Addiction (Sakurazaka46 album)

Addiction is the second studio album by Japanese girl group Sakurazaka46. It was released through Sony Music Records on April 30, 2025, about three years after its predecessor As You Know? (2022). Seven singles preceded the album: "Sakurazuki", "Start Over!", "Shōninyokkyū", "Ikutsu no Koro ni Modoritai no ka?", "Jigōjitoku", "I Want Tomorrow to Come", and "Udagawa Generation". Commercially, Addiction topped the Oricon Albums Chart and reached number two on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart.

On January 9, 2025, following the mini live event to commemorate their tenth single "I Want Tomorrow to Come", Sakurazaka46 announced their then-untitled second studio album, alongside the group's eleventh single "Udagawa Generation", to be released in February, and the fifth national concert tour in support of the album from April to August via teaser video collecting music videos of their previous ten singles.^[1] On February 21, the group unveiled the album title Addiction and its release date April 30, coming in three physical editions: limited type-A and B and standard. The limited editions' Blu-ray would include the full footages from their fourth concert tour Shin Sakura Zensen: Go on Back? at Tokyo Dome on type-A and the tour's documentary on type-B.^[2]

The album's cover artworks for each edition and its teaser video were revealed on March 25. Naoya Kudō, Mai Shibatani, and Shō Tsujioka handle the art and creative direction. It shows the concept of "a bouquet of emotions", which "delicately shining" flowers represent the various emotions that bloom from within each member like "the blood flowing through the body", comparing to Sakurazaka46's journey to date.^[3]

Sakurazaka46 members appeared on Weekly Shōnen Magazine in the cover, front, center gravure, and back pages for three consecutive issues from 16th to 18th issues of 2025.^[4] On April 7, the group uploaded the performance of "Shōninyokkyū" from the Shin Sakura Zensen: Go on Back? tour, which included on the type-A Blu-ray of the album.^[5] Addiction's track list was revealed on April 11, including seven previous singles and their B-side, one new track, and seven newly-written "interludes". The bonus tracks are the remix version of the group's songs by Nurko, Ninajirachi, Raiden, Devin, Naeleck, and Tsar.^[6][7]

Two promotional singles were supported the album: the Ninajirachi remix of "Shōninyokkyū" and the title track "Addiction", released April 11 and 18, respectively.^[8][9] The music video for the title track premiered on April 27; Karin Fujiyoshi and Ten Yamasaki served as the song's choreographic double center. Directed by Hidejin Katō, the visual shows all members wearing student uniform and performing canon dance (the same movement but different time). In the last chorus, Fujiyoshi and Yamasaki dance while being hit by rain and cherry blossoms falling.^[10] The group debuted the performance of the title track at CDTV Live! Live! on April 28.^[11]

Writing for Real Sound, Azusa Ogiwara praised Addiction for reconstruction and reinterpretation of the songs through track order and rearrangement, unlike previous albums, which is just a collection of previously released songs. He noted that the album "shows an emphasis on the quality of the work, with a strong awareness of the purpose of the album format," and complimented the connections between the songs, their flow, and their arrangement, highlighting the transition of "I Want Tomorrow to Come" and "Start Over!" that shows the protagonist's emotional change; the connection of "Tokyo Snow" and "Udagawa Generation" which both songs named after places; and "Abura o Sase!" and "Jigōjitoku" that makes a "sound-like exaltation".^[12]

Addiction debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart, the second number one on the chart since following As You Know?. It has sold 173,392 physical copies in its first week.^[13] The album also topped the Digital Albums and Combined Albums Charts.^[14][15] For Billboard Japan, the album entered the Hot Albums at number two, blocked by Snow Man's The Best 2020–2025. It earned 192,244 physical copies and 1,159 digital sales, topped both Top Albums Sales and Download Albums, while the streaming numbers were the 45th of the week.^[16][17][18]