"Kimi wa Honeydew" (Japanese: 君はハニーデュー, Hepburn: Kimi wa Hanīdyū, lit.'You Are Honeydew') is the eleventh single by Japanese girl group Hinatazaka46, released on May 8, 2024, by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It features the first appearance of Yōko Shōgenji as the lead performer of a title song. The title song is the first by the group to utilize a senbatsu (選抜, lit.'selection') system for its lineup and to feature selected fourth generation members of the group. The single debuted atop the weekly Oricon Singles Chart with over 448,000 sales.

"Kimi wa Honeydew"
Regular edition
Single by Hinatazaka46
English title"You Are Honeydew"
B-side"Sabi Tsukanai Ken wo Mote!"
ReleasedMay 11, 2024 (2024-05-11)
GenreJ-pop
LabelSony Music Entertainment Japan
Lyricist(s)Yasushi Akimoto
Producer(s)Yasushi Akimoto
Hinatazaka46 singles chronology
"Am I Ready?"
(2023)
"Kimi wa Honeydew"
(2024)
"Zettaiteki Dairokkan"
(2024)
Music video
"Kimi wa Honeydew" on YouTube
"Sabitsukanai Ken o Mote!" on YouTube
"Boku ni Tsuzuke" on YouTube
"Ame ga Futtatte" on YouTube

Production and release

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Costumes worn in the "Kimi wa Honeydew" music video

On February 23, 2024, Hinatazaka46 announced that it would release its eleventh single on April 10.[1] The title song formation was announced on the February 26 broadcast of the group's variety show, Hinatazaka de Aimashō, with fourth generation member Yōko Shōgenji appointed center (lead performer) for the first time.[2] The title, "Kimi wa Honeydew", was announced on March 20.[3]

"Kimi wa Honeydew" is the first Hinatazaka46 single to implement a senbatsu (選抜, lit.'selection') system, where only selected members from the group's four generations perform the title song. This is in contrast to the group's previous releases, where all active first to third-generation members participated in the title songs, while the fourth-generation members, whose first music release is on the eighth single, only performed their generation's B-sides. With this new system, Yōko Shōgenji became the first title song center from her generation. Apart from Shōgenji, all members on the front row of the song's choreography (Mirei Sasaki, Nao Kosaka, Miku Kanemura, and Shiho Katō) had also been centers for previous title songs. Members who were not selected are referred to as Hiragana Hinatazaka46 (ひなた坂46), similar to Hinatazaka46's former name Hiragana Keyakizaka46 (けやき坂46),[4] and would perform their own B-side song.[5][6]

The single is the first to be released after the departures of Sarina Ushio and Honoka Kishi in December 2023. Kyōko Saitō also did not participate in the title song, as she was scheduled to leave the group before its release, and was instead appointed the center of the B-side "Boku ni Tsuzuke", the first Hinatazaka46 song performed by all first to fourth generation members.[7]

The release date of "Kimi wa Honeydew" was postponed to May 8, 2024,[a] due to unspecified production issues. The title song was released on streaming services on March 22 (Japan time).[1] The title song was first performed live on the first day of the 5th Hinatansai anniversary concert at the Yokohama Stadium on April 6.[9]

Track listing

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  1. "Kimi wa Honeydew"
  2. "Sabitsukanai Ken o Mote!"[b]
  3. Different tracks on each edition:
    • Type-A: "Doko Made ga Michi Nanda?"[c]
    • Type-B: "Koi to An Butter"[d]
    • Type-C: "Yoake no Speed"[e]
    • Type-D: "Ame ga Futtatte"[f]
    • Regular: "Boku ni Tsuzuke"[g]
  4. "Kimi wa Honeydew" (off vocal ver.)
  5. Off-vocal versions of track 3

Personnel

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"Kimi wa Honeydew"

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Center: Yoko Shogenji[10]

  • 1st row: Mirei Sasaki, Nao Kosaka, Yoko Shogenji, Miku Kanemura, Shiho Katō
  • 2nd row: Hina Kawata, Kaho Fujishima, Akari Nibu, Sumire Miyachi, Konoka Matsuda
  • 3rd row: Kumi Sasaki, Mei Higashimura, Honoka Hirao, Haruka Yamashita, Hinano Kamimura, Suzuka Tomita[10]

"Sabitsuka Nai Ken wo Mote!"

