AKB48 - Sakura No Hanabiratachi

I. Introduction:

Sakura no Hanabiratachi, (桜の花びらたち, Cherry Blossom Petals) is AKB48's debut single. For the selection of this single, Akimoto Yasushi (AKB48's producer) asked the first fans who went regularly to the AKB48 Theater which song they liked the most (both songs in this single (as well as the songs in Skirt, Hirari) are originally A1 songs) and apparently, Sakura no Hanabiratachi was the clear winner.

2 years later, a single featuring a self-cover of the title song was released titled Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008.

II. Tracklist Details:

Sakura no Hanabiratachi (桜の花びらたち) / Senbatsu
Dear my teacher / Senbatsu
Sakura no Hanabiratachi (Karaoke Version)
Dear my teacher (Karaoke Version)

III. Included Members:

IIII. Sakura no Hanabiratachi

Senbatsu (選抜) (20 Members) (Takahashi Minami Center)

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Usami Yuki, Urano Kazumi, Ohe Tomomi, Oshima Mai, Orii Ayumi, Kawasaki Nozomi, Kojima Haruna, Komatani Hitomi, Sato Yukari, Takahashi Minami, Tojima Hana, Nakanishi Rina, Narita Risa, Hirajima Natsumi, Hoshino Michiru, Maeda Atsuko, Masuyama Kayano, Minegishi Minami, Watanabe Shiho

IIIII. Dear my teacher

Senbatsu (選抜) (20 Members)

IV. Sales Information:

Total Reported Sales: 46,274*

Total of weeks charting inside Top 200: 8

V. Trivia:

-> The Senbatsu of this single is the Original Team A minus Shinoda Mariko who joined the group later

-> The title in the cover was handwritten by Usami Yuki

-> Last and only single and Senbatsu of Usami Yuki

-> The single was the highest debuting girl group single since Morning Musume's "Morning Coffee", released in 1998.

-> The song has been rerecorded 10+ times (2008, 2010 and 2015 versions by AKB48, and by sister groups in both Japanese and other languages)

-> The song is sung frequently during graduation ceremonies of the members, and has even been rerecorded for that purpose.