Cliffhanger (song)
| "Cliffhanger" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Type-A CD cover | ||||
| Single by Hinatazaka46 | ||||
| Released | January 28, 2026 | |||
| Genre | J-pop | |||
| Label | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | |||
| Lyricist | Yasushi Akimoto | |||
| Producer | Yasushi Akimoto | |||
| Hinatazaka46 singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Cliffhanger" on YouTube | ||||
| "Kimi to Ikiru" on YouTube | ||||
| "Suki ni Naru Crescendo" on YouTube | ||||
"Cliffhanger" (Japanese: クリフハンガー) is the sixteenth single by Japanese girl group Hinatazaka46, released on January 28, 2026, by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It features Manami Ōno in her first role as title song lead performer. The single debuted atop both the weekly Oricon Singles Chart and Billboard Japan weekly singles chart.
Production and release
"Cliffhanger" marks the debut of selected Hinatazaka46 fifth generation members, who debuted in March 2025, in the title song lineup, as well as the group's return to the selection (senbatsu) system, where only selected members would perform the title song, after including all members other than the fifth generation in the previous two singles' title song lineups.[1] It is also the last single to feature Konoka Matsuda, who would leave the group in February; she penned the lyrics to "Namidame no Taiyō" (涙目の太陽; lit. 'Tearful Sun') and was notably the first Sakamichi Series member to be credited as lyricist for a song performed by an entire group.[2]
The single was released on physical media in five editions, consisting of four special editions (Types A to D) and a regular edition.[3]
Reception
"Cliffhanger" debuted atop both the weekly Oricon Singles Chart and Billboard Japan weekly singles chart, with 473 thousand copies sold according to Oricon[4] and 587 thousand copies sold according to Billboard Japan.[5]
Track listing
- Cliffhanger
- Kimi to Ikiru
- Different tracks on each type:
- Type A: Suki ni Naru Crescendo
- Type B: Surf's up girl
- Type C: Namidame no Taiyō
- Type D: Koi to Kansei no Housoku
- Regular: Second Jump
- Cliffhanger (off-vocal)
- Kimi to Ikiru (off-vocal)
- Off-vocal versions of track 3
Personnel
Lineups obtained from official website.[3]
"Cliffhanger"
Center: Manami Ōno
- 1st row: Nao Kosaka, Manami Ōno, Yōko Shōgenji
- 2nd row: Sakura Matsuo, Kaho Fujishima, Konoka Matsuda, Miku Kanemura, Mikuni Takahashi
- 3rd row: Nanami Konishi, Sumire Miyachi, Rina Watanabe, Haruka Yamashita, Rio Shimizu, Rika Takai
"Kimi to Ikiru"
Center: Hinano Kamimura
- 1st row: Honoka Hirao, Hinano Kamimura, Tamaki Ishizuka
- 2nd row: Saki Katayama, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Yu Satō, Marie Morimoto, Niko Tsurusaki
- 3rd row: Nina Sakai, Izuki Shimoda, Kirari Takeuchi, Mitsuki Hiraoka, Hinano Kuramori, Mizuki Ōta
"Suki ni Naru Crescendo"
Center: Saki Katayama
- 1st row: Hinano Kuramori, Nina Sakai, Saki Katayama, Izuki Shimoda, Mizuki Ōta
- 2nd row: Rika Takai, Sakura Matsuo, Manami Ōno, Yu Satō, Niko Tsurusaki
"Surf's Up Girl"
Center: Kirari Takeuchi
- 1st row: Tamaki Ishizuka, Kirari Takeuchi, Mitsuki Hiraoka
- 2nd row: Yokō Shōgenji, Kaho Fujishima, Rina Watanabe, Honoka Hirao
- 3rd row: Rio Shimizu, Haruka Yamashita, Sumire Miyachi, Nanami Konishi
"Namidame no Taiyō"
Center: Konoka Matsuda
All members perform
"Koi to Kansei no Hōsoku"
Sumire Miyachi, Rina Watanabe
"Second Jump"
Same as "Cliffhanger"
References
- ^ "Formation". 日向坂46公式サイト. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ "アイドルが自ら歌詞を綴る意義とは？ 松田好花、初作詞曲「涙目の太陽」に刻んだ日向坂46への深い愛". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2026-01-29. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
- ^ a b "日向坂46 16thシングル「クリフハンガー」2026.1.28 wed Release!". 日向坂46公式サイト. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ^ "日向坂46「クリフハンガー」、16作連続＆通算16作目の1位 女性アーティスト歴代記録を更新【オリコンランキング】". オリコンニュース（ORICON NEWS）. 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ^ "【ビルボード】日向坂46『クリフハンガー』58.7万枚でシングルセールス首位獲得 自己最多初週売上枚数を更新 | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-13.
