Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): AKB48 – Ue Kara Mariko (Type-A) (2011)

1. 上からマリコ – AKB48
2. ノエルの夜 – AKB48
3. 隣人は傷つかない (AKB48 Team A)
4. 上からマリコ off vocal ver.
5. ノエルの夜 off vocal ver.
6. 隣人は傷つかない off vocal ver.

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 30:28

1. 上からマリコ Music Video – AKB48
2. ノエルの夜 Music Video – AKB48
3. 隣人は傷つかない Music Video
4. 24th シングル 選抜じゃんけん大会 ドキュメント映像 (前編)

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AKB48 will release onee more single to end 2011 and their 24th single will be “Ue Kara Mariko” which translates to Mariko is on Top” or “Mariko from Above” and this single with a song’s title featuring a member’s name.

And the reason why Mariko Shinoda is prominently featured in the single is that in September, she was the big winner of the Janken Senbatsu tournament (rock-paper-scissors tournament) in which members competed in September to become the next “ace” (center position) of the final CD single of the year.

The purpose of the tournament was to address the fans concern who feel the summer Senbatsu elections benefit those who are popular in being featured on a CD single. So, in 2010, the first Janken Taikai took place at unranked AKB48 member Mayumi Uchida would receive the opportunity to be the ace for the CD single “Chance no Juuban”.

So, as the janken taikai gives AKB48 members who are placed low or not placed at all in a Senbatsu single a chance to become ace or featured in a major single track, it also gives them a chance to be featured on a music video.

So, for the second Janken Taikai, Mariko Shinoda (who is a ranked member but never in the center position) won the tournament and was given the opportunity to be the single’s ace for “Ue Kara Mariko”.

And with the winning streak that AKB48 has been on in the past year, once again, “Ue Kara Mariko” has sold over a million copies which is the fourth single by AKB48 to achieve such a magnificent feat. in today’s Japanese music market. It’s unheard of and the fact that AKB48 continues to be a marketing powerhouse, it definitely shows with the amount of singles being sold.

Meanwhile, its coupling track”Noel no Yoru” has also been prominently featured in the group’s 7-11 Christmas commercials airing in Japan. So, both tracks are getting a good amount of airplay in Japan at the moment!

Four versions of “Ue Kara Mariko” were released. Type-A, Type-K and Type-B would include a DVD and feature a third exclusive track featuring Team A, Team K or Team B, as well as the music video for those songs. Also, each type will contain a segment for the second Janken Taikai Tournament documentary. So, if you want to watch the complete documentary, you need to purchase all three types. The fourth version is the theater edition will come with the same first two tracks but also a third exclusive track titled “Hashire! Penguin”, but there is no DVD included and thus, pricing for the theater edition is much cheaper.

The version I will be reviewing is the Team-A version which features a red cover and features Mariko Shinoda inside a dollhouse, but being the tallest person inside, everyone else is much smaller. The CD insert is a five-fold insert with lyrics and production credits on one side and a photo of the top 16.

The first track “Ue Kara Mariko” is a pretty cool tribute by Akimoto Yasushi for AKB48’s eldest member but also a fan favorite who is known as the 1.5 generation member because she got in by fan write-ins who voted the cafe staff member to become the next member of AKB48. It is said that Shinoda Mariko had to learn 12 songs in four days and also the choreography and if she could do it, she would become a member of AKB48 and sure enough, she accomplished that feat.

So, in many ways, Mariko winning the Janken Taikai is a wonderful testament for the member who worked hard to get where she is. And as for the single, the song revolves around an older girl named Mariko and how she is a tease. Always teasing as if she wants to be kissed, but is it a joke or is she serious? A fun, upbeat song and while I’m not sure if Mariko is in fact “sadistic” or a “tease” as the lyrics show, it’s a fun upbeat track that Shinoda Mariko  fans will surely enjoy.

The second track is “Noel no Yoru” which is a Christmas song that translates to “Noel’s night” and a song about being together with the person you love during Christmas day as the snow falls, Christmas songs playing on the radio and how couples all over the world will be kissing each other, exchanging presents with one another and wanting to be together forever. A pretty cool and enjoyable Christmas song.

The third track “Rinjin wa Kizutsukan” (which translates to”Neighbors Don’t Get Hurt”) is a smooth, mellow upbeat pop track. But it’s the lyrics that are very interesting for this track. It’s about a person who can hear the voice of lovers on the other side of the wall. The person tries to turn the TV up to the max but being lonely, the person can’t help but wish for happiness and love.

The remaining three tracks are the off-vocal instrumental versions of the three previous songs.

For the first music video, “Ue Kara Mariko”, Minami Minegishi and Reina Fujie discuss the janken tournament for their all-girls high school. The girls are curious about their beautiful school teacher (portrayed by Mariko Shinoda) and they learn that she became a model but before she became beautiful she looked like a nerdy student but learning that she was a janken tournament winner back then. But she has her students enter a janken tournament. But Reina has a lack of self-confidence and so, Mariko lends her a ribbon that she used to wear back in high school as good luck. So, throughout the video, we see the girls (the top 16 of the 2nd Janken Takai senbatsu) challenge each other in rock-papers-scissors.

The second video is for “Noel no Yoru” and is a Christmas music video. The video shows the group holding presents and hanging out with each other. And the group performing in their winter Christmas outfits. A fun and cute video overall.

The third music video is Team A performing “Rinjin wa Kizutsukana” and is a black and white music video featuring Team A performing and dancing to the song sporting black clothing. With Maeda Atsuko  and Takahashi Minami  in the lead, followed by Shinoda Mariko and Kojima Haruna. And the music video switches to the team wearing all white and siting and performing in a cold, snowy setting.

The fourth video is the first part of the “24th Single Janken Taikai Documentary”, a 13-minute segment showcasing pre-competition interviews and the first round of the competition.  Also, showing how AKB48 and SKE48 held competitions to determine who will be the main 68 to participate in the main competition. A reminder that this is part one of documentary, if you want to watch the entire documentary, you must purchase all three types.

It’s important to note that this is a region 2 DVD and will not play on a region 1 player (unless you have a non-region DVD player) but can be played on a MAC or PC using free video playing software such as VLC or Daum PotPlayer.

Overall,”Ue Kara Mariko” is an enjoyable single. Three solid tracks but I have to admit that my favorite song is “Noel no Yoru”, followed by “Ue Kara Mariko’. The c/w song “Rinjin wa Kizutsukana” is a smooth, enjoyable and upbeat Team A song. But of the three types, I really have no true preference because all three are good and I had no choice but to purchase all three to complete the 24th Single Janken Taikai documentary.

But if you need to choose only one, I recommend Type-A of “Ue Kara Mariko” if you are a Team A fan and it does contain the first part of the Janken Taikai tournament, so if you enjoy this first part of the documentary, you may want to look into getting the Type-K and Type-B singles as well.

Enjoyable, fun and a cool single overall, AKB48’s “Ue Kara Mariko” is recommended!

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