is the 29th

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

single by the Japanese female idol group

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...

, released in Japan on December 5, 2012.

Background

The sixteen members that were featured in the title track were decided in the AKB48

rock-paper-scissors Rock, Paper, Scissors (also known by several other names and word orders) is an intransitive hand game, usually played between two people, in which each player simultaneously forms one of three shapes with an outstretched hand. These shapes a ...

tournament held in September along with their position at

Nippon Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...

. The overall winner of the tournament was Haruka Shimazaki, who sang the lead vocals for the song and took up the center position during its performances, and it is also her first solo center. The single was released in five versions: Type-A, Type-B, Type-C, Type-D, and Theater Edition. The third tracks of the DVDs that come with Types A, B, and C are

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

s for the songs that placed, respectively, first, second, and third in the recently held Music Video Request, in which fans could vote for a song to get a music video. Its music video was directed by Eiki Takahashi (also director of Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō). It premiered on

MTV Japan MTV Japan (Music Television Japan) is the Japanese version of the cable television network based in Tokyo, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Paramount Global, Paramount Global Japan K.K., and was launched on November 15, 1993. It can be viewed on cable ...

. This is also the first single where Kojima Haruna does not participate in the single's A-side track.

Track listing

All lyrics written by

Yasushi Akimoto is a Japanese record producer, lyricist, and television writer, best known for creating and producing some of Japan's top idol groups, Onyanko Club and the AKB48 franchise. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 100 million copies, ma ...

, except "Eien Yori Tsuzuku Yō ni". "Eien Yori Tsuzuku Yō ni" is written by Hisaya Okada (

Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! was a popular Japanese variety show, shown on Fuji TV. The first episode aired on 16 October 1996 and the last episode aired on 31 March 2018. The hosts of the show were the owarai duo Ninety-Nine ( Takashi Okamura and Hiroyuki Yabe). The sh ...

's staff).

Type-A

Type-B

Type-C

Type-D

Theater Version

Members

"Eien Pressure"

Center: Haruka Shimazaki The rank of each member in the AKB48 29th single selection rock-paper-scissors tournament is in parentheses. * Team A:

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 ...

(5), Moeno Nito (2) * Team K: Maria Abe (6),

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 ...

(13), Mayumi Uchida (4), Chisato Nakata (16), Ami Maeda (10), Natsumi Matsubara (14) * Team B: Ayaka Umeda (15),

Yuki Kashiwagi is a Japanese singer. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, NMB48 and NGT48. She auditioned for AKB48 on December 3, 2006, and was a member of AKB48's Team B. She was previously the captain of Team B before she was replaced ...

(11), Haruka Shimazaki (1), Miyu Takeuchi (7), Mariko Nakamura (8) * AKB48 Team A /

NMB48 NMB48 (read "N.M.B. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group that debuted in 2011 as the second sister group to AKB48, produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NMB48 is named after the Namba district in Osaka city of Osaka Prefecture, where the group is based ...

Yui Yokoyama is a Japanese actress, YouTuber and former singer. She is a former member of the idol group AKB48. She was the second General Manager of the AKB48 Group. She had served as the captain of AKB48 Team A, and was a former member of AKB48 sister grou ...

(3) * SKE48 Team E: Kasumi Ueno (9), Kanon Kimoto (12)

"Totteoki Christmas"

* Team A：

Rina Kawaei is a Japanese actress and former singer, represented by Avex Inc., Avex. She is a former member of the girl group AKB48. As an actress, she has starred in television series such as ''Come Come Everybody'' (2021) and was nominated for Blue Ribbon ...

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 ...

Mayu Watanabe is a Japanese former singer and actress. Watanabe started her career as a member of the 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 membe ...

(NMB48) * Team K：

Yūko Ōshima is a Japanese actress and former member of 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, she sa ...

, Rie Kitahara (SKE48) * Team B：

Haruna Kojima is a Japanese entrepreneur, actress, model, and former singer. From 2005 to 2017, she was a member of idol group AKB48 under Team A. In 2018, she founded her own brand, "Her lip to". Career Kojima was born in Urawa-ku, Saitama, Saitama Pref ...

, Haruka Shimazaki,

Minami Minegishi is a Japanese singer and actress, represented by :ja:プロダクション尾木, 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 origina ...

* JKT48: Aki Takajo

"Tsuyogari Tokei"

The song is performed by

SKE48 SKE48 (S.K.E. Forty-eight) is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. SKE48 is named after the Sakae, Nagoya, Sakae district in Nagoya of Aichi Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at SKE48 Theater on 2F of Sunshi ...

. * AKB48 Team K / SKE48： Rie Kitahara * SKE48 Team S / AKB48 Team K：

Jurina Matsui is a Japanese 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 absolute "ace", having placed in the to ...

* SKE48 Team S： Masana Ōya,

Yuria Kizaki is a Japanese actress and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, where she was the captain of Team B. Biography Kizaki was born in Aichi Prefecture. On November 13, 2009, Kizaki passed SKE48's third-generation auditions. On Jun ...

, Akari Suda, Yūka Nakanishi,

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 ...

, Kumi Yagami * SKE48 Team KII / AKB48 Team B： Anna Ishida * SKE48 Team KII： Shiori Ogiso,

Akane Takayanagi is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group SKE48. She joined SKE48 as a second-generation trainee in March 2009, before being promoted to Team KII. She was a member of SKE48 Team KII, and a former member of NMB48 Team BII. AKB48 genera ...

, Sawako Hata, Airi Furukawa, Manatsu Mukaida, Miki Yakata * SKE48 Team E： Kanon Kimoto

"Ha!"