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Center: Mikuni Takahashi[10]

  • 1st row: Ayaka Takamoto, Mikuni Takahashi, Hiyori Hamagishi
  • 2nd row: Nanami Konishi, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Marie Morimoto, Rio Shimizu
  • 3rd row: Kirari Takeuchi, Rina Watanabe, Mana Takase, Tamaki Ishizuka, Mitsuki Hiraoka[10]

"Dokomade ga Michinanda?"

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Mitsuki Hiraoka, Haruyo Yamaguchi, Miku Kanemura, Mikuni Takahashi[10]

"Koi to Ann Butter"

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Honoka Hirao, Marie Morimoto, Hina Kawata, Kaho Fujishima[10]

"Yoake no Speed"

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Haruka Yamashita, Yoko Shogenji, Nao Kosaka, Hinano Kamimura[10]

"Ame ga Futta tte"

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Center: Nanami Konishi[10]

  • 1st row: Rina Watanabe, Nanami Konishi, Mitsuki Hiraoka
  • 2nd row: Rio Shimizu, Honoka Hirao, Haruka Yamashita, Sumire Miyachi
  • 3rd row: Tamaki Ishizuka, Yoko Shogenji, Kaho Fujishima, Kirari Takeuchi[10]

"Boku ni Tsuzuke"

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Center: Kyoko Saito[10]

  • 1st row: Kyoko Saito
  • 2nd row: Shiho Kato, Kumi Sasaki, Mirei Sasaki, Mana Takase, Ayaka Takamoto, Mei Higahsimura
  • 3rd row: Miku Kanemura, Hina Kawata, Nao Kosaka, Suzuka Tomita, Akari Nibu, Hiyori Hamagishi, Konoka Matsuda
  • 4th row: Hinano Kamimura, Mikuni Takahashi, Marie Morimoto, Haruyo Yamaguchi
  • 5th row: Tamaki Ishizuka, Nanami Konishi, Rio Shimizu, Yoko Shogenji, Kirari Takeuchi, Honoka Hirao, Mitsuki Hirao, Kaho Fujishima, Sumire Miyachi, Haruka Yamashita, Rina Watanabe[10]

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Kimi wa Honeydew"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[16] 2× Platinum 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^ Coinciding with the eighth anniversary of Hiragana Keyakizaka46, the predecessor group to Hinatazaka46[8]
  2. ^ 錆つかない剣を持て!, lit.'Have a Sword That Won't Rust!'
  3. ^ どこまでが道なんだ?, lit.'How Far Is the Road?'
  4. ^ 恋とあんバター, lit.'Love and Anko-butter'
  5. ^ 夜明けのスピード, lit.'Dawn Speed'
  6. ^ 雨が降ったって, lit.'It's Raining'
  7. ^ 僕に続け, lit.'Follow Me'

References

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  1. ^ a b 日向坂46ニューシングルは「君はハニーデュー」、ジャケット撮影はゆかりの地で(写真6枚). 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  2. ^ "日向坂46、11thシングル表題曲のセンターは四期生・正源司陽子 | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  3. ^ "日向坂46、11thシングルのタイトルが「君はハニーデュー」に決定&ジャケ写公開 | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  4. ^ "日向坂46、アンダーグループ「ひなた坂46」が与える影響は? 坂道での先行事例から考える". Real Sound|リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  5. ^ 日向坂46、11thシングルで初の選抜制を導入 センターは四期生・正源司陽子「やれることは全力で精一杯尽くす」【フォーメーション一覧】. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  6. ^ 日向坂46、正源司陽子のセンター抜擢・選抜制導入の11thシングルがもたらす変化と成長に期待. E-TALENTBANK co., ltd. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  7. ^ "日向坂46、卒業する齊藤京子センター「僕に続け」で初の1~4期全員曲 MVに「涙止まらない」の声【フォーメーション一覧あり】". ORICON NEWS. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  8. ^ 日向坂46とは? [What is Hinatazaka46?]. 日向坂46公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  9. ^ "日向坂46、横浜スタジアムでのライヴを3日間開催。計約10万人動員。9月にひなたサンマリンスタジアム宮崎で「ひなたフェス2024」開催も決定 - TOWER RECORDS ONLINE". tower.jp. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "FORMATION" (in Japanese). Hinatazaka46 Official Site. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  11. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of May 15, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  12. ^ Oricon Weekly Single Ranking – 2024-05-20 Oricon News. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2024-05-20" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: 2024-05-20" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Singles: 2024-05". Oricon. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "Japanese single certifications – 日向坂46 – 君はハニーデュー" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 10, 2024. Select 2024年5月 on the drop-down menu
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