Asuka Hinoi & Hikaru Koyama as elementary school kids - Jitensha ni Notte (Riding My Bicycle)

[Note]
This song was recorded and released in 2002 when Asuka and Hikaru were pupils of elementary schools.

This song is the coupling tune of the only one disc "Drifter"(July 2002) by the vocal group "LOVE & PEACE", of which members were Asuka Hinoi (11), Hikaru Koyama (10) and Miho Hiroshige (12). It was the first recording of songs for them. The title tune of the disc, "Drifter", was the ending theme of the movie "Dodge Go! Go!"(2002). The story of the movie treats the activity of a dodgeball team formed by elementary school's pupils. In this movie Miho Hiroshige played an important supporting role. The voices of them in the songs are those of little children. Asuka and Hikaru hadn't gone through voice change by this time and their expressive power hadn't developed yet. But later, with gradual voice change, they acquired excellent power for expression. In fact, 1 year and 4 months later than the release of this song, Asuka made incredible progress in her first solo single "Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" (Nov. 2003). Second and third pictures with descriptions of their names, birthdays and hometowns are taken from the jacket of the CD.

Another girl (left side) with Asuka and Hikaru in five pictures of the 2004 calendar (taken in 2003) is not Miho Hiroshige, but Yuho Fjiwara. She was a member of back chorus and dancers (another member was Hikaru) when Asuka sang "Tatta Hitori no Kimi" (second solo single, 2004). Before Asuka's solo debut in 2003, a vocal group "mezzo piano", of which members would be Asuka, Hikaru and Yuho, was planned under the management by Vision Factory (the management company to which they belonged). But it wasn't realized. (In this period they were the models for a kids-fashion brand "mezzo piano" which was produced by an apparel maker Narumiya. The 2004 calendar was an item of "mezzo piano" brand. The name of the group seems to have been taken from the name of this brand.)

Some scenes of a drama in this video are taken from a serial TV drama, in which Asuka played an important supporting role when she was 10--12 years old. This drama "Pure Love" treated a Platonic love between a female elementary school teacher and a Buddhist monk undergoing ascetic Zen training. It was broadcasted every weekday's afternoon in January -- March 2002 (1st series, 44 episodes), November 2002 -- January 2003 (2nd series, 40 episodes) and September -- November 2003 (3rd series, 40 episodes). The last piece of a movie in this video is a part of her announcement for the second series. This drama gained some popularity mainly among Japanese housewives. So, perhaps, it was the period when Asuka was most famous in Japan in her life.

I've hesitated to upload this song for a long time (I could easily get the new disc of it at the time when I knew Asuka and HINOI Team, though it had gone out of the sale already), because it is not so good being compared with the songs for Asuka's solo and for HINOI Team. But I thought that it would be enjoyable when it was combined with some pictures. I hope you can enjoy it.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Asuka
• Hinoi
• Hikaru
• Koyama
• Miho
• Hiroshige
• 樋井明日香
• 小山ひかる
• 広重美穂
• LOVE&PEACE

[QuD3]

Thank you very much for this lovely song, and the pictures are very nice and video you made is really great with the subs and your very nicely done description, I can tell that you're a true fan of Asuka-Hinoi team. Thanks!

[MiTcHBSacto]

I saw a vid of a chinese girl dancing around like aerobics, song so fast, funny moves, and it said Hikaru.

Now I know what it means. :)

Thanks for posting... and even more for the descriptions.

[fjvolcan]

thanks for english subs.

[Roninlord25a]

great vid, thanks for uploading it.

[romanvalde]

Wonderful photos of Asuka and Hikaru!. Thanks for uploading the video!! ^_^