Turning Back The Clock: Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ Single Review (15th Anniversary Rewind Review)

And so the return to blogging begins...

Debuting back in August of 2011, Houkago Princess began as a small-time dress-up idol group who regularly performed at Ikebukuro WHITEBASE before eventually transforming into the seasoned princesses we see today. With a rich history and an ever-growing discography of songs, 2026 marks the groups 15th anniversary since their stage debut all those years ago, as well as the beginning of my love for one of my favourite idol groups of all time.

So, in a bid to celebrate my beloved HouPri for the 15 years they have been a part of the idol world, I will be returning to Okay! Musume Time to dedicate my time and words to all things Houkago Princess for their 15th anniversary. It is here where my love for Houkago Princess began, after all.

With 15 years' worth of history to share, I want to show you all the love I hold for this incredible group. My only hope is that you will join me in this celebration. Whether you are new to their music or have heard it all before, I hope you can all enjoy this series of dedicated posts I share my love and adoration for Houkago Princess and their legacy.

Are you ready to be enchanted? If so, it's time to turn back the clock and go back to the where it all began....

Release Date: August 3rd, 2011

Price: ¥1,300
Versions: 1 (Physical CD)

Track List:

1. Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ (放課後プリンセス 〜おしえてください!〜)

2. Sukidayo (Egao) (好きだよ(笑))

3. Ichigo Ichie (イチゴいちえ)

4. Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ (Instrumental)
5. Sukidayo (Egao) (Instrumental)
6. Ichigo Ichie (Instrumental)

𓆩:*¨༺✧ Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai ✧༻¨*:𓆪
Single Review

1. Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~

When this song started playing moments before I opened up this review, I wanted to cry. It's the nostalgia of it all, you see; after all, this song and its accompanying music video was my first impression of Houkago Princess, back when the group had yet to hold their stage debut and were toting the theme of 'Idols you can dress up'.

Nostalgia aside, I have to admit that I find Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ to be a fairly unremarkable song, though that has more to do with the fact I have spent 15 years listening to their music and less to do with it being a bad track. In fact, I think it's a perfectly fine debut song; it's easy to sing along to, the melody is catchy and cute, and the instrumental break is pretty damn amazing. That, and this song basically tells us what the group is all about—girls you can dress up like an idol.

'From uniforms to tiaras, you can choose whatever you want~'

Embarrassingly enough, I had never actually read the lyrics until now, so realising that it's all about the groups original concept—someone choosing their clothes for them—has allowed me to understand why this was chosen as the A-side over the other two tracks in this release. It serves a purpose and, while I may not consider it the strongest track on this release, I think it was the right song for Houkago Princess to debut with at the time.

Still, I do not think this song is one of HouPri's stand-out tracks. It is nostalgic, yes, but it is also quite simple when compared to other songs they have released over the years, and admittedly quite forgettable due to its simplicity. But it is also the very song that introduced me to Houkago Princess all those years ago and a song that I enjoyed listening to a lot upon its release. Heck, I still enjoy listening to it every now and again, just in smaller doses. Plus there are a myriad of other songs I prefer over it, as one would expect when listening to a backlog of songs that span over the course of 15 years.

However, you can bet that if Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ ever plays at a live show, I will be there singing along to it with pride. I will probably be crying, too, because even if it isn't my favourite song, it is still incredibly important to me. After all, this is the song that gave us Houkago Princess, and the very song that made me like them in the first place.

No matter what, I will always have nostalgic love for Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~.

2. Sukidayo (Egao)

There have been times where I didn't care for this song at all but, looking back, there is a sweet simplicity about Sukidayo (Egao) that I neglected to appreciate. Now I am listening to it as a seasoned fan, and thankfully I can hear that this is not only a cute song, but a sentimental one as well.

If anything, I am surprised I never cared for this song much because it's fairly close to a ballad. Yes, it is cute and sparkling in sound, however it has this almost melancholy feel to both the instrumental and vocals that I can't help but appreciate now as an older fan. To me, Sukidayo (Egao) feels like a great demonstration of each members' vocals at the time of its recording, showcasing their depth of emotion beautifully during each solo. It's not just a ;cute' track, but one that allows us to feel the frustrations and hope of the protagonist as she questions asking her crush out.

