Though that's CoCo's Maki Miyamae on the cover of this issue of BOMB! magazine from June of 1994, the real excitement for me came from that name right next to Maki's left shoulder, that's right, a pictorial for Hikaru-chan herself!
The article, titled "Now and Then", promoted "Kitto Ai Ga Aru" (which I wrote about here), the single that would eventually become Hikaru's signature song, and documented Hikaru growing up from a child to the dazzling idol she had become!
From a toddler in California to her schooling as ASIJ (American School in Japan) and then starting as an idol...in her short haircut style years, ugh!
Thank goodness she didn't wait long to grow out those locks to become the stunning Hikaru I know and love today!
At the end of the article, they had information not only about the Kitto Ai Ga Aru single, but the CM that featured the song, a CM, that has special significance for me as Hikaru rode her bicycle RIGHT PAST my APARTMENT in it, a fact I've mentioned way too many times here!
They also promoted Hikaru's latest drama, the AWESOME "Ue Wo Muite Aru" comedy starring her and Tachi Hiroshi, as well as very young Takahashi Katsunori and Yuriko Ishida, a drama I love and wrote about here!
WOWWW, it seems that mid 1994 Hikaru-chan was still riding high as one of Pony Canyon's most popular and prolific idols!
Ironically enough, this was the same issue that Pony Canyon princesses CoCo formally announced their break-up to the press, in which many tears were shed as they talked about their last single "You're My Treasure", their last tour, and their eventual final performance at Tokyo Bay NK Hall later that year....
They also promoted CoCo's upcoming (and at the time still unnamed) souvenir photobook timed to coincide with the Band's breakup. The Photobook would eventually be titled "Mirai wa CoCo Kara~ CoCo Memorial Photobook" and it would be SO useful and chock full of information to us fans that we would dub it the CoCo "BIBLE"!!!
Another important slice of 90's Idol golden days captured in this issue!
