The AKB48 members participating in the single were determined in the rock-paper-scissors tournament held on September 20, 2011, at Nippon Budokan, so called AKB48 24th Single Senbatsu Janken Taikai. The 16 members from the group who advanced into the semi-final and final rounds of the tournament are those that were featured in this single. From this, the Top 8 were chosen to be the main vocalists while member Mariko Shinoda, who came at first place in the tournament, is in the center position.
The single was released in 4 versions: Type A, Type K, Type B, and Theater Edition.[5]
It has sold 959,280 copies on its first day and later on sold over 1 million by the end of its first week making it the fourth most successful single from the group to sell over a million.
Concept and artwork
The name Mariko in "Ue Kara Mariko" ("Mariko from Above", "Mariko from the Top") refers to Mariko Shinoda, the member of the group whom the single will be centered around for the first time, having won the rock-paper-scissors tournament. This is also the first song by the group with a member name in the title.[1][3] The words "ue kara" ("from above", "from the top") might be seen as referring either to Mariko being the eldest[3] or the tallest in the group, or both.[4]
It was also revealed that title song was originally planned to be "Hashire! Penguin" ("Penguin, Run!") but was changed to fit Mariko Shinoda's image.[1][3][4] "Hashire! Penguin" was instead sung by Team 4 and appears only on the Theater Edition of the single.[1]
Track listing
Type A
CD
No.
Title
Music
Artist(s)
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko" (上からマリコ)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
2.
"Noël no Yoru" (ノエルの夜)
3.
"Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai" (隣人は傷つかない)
Team A
4.
"Ue Kara Mariko (Off Vocal Ver.)" (上からマリコ off vocal ver.)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
5.
"Noël no Yoru (Off Vocal Ver.)" (ノエルの夜 off vocal ver.)
6.
"Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai (Off Vocal Ver.)" (隣人は傷つかない off vocal ver.)
DVD
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko music video" (上からマリコ Music Video)
2.
"Noël no Yoru music video" (ノエルの夜 Music Video)
3.
"Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai music video" (隣人は傷つかない Music Video)
4.
"24 Single Senbatsu Janken Taikai Document Eizō (Zenpen)" (24thシングル 選抜じゃんけん大会ドキュメント映像（前編）)
Type K
CD
No.
Title
Music
Artist(s)
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko" (上からマリコ)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
2.
"Noël no Yoru" (ノエルの夜)
3.
"Zero-sum Taiyō" (ゼロサム太陽)
Team K
4.
"Ue Kara Mariko (Off Vocal Ver.)" (上からマリコ off vocal ver.)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
5.
"Noël no Yoru (Off Vocal Ver.)" (ノエルの夜 off vocal ver.)
6.
"Zero-sum Taiyō (Off Vocal Ver.)" (ゼロサム太陽 off vocal ver.)
DVD
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko music video" (上からマリコ Music Video)
2.
"Noël no Yoru music video" (ノエルの夜 Music Video)
3.
"Zero-sum Taiyō music video" (ゼロサム太陽 Music Video)
4.
"24 Single Senbatsu Janken Taikai Document Eizō (Chūhen)" (24thシングル 選抜じゃんけん大会ドキュメント映像（中編）)
Type B
CD
No.
Title
Music
Artist(s)
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko" (上からマリコ)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
2.
"Noël no Yoru" (ノエルの夜)
3.
"Yobisute Fantasy" (呼び捨てファンタジー)
Team B
4.
"Ue Kara Mariko (Off Vocal Ver.)" (上からマリコ off vocal ver.)
Masahiro Kawaura
4:40
5.
"Noël no Yoru (Off Vocal Ver.)" (ノエルの夜 off vocal ver.)
6.
"Yobisute Fantasy (Off Vocal Ver.)" (呼び捨てファンタジー off vocal ver.)
DVD
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Ue Kara Mariko music video" (上からマリコ Music Video)
2.
"Noël no Yoru music video" (ノエルの夜 Music Video)
3.
"Yobisute Fantasy music video" (呼び捨てファンタジー Music Video)
4.
"24 Single Senbatsu Janken Taikai Document Eizō (Kōhen)" (4.24thシングル 選抜じゃんけん大会ドキュメント映像（後編）)
