"KING OF IDOL - The Professional Ranking - Chosen by Professionals in Their Fields, the True No. 1" (TBS), which selects the best songs of idols through voting by 186 idols of all time, was broadcast on April 21st and the top 40 songs were announced. Among the hit songs by various idols that made the list, "Hatsukoi Cider" came in second place after Matsuura Aya's "Momoiro Kataomoi" which came in first, and became a hot topic. "Hatsukoi Cider" is a song by Hello! Project's three-member female project unit "Buono!", and when the program was broadcast, "Hatsukoi Cider" attracted attention by trending at number one on X.
Buono! is a unit made up of three members of Hello! Project who boast some of the best vocal talent: Tsugunaga Momoko and Natsuyaki Miyabi from Berryz Kobo, which has been on an indefinite hiatus since March 2015, and Suzuki Airi from ℃-ute, which disbanded in June 2017. The unit was formed in 2007 as a project unit to perform the theme song for the TV anime Shugo Chara! With a "rock idol" concept, the group gained popularity among idol fans due to their live performance style accompanied by the backing band Dolce. The group ended their activities with their final live performance held at Yokohama Arena (Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City) in May 2017.
"Hatsukoi Cider" is a song included in the double A-side single "Hatsukoi Cider/DEEP MIND" released in 2012, and was also the ending theme of the drama "Mathematics Girls' School," in which many members of Hello! Project appeared. It is a classic song that is still sung by current members at Hello! Project joint concerts (Hello! Concerts) and other events.
On the "Professional Ranking" program, some of the guests said they "didn't know" the song, while many idols who participated in the voting praised it. On social media, comments such as "The inclusion of 'Hatsukoi Cider' makes the 'Idol Songs Ranking Chosen by Idols' more credible," "So hot," "It makes me so happy that 'Hatsukoi Cider' is recognized as a song idols look up to. It makes me cry," and "It hasn't reached the world, but it's the strongest legend in the idol world" were also posted.
