister groups. The member lineup often changes as when girls get old ...
,
Natsumi Hirajima
is a Japanese ''tarento'' and actress. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was born from Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and la ...
,
Yuka Masuda,
Miho Miyazaki
is a Japanese singer, actress and former member of the idol girl group AKB48 where she was active in Team A. She also participated in the Korean-Japanese show Produce 48.
Biography
In 2007, Miyazaki passed an audition for AKB48 and became a ken ...
,
Mayu Watanabe
is a Japanese former idol, singer, actress, and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 under Team B. In the annual AKB48 General Elections event, she had consistently been voted by fans to rank among the group's top members. She has ...
"Hashire! Penguin"
sung by Team 4
[Mina Ōba is absent.]
* Team 4: Maria Abe,
Miori Ichikawa
is Japanese actress and former member of Japanese idol groups AKB48 and NMB48. She is known for her "Fresh Lemon" character and is the Hiroshima Lemon Ambassador since 2014.
Biography
Ichikawa debuted in the entertainment industry under Star ...
,
Anna Iriyama
is a Japanese actress and YouTuber who has bases of operations in Japan and Mexico. She is a former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was a member of Team A. She is represented by the talent agency Ohta Production. She was p ...
,
Haruka Shimazaki
is a Japanese actress, singer, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48. Her supposed apathetic attitude toward idol fans led to the popularity of the buzzword in Japanese media. Since graduating from AKB48 in 2016, Shimazaki has work ...
,
Haruka Shimada
is a Japanese businessperson and former singer and actress. She is a former member of AKB48, and has founded two companies aiming to provide second career options for aspiring and active entertainers.
Biography
Shimada joined AKB48 in 2009. D ...
,
Miyu Takeuchi
is a Japanese singer and YouTuber based in South Korea. She is a former member of AKB48.
Career
2004-2008: Pre-debut
Prior to joining AKB48, Takeuchi signed a contract with Stardust Production in 2004 and appeared in Little By Little's music ...
,
Mariya Nagao
is a Japanese television personality and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. Nagao is represented by Irving.
Career
Mariya Nagao joined AKB48 as a 9th generation trainee in late 2009. On December 8, 2010, together with Mina ...
, Shiori Nakamata, Mariko Nakamura,
Suzuran Yamauchi
Oricon Charts
Notes
References
External links
"Ue kara Mariko" Type A profile at the King Records website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ue Kara Mariko
2011 singles
AKB48 songs
Songs with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto
Oricon Weekly number-one singles
Billboard Japan Hot 100 number-one singles
King Records (Japan) singles