Naniwa Danshi (なにわ男子) will forever have a very special place in my heart.

They weren’t just another group I discovered in the wilds of the musical jungle of J-pop — they were the group. The white rabbit that led me down the rabbit hole and into the wonderland that is STARTO ENTERTAINMENT… and to everything I’ve fallen in love with over the past five years.

One of the greatest pleasures of these last five years has been getting to watch them grow.

｢初心LOVE｣ was the perfect mission statement: Kansai sweetness, rainbow optimism, and enough glitter to light up a stadium. It was charm turned into sound — seven bright personalities wrapped in a candy-coated idol package. It’s still my go-to whenever I need a pick-me-up. It always will be.

But as they move toward their fifth anniversary (it’s hard to believe so much time has passed), it’s clear the group is eager to be seen not as something different than who they’ve been… but as something more.

Not just “the cute ones.”

Not just “the sparkly ones.”

But as young men — with bigger energy, bigger confidence, and a much bigger sound.

Which is exactly why their newest single, ｢HARD WORK｣, is the perfect track to usher the group (and their fans) into their 5th-year era.

Featured as the theme for the drama Yokohama Neighbors Season 1 — starring member Ryusei Onishi, alongside fellow STARTO talent Yoshitaka Hara of timelesz — the song is just as playful as most of their previous releases… but it also signals something important:

Naniwa Danshi’s sound is shifting.

They’ve been cultivating a more mature vibe over the past year — testing darker tones, flirting with sexy concepts, sharpening their edge as they’ve grown — and ｢HARD WORK｣ is the result of everything they’ve been building toward.

It still has Kansai cuteness.

It still feels like Naniwa Danshi.

But it also feels… older. Wiser. More in control of the sights and sounds they want to convey to their fans.

They’ve put in the work — and now they get to enjoy the ride.

Which brings me to the music video.

The video leans into a fun concept: each member is working a different odd job, doing the daily grind — just like regular guys do. But of course, what they want — what they really, REALLY want — what they’re working for… is to be with one another.

Eventually, the story melts into that perfect reward: the seven of them together on a rooftop overlooking the city, finally off the clock. Just being their natural selves — charming, charismatic, ridiculous, and (of course) completely lovable.

At their core, no matter how mature they get, the heart of the group will always be the bond they share with one another.

And you couldn’t have all the colors of Naniwa Danshi without all seven members — which is something else ｢HARD WORK｣ celebrates.

Joined by the previously released ｢Never Romantic｣ — the theme song for the movie Romantic Killer, starring member Kento Nagao — the physical release comes with some genuinely sweet extras.

And if you’re a collector, they’re giving us options. The single, which drops 18 February can be ordered wherever Japanese music is sold, including CD JAPAN.

 First-run Limited Edition 1

  • CD includes coupling song: ｢Kimi Escape｣
  • Blu-ray / DVD Includes ｢HARD WORK｣ Music Video + Making-of
  • External (First Press) Benefits: “Naniwanda Man” acrylic charm

First-run Limited Edition 2

  • CD includes coupling song: ｢Still in Spring｣
  • Blu-ray / DVD Includes  ｢Never Romantic｣ Music Video + Making-of
    • Adds unreleased scenes + NG (bloopers) footage to the end roll
    • Includes multiple versions of the MV:
    • Full Romantic ver.
    • Solomatic ver.
  • Also included:
  • 7 solo-focused MVs (one per member)
  • External (First Press) Benefits: HEART MARK bandage set (“for you who are HARD WORKING”)

Regular (CD Only) Edition

  • Includes two additional songs:
    • ｢Title Undecided “S”｣
    • ｢Sheki Maha☆｣ (ROUND1 CM song)
  • External (First Press) Benefits: trading card pack Love Boys Taken in Substitute Banko

There will also be a 5th anniversary special price that Includes:

  • ｢HARD WORK｣
  • ｢Title Undecided “S”｣
  • First-ever paper jacket packaging
  • External (First Press) Benefits: special original shopper bag

And the best part is that the song will only be ¥728 (including tax).

The CD will also get an exclusive Family Club Store Limited version is called: WORK♡Mecha ROMANTIC BOX that includes:

  • smartphone ribbon with a special design
  • alternate jacket
  • flake seals
  • solo trading card set

It’s very reminiscent of the various options they got with their debut single – which yes, I also collected every single version of. 

Proudly. 

What I love most about Naniwa Danshi is that while yes, they are growing and evolving as artists, they still stay true to that glittery glow that made them so unique.  Welcome to the 5th era! I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store.

There will be more Naniwa Danshi soon so… 

Stay Tuned!