Sakurazaka46 15th Single Formation Reveal
Illustration: WhyTrend

On the night of May 17, 2026, Sakurazaka46's weekly TV Tokyo variety program 'Soko Magattara, Sakurazaka?' aired the second half of its 'Spring BACKS Festival' segment — and closed with a formation announcement that sent Japanese social media into a frenzy well past midnight. The headline moment: Morita Hikaru will center 'Lonesome rabbit,' the second song on the group's 15th double A-side single ('Lonesome rabbit / What's "KAZOKU"?')

She already holds center on the first A-side, 'What's "KAZOKU"?' — making her the first member in the entire sakamichi idol series (which includes Nogizaka46, Keyakizaka46, and Hinatazaka46) to center both songs on a double A-side release. Multiple Japanese entertainment outlets including ORICON and ModelPress confirmed this milestone.

Two third-generation members, Kojima Nagisa and Nakagawa Chihiro, received their first selection spots. Fans who have followed them since their debut roughly two and a half years ago flooded X with emotional congratulations. The reaction was immediate: posts peaked between 1:17 and 1:40 AM, minutes after the TV broadcast ended and the Lemino stream went live.

The episode also featured the 'BACKS Festival' variety challenge — members not in the main selection competed in a high-pressure word-chain game with giant balloons as a backdrop. The segment drew its own wave of praise, with fans noting that the non-selected members' skill level makes the selection/BACKS divide feel increasingly narrow.

What to watch next: The 15th single 'Lonesome rabbit / What's "KAZOKU"?' is the next major release milestone for Sakurazaka46. With a historic dual-center achievement locked in and two new faces joining the lineup, attention will now turn to the full single rollout, including music video releases and promotional activities.