Naniwa Danshi Embrace the Romance with Latest Single “Alpha”
Just because spring is coming to a close doesn’t mean that we have to kiss those staple pop love songs goodbye. And the seven-membered Japanese boy group Naniwa Danshi are making sure of it! On May 7, Fujiwara Joichiro, Nishihata Daigo, Ohashi Kazuya, Takahashi Kyohei, Onishi Ryusei, Michieda Shunsuke, and Nagao Kento released their latest single “Alpha.” From cutesy visuals to an even more adorable track, “Alpha” is a song for the boy crush lovers.
Just Fall in Love
“Alpha” is a bubblegum-pop love song with whimsical production and sweet lyrics that border on naive. Naniwa Danshi sing joyously about being in love. The track speaks of an innocent and picturesque love story synonymous with that of a movie. The group talks about a love so consuming that it doesn’t matter how many times they tell their lover “I love you,” because it seems like it’ll never be enough. Naniwa Danshi want to color this special person with love.
The visuals of the music video further convey that fulfilling cupcake phase of falling in love. From the members gazing affectionately into the camera to dancing with dazzling smiles on their faces, you can just feel the love oozing from the screen. The members can be seen as writers for a newsletter — presumably writing the love story they sing about — before the music swells and so, too, does the display. By the end of the music video, the members aren’t in their black vests and slacks, they’re dancing in baby blue blazers in a town square decked out in fairy lights. Suddenly it feels like a romantic musical where the leads break out into the final number. Naniwa Danshi profess their love as they proclaim in the final chorus: “I love you so much, no matter how many times I write my wishes in a love song, I want to sing in a world colored by you.”
Who are Naniwa Danshi?
Naniwa Danshi debuted on November 12, 2021 with their single “UBU LOVE” (初心LOVE), which, after almost three years, has garnered over 40 million views on Youtube and sold over 632,655 CDs. Since then, the group had their debut tour concert in 2022 at Yokohama Arena and hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Japan Hot 100 chart twice. The group also announced their tour, “Naniwa Danshi LIVE TOUR 2024 ‘+Alpha’” starting on June 28 in Hokkaido. Naniwa Danshi continue to make a name for themselves, with nothing but a shining future ahead.
Keep up with Naniwa Danshi by following them on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
Interested in reading about more J-pop groups? Check out our coverage of Ae! group’s debut here!
