is the seventh single by Japanese

idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...

group

Hinatazaka46 is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The group was established as a subgroup of Sakurazaka46, Keyakizaka46 named Hiragana Keyakizaka46 on 30 November 2015, and was renamed and spun off into its own group on 11 February 2019. ...

. It was released on June 1, 2022, through

Sony Music Entertainment Japan , often abbreviated as SMEJ or simply SME, and also known as Sony Music Japan for short (stylized as ''SonyMusic''), is a Japanese music arm for Sony. Founded in 1968 as CBS/Sony, SMEJ is directly owned by Sony, Sony Group Corporation and is ...

. The title track features

Nao Kosaka is a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She is a member of the Japanese idol girl group Hinatazaka46 and an exclusive model for the fashion magazine ''Non-no''. Career On August 13, 2017, Kosaka passed the auditions for new members of Keyakiz ...

as lead performer. It is the last single featuring

Manamo Miyata is a Japanese author and media personality. She is a former second generation member of the idol group Hinatazaka46. Career Music On August 13, 2017, Miyata passed the auditions for new members of Keyakizaka46's subgroup Hiragana Keyakizaka ...

and Miho Watanabe.

Background

During the encore on the second day of "

Hinatazaka46 3rd Anniversary Memorial Live in Tokyo Dome is a live video album by the Japanese idol girl group Hinatazaka46, which documents the group's first concert at the Tokyo Dome on March 30–31, 2022. It was released on July 20, 2022 and is the first live video album released by the group. ...

", they announced the release of the title song of their 7th single, and performed the same song as a surprise.

Production and release

The single was released in five versions: Type-A, Type-B, Type-C, Type-D, and a regular edition. All versions except for the regular edition also includes a

Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of ...

containing music videos and bonus videos.

was appointed as center (lead performer) of the title track for the fifth time after the fourth single "

Sonna Koto Nai yo is the 4th single by Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46. It was released on February 19, 2020 through Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The title track featured Nao Kosaka as center, marking her fourth consecutive appearance at this position. The me ...

" in 2020. During production, she had just recently returned from health leave and did not participate in the more intense dance scenes in the music video for "Koishita Sakana wa Sora o Tobu". The single is the last one featuring Miho Watanabe, who would leave the group after promotions have concluded. She served as center for the second generation members' B-side song "Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu", and the music video for "Hikōkigumo ga Dekiru Riyū" is about the closing of a dormitory named "Hidamari", a reference to her 2019 photobook of the same title. "Mayonaka no Zange Taikai" by the first generation members features the first appearance of member Sarina Ushio as lead performer. "Mō Konna ni Suki ni Narenai" was performed by the three Hinatazaka46 members born in 2002 (Hiyori Hamagishi, Nao Kosaka, and Miku Kanemura) and was first revealed at the group's second anniversary concert in March 2021, a year before this single was released. "Shiranai Uchi ni Aisareteita" was performed by all members.

Reception

"Boku Nanka" sold 478,000 copies in its release week according to

Billboard Japan ''Billboard Japan'' is a sister organization of the U.S.-based music magazine '' Billboard''. It is operated by the Japanese Osaka-based company Hanshin Contents Link (a subsidiary of Hanshin Electric Railway), holding an exclusive licence fr ...

and placed first in both the weekly Oricon Singles and Billboard Japan Hot 100 charts. ''Real Sound'' commented that the

rock ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Ball ...

sound of "Boku Nanka" reflects the growth of the group, especially after experiencing different lead performers in the previous two singles, while the melody represents Kosaka's "ephemeral, fragile radiance" as she returned from her hiatus. "Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu" was also said to fit Watanabe, who enjoys both rock music and defying conventions, and is reminiscent of the group's origins as the subgroup of

Keyakizaka46 , formerly , is a Japanese idol girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The group was created on August 21, 2015, becoming Nogizaka46's first sister group under the Sakamichi Series. The group was rebranded as Sakurazaka46 after their last conce ...

