Manazashi
{{Infobox song
| name = Manazashi
| cover = Manazashi.jpeg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Tohoshinki
| album =
| B-side = Your Song
| released = {{Start date|2020|01|22}}
| recorded = 2019
| studio =
| genre = J-pop
| length = 4:06
| label = Avex Trax
| writer = Tsukiko Nakamura
| producer =
| prev_title = Hot Hot Hot / Mirrors
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Small Talk
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{External music video|type=single|{{YouTube|jVlzyC5WFZ0|"Manazashi"}}}}
}}
{{nihongo|"Manazashi"|まなざし||"Gaze"}} is the 48th Japanese single by South Korean pop duo Tohoshinki, released by Avex Trax on January 22, 2020. Promoted as Tohoshinki's fifteenth anniversary single, it was released in three physical versions – a standard CD only version, a limited photobook edition, and a fanclub edition released exclusively for Tohoshinki's Japanese fan club, Bigeast. It is a "winter ballad" which highlights the duo's vocals, with some influences drawn from blues.{{cite web|publisher=Natalie | url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/363346 |title=東方神起の柔らかな“まなざし”に注目、新曲ミュージックビデオ公開 | trans-title=TVXQ's new music video for Manazashi attracts attention | date=January 16, 2020 | accessdate=April 3, 2024 | lang=ja}}
"Manazashi" debuted at number three on the Oricon Singles Chart{{cite web | publisher=Oricon | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2020-02-03/ | title=オリコン 週間 シングルランキング, 2020年02月03日付 | trans-title=Oricon Singles Chart, Week of January 20 to 26, 2020 | date=February 3, 2020 | accessdate=March 31, 2024 | lang=ja}} their lowest debut on the charts since "Survivor" (2009). It peaked at number six on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.{{cite web | publisher=Billboard Japan | url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2020&month=02&day=03 | title=Billboard Japan Hot 100 2020/01/29 | date=January 29, 2020 | accessdate=March 31, 2024 | lang=ja}}
Background and promotion
"Manazashi" was announced on December 12, 2019, while Tohoshinki were in the midst of their nation-wide five-dome tour, the XV Tour.{{cite web | publisher=Avex | url=https://toho-jp.net/en/news/detail.php?id=1079351 | title=TOHOSHINKI New Single Manazashi to be released on Wednesday, January 22 | date=December 12, 2019 | accessdate=March 31, 2024}} The album jackets and the single's B-side track "Your Song" were revealed on December 23,{{cite web | publisher=Avex | url=https://toho-jp.net/en/news/detail.php?id=1078973 | title=TOHOSHINKI Wednesday, January 22, 2020 NEW SINGLE "Gaze" ＜ Bigeast Edition jacket photo released! ! ＞ | date=December 23, 2019 | accessdate=March 31, 2024}} and a preview of the single on YouTube was released on December 24.{{cite web | publisher=Avex | url=https://toho-jp.net/en/news/detail.php?id=1079760 | title=TOHOSHINKI Shinki Wednesday, January 22, 2020 NEW SINGLE "Managashi" preview sound source release! | date=December 24, 2019 | accessdate=March 31, 2024}} "Manazashi" was promoted as Tohoshinki's 15th debut anniversary single in Japan.
The single's accompanying music video was released on YouTube on January 16, 2020,{{cite web | publisher=Avex | url=https://toho-jp.net/en/news/detail.php?id=1080333 | title=Released on 2020.1.22 NEW SINGLE "Gaze" Music Video lifted! !! | date=January 16, 2020 | accessdate=March 31, 2024}} and a lyric video was released on January 18.{{cite web | publisher=Avex | url=https://toho-jp.net/en/news/detail.php?id=1080425 | title=2020.1.22 Release NEW SINGLE "Gaze" Lyric Video released! ! | date=January 18, 2020 | accessdate=March 31, 2024}} The TV commercial dropped on January 20. The digital single and CD single were officially released online and nation-wide on January 22.
"Manazashi" was written by Tsukiko Nakamura, who first collaborated with Tohoshinki on their remix album Two of Us (2016),{{cite web | publisher=Barks | url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000177463 | title=中村月子、東方神起15周年最新シングルに楽曲提供 | trans-title=Tsukiko Nakamura writes new music for Tohoshinki's 15th anniversary | date=January 17, 2020 | accessdate=April 3, 2024 | lang=ja}} and had written songs for their albums Tomorrow (2018) and XV (2019). Nakamura wrote the song after attending one of Tohoshinki's concerts. Inspired by the duo, the lyrics of "Manazashi" are about staying grounded and humble even in the most extraordinary of circumstances. "Manazashi" and the B-side track "Your Song" are both ballads that highlight Tohoshinki's vocals, backed by orchestral instrumentals.
Tohoshinki were scheduled to promote "Manazashi" for the first time at their fifteenth anniversary event for April 2020, but performances were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Formats and track listings
- Digital download and streaming{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/jp/album/%E3%81%BE%E3%81%AA%E3%81%96%E3%81%97-ep/1492733995 |title=Manazashi - Single by Tohoshinki |publisher=iTunes Store (Japan). Apple Inc | date=January 22, 2020 |accessdate=April 3, 2024 |language=Japanese}}
- {{nihongo|"Manazashi"|まなざし||Gaze}} – 4:06
- "Your Song" – 4:42
- "Manazashi" (less vocal) – 4:06
- "Your Song" (less vocal) – 4:41
CD single (AVCK-79657, AVCK-79658, AVC1-79659)
- "Manazashi"
- "Your Song"
- "Manazashi" (less vocal)
- "Your Song" (less vocal)
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Chart performance for "Manazashi" ! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"|Japan (Oricon)
| 3 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Japan (Japan Hot 100)
| 6 |
Sales
| class="wikitable" style="width:600px;"
|+Sales for "Manazashi" ! scope="col"|Release date ! scope="col"|Oricon chart ! scope="col"|Peak ! scope="col"|Debut sales |
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|January 22, 2020
|align="left"|Weekly Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 62,843 |
| align="left"|Monthly Singles Chart (January){{cite web |title=Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2020-01 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/m/2020-01/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=April 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212141453/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/m/2020-01/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |language=ja}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 65,162 |
| align="left"|Yearly Singles Chart (2020)
| style="text-align:center;"| 55 | style="text-align:center;"| 66,933 |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release history and formats for "Manazashi" ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label |
| scope="row"| Various
| rowspan="2"| January 22, 2020 | Avex Entertainment |
|---|
| scope="row"| Japan
| {{flat list|
|
| scope="row"| South Korea{{cite web | work=Melon | url=https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=10378295 | title=Manazashi by 동방신기 | date=January 23, 2020 | accessdate=April 2, 2024 | language=Korean}}
| January 23, 2020 | Digital download |
| scope="row" rowspan="2" | Taiwan{{cite web | website=Avex Taiwan | url=https://www.avex.com.tw/Artist/artist_disco_songlist.asp?catalogNo=ANTCD%2DA0000000960 | title=眼神 | date=February 12, 2020 | accessdate=April 2, 2024| language=Chinese}}
| February 12, 2020 | Digital download | rowspan="2" | Avex Taiwan |
| February 21, 2020
| CD |
References
{{reflist}}
{{TVXQ singles}}
{{Authority control}}