Nanpasen
is the 19th single by Japanese entertainer Akina Nakamori. Written by Tokiko Kato, the single was released on September 30, 1987, by Warner Pioneer through the Reprise label. It was also the third single from her fourth compilation album Best II.
Background
"Nanpasen" was originally recorded by Kato on her 1984 album. Three years later, she requested Nakamori to sing the song on her 22nd birthday on a live TV performance. Nakamori also performed the song on the 38th Kōhaku Uta Gassen, making her fifth appearance on NHK's New Year's Eve special.Kato re-recorded "Nanpasen" on her 1991 compilation Tokiko Best and her 2001 compilation My Best Album Tokiko Today. Nakamori has re-recorded the song for the 1995 compilation True Album Akina 95 Best and her 2007 compilation Ballad Best: 25th Anniversary Selection.
Chart performance
"Nanpasen" became Nakamori's 17th No. 1 on Oricon's weekly singles chart and sold over 413,000 copies.Cover versions
- Anita Mui covered the song in Cantonese as "Wúrén yuàn ài wǒ" on her 1988 album Mèng lǐ gòng zuì.
- Yolinda Yan covered the song in Cantonese on her 1988 album Wú bàn de wǔ.
- Kaori Momoi covered the song on her 1993 cover album More Standard.
- Tomomi Kahara covered the song on her 2014 cover album Memories 2: Kahara All Time Covers. It was featured in the Takashi Miike film Over Your Dead Body.
- Aya Shimazu covered the song on her 2017 cover album Singer 4.
- Kousuke Atari covered the song on his 2019 album Kanasha.
- Ms. Ooja covered the song on her 2020 cover album Nagashi Ooja: Vintage Song Covers.
- Okayu covered the song on her 2021 cover album Okayu Uta: Cover Songs.
- Crazy Ken Band covered the song on their 2021 cover album Sukinanda yo.
- Fuyumi Sakamoto covered the song on her 2021 cover album Love Emotion.
- Mika Nakashima covered the song in Nakamori's 2025 tribute album "Nakamori Akina Tribute Album: Meikyo".