I. Introduction:
Aitakatta (会いたかった; I Wanted to See You) is the major debut single released by AKB48 under DefSTAR Records (third single overall).
It was released in two versions: a limited CD+DVD edition and a regular CD-only edition. The title track was used as the ending theme for the TBS variety show Rank Oukoku during October and November 2006. Regarded as the signature song of AKB48, the song has continued to be AKB48′s most recognizable tune among the public. It was also the theme song for the AKB48 TV show AKBingo! until 2016
II. Tracklisting:
CD
Aitakatta (会いたかった) / Senbatsu
Dakedo... (だけど···) / Senbatsu
Aitakatta (Instrumental)
Dakedo··· (Instrumental)
DVD
Aitakatta ~Full Version~ (Video Clip)
AKB48 History ~Major Debut e no Kiseki~
III. Members (Original Lineup):
Team A: Itano Tomomi, Ohe Tomomi, Oshima Mai, Kojima Haruna, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami, Tojima Hana, Nakanishi Rina, Narita Risa, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami
Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Umeda Ayaka, Oshima Yuko, Ono Erena, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Noro Kayo, Matsubara Natsumi, Miyazawa Sae
2. Dakedo...
Senbatsu Members
IV. Charting and Sales:
Charting:
173+ weeks (3 years+) on oricon chart original release
223+ weeks total charting on oricon chart
Sales:
Total Reported Sales: 55,308*
Total Sales in 2006: 25,544
Total Sales in 2010: 8,280
Total Sales in 2011: 20,110
Total of weeks charting inside Top 200: 65
V. Trivia:
- Aitakatta is one of the most well-known and recognizable AKB48 songs.
- This was the first single to include the Team K members.
- Despite being released years ago, Aitakatta is still being used as the opening theme of AKB's long-running variety show AKBINGO!. It was also the theme of the AKB 1ji 59fun! and AKB 0ji 59fun!, the pilot seasons of the show.
- Because of AKB48's boom, Aitakatta was promoted a lot as the signature song) of the group. This made Aitakatta re-chart in the Oricon weekly charts during late 2009 and 2010. It was also certificated Gold for Digital Downloads by cellphone in the RIAJ Digital Track Chart.
- This was surprising because Aitakatta was released almost 4 years before it recharted, but also because the single had not been printing for a long time.
- It's also one of the those songs that was sung by all the AKB, SKE, and Kenkyuusei (of both groups) members at least once.
- Multiple versions have been released in multiple languages, the most prominent being MNL48 and BNK48 versions.