It's the kind of song that has you cheering on the protagonist from the side-lines and, despite how melancholy it can seem, it still holds a bright, youthful appeal to its sound thanks to the sparkling instrumental. It's the kind of song that truly fit the original line-up of Houkago Princess, and the very image that has been passed on to the current generation.

Where Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ introduced us to the concept of Houkago Princess for theur debut, Sukidayo (Egao) delved a little deeper and delivered a song that showcased each members' distinct vocals. It may not be the most exciting track on this release, however it is a song that should be appreciated for what it gave us.

I am glad the current line-up is singing this song more, because Sukidayo (Egao) truly deserves its flowers.

3. Ichigo Ichie

Of all the tracks on this single, I believe Ichigo Ichie is the one fans will recognise the most. Highly energetic and positive, Ichigo Ichie is a playful and vibrant crowd-pleaser that has continued to fire up the stage whenever it's played. It is also the very track that I remember most from this single thanks to how cheerful and memorable the song is, and the very song that truly sends me back to HouPri's early days as an idol group.

There is so much to love about Ichigo Ichie, from how enjoyable it is to how it showcases the energy and spirit of the members performing it. It's a song that motivates you to complete your goals and to go for those 'once in a lifetime encounters'. It is incredibly playful, too, and when you read the lyrics and listen carefully, you can even pick up on some play-on-words (ichi (one) and go to form ichigo) that add even more personality and texture to the song. In fact, the use of play-on words is a theme that is quite prevalent in HouPri's discography, and it's so fun to see it in their first release.

Ichigo Ichie feels like such a core HouPri song. It holds so much of the early era's brilliance - the little hai hai hai hai's and Lalalalala's, as well as the play-on words and epic guitar solos - while also standing out against the previous two tracks on the single. It also holds that youthful, bright feel that has become synonymous with both the early era and current regime of Houkago Princess, and I hold so much appreciation for that.

For me, this is the best track on the entire single. It truly showcases the kind of group HouPri are: bright, youthful and energetic, and always ready to fire up a crowd. It's such an entertaining song that makes me want to wave a towel in the air and dance along. I love it so much, and I am so glad that this was the song to end the groups first single.

𓆩:*¨༺✧ Conclusion ✧༻¨*:𓆪

Individually, I have varying opinions on these songs. As a single, however, I believe Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ serves as a wonderful introduction to the group at the time of their debut. With three distinct, individual tracks, the fans and newcomers to the group can understand what to expect from HouPri moving forward.

Each song serves a purpose. The first track acts as an introduction and spells out exactly who they were when they debuted, while Sukidayo (Egao) demonstrated the members' vocals beautifully. For Ichigo Ichie, we were able to truly understand how energetic and vibrant Houkago Princess could be, which ultimately allows us to appreciate the range of songs the group already had upon their debut.

So, while I may find some of the tracks stronger than others, together I believe they create a perfect balance that beautifully reflected Houkago Princesses theme and style at the time of its release. Each song is unique and overall, this is a really good single. It's worth a listen if you can find the songs online, especially Ichigo Ichie.

Of course, if any of these play at a live event while I am in Japan at any given time, I will be there, singing and cheering along while waving my towel. No matter what, each song is a precious piece of Houkago Princesses 15 year history.

♕♕♕♕♕

It's been 15 long years since the release of Houkago Princess ~Oshiete Kudasai~ and yet, it feels like I only found them yesterday.

This was the beginning of their history and my origin as their fan. It's the HouPri I was introduced to during my early days as an idol fan and honestly speaking, I don't think I expected to love the group as much as I do now. Yet despite the distance and language barrier I am still here, and I am honestly so happy that I can still listen to HouPri's music today and celebrate how far they have come.

It all started with a dream to produce an idol group you could dress up. Now, 15 years on Houkago Princesses journey continues as they walk towards the next chapter in their story, and I am so excited to see where it takes us.

Until next time, everyone. Stay happy, healthy and joyous.

Much love and peace,
Kelly (formerly known as Chiima)