Ai wa Katsu
is a song composed and recorded by Japanese singer-songwriter Kan, released as the artist's eighth single in September 1990. It was initially featured on his album Yakyū Senshu ga Yume datta, issued a month before the single came out. The song became the performer's first charting hit and the most successful single with sales of over 2 million copies, and has been regarded as his signature song. Song Information Release and reception "Ai wa Katsu" is the lead-off track of Yakyu Senshu ga Yume datta, the composer's fifth studio album which was released on July 25, 1990. Inspired by one of his most respected American singer Billy Joel, KAN wanted to compose a song that had similar upbeat like Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. The whole song was quartered and has many transpositions. It was difficult, and it required multiple recordings in the studio to complete. It was used as the opening theme of a quiz show aired on TV Asahi during summer 1990, and released as the second single from the album. Kan had previously released seven singles at the time, but none of them entered the chart. Polydor Records had not anticipated it would be a big hit, and