HKT48: Magazine scans #3 and a bit more....

 Third group post and fifth one overall for HKT the past two weeks, a spurt like that has never happended for them and probably never will again. The group's 12th single was released on Wednesday, title of it is "Ishi". First day sales were impressive as they totaled 170,400 but it's been a different story for the next two days as sales were just a combined total of 10,000. That leaves the mark at 180,570 after three days though hitting 200 K seems like it could easily happen. But at least this single has already outsold their previous one which was "Hayaokuri Calendar". That was the group's only single for 2018 and it sold just 165,000 copies in it's first week.
 Video at the top is from the single though it's a B-side tune. Title of it is "Itsudatte Yori Te wo Furou", it's Rino's farewell' song as she's graduating from HKT by the end of the month. Did read that her final concert will be on the 13th with the group but had heard April 28th was supposed to be her graduation date, would think there would be a concert then. Rino did perform her final AKB show on Tuesday at their theater. few pics from it. Been liking her much more recently so do plan on having a post for her here and there in the future so have held back many of those pics for them.

 This is a bit of a quickie post so won't have a lot of other activities besides mag spreads. But do have one other Rino item and they're new pics from the Topard site. They're a contact lens company and like the majority of Idols she does wear glasses/contacts.

 Been so much Rino so far it could have been a solo post as she also is in the first mag spread which is from the April 20th issue of SPA! With her on the set is Hana and Miku.

 The next three spreads are all really fabulous so any of them could have been my number one set of the day. Here's a member we don't see too often and hope that changes, am referring to Sae Kurihara who looks so terrific in this collection which is from the February issue of UTB. Like so many HKT gals she's slowly getting up there in age as she'll be turning 23 in June.

Here's another member we need to see more often in mags, she's Hiroka Komada who also will be turning 23 this year but not until November. Had held this set from the February edition of
EX-Taishu back and thought it would be #1 for this post but it was barely edged out by the next one.

 As usual the final set is my top one of the day though the above two were certainly in the running for the honor. Last post had a superb solo spread for Natsumi, to me she's such an underrated beauty. But even more underrated is Madoka who may be my fave member, she also had a photobook a few years back which to me deserved a grade of an A+.
 The pair join forces together in this last tremendous set which is from WPB #16, they've had a few other spreads together in the past. Once again my memory failed me as there was one other spread, then again it could be a good thing as I'll save it for the next post which hopefully will be a day sooner now. If you're not tired of "Ishi" yet have the PV for the single after the pics.

HKT48: Magazine scans #1 plus new single info....

 Find it hard to believe that this is the first HKT group post but somehow it is but there have been about forty posts for the members. If you read Mio's post yesterday you may have seen that I berated their management a bit as their 12th single is coming out on April 10th yet there was zero info on the song title, center, covers, etc. There's little doubt that the higher ups read that post too and today the details about the single were released. There is a short 15 second clip on YT but no sense in posting that so instead at the top is the PV for their ninth single, "Bugtte Iijan".
 That's a fairly good tune to check out if you've never heard it as it's one of their better singles and video. Title for the new single is "Ishi" which means Will, as mentioned it'll be coming out on April 10th and there will be four versions. Of course Rino will be the center as she'll be graduating very soon, perhaps her as a center can stop their dwindling sales but when you only release one or two singles a year it's easy for the public to forget about you.
 Rino is one of those Idols who I've neither liked nor disliked over the years. She is extremely popular, nothing against her but like so many others much more. Bit she did rail against the AKS management the other day for how they've handled the latest '48' scandal so will will give her a big thumbs up for that. Here are the covers for the single and hopefully the PV will be out for the group's next post.

 That next group post should be very soon as I do have at least four mag spreads I'm holding on to for that post yet have five for today, perhaps even six. HKT is a very likable group of gals but what's disappointing me is that my fave two members won't be on the new single. Sure most know what's up with Sakura who was one of the twelve gals who are making up the IZone group, it's a mix of Japanese and Korean Idols. She's taking a hiatus from HKT until 2021 but to be honest would be shocked if she ever returned and I miss her as she was one of the Idols I enjoyed posting about. Plus on a side note exactly a week ago she hit the old age of 21.

 The other missing member is Haruka and she's had the most underrated photobook of the last five years which was titled 'Lock On". It came out in 2016 and was my #1 PB of the year, would recommend checking it out. Haruka has been on hiatus too for a while, she had some issues such as she gained a lot of weight and really seemed to lose interest in the group. That's a shame as she always seemed to be such a carefree gal and I hope she comes back in 100% health real soon, she's been the center of three HKT singles. She'll be turning 23 in September so perhaps she's hitting that age where being an Idol is no longer that important.

 On to the mag spreads, there's been many of them since the beginning of the year. Last year was the worst for HKT as they only released one single and there were very few mag spreads the second half of the year. But will have a pair from 2018 and perhaps in the next post too. All of a sudden the HKT members have gotten older as most are now in their twenties, until recently they hadn't had many graduations or members taking breaks.
 This first set is going all the way back to June of last year and it's from Bomb magazine. It features Mai Fuchigami who is really looking fine these days, she'll be turning 23 in September. With her is Hiroka Kodama, she also be turning 23 later on this year.

 Have liked HKT for many years but haven't paid enough attention to the members except for a handful of them, one reason is that I thought they were too young. That's not the case as the above two members will be hitting the age of 23 this year and so won't Sae Kurihara. Her birthday is on June 20th and she has the next spread which is from the July 2017 issue of Entame.

 Ooops, there was one more set from 2018 that's from a special Flash issue called 'Best of Winter 2018' As in the first spread it features Mai and does she look so ultra attractive, have a feeling will be having a mini HKT marathon this weekend. With her in the spread is also Hiroka once again as it's the second time they've shared a set today.

 While I have noticed the above members on occasion one that has been overlooked is Hirona Unjo, this spread is from volume eight of Platinum Flash which came out in January.

 This will make the fifth spread so will stop here and save the rest for the next post which should be done within the week. This set is from the April edition of Entame which features another duo who are Moeka Sakai and Amane Tsukiashi.