The song is performed by

. * NMB48 Team N：

(AKB48 Team A), Riho Kotani (AKB48 Team A), Miyuki Watanabe (AKB48 Team B), Mayu Ogasawara, Rina Kondō, Megumi Uenishi, Miru Shiroma, Aina Fukumoto, Nana Yamada,

Sayaka Yamamoto is a Japanese singer-songwriter signed to Universal Sigma. She is a former member of the girl group NMB48, where she served as captain, and a former concurrent member of AKB48. She made her debut as a solo artist in October 2016 with her firs ...

Akari Yoshida is a Japanese YouTuber, ''tarento'', fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol girl group NMB48. She is affiliated with Yoshimoto Kogyo. During her time at NMB48, she was affiliated with Showtitle. Career Yoshida passed NMB48's 1 ...

* NMB48 Team M： Rena Shimada, Airi Tanigawa, Fuuko Yagura * NMB48 Team BII： Yūka Kato, Shu Yabushita

"Hatsukoi Butterfly"

The song is performed by

HKT48 HKT48 (read "H.K.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. HKT48 is named after the Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Hakata-ku ward of Fukuoka, where Akimoto originally intended to base the group. The group currently performs at ...

. * HKT48 Team H： Chihiro Anai, Nao Ueki, Aika Ota, Haruka Kodama,

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 and is the produc ...

, Yuki Shimono, Chiyori Nakanishi, Natsumi Matsuoka,

Sakura Miyawaki Sakura Miyawaki (born March 19, 1998), also known mononymously as Sakura, is a Japanese singer and actress based in South Korea. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Le Sserafim, and a former member of South Korean-Japanese girl group ...

, Anna Murashige, Aoi Motomura, Madoka Moriyasu, Haruka Wakatabe * HKT48 Kenkyūsei： Meru Tashima, Mio Tomonaga, Mai Fuchigami

"Eien Yori Tsuzuku Yō ni"

The song is performed by OKL48 which is the member is selected from "

" who lose at Janken tournament for single "Eien Pressure" .
(Center: Takashi Okamura as "Oka Lemon", which "OKL" is named after) * Team A: Anna Iriyama,

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 ...

* Team K:

, Asuka Kuramochi, Mariya Nagao, Rie Kitahara (SKE48) * Team B:

Miori Ichikawa is a 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 Sta ...

, Shizuka Ōya, Rena Katō,

, Mika Komori,

Reina Fujie , is a Japanese actress and former singer. She is a former member NMB48's Team BII and former member of AKB48. She is a cousin of Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Pro ...

* Ninety-nine: Takashi Okamura

"Watashitachi no Reason"

* Team A: Rina Izuta,

Karen Iwata is an actress and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 under Team A. Biography Iwata was born on May 13, 1998, in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Her mother is Miwa Sugawara, who works as a TV personality in Sendai. As a child, Iwat ...

Ryōka Ōshima is a Japanese actress and former singer. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was a member of AKB48's Team B. Career Oshima passed AKB48's 13th generation auditions on 9 September 2011. Her debut was on 8 Decembe ...

, Ayaka Kikuchi, Marina Kobayashi, Sumire Satō, Natsuki Satō (Last Single), Juri Takahashi, Yūka Tano, Tomomi Nakatsuka, Shiori Nakamata, Sakiko Matsui, Ayaka Morikawa * Team K:

Sayaka Akimoto is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a member of Japanese idol An is a type of entertainer marketed for image, attractiveness, and personality in Japanese popular culture, Japanese pop culture. Idols are primarily singers with training ...

Kana Kobayashi is a Japanese idol who is a former member of AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records tha ...

, Amina Satō,

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 ...

, Shihori Suzuki, Rina Chikano, Sayaka Nakaya,

Nana Fujita Nana, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana (chief) (died 1896), Mimbreño Apa ...

, Yuka Masuda (Last Single),

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 becam ...

, Tomu Muto,

(SKE48 Team S) * Team B: Haruka Ishida,

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 * Decemb ...

, Mina Ōba, Haruka Katayama, Natsuki Kojima, Miku Tanabe, Wakana Natori, Misato Nonaka, Suzuran Yamauchi, Miyuki Watanabe (NMB48 Team N) * Team Kaigai: Aki Takajo (JKT48),

Haruka Nakagawa , is a Japanese people, Japanese Media Personality, 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 ...

(JKT48),

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 ...

(SNH48),

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 the ...

(SNH48) * Team Kenkyūsei: Moe Aigasa, Saho Iwatate, Natsuki Uchiyama, Ayano Umeta, Miyū Ōmori, Ayaka Okada,

Nana Okada is a Japanese singer-songwriter and actor, represented by Avex Asunaro. She is a former member of the girl groups AKB48 and STU48. She was a fixture on AKB48's major single lineups from 2016 to 2022 and is considered one of the best singers t ...

, Saki Kitazawa, Mako Kojima, Yukari Sasaki, Ayana Shinozaki, Yurina Takashima, Miki Nishino, Hikari Hashimoto, Rina Hirata, Mitsuki Maeda, Yuiri Murayama, Shinobu Mogi

Background

Track listing

Type-A

Type-B

Type-C

Type-D

Theater Version

Members

"Eien Pressure"

"Totteoki Christmas"

"Tsuyogari Tokei"

"Ha!"

"Hatsukoi Butterfly"

"Eien Yori Tsuzuku Yō ni"

"Watashitachi no Reason"

Charts

Oricon charts

Year-end charts

References

External links