Section 1: Morning Musume What is Morning Musume? Morning Musume is a popular Japanese idol group.
How did Morning Musume get started? In 1997, Asayan held an audition for a new female rock vocalist who would be produced by Sharan Q. Michiyo Heike was the winner of the contest. But five girls were selected to join an all-girl group who would also be produced by Tsunku. These members were Yuko Nakazawa, Natsumi Abe, Kaori Iida, Aya Ishiguro and Asuka Fukuda. This was the first formation of Morning Musume.
Who are the current members of Morning Musume? As of May 6, 2007, the members are Ai Takahashi, Risa Niigaki, Eri Kamei, Sayumi Michishige, Reina Tanaka, Koharu Kusumi, Aika Mitsui, Lin Qian and Chun Li.
Morning Musume has been split into two subgroups, Morning Musume Sakura Gumi and Morning Musume Otome Gumi.
Sakura - Mari, Hitomi, Ai Kago, Ai Takahashi, Asami, Risa and Eri
Otome - Kaori, Rika, Nozomi, Makoto, Miki, Sayumi, Reina
Who are the graduated members of Morning Musume? Asuka Fukuda - Graduated in April 1999 to continue her schooling.
Aya Ishiguro - Graduated in January 2000 to pursue a career in fashion design. She married Shinya of the j-rock band, Luna Sea, in May of 2000. She has children.
Sayaka Ichii - Graduated in May 2000 to learn more about song-writing and to continue her education. She came back to the music business in late 2001 and was the leader of a group called Cubic Cross. She left the business again to marry the guitarist of her group, Naoki Yoshizawa. She has children.
Yuko Nakazawa - Graduated in April 2001 to pursue her solo career. She is still a member of Hello! Project
Maki Goto - Graduated in September 2002, also to pursue her solo career. She is still in Hello! Project.
Kei Yasuda - Graduated May 2003. She will remain in H!P with a role similar to Atsuko Inaba (see Who is Atsuko Inaba?).
Natsumi Abe - Graduated on January 25, 2004. She is continuing her solo career in H!P.
Nozomi Tsuji/Ai Kago - Graduated August 1, 2004 to form a group, W. Kago Ai's contract was cancelled in March 26, 2007, due to tabloid scandals. Tsuji Nozomi is expecting her first child and is married to Taiyou Sugiura. She is expected to return activities after giving birth.
Kaori Iida - Graduated January 2005. She is a solo singer in Hello! Project. She is married to Kenji from the disbanded band 7 House and expecting her first child.
Mari Yaguchi - Graduated (resigned) April 14, 2005 for personal reasons. Continues various activities in Hello! Project.
Rika Ishikawa - Graduated May 2005. She and two new Hello! Project members, 2004 audition winner Erika Miyoshi, and H!P Egg Yui Okada, have formed a new group, Viyuden.
Asami Konno - Graduated July 23rd 2006 to continue her education in a university. Returned to Hello! Project to continue activities in Gatas H.P. Brilhantes in June 2007.
Makoto Ogawa - Graduated August 27th 2006. She still remains a member in Hello! Project, but is taking some time off to study abroad.
Hitomi Yoshizawa - Graduated May 6th, 2007 to pursue solo activities.
Miki Fujimoto - Graduated (resigned) June 1st 2007 for personal reasons. Is still a Hello! Project member.
What is a graduation and why do members graduate? A graduation is when a member of Morning Musume leaves the group. For their reasons, see above.
What do you mean when you say "generation"? How can you tell who is in which generation? A generation is a particular group of girls that joins the group. The first generation came when the group first formed. Every generation after that has joined after a new audition.
1st gen - Yuko, Aya, Natsumi, Kaori, Asuka
2nd gen - Mari, Kei, Sayaka
3rd gen - Maki
4th gen - Rika, Hitomi, Nozomi, Ai Kago
5th gen - Ai Takahashi, Asami, Makoto, Risa
6th gen - Miki, Eri, Reina, Sayumi
7th gen - Koharu
8th gen - Aika, Chun Li, Lin Qian
How often are there graduations/auditions? There is no set date for either. Usually there are one or two graduations a year and auditions every year to year and a half.
