HKT48

Fukuoka-based HKT48 was founded by Akimoto Yasushi of the company Japanese Idol Group in 2011. The names of the first generation's members were published in July. Just like their sister group's name AKB48 is derived from the area they are active in, Akihabara, HKT48 takes their name from Hakata, a ward in the city of Fukuoka in southwest Japan. Although they were originally supposed to have their own theater in Hakata, in the end their theater ended up being in Chuo, a neighboring ward of Hakata.

Well-known as AKB48's third sister group, HKT48's first generation performed for the first time in public at AKB48's concert in Seibu Dome. In November they were already performing regularly at their own theater in Hakata.

In February of 2012 the Team H members' names were published. There were 16 lucky girls who joined the team. On the 14th of June, tabloid magazine "Shukan Bunshun" released an unfavorable article about one of the members of AKB48, Sashihara Rino. Due to this scandal, management decided to move her into HKT48 only two days later. She wanted to think the change as a new start of her career. In August the group welcomed another new member, Ota Aika. Both of them were moved up to Team H soon after joining the team. In September, it was time to release information again about the second generation.

At the beginning of the next year, fans were in for a surprise: in March HKT48 released their first single, which was named as Suki! Suki! Skip!, and in April their video release HaKaTa Hyakkaten was released. On the 28th of April, Sashihara was promoted to the position of theater manager. The group's first stage album, HKT48 Team H 1st stage "Te wo Tsunaginagara" ~studio recording~, was released in July. They finished the year by releasing a single, video releases and had stage performances. Before that, however, in November, Universal Music Japan released information about the new third generation.

The year 2014 started quickly for the team members, since in January HKT48 was mixed into two groups; Team H and Team KIV. After the group was mixed, news about an upcoming single set for March was released.