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"So Long!"
"So Long!"
	Type A single cover
Single by AKB48
from the album Tsugi no Ashiato
B-side	"Waiting Room"
Released	February 20, 2013
Genre	J-pop
Label	You, Be Cool! / King
Songwriter(s)	Yasushi Akimoto
Producer(s)	Yasushi Akimoto
AKB48 singles chronology
Music video
	"So Long!" on YouTube; "Waiting Room" (preview) on YouTube

"So Long!" (stylized as "So long !" with a space before the exclamation mark) is the 30th major single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48.^[1] It is also AKB48's sixth cherry blossom-themed single, and its first single of 2013.^[1] This single was released in Japan on February 20 in four different versions.^[1]

The 64-minute-long music video for the title track is directed by director Nobuhiko Obayashi.^[2] The Nippon Television network aired a 3-episode special television drama based on the title track from 11–13 February 2013.^[3] This is also the last single to feature long-time members Tomomi Kasai, Moeno Nitō, and Sayaka Nakaya.

Composition

As with many of AKB48's songs, the lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto. They begin:

"So long! …微笑んで So long! …じゃあまたね, 枝にいくつかの硬い蕾(つぼみ) 桜前線まだ来ないのに"

which is romanized as: "So long! …hohoende! So long! ..jā matane, eda ni ikutsu ka no katai tsubomi, sakurazensen mada konainoni" and translated as: "So long! ..smiling! So long! ..yeah bye for now, in the branch some hard buds, before the cherry tree still doesn't come"

Music video

The music video for the song "So Long!" is directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi and produced by Yasushi Akimoto.^[2] With a duration of 64 minutes, it is AKB48's longest music video to date.^[2] Shot on location at Chuetsu High School in Niigata Prefecture, this music video revolves around the students at the school.^[2]

Mayu Watanabe plays the role of Yume (lit: Dreams), a girl that dreams of becoming an actress.^[4] This is Watanabe's first "center" role in an AKB48 music video.^[4] SKE48 member Jurina Matsui plays the role of Mirai (lit: Future), a student who transferred to the school from Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.^[4] Other supporting cast includes members Haruka Shimazaki (Ayu), Yuko Oshima (Shiori) (lit: Bookmark), Minami Takahashi (Sora) (lit: Sky), Tomomi Itano (Akari) and Yuki Kashiwagi (Kii).^[4]

All the students at the school lend their support to Mirai because all of them have had experienced the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake and understand her predicament.^[4] Over time, Mirai starts to make friends with the other students in the school and become emotionally stronger.^[4] Singer Mickey Curtis makes a special guest appearance in this video.^[4]

Release

The title track of this single was first unveiled on Tokyo Broadcasting System's Kayo Kyoku music programme on 22 January 2013.^[5] A six-minute version of the music video was subsequently unveiled on 24 January 2013 during the AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 100 2013 performance series.^[2] "So Long!" was released in Japan on February 20, 2013 in four different versions: Type A, Type K, Type B, and the Theater versions.^[1]

Track listing

Type-A

CD
No.	Title	Artist(s)
1.	"So Long!"
2.	"Waiting Room" (アンダーガールズ)	Under Girls
3.	"Ruby"	Team A
4.	"So Long! off vocal ver."
5.	"Waiting Room off vocal ver."
6.	"Ruby off vocal ver."

DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"So Long Music Video"
2.	"Waiting Room Music Video"
3.	"Ruby Music Video"
4.	"Dai 2 Kai AKB48 Kohaku Taiko Uta Gassen: Soshu Hen"

Type-K

CD
No.	Title	Artist(s)
1.	"So Long!"
2.	"Waiting Room" (アンダーガールズ)	Under Girls
3.	"Yūhi Marie" (夕陽マリー)	Team K
4.	"So Long! off vocal ver."
5.	"Waiting Room off vocal ver."
6.	"Yūhi Marie off vocal ver."

DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"So Long! Music Video"
2.	"Waiting Room Music Video"
3.	"Yūhi Marie Music Video"
4.	"Dai 2 Kai AKB48 Kohaku Taiko Uta Gassen: Akagumi Digest"

Type-B

CD
No.	Title	Artist(s)
1.	"So Long!"
2.	"Waiting Room" (アンダーガールズ)	Under Girls
3.	"Sokode Inu no Unchi Funjau kane?" (そこで犬のうんち踏んじゃうかね?)	Team B
4.	"So Long! off vocal ver."
5.	"Waiting Room off vocal ver."
6.	"Sokode Inu no Unchi Funjau kane? off vocal ver."

DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"So Long! Music Video"
2.	"Waiting Room Music Video"
3.	"Sokode Inu no Unchi Funjau kane? Music Video"
4.	"Dai 2 Kai AKB48 Kohaku Taiko Uta Gassen: Shirogumi Digest"
5.	"Sugar Rush Music Video"

Theater Edition

CD
No.	Title	Artist(s)	Length
1.	"So Long!"		6:05
2.	"Waiting Room" (アンダーガールズ)	Under Girls	4:33
3.	"Tsuyoi Hana"	Trainees
4.	"So Long! off vocal ver."
5.	"Waiting Room off vocal ver."
6.	"Tsuyoi Hana off vocal ver."

Members

"So Long!"

Center: Mayu Watanabe

Team A: Mariko Shinoda, Minami Takahashi, Mayu Watanabe, Yui Yokoyama
Team K: Tomomi Itano, Yūko Ōshima
Team B: Yuki Kashiwagi, Haruna Kojima, Haruka Shimazaki
AKB48 Trainees: Minami Minegishi
SKE48 Team S / AKB48 Team K: Jurina Matsui, Rie Kitahara
SKE48 Team S: Rena Matsui
NMB48 Team N / AKB48 Team B: Miyuki Watanabe
NMB48 Team N: Sayaka Yamamoto
HKT48 Team H: Rino Sashihara

"Waiting Room"

The song is performed by Under Girls.^[6]

Center: Rina Kawaei, Meru Tashima

Team A: Anna Iriyama, Ryoka Oshima, Rina Kawaei, Ayaka Kikuchi, Juri Takahashi
Team K: Mariya Nagao, Haruka Shimada
Team B: Mina Oba, Rena Katō, Reina Fujie
SKE48 Team S: Yuria Kizaki, Nanako Suga, Akari Suda
SKE48 Team E: Kanon Kimoto, Nao Furuhata
NMB48 Team N: Nana Yamada
NMB48 Team M: Fūko Yagura
NMB48 Team BII: Shu Yabushita
HKT48 Team H: Aika Ota, Haruka Kodama, Sakura Miyawaki
HKT48 Trainees: Meru Tashima

"Tsuyoi Hana"

Trainees: Miyu Omori, Yukari Sasaki, Rina Hirata, Moe Aigasa, Saho Iwatate, Ayano Umeta, Ayaka Okada, Saki Kitazawa, Ayana Shinozaki, Yurina Takashima, Yuiri Murayama, Shinobu Mogi, Hikari Hashimoto, Mako Kojima, Mitsuki Maeda, Miki Nishino, Nana Okada, Natsuki Uchiyama