How many singles/albums have they released? Singles (34)
0 - Ai no Tane ('97.11.3)
1st - Morning Coffee ('98.1.28)
2nd - Summer Night Town ('98.5.27)
3rd - Daite HOLD ON ME ('98.9.9)
4th - Memory Seishun no Hikari ('99.2.10)
5th - Manatsu no Kousen ('99.5.12)
6th - Furusato ('99.7.14)
7th - Love Machine ('99.9.9)
8th - Koi no Dance Site ('00.1.26)
9th - Happy Summer Wedding ('00.5.17)
10th - I Wish ('00.9.6)
11th - Renai Revolution 21 ('00.12.13)
12th - The Peace ('01.7.25)
13th - Mr. Moonlight ~ai no big band~ ('01.10.31)
14th - Souda! We're ALIVE ('02.2.20)
15th - Do it! Now ('02.7.24)
16th - Koko ni Iruze ('02.10.30)
17th - Hyokkori Hyoutanjima ('03.2.19)
18th - As for One Day ('03.4.23)
19th - Shabondama ('03.7.30)
20th - Go Girl! Koi no Victory ('03.11.06)
21st - Ai Araba It's All Right ('04.01.23)
22nd - Roman MY DEAR BOY ('04.5.21)
23rd - Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari ('04.7.22)
24th - Namida Ga Tomaranai Houkago ('04.11.03)
25th - The Manpower! ('05.01.19)
26th - Osaka Koi no Uta ('05.04.27)
27th - Iroppoi Jirettai ('05.07.27)
28th - Chokkan 2 ~Nogashita Sakana wa Ookiizo!~ ('05.11.09)
29th - SEXY BOY ~Soyo Kaze ni Yorisoutte~ ('06.03.15)
30th - Ambitious ('06.06.21)
31st - Aruiteru ('06.11.08)
32nd - Egao YES! ~Nude~ ('07.02.14)
33rd - Kanashimi Twilight ('07.04.25)
34th - Onna ni Sachi Are ('07.07.25)
35th - Mikan ('07.11.21)
36th - Resonant Blue ('08.04.16)
Albums (10)
First Time ('98.7.8)
Second Morning ('99.7.28)
Love Paradise ('00.3.29)
Best Morning Musume 1 ('01.01.31)
Ikimasshoi ('02.3.27)
Number Five ('03.3.26)
Best Morning Musume 2 ('04.3.31)
Ai no Dai 6 Kan ('04.12.15)
Rainbow 7 ('06.02.15)
SEXY 8 BEAT ('07.03.21)
What musicals and movies has Morning Musume starred in?Musicals:
Love Century (2001)
Morning Town (2002)
Edokko Chushingura (2003)
????? (2004)
Ribbon no kishi (2006)
Cinderella the Musical (2008)
Movies:
Morning Cop (with Michiyo Heike)
Pinch Runner (2000)
Tokkaekko
Namatamago (Maki, Mari, Kaori, Nozomi)
Koinu Dan no Monogatari
Mini Moni: the Movie (Mari, Nozomi, Ai Kago, Mika, Ai Takahashi)
Section 2: Hello! Project What is Hello! Project? Hello! Project is a touring group of artists all produced by Tsunku.
Who is in Hello! Project? Current - Morning Musume, Country Musume, Melon Kinenbi, Aya Matsuura, Yuko Nakazawa, Yuki Maeda, Atsuko Inaba, Kei Yasuda, Natsumi Abe, Kaori Iida, Tsuji Nozomi, Fujimoto Miki, Berryz Koubou, Eco-moni, C-ute, Kirari Tsukishima starring Koharu Kusumi, Ongaku Gatas, Buono, SI☆NA, Milky Way, Athena & Robikerottsu, High-King, Shugo Chara Egg.
Former (+ inactive units) - Michiyo Heike, Sheki-dol, T&C Bomber/Taiyo & Cisco Moon, Rika Ishii, Chinatsu Miyoshi, Mini Moni, Tanpopo, Pucchi Moni, Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto, ZYX, Romans, Aa!, Gomattou, W, Nochiura Natsumi, DEF. DIVA, Maki Goto, GAM, Morning Musume Tanjou 10-nen Kinentai, Coconuts Musume, Viyuden.
