Honda Hitomi to become center of AKB48’s 59th single, the evolution of Honda Hitomi (AKB48 Team 8, IZ*ONE, AKB48)

The popularity of Honda Hitomi continues to shine, as the former IZ*ONE and current AKB48 member has been announced as center of the group’s upcoming 59th single to be released in May.

Honda’s rise to popularity is no doubt because people watched her grow, to watch her train effortlessly. Known as the AKB48 Team 8 Tochigi Prefecture girl who likes to dance, the girl with the cheeks but also the nice girl who could be quite savage.

While on “Produce 48” earlier on, she helped her team win the audition thanks to her uncanny memorization of dance moves and timing, a skill that she has been helping with AKB48 since she has returned.

But while it looked like that Japanese members auditioning for “Produce48” were not doing well, especially adjusting in a new environment and the challenge of not being able to communicate with their Korean counterparts, Honda was determined to prove herself in front of the judges. Her story of perseverance and hard work would lead her to becoming a member of IZ*ONE and would change her life forever.

While her vocals were high pitched and dancing was good, many wondered how Honda would fit as a member of IZ*ONE? Honda would be integrated more vocally into their songs:

But she is also known for her kind, pure heart. While a member of IZ*ONE, Honda was grateful to her fans in Korea that she would attend the parties they hosted for her. Her appreciation for her fans extend to this day, where she will post in Japanese and Korean for her fans. She showed her respect by studying hard to learn the language, even going so far to get her driver’s license in South Korea.

But people also liked the moments when “Savagetomi” would come out during her IZ*ONE years.

While there were moments of concern towards Honda due to her weightloss moments, the image change from going from brown hair to blonde hair, pink hair or purple hair no doubt caught interest from many people. Especially with her blonde hair, which despite Honda saying that it had burned her scalp (after the first time she did it), the popularity she receives as a blonde has led Honda to keep it even while in Japan. While the hardcore idol fans felt that Honda’s image was not befitting for a normal idol when she first arrived back to Japan and chose to keep her colored hair, her popularity was already established worldwide thanks to IZ*ONE and her dedication to her dance, performance has shown her growth from her early years of AKB48 Team 8 to the present.

News of her announcement as center of AKB48’s upcoming single was celebrated by fans worldwide.

There is no doubt that Honda Hitomi changed a lot from her years of AKB48 Team 8, especially during the short 2.5 years of IZ*ONE but she has been proving herself as a member of AKB48 that her seniors even recognized her dedication. Fans watched her evolve and her becoming a center of AKB48 for the first time is no doubt what many have hoped that she would achieve and now it’s becoming a reality.

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