a curtain. Her 1991 first single, "Good-bye My Loneliness," sold very well, but her next two faltered. The Good-bye My Loneliness promotion video depicts a youthful and energetic Sakai. A decade after her debut, she listed this song as one of her most memorable pieces, especially because she had to sing it over a hundred times to get the recording right. Her fourth single, "Nemurenai Yoru o Daite" (Hold me through the sleepless night) was extremely successful, leading to four television appearances. And her best was still to come. On January 27, 1993, Izumi Sakai released her sixth single "Makenaide", which appealed to the Japanese public. Released at a time that is now seen as the beginning of Japan's post economic bubble era when the Nikkei 225 Index had shrunk in value by a third in only three years, "Makenaide" (Don't Give Up) became known as the theme song of the country's Lost Decade." While Sakai commented on the television show Music Station that it would be a song to encourage men taking college and company employment examinations, many people said this song helped them cope with difficult issues such as school bullying. What is notable about "Makenaide" is that Zard fans' favorite phrase, "Run through Until the End" was originally "Do Not Give Up until the End". "Makenaide" has been used as a theme song for the Nippon Television program 24-hour TV, an annual charity program hosted live by celebrities for a whole day. Sakai said that she was honored and looked forward to watching 24-hour TV. Overall, "Makenaide" sold nearly 2 million copies. Sakai produced 42 singles as well as 11 albums and 5 compilations in her lifetime. In addition to "Makenaide," she produced two other singles that sold over a million copies. Six of her albums as well as her first three compilations also surpassed the one-million mark. Sakai's CD sales had been in decline since 2000, but her death triggered an increase in CD sales. Television appearances Music Station (TV Asahi), "Nemurenai Yoru o Daite," August 7, 1992 Music Station (TV Asahi), "Nemurenai Yoru o Daite," August 28, 1992 Sound Arena (Fuji TV), "Nemurenai Yoru o Daite," September 1992 Music Station (TV Asahi), "Nemurenai Yoru o Daite," September 18, 1992 MJ-Music Journal (Fuji TV), "In My Arms Tonight," October 1992 Music Station (TV Asahi), "In My Arms Tonight," October 6, 1992 Music Station (TV Asahi), "Makenaide,"