Who is Atsuko Inaba? Atsuko is a former member of the group, T&C Bomber. Currently, she acts as MC at Hello! Project concerts, performs in musicals and sings on CDs like the Douyou Pops series.
Who is Rika Ishii? She was in Hello! Project late 2001 to late 2002. Her role was to work on the Douyou Pops CDs as the Douyou Oneesan.
What is Folk Songs/Douyou Pops? Douyou Pops and
Folk Songs are two different series of cover CDs. Their titles may be confusing -- arguably, the
Folk Songs CDs are pop songs, and the
Douyou Pops CDs are folk songs.
Each CD in the
Folk Songs series features Yuko Nakazawa and some other Hello! Project artists performing popular Japanese songs from the late 20th century. The songs are typically from the "folk" genre, but they are all well-known songs originally performed by other Japanese artists.
Folk Songs - Sayaka Ichii and Yuko Nakazawa
Folk Songs 2 - Aya Matsuura, Yuko Nakazawa, Melon Kinenbi and Rika Ishii
Folk Songs 3 - Maki Goto, Miki Fujimoto and Yuko Nakazawa
Folk Songs 4 - Mari Yaguchi, Kei Yasuda, Yuko Nakazawa and Melon Kinenbi
Folk Songs 5 - Country Musume, Kei Yasuda, Natsumi Abe, Yuko Nakazawa, Maki Goto, Aya Matsuura
Each
Douyou Pops CD features all of the Hello! Project artists singing mostly older, traditional songs -- some from Japan, and others from around the world. Each CD has a theme.
What is a subgroup? A subgroup is different from other groups in Hello! Project because they are made of a majority of Morning Musume members and are not original groups.
Tanpopo, Pucchi Moni and Mini Moni are subgroups.
Melon Kinenbi, Country Musume and Coconuts Musume are not.
All the Morning Musume subgroups members have changed over the years.
Tanpopo (1st gen): Mari, Kaori, Aya
Tanpopo (2nd gen): Mari, Kaori, Ai Kago, Rika
Tanpopo (3rd gen): Rika, Risa, Asami Konno, Ayumi (Melon Kinenbi)
Pucchi Moni (1st gen): Maki, Kei, Sayaka
Pucchi Moni (2nd gen): Maki, Kei, Hitomi
Pucchi Moni (3rd gen): Hitomi, Makoto, Ayaka (Coconuts Musume)
Mini Moni (1st gen): Mari, Ai Kago, Nozomi, Mika (Coconuts Musume)
Mini Moni (2nd gen): Ai Kago, Nozomi, Mika, Ai Takahashi
Who are the members of the other Hello! Project groups?I'll break down the current H!P groups like I did with the subgroups.
Country Musume (1st gen): Rinne Toda, Azusa Kobayashi, Hiromi Yanagihara
Country Musume (2nd gen): Rinne
Country Musume (3rd gen): Rinne, Asami Kimura
Country Musume (4th gen): Rinne, Asami, Rika Ishikawa (also known as Country Musume ni Ishikawa Rika)
Country Musume (5th gen): Rinne, Asami, Rika, Mai Satoda
Country Musume (6th gen): Asami, Rika, Mai
Country Musume (7th gen): Asami, Mai, Miuna Saitou, Asami Konno, Miki Fujimoto (also known as Country Musume ni Fujimoto to Konno)
Country Musume (8th gen): Mai
Coconuts Musume (1st gen): April, Danielle, Ayaka, Mika, Chelsea
Coconuts Musume (2nd gen): Danielle, Mika, Ayaka, Lehua
Coconuts Musume (3rd gen): Mika, Ayaka, Lehua
Coconuts Musume (4th gen): Mika, Ayaka
Coconuts Musume (5th gen): Ayaka
Melon Kinenbi: Megumi Murata, Hitomi Saitou, Masae Ohtani, Ayumi Shibata
Gomattou: Maki Goto, Miki Fujimoto, Aya Matsuura
ZYX: Mari Yaguchi, Megumi Murakami, Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Maimi Yajima, Erika Umeda
Romans (pronounced Romance): Mari, Rika, Hitomi Saitou, Ayaka, Mai
Aa! - Reina, Miyabi Natsuyaki (H!P Kid), Airi Suzuki (H!P Kid)
Berryz Koubou - Miyabi Natsuyaki, Saki Shizimu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Risako Sugaya, Yurina Kumai, Maasa Sudou, Chinami Tokunaga
W - Ai Kago and Nozomi Tsuji. May 2004, debut.
