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Cliffhanger (song)

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, with fifth generation member Manami Ōno as center (lead performer). It also marks the group's return to the 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.

As with previous singles, members not selected for the title song were assigned to the team, with Hinano Kamimura as center. The group's newest fourth and fifth generations performed one generational song each, "Surf's Up Girl" and "Suki ni Naru Crescendo" respectively.

Konoka Matsuda, who would leave the group in February, penned the lyrics to and was notably the first Sakamichi Series member to be credited as lyricist for a song performed by an entire group.

The single was released on physical media on January 28, 2026 in five editions, consisting of four special editions (Types A to D) and a regular edition.

Reception

"Cliffhanger" debuted atop both the weekly Oricon Singles Chart and Billboard Japan weekly singles chart, with 473 thousand copies sold according to Oricon and 587 thousand copies sold according to Billboard Japan.

Ryuya Kawasaki of Real Sound praised Katsuhiko Sugiyama's composition on the title song with his "familiar" pattern of a compelling intro, building up energy in the bridge, and emotional release in the chorus, comparing it to his previous works like "Seifuku no Mannequin" (2012) and "Kikkake" (2016). The "shadow" or "uncertainty" in its melody conveys a sense of determination to move forward despite lingering anxiety, mirroring the group's evolution following the major changes in membership in recent years. Natalie and E-Talent Bank described the music video as both depicting "past struggles" and "seizing the future", with the emotional release in the final scene aptly reflecting the title "Cliffhanger", leaving viewers with a sense of anticipation for what would come next for the group; E-Talent Bank also noted Manami Ōno's "significant potential" and "expressive power" as the center.

Track listing

  1. Cliffhanger
  3. Different tracks on each type:
  4. * Type A:
  5. * Type B: Surf's Up Girl
  6. * Type C:
  7. * Type D:
  8. * Regular: Second Jump
  9. Cliffhanger (off-vocal)
  10. Kimi to Ikiru (off-vocal)
  11. Off-vocal versions of track 3

Personnel

Lineups obtained from official website.

"Cliffhanger"

Center: Manami Ōno

"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"

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

References

External links