“I Wish” is one of my favorite Naniwa Danshi singles, it’s a perfectly balanced listening experience that ranges from sweet pop sounds to techno dance and even another sweet winter-themed tune “Snowy Love”! 

⭒Publicity shot for I Wish⭒

The lead track, “I Wish” serves as the theme song to the Tuesday night television drama My Second Aoharu (マイ・セカンド・アオハル), starring group member Shunsuke Michieda.

💘A STORY OF SECOND CHANCES – AND FIRST LOVE 💘

Michieda stars as Taku Ogasawara, a young architecture student who helps Sayako Shiratama (Alice Hirose) achieve her dream of becoming an architect – even though she herself feels like she’s too old.

My Second Aoharu aired on TBS from 17 October 2023 to 19 December 2023 and is currently available for international viewing on Rakuten Viki. 

⭒Publicity shot for My Second Aoharu⭒

Shot in POV, “I Wish” is one of those rare Naniwa Danshi songs that doesn’t feature much dancing. They’ve hung up their colorful costumes, replacing them with a simple, more casual look of street clothes to welcome you (as the viewer) into their world, showing who they are as individuals – not idols – enchanting goofiness and all.

🕺DIGITAL GET DOWN🕺

“Join us!” is hands-down one of my favorite tracks from the group! They shake things up by injecting a dose of techno into their signature sugar-pop sound, and the result is pure sonic magic. In the music video, the guys get sucked into a digital dimension (who wouldn’t want to join them?) where they bust out their best moves, explore a whole new world, and totally own it! The production brings a fresh level of maturity to their sound, and the video wraps up with a tantalizing promise: they’re just getting started and ready to take it to the next level!

“I Wish” also includes the coupling song “F.L.E.X.” and if there was ever a Naniwa Danshi song I wish had a music video this is it. Incredibly sexy, it just sounds like it’d be a lot of fun to watch them move too. 

“Snowy Love” another holiday-themed song is so perfectly Naniwa Danshi – right down the sparkly sounds of chimes. It’s a cute and Christmas-y and another one I really wish had a music video. 

✨MAXI-SINGLE MAGIC✨

The CD Single for I Wish was released on 15 November 2023 in three separate versions. Another platinum chart topping hit, “I Wish” spent thirty-four weeks on the Oricon charts. 

🎶The Regular (CD ONLY) Edition:

  1. I Wish 
  2. Join us!
  3. Snowy Love
  4. F.L.E.X.
  5. I Wish (Original Karaoke)
  6. Join us! (Original Karaoke)
  7. Snowy Love (Original Karaoke)
  8. F.L.E.X. (Original Karaoke)
    • First-Press external extras included seven clear solo photo cards (one of each member)
      • A special card for extra online videos. 

🎶Limited Edition 1 (released with a Blu-Ray or DVD):📀

  1.  I Wish 
  2. Join us! 
  3. Tadaima (ただいま) 
  4. Tadaima (Original Karaoke)
    • Video content includes “I Wish” Music Video & “Making Of” Featurette as well as content from the cover shoot and behind the scenes in the recording studio
      • This version came with a A4-sized folder featuring an off shot from the cover shoot.

🎶Limited Edition 2 (released with a Blu-Ray or DVD):📀

  1. I Wish
  2. Join us!
  3. Have a blast
  4. Have a blast (Original Karaoke)
    • Video content includes the “Join Us!” Music Video & “Making Of” Featurette
      • First-Press external extras also came with two smartphone-sized photo stickers.

🍮SWEET SONGS OF YOUTH💝

Another platinum chart topping hit, “I Wish” spent thirty-four weeks on the Oricon charts.

💕A Second Cup of Sweetness ☕️

Another reason this single is so special to me because I got the opportunity to interview Naniwa Danshi about it, including Michi; the member who started it all for me! It was a very sweet and surreal moment. 

More Naniwa Danshi soon so… 

Stay Tuned.