Eco-moni (Summer 2004) - Rika Ishikawa and Sayumi Michishige
Nochiura Natsumi - Natsumi Abe, Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto
Viyuden - Rika Ishikawa, Erika Miyoshi, Yui Okada
DEF. DIVA - Natsumi Abe, Rika Ishikawa, Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto
GAM - Aya Matsuura, Miki Fujimoto
C-ute - Erika Umeda, Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki, Kanna Arihara, Chisato Okai, Saki Nakajima, Mai Hagiwara
Ongaku Gatas - Rika Ishikawa, Hitomi Yoshizawa, Mai Satoda, Asami Konno, Miki Korenaga, Arisa Noto, Yuri Sawada, Minami Sengoku
Buono - Airi Suzuki, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Momoko Tsugunaga
SI☆NA - Manami Iwashima, Asami Abe, Nana Nakayama, Ai Suma
Milky Way - Koharu Kusumi, Yuu Kikkawa, Sayaka Kitahara
Athena & Robikerottsu - Risa Niigaki, Aika Mitsui, Chisato Okai, Saki Nakajima
High-King - Ai Takahashi, Reina Tanaka, Maimi Yajima, Saki Shimizu, Yuuka Maeda
Shugo Chara Egg - Yuuka Maeda, Kanon Fukuda, Ayaka Wada, Akari Saho
What is a shuffle group? From 2000 to 2005, once a year the Hello! Project was split into three groups. Each of these groups recorded and released ONE single. Until 2003 it was basically a yearly competition to see which group can sell the most.
2000:
Akagumi 4: Maki, Yuko, Miho (T&C), Danielle (Coconuts Musume)
Kiiro 5: Natsumi, Kei, Michiyo Heike (solo), Ruru (T&C), Ayaka (Coconuts Musume)
Aoiro 7: Sayaka, Mari, Kaori, Atsuko (T&C), Miwa (T&C), Lehua (Coconuts Musume), Mika (Coconuts Musume)
2001:
3 nin Matsuri: Ai Kago, Rika, Aya Matsuura (solo)
7 nin Matsuri: Maki, Mari, Michiyo, Ayumi (MK), Asami Kimura(Country Musume), Lehua, Ayaka
10 nin Matsuri: Natsumi, Nozomi, Hitomi, Kei, Kaori, Mika, Rinne (Country Musume), Hitomi Saitou (MK), Megumi (MK), Masae (MK)
2002:
Happy 7: Ai Kago, Ai Takahashi, Makoto Ogawa, Risa Niigaki, Mika, Asami Kimura, Hitomi Saitou
Sexy 8: Mari, Maki, Hitomi, Rika, Michiyo, Ayaka, Mai (Country Musume), Masae
Odoru 11: Natsumi, Nozomi, Kaori, Kei, Asami Konno, Rinne, Aya, Miki Fujimoto (solo), Rika Ishii (solo), Megumi, Ayumi
2003:
Salt 5: Ai K., Aya, Natsumi, Makoto, Yuki Maeda
7 Air: Ai T., Rika, Risa, Masae, Atsuko Inaba, Mika
11 Water: Mari, Miki, Kaori, Nozomi, Hitomi Y., Asami Konno, Asami Kimura, Ayaka, Hitomi Saitou, Megumi Murata, Ayumi Shibata
2004:
Hello! Project All Stars
2005:
Sexy Otona Jan: Miki, Miyabi, Megumi Murakami
Elegies: Ai T., Reina, Ayumi, Mai S.
