Overview
| Summary | Aigaichiban is a sentimental phrase meaning “Love is the most important thing.” It’s sung with exaggerated emotion, typically by a stern-looking woman and a serious young man, in a long-running Japanese TV commercial for a consumer finance company. The phrase delivers a contrast between the formality of the characters and the emotional warmth of the message. |
| Japanese Writing | 愛が一番〜（あいがいちばん） |
| Genre | Dramatic Advertising Catchphrase / Emotional Irony |
| Typical Age Group | 20–70 years old The commercial targets adults who might need financial services, but the performance style also draws attention from younger viewers familiar with parody culture. |
| Audience | Viewers of Japanese TV (especially daytime and late-night slots) |
| Popularity | ★★★☆☆ |
| Relevance | ★★★☆☆ The commercial is still actively broadcast in Japan, especially on terrestrial TV. Its distinctive phrase Aigaichiban~ and the serious performances of the actors (particularly the “okami-san” landlady character and the young man, played by Narumi Konno and others) continue to be referenced in parodies, impersonations, and online humor. It’s part ad, part performance art. |
| Usability | ★★☆☆☆ |
| When to Use | To playfully justify emotional or romantic decisions. In mock-serious situations. As a parody when referring to melodramatic commercial tropes. |
| How to Use | Say it slowly and emotionally: “Aigaichiban~…” |
| Cultural Note | The phrase rose to fame through a finance company’s long-running commercial series featuring a serious yet slightly awkward acting style. The juxtaposition of a stiff, old-fashioned atmosphere with a message about love and human warmth struck a chord with viewers—not always for its sincerity, but for its campy charm. It represents a uniquely Japanese blend of sincerity, formality, and unintended comedy in advertising. |
Original performance
You can hear a similar phrase at about 00:18 in this YouTube video.