User:Petewarrior/One Choice

"One Choice" (stylized as "One choice") is the ninth single by the Japanese girl group Hinatazaka46. It was released on April 19, 2023, by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Akari Nibu served as the lead performer for the title song for the first time, and the single would also be the last one to feature Yūka Kageyama.

Production and release
On March 1, 2023, Hinatazaka46 announced on a YouTube live broadcast that their ninth single would be released on April 19. The title, "One Choice", was announced on March 15 in a teaser video, and the full-length music video was released on March 27. The plot of the music video references center (lead performer) Akari Nibu's specialty of video games and features several costumes worn in previous music videos. Yūka Kageyama, for whom the single would be her last one with the group, was assigned to the front row of the choreography for the first time in a title song.

The music video for "Koi wa Nigeashi ga Hayai", (恋は逃げ足が早い) performed by the first to third generation members, features several scenes of members in the present composited with footage of them from the early days of the group, then known as Hiragana Keyakizaka46. The dance scenes were filmed at Yokohama Stadium, the location of the group's fourth Hinatansai concert on April 1–2, 2023.

Each generation of members also performs one B-side song. "Ai wa Kocchi no Mono da" (愛はこっちのものだ) was performed by the first generation members. "You're in My Way" (stylized in sentence case) was performed by the second generation members. "Pakuchi Pīman Green Peas" (パクチー　ピーマン　グリーンピース) was performed by the third generation members.

"Coelacanth" (シーラカンス) was performed by the fourth generation members. The group's three youngest members at the time were assigned to the front row, with Yōko Shōgenji at the center. The lyrics compare the re-emerging attraction after encountering a past love interest with the rediscovery of the titular ancient fish.

"Tomo Yo, Ichibanboshi da" (友よ 一番星だ) is Kageyama's farewell song, also performed by the first to third generation members with her as the center. The music video was primarily recorded at the Kashima Soccer Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture and is themed around Kageyama's specialty of soccer.

"One Choice" was first performed live at the fourth Hinatansai anniversary concert in Yokohama Stadium, held on April 1–2, 2023.

Reception
"One Choice" sold 473 thousand copies in its first week according to Oricon (538 thousand copies according to Billboard Japan ) and placed first in that week's Oricon Singles Chart, continuing the group's streak of topping the chart since its first one, "Kyun".

On the title song, Real Sound comments that it is a modern pop song with a "poignant yet cheerful" melody, with lyrics that encourages one to "find their own desire" in a society with vast amounts of information and intermingling different values.