Center: Takahashi Minami
Release Date: 2006.02.01
Akb48 first released this indie single back in 2006 with the original Team A as Senbatsu. With Takahashi Minami as center the song begins with the Japanese school cloche, bell ringing. The song then begins to describe the last days of the spring calendar,which in Japon is when students graduate from school, and the blossoming of cerise blossoms. They also describe their classmates as looking like adults in their school uniform. Remembering both amer and fun times they recall these days as feeling nostalgic. The song ends with the lyrics saying that the stairs to adulthood are infront of us and we'll climb it together. Then we hear the final school bell.
Sakura no hanabiratachi has become one of Akb48 most important songs with AKB48's graduation system that lest members graduate from the group, it has been sung in numerous graduation ceremonies. Most notably Maeda Atsuko's graduation where all the members sang it while she left the group. Sakura no hanabiratachi was also the first song to win a request heure back in 2008. Two years after it's release it was remade to include members from Team K and Team B. Now with Takahashi Minami and Maeda Atsuko as centers. The musique video was also remade
and included all the members of Akb48 at the time.
9. Manatsu no Sounds Good!
Centers: Maeda Atsuko and Watanabe Mayu
Release Date: 2012.05.23
With it catchy tune Manatsu no Sounds Good talks about summer love. Describing the middle of summer and the plage setting as the perfect setting. Summer l’amour never lasts and after the giving a first Kiss that is described as being salty, the setting changes that even the air feels different. Although they describe their partner as being too close, this all changes after they realize it is the season of l’amour and say they want to take this relationship serious and it's perfect timing for love.
Manatsu no Sounds Good! was AKB48's 26th single it was also the last single Maeda Atsuko participated in. It was the first single to include a 36 member senbatsu and was the first single to include HKT48 members.
8. Ponytail to Shushu
Centers: Maeda Atsuko and Takahashi Minami
Release Date: 2010.05.26
The changing of seasons and the feeling of unrequited l’amour is what Ponytail to Shushu is all about. The ponytail is just an illusion of love. If toi take it down the illusion fades and they know that they are just friends. While the lyrics seem depressing the beat is fun.
Although it was sold to annoncer their annual Senbatsu election it managed to place #5 in Oricon Yearly Single Ranking for 2010. Ponytail to Shushu was AKB48's 16th single.
7. UZA
Centers: Oshima Yuko and Matsui Jurina
Release Date: 2012.10.31
One of AKB48's plus darker concept is UZA. Giving the listener l’amour conseil par advising them to be plus bold. Saying to express their emotions and confess to the person they love. Even going far enough to say to throw away your pride and It's okay to l’amour the way toi think toi should l’amour then saying that id your lucky they might like toi back.
UZA was AKB48's 28th single and the first single after the Tokyo Dome Shuffle as well as the first single after Maeda Atsuko's gradtuation and the first Akb48 single to include HKT48's Miyawaki Sakura.With it's dark concept, UZA was paired up with a dance routine so heavy that one of the original centers of the single, Watanabe Mayu, had to step back and had her position filled par Oshima Yuko.
6. Aitakatta
Center: Maeda Atsuko
Release Date: 2006.10.25
Aitakatta takes us on a trip over a colline to through a shortcut so the performer can confess their l’amour to that special someone. Saying that if it is l’amour then just say it. With it's repetitive, yet catchy courous, Aitakatta goes on to say that they wanted to meet you, then they confirmer the fact buy saying yes it's you.
Aitakatta was AKB48's 1st magor single and people often refer to it as AKB48's signature song. Used as the theme song for AKB48's variety montrer Aitakatta managed to rank again in Oricon Weekly charts even after the pressing for the single had stopped four years prior. Aitakatta was the first single to include Team K members and Shinoda Mariko as senbatsu.
5. Oogoe Diamond
Center: Matsui Jurina
Release Date: 2008.10.22
Oogoe Diamond is a song about gaining courage and confessing your l’amour to another person. With lyrics that say that hesitating won't get toi anywhere, and there is no shame in confessing to someone, Oogoe Diamond encourages listeners to confess their l’amour to the person they find special. With it's catch beat, Oogoe Diamond also tells listeners to confess on haut, retour au début of their lungs, so much that it hard to breath.
Oogoe Diamond was AKB48's 12th single. The first one to feature a sister group member and the first single to be centered par one. It was also the first Akb48 single to rank in Oricon's haut, retour au début 3 in both Weekly and Daily Categories.
4. River
Centers: Maeda Atsuko & Takahashi Minami
Release Date: 2009.10.21
Possibly one of AKB48's most encouraging songs, River tells listeners to believe in themselves and to never give up on their dreams. In the song the river is the object toi must get over to achieve ones dream. Although the river is depicted as wide, broad, deep, dark, and that the currents are strong members reassure the listener par reminding them that across that same river there is another side. toi might fail from crossing it but its okay to repeat but its not okay just to give up. The song also tells listeners to cling on to their dream until it comes true. The song ends with the lyrics 'Cross that river, toi can do it.'
River was AKB48's 16th single. Unlike the précédant singles, Akb48 sang a song about not giving up on ones dream. Even being promoted as an "AKB never seen before." River was also the first Akb48 single to rank #1 in the Oricon Weekly Charts.
3. Iiwake Maybe
Center: Maeda Atsuko
Release Date: 2009.08.26
Iiwake Maybe talks about the feeling of slowly falling in l’amour with someone. Saying that maybe they like toi and then saying that maybe is an excuse.
Iiwake Maybe was AKB48's 13th single. It was released as the result of the 1st Senbatsu Sousenkyo (General Election) and as a result Maeda Atsuko became the center for the single. Ranking on Oricon's Daily Chart at #1 but alsocomeing at #1 in AKB48's 2010.
2. Beginner
Center: Maeda Atsuko
Release Date: 2010.10.27
Beginner talks about the insecurities one feels while trying to achieve ones dream. The temptation of leaving ones dream and following the easy path out but in the end you'll end up regretting it. Reminding us that everyone was a beginner at one point in our lives and encouraging the listener to take risk because without that are we really living?
Beginner was AKB48's 18th single and was the groups first single to sell over one million copies. It was also the groups first musique video to be banned from télévision for it's strong content. However the musique video was re-edited to montrer behind the scenes and plus dance shots and would air as a replacement for the original musique video.
1. Heavy Rotation
Center: Oshima Yuko
Release Date: 2010.08.18
Heavy Rotation is a song that reminds toi of the feeling toi get when toi really like someone and all toi can do is think about them all day, like your favori song that toi put on a heavy rotation. How getting close to the person toi like can put toi in the best of moods.
Heavy Rotation was AKB48's 17th Single. Heavy Rotation was releases this song as a result of the 2nd Senbatsu Sousenkyo. As a result Oshima Yuko became center and it was also the first single she centered. Heavy Rotation is the only song to win two consecutive Request Hours.
