Hiyori Hamagishi: Who better to begin off 2025 with?!!!!

 

 Sure many can think of others who would have been a better leadoff woman for the year and so couldn't I but think this is a good choice and it's nice to throw a curveball at you viewers now and again. Over the last five years after Keya(Sakura) would have to say that Hina was my top J-Pop group though nowadays it's much more than just the music. However both groups have fallen apart since 2022 but at least Keya is showing a bit more stability these days. Not so for Hina who has had four members leave from their first two generations the past month, there were four others the year before that. So save for a few members haven't been following the group as closely and one reason is they became a bit like Nogi did around 2018 when it was more about a member's activities versus what the group did as a whole. So it's been a while since any group dramas or events plus their variety shows have tanked though Keya's is still decent. So wasn't going to have any posts for the quartet who have recently departed Hina but do have such a soft spot for today's honoree who will have another post coming up in March.

 Just about every current J-Pop Idol who I like has had at least one photobook but at the beginning of 2024 there were two hadn't and both were Hina members. My wish was answered as both had a book last year and both are truly stupendous, in the case of Hiyori I wish it wasn't for her graduation. If you've read most of Hina's older posts you know how highly I thought of Hiyori 😍 and in my eyes what a looker she is. Have done at least five solo posts for her plus had many pics in group posts but haven't had neither one of those for a while. So she will go out with a bang here as there may be a hundred photos new for here and all are from 2024. Hiyori's final concert was on December 5th and have no clue what her future will be as like most Idols she's been vague with her plans. Though other 2G members were more popular she was fairly busy during her seven years as a Hina member as she was a model for two sites, appeared at most of those large fashion shows, was in a stage play along with doing other acting. One advantage is that she's just 22 in age so still can do whatever she wants to do and hope she does stay in show biz.

 Can't beat that above pairing which is from the 2021 "Borderless" drama which was an excellent show. Hiyori did a superb job portraying a blind character named Kei and it's a shame the pair weren't in the sequel. Hiyori hails from Fukuoka and her December 5th grad concert was held there. She gave a speech but as mentioned didn't give any details about future plans, below are some photos from the show plus after them is a video of the group rehearsing for the concert which is at their YT channel.

 

 Could have had more photos from the show but they're easy enough to find along with more news about the graduation. Have posted enough Christmas pics so how about some for New Year's and there are never enough of these for most groups.

 Do have a good amount of Hiyori's 2024 Hina cards below but seeing as how she didn't have a post last year could have had more. Most are for the group's final two singles of the year and like too many members from the first two generations she wasn't a Senbatsu member for them as the group has become so swollen because of the 4G members. Up until them joining all the members sang on a single and because of the 'semi-demotion' bet that's why there's been a flurry of graduations.

 The promo pics for the 'Uni's on Air' web game have always been tremendous and have her latest pics below. Which are four pics each for October, September, March and then February. For some odd reason the game site didn't have any for the five months between March and September and have no clue why that happened. That's a partial reason why there hasn't been as many posts for Hina and Keya, no new pics have come out for the game since October.

 Sadly this appears to be Hiyori's final mag spread to date which is from the April 19th issue of Young Gangan, a bit old but it had never been posted.

 What's very surprising is that there have been no spreads to promote Hiyori's first ever photobook, that's so odd to me. The book was released on December 3rd, the day before an event was held for it at the HMV Bookstore in Shibuya and do have to say that I like the way Idols look at events such as these and the last two years seems the only events for J-Pop Idols are ones such as this. Don't know if she looks it in the photos but Hiyori's height is 167 cm which tied her for being Hina's second tallest member.

 "Moshimo" is the title of her first and probably only photobook. I know that Hiyori doesn't have the figure of a gravure model or some other Idols but if you've read her older solo post you know how badly I've wanted to see her have a book! Which of course happened but wish it didn't take a graduation to have it. The photo shoots took place Saipan and her hometown of Fukuoka and below are some truly outstanding pics from the book.... WOWOW!!!! For Hiyori 😍 did not disappoint me for what a searing book it is and already have it but as you know always wait three months before posting an Idol book so expect it in March. Though this is a massive post there were a few things I couldn't get to such as more cards, any pics from her IG page and some modeling photos. So if possible will do a post a few weeks before the one for her photobook and hopefully will know more about her future plans. After the pics is a video from the December 2nd 'Showroom' which she hosted to promote the book, usually this show is a bit boring but this was one of the better ones so do recommend it.