Puripuri Pink - Yuko, Kaori, Kei, Atsuko
What is Cubic Cross? Sayaka Ichii's group after H!P. Not Hello! Project. Produced by ex-Sharan Q member, Taisei. As of early 2004, Sayaka has retired from the entertainment business. In March of 2004, it was announced that Sayaka and the guitarist from Cubic Cross, Naoki Yoshizawa, were having a child and getting married.
Who is Sonin/Sonim? Solo artist formerly in the group EE Jump with Maki's little brother, Yuuki. She is also produced by Tsunku but not in the Hello! Project. Sonim's last single, Honto wa ne, was released in February 2004 and is her last on the Toy's Factory label. Currently, she has been signed on a new label and has released two singles with them.
Who is Tsunku? Ex-member of Sharan Q. Writes/produces most of the Hello! Project songs. Also known as GOD.
Who is the person singing back-up/saying 'yeah', etc. in Morning Musume/Hello! Project songs?A majority are typically done by either Tsunku or DanceMan. However, sometimes it is someone else and the best way to find out is to check the credits for that particular song.
How can I contact Morning Musume/Hello! Project members?The address for fanmail is:
〒106-8770
東京都麻布郵便局留 アップフロントFC部 ○○○係
JAPAN
or
xxxxxx
Upfront Agency Fanclub, Azabu Post Office
Tokyo 106-8770
JAPAN
OOO and xxxxxx would be substituted with the correct members name.
What does that -6% T-shirt mean?
Part of the "Team -6%" Campaign,
Japan's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissionsSection 2: Hello! Project MembersCurrent H!P members:Ai Takahashi
Aika Mitsui
Airi Suzuki
Akari Saho
Akari Takeuchi
Anri Tanaka
Arisa Noto
Asami Konno
Asuna Okai
Atsuko Inaba
Azusa Sekine
Aya Matsuura
Ayaka Wada
Ayumi Shibata
Chinami Tokunaga
Chisato Okai
Chun Li
Eri Kamei
Erika Miyoshi
Erika Umeda
Erina Aoki
Erina Mano
Hitomi Saito
Hitomi Yoshizawa
Irori Maeda
Kanna Arihara
Kanon Fukuda
Kaori Iida
Karin Miyamoto
Kei Yasuda
Koharu Kusumi
Konatsu Furukawa
Lin Qian
Maasa Sudou
Mai Hagiwara
Mai Satoda
Maimi Yajima
Makoto Ogawa
Manami Arai
Mari Yaguchi
Masae Ohtani
Megumi Murata
Mia Sainen
Miki Fujimoto
Miki Korenaga
Minami Sengoku
Miyabi Natsuyaki
Mizuki Fukumura
Momoka Komine
Momoko Tsugunaga
Natsumi Abe
Nozomi Tsuji
Reina Tanaka
Rie Kaneko
Rika Ishikawa
Risa Niigaki
Risako Sugaya
Saki Mori
Saki Nakajima
Saki Ogawa
Saki Shimizu
Sayaka Kitahara
Sayumi Michishige
Yui Okada
Yuki Maeda
Yuko Nakazawa
Yuri Sawada
Yurina Kumai
Yuu Kikkawa
Yuuka Maeda
total: 70
H!P ex-members:Ai Kago
Ami Kitagami
April Barbaran
Asami Kimura
Asuka Fukuda
Aya Ishiguro
Ayaka Kimura
Ayumi Yutoku
Azusa Kobayashi
Chelsea Ching
Chinatsu Miyoshi
Danielle Delaunay
Hiromi Yanagihara
Ibuki Oki
Lehua Sandbo
Maiha Ishimura
Maki Goto
Mami Suenaga
Manami Ogura
Megumi Murakami
Michiyo Heike
Miho Shinoda
Mika Mutou
Mika Todd
Mirei Hashida
Miuna Saito
Miwa Kominato
Miyuki Kawashima
Rika Ishii
Rinne Toda
Ruru Honda
Saki Arai
Sayaka Ichii
Simmin
total: 34
Ex-H!P Eggs who are now in Tsunku's Nice Girl Project (The Possible):
Aina Hashimoto
Kaede Oose
Kanami Morozuka
Robin Shoko Okada
Yuki Goto
Yurika Akiyama
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