"Sentimental Train" (センチメンタルトレイン, Senchimentaru Torein) is the 53rd single by Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was released in Japan by King Records on September 19, 2018. The single would feature Jurina Matsui as the center performer, but due to health issues, she was absent from the music video and the first performances.

"Sentimental Train"
Sentimental Train CD+DVD Type-C (Limited Edition) cover. From top left, clockwise: Mina Oba, Tomu Muto, Nana Okada, Yui Yokoyama
Single by AKB48
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2018 (2018-09-19)
GenreJ-Pop
Label
Lyricist(s)Yasushi Akimoto
Producer(s)Yasushi Akimoto
AKB48 singles chronology
"Teacher Teacher"
(2018)
"Sentimental Train"
(2018)
"No Way Man"
(2018)
Music video
Sentimental Train (Complete Version)

Background

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On June 16, 2018, the results of the 10th AKB48 Group general election, in which fans voted which members of AKB48 and its sister groups would participate in the AKB48 53rd single, was announced at the Nagoya Dome. Jurina Matsui of SKE48 placed first overall with 194,453 votes, making her the center performer for the single's titular main song.[1] On the same day, it was announced that the single will be released on September 19 in five versions.[2] On July 7, it was revealed that the title for the 53rd single would be "Sentimental Train".[3]

Release

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Jurina Matsui went on hiatus due to poor health shortly after the election announcement, and she did not participate in early recordings and live performances of the single. In the music video, released on YouTube on August 22, her likeness was alternately replaced by a body double, a computer-animated model, and hand-drawn illustrations.[4] King Records announced that when Jurina returns from hiatus, the music video and single will be re-recorded with her participating.[5]

Matsui returned from hiatus on September 6 and performed the song for the first time on Music Station the next day.[6] The music video with Jurina is available for physical disc owners with a code allowing for users to view a re-recorded version of the music video and a new cover. On June 16, 2019, the complete version was released on YouTube.

Commercial performance

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"Sentimental Train" debuted atop the Oricon Singles Chart in its daily chart on September 18, 2018, maintaining the spot for the next four days. It fell to number 2 in its sixth day and to number 4 in its seventh day.[7] On the day of release, Billboard Japan reported that the single sold 1,551,061 copies in its first day[8]

The song debuted atop the Oricon Singles Chart for the week of October 1, 2018, with 1,448,900 physical copies sold.[9] The song debuted at number 86 on Billboard Japan Hot 100.[10] In its second week, the song rose to number 79 and topped the chart a week later.[11][12]

"Sentimental Train" was the best-selling single of September 2018, with 1,457,758 physical copies sold.[13]

The song was the 2nd best-selling single of 2018 on Oricon.[14] The song placed at number 32 at Billboard Japan's Hot 100 Year End and placed at number 2 on the Top Singles Sales Year End chart.[15][16]

Track listing

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Type A
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" (センチメンタルトレイン) 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (サンダルじゃできない恋) 
3."Tomodachi ja nai ka?" (友達じゃないか?) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6."Tomodachi ja nai ka?" (Off vocal version) 
Type B
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" 
3."Aru Hi Fui ni…" (ある日 ふいに…) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6."Aru Hi Fui ni..." (Off vocal version) 
Type C
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" 
3."Hitonatsu no Dekigoto" (ひと夏の出来事) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6."Hitonatsu no Dekigoto" (Off vocal version) 
Type D
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" 
3."Nami ga Tsutaeru Mono" (波が伝えるもの) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6."Nami ga Tsutaeru Mono" (Off vocal version) 
Type E
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" 
3.""Suki" no Tane" (“好き”のたね) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6.""Suki" no Tane" (Off vocal version) 
Theater Edition
No.TitleLength
1."Sentimental Train" 
2."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" 
3."Yuri wo Sakaseru ka?" (百合を咲かせるか?) 
4."Sentimental Train" (Off vocal version) 
5."Sandal ja Dekinai Koi" (Off vocal version) 
6."Yuri wo Sakaseru ka?" (Off vocal version) 

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (2018) Peak

position

Japan (Oricon)[9] 1
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[12] 1

Year-end charts

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Chart (2018) Peak

position

Japan (Oricon)[14] 2
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[15] 32

Certifications

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Country Provider Certifications
Japan RIAJ Million[17]

Release history

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Region Date Format Label
Japan September 19, 2018 King Records (YOU BE COOL division)
Hong Kong, Taiwan King Records
South Korea October 12, 2018

References

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  1. ^ "Matsui Jurina "We need to fight for a place"". オリコンミュージックストア (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  2. ^ "AKB48 53rdシングル発売決定!!! | AKB48 KING RECORDS official website" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  3. ^ "AKB48 53rdシングル タイトル決定!!! | AKB48 KING RECORDS official website" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  4. ^ AKB48 (2018-08-22), 【MV full】センチメンタルトレイン / AKB48[公式], retrieved 2018-09-03{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "AKB48 53rdシングル「センチメンタルトレイン」 松井珠理奈の不参加につきまして | AKB48 KING RECORDS official website" [About Jurina Matsui's Absence in the AKB48 53rd Single 'Sentimental Train'] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-09-03.
  6. ^ "松井珠理奈 7日のMステで仕事復帰!16人で初「センチメンタルトレイン」を披露へ(スポニチアネックス) - Yahoo!ニュース" [Jurina Matsui Will Come to Music Station on the 7th! For The First Time, 16 People to Perform "Sentimental Train"]. Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-09-06.
  7. ^ "オリコンデイリー シングルランキング 2018年09月18日付 | ORICON NEWS". 2018-09-24. Archived from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  8. ^ "AKB48's "Sentimental Train" sold 1,551,061 copies, exceeding the million mark". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  9. ^ a b "オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2018年09月17日~2018年09月23日 | ORICON NEWS". 2018-09-27. Archived from the original on 2018-09-27. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  10. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts | Billboard JAPAN". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  11. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts | Billboard JAPAN". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  12. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts | Billboard JAPAN". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  13. ^ "オリコン月間 シングルランキング 2018年09月度 | ORICON NEWS". 2018-10-10. Archived from the original on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  14. ^ a b "2018 Yearly Singles Ranking". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  15. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year End | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  16. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales Year End | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  17. ^ "一般社団法人 日本レコード協会". www.riaj.or.jp. Retrieved 2018-10-10.