, who were known for their "cool" songs; on the other hand, "Hikōkigumo ga Dekiru Riyū" with its retro-style music video represents "nostalgia" and the happy memories created by Watanabe and the other members over the years. "Gaufre to Kimi" by the third generation members, with its absence of an obvious lead performer, was said to emphasize the four youngest members' friendship and distinct personalities.

Track listing

All lyrics written by

Yasushi Akimoto is a Japanese record producer, lyricist, and television writer, best known for creating and producing some of Japan's top idol groups, Onyanko Club and the AKB48 franchise. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 100 million copies, ma ...

Type-A

Type-B

Type-C

Type-D

Regular edition

Personnel

"Boku Nanka"

Center:

* 1st row: Hinano Kamimura,

Kumi Sasaki is a Japanese television presenter. She is a former founding member and captain of Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46 and former exclusive model for the fashion magazine ''Ray''. Career Music Sasaki's musical career began on 11 May 2016, when ...

, Nao Kosaka,

Mirei Sasaki is a Japanese singer, model, actress, and reporter. She is an exclusive model for the fashion magazine ''Non-no'' and a former founding member of the Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46. Sasaki has appeared in dramas such as ''Women's Gourmet Bur ...

, Miku Kanemura * 2nd row: Hiyori Hamagishi, Mei Higashimura, Hina Kawata, Shiho Katō,

Kyōko Saitō is a Japanese actress, singer, model, and television presenter, represented by Toho. She is a former regular model for the fashion magazine ''ar'' and former member of the Japanese idol group Hinatazaka46. Her fans are known as the . Career ...

Akari Nibu is a Japanese singer, voice actress, and television presenter, represented by Sony Music Records. She is a former member of the idol group Hinatazaka46. Early life Nibu was born in Tochigi Prefecture and lived in Gunma Prefecture until she wa ...

Konoka Matsuda is a Japanese singer, television presenter, actress, and radio personality. She is a member of the girl group Hinatazaka46. Early life Matsuda trained in classical ballet from the age of three until she joined Hiragana Keyakizaka46. She was al ...

, Suzuka Tomita * 3rd row: Sarina Ushio, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Mana Takase, Yūka Kageyama, Miho Watanabe, Ayaka Takamoto,

, Marī Morimoto, Mikuni Takahashi

"Hikōkigumo ga Dekiru Riyū"

Center: Nao Kosaka * 1st row: Hinano Kamimura, Kumi Sasaki, Nao Kosaka, Mirei Sasaki, Miku Kanemura * 2nd row: Hiyori Hamagishi, Mei Higashimura, Hina Kawata, Shiho Katō, Kyōko Saitō, Akari Nibu, Konoka Matsuda, Suzuka Tomita * 3rd row: Sarina Ushio, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Mana Takase, Yūka Kageyama, Miho Watanabe, Ayaka Takamoto, Manamo Miyata, Marī Morimoto, Mikuni Takahashi

"Mō Konna ni Suki ni Narenai"

Hiyori Hamagishi, Nao Kosaka, Miku Kanemura

"Gaufre to Kimi"

Marī Morimoto, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Hinano Kamimura, Mikuni Takahashi (3rd Generation Songs)

"Mayonaka no Zange Taikai"

Center: Sarina Ushio * 1st row: Mana Takase, Sarina Ushio, Yūka Kageyama * 2nd row: Mirei Sasaki, Mei Higashimura, Kyōko Saitō, Shiho Katō, Ayaka Takamoto (1st Generation Songs)

"Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu"

Center: Miho Watanabe * 1st row: Miku Kanemura, Miho Watanabe, Nao Kosaka * 2nd row: Suzuka Tomita, Hina Kawata, Konoka Matsuda, Akari Nibu, Manamo Miyata, Hiyori Hamagishi (2nd Generation Songs)

"Shiranai Uchi ni Aisareteita"

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Notes

References

External links

* {{Hinatazaka46 2022 singles 2022 songs Hinatazaka46 songs Songs with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto King Records (Japan) singles Oricon Weekly number-one singles Billboard Japan Hot 100 number-one singles