Ushirogami Hikaretai


Ushirogami Hikaretai was a Japanese idol J-pop band, active from 1987 to 1988. It was the third sub-group of Onyanko Club, consisting of three of its members: Shizuka Kudō, Akiko Ikuina, and Makiko Saitō, the group debuted during the "Onyanko Yumekojo Sailing 87'" tour.

Biography

In April 1987, a new sub-group, Ushirogami Hikaretai, was formed to replace Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi, which was disbanded when Mamiko Takai graduated from Onyanko Club, and Shizuka Kudō, Akiko Ikuina, and Makiko Saitō were selected as its members. Initially, Noriko Kaise was to be selected over Saitō, but it was concluded that Kaise was not suitable to be a member. At the time of its formation, Ikuina was considered the main figure. In May 1987, their debut song, Toki no Kawa wo Koete, was released. This song was the theme song for the anime High School! Kimengumi and ranked number one on the Oricon charts. The quality of this song is highly acclaimed, and some consider it the best Onyanko Club-related song. In July 1987, they hosted a radio show, Tokyo Best Hit, along with TV personality Tsutomu Sekine. Although Onyanko Club disbanded in September 1987, Ushirogami Hikaretai continued its activities, and they held concerts, but their activities were suspended in May 1988. As a result, they released five singles and three albums, as well as a video of their concert held at the Tokyo Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan.
Kazuji Kasai, chief director of the variety show Yūyake Nyan Nyan, said their teamwork was pretty good. Musician Kenzō Saeki, who wrote the lyrics for Ushirogami Hikaretai's songs, noted that unlike other Onyanko Club songs, their songs were of very high quality because they were based on music that had been meticulously developed under the famous director Yūzō Watanabe. He also considered them to be the legitimate successor of Candies.
In October 2008, its producer Yasushi Akimoto announced its re-formation as Watarirouka Hashiritai with four members from his new production AKB48, the modern successor of Onyanko Club. So far, Watarirouka Hashiritai has performed the second Blue Dragon (anime) opening Aoi Mirai.

Members

Shizuka Kudō

'''Shizuka Kudō'''

Akiko Ikuina

'''Akiko Ikuina'''

Makiko Saitō

Makiko Saitō
Her trademark was her very thick eyebrows, a trait she possessed from birth. After enrolling at Hiroshima Municipal Misuzugaoka Junior High School, she was a member of the track and field team. She also had an interest in the entertainment industry and auditioned for a number of shows, and at one point was an assistant on a local radio program. In April 1986, she enrolled at Shintoku Girls' High School, and in August 1986, she was selected as one of the runners-up at the Miss Seventeen contest sponsored by Shūeisha. The audition was a joint project with Yūyake Nyan Nyan, a variety show featuring the then very popular idol group Onyanko Club. This led her to become a member of Onyanko Club, and she started living in a dormitory in Tokyo with other Onyanko Club members who had also come from rural areas like her. She also attended Horikoshi High School, where many celebrities have been enrolled. In April 1987, she was selected as a member of the sub-group Ushirogami Hikaretai. In May 1988, Ushirogami Hikaretai went on hiatus. In July 1988, she made her solo debut with a song called Yaritai hōdai and also became one of the hosts of a TV show called Sing! Idol Dome.
Subsequently, she often appeared on variety shows. As a reporter for a popular quiz show called Naruhodo! The World, she visited more than 25 countries. In 1998, She married Haruo Hibi, the president of Meiraku Group, a food company, and had two children. In August 2021, she made her first public appearance since her marriage on a TV show hosted by Nobuo Serizawa, a professional golfer with whom she used to work on a golf program.

Discography

;Singles
  • 1987.05.07 : Toki no Kawa wo Koete
  • 1987.08.12 : Anata wo Shiritai
  • 1987.11.11 : Mobius no Koibito
  • 1988.02.25 : Horane, Haru ga Kita
  • 1988.04.29 : Kyou wa Saikou!
;Albums
  • 1987.09.05 : Ushirogami Hikaretai
  • 1988.03.05 : BAB
  • 1988.07.06 : Hora ne, Haru ga Kita - First Concert

Videos

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