Hello! Project News
News Update 2009-05-15
2009-05-15 05:46 AM
An official Morning Musume MySpace page has been opened, and they are holding a green screen challenge to produce a video for "3, 2, 1 BREAKIN'OUT!", the c/w for their current single. The contest is in Japanese and English, and is open to everyone. The winners will be announced at the Anime Expo 2009. (Morning Musume on MySpace)
Berryz Koubou are to perform in Korea at the Yonsei University Auditorium on 2009-06-21. This will be the first time they have performed in the country, and will help promote the upcoming Korean auditions.
Mitsui Aika will be out of action for a few weeks while she recovers from surgery to repair detached cartilage on the second toe of her left foot.
Melon Kinenbi are to release five indie singles, each one to be a collaboration with another artist and in a "rock style". The first single will be with the popular group BEAT CRUSADERS, and will be released on 2009-06-24.
A new H!P Egg unit has been announced. S/mileage consists of Wada Ayaka, Maeda Yuuka, Fukuda Kanon and Ogawa Saki. Internal link: S_mileage.
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Fujimoto Miki is engaged to be married
2009-03-24 09:31 AM
Fujimoto Miki is engaged, and will be getting married this July to her boyfriend of two years, comedian Shouji Tomoharu, 33.
Miki quit Morning Musume two years ago after her relationship with Shouji was revealed, and after a suspension returned with a new solo song in 2008, which went on to sell over 24k copies through an extensive series of promotional events.
Her music career is expected to continue as she is now part of the J.P ROOM company alongside Mano Erina, Ogawa Makoto and Tokito Ami.
Official announcement (Auto-translated)
News Update 2009-03-22
2009-03-22 05:43 AM
C-ute's Arihara Kanna has been forced out of action, and will remain on leave for an unknown length of time. She has developed a bad case of bunions and is unable to perform until she has fully recovered, temporarily leaving C-ute as a six girl group.
The announcement was made on February 26th, and she is missing from all of the promotional material for their 8th single. Announcement
Kago Ai is being sued for her part in the break up of a marriage. The ex-wife of actor Mizumoto Hidejiro, 33, claims that Kago had an affair with her husband, which led to their recent divorce. The couple have three children together.
Kago and Mizumoto filmed the movie "Benten-dori no Hitobito" last year, and Mizumoto's Mother is a "psychic" who Kago has visited many times for guidance. In Japanese law the husband or wife can sue for divorce due to adultery, and if the other party is found at fault then he or she may have to pay compensation. Kago is being sued for 10 million yen, and Mizumoto is being sued for 50 million yen.
Quick News:
* Berryz Koubou have been hit by the influenza virus. First, Suudou Maasa was forced to to miss the March 14-15 concerts. Then this weekend Sugaya Risako and Natsuyaki Miyabi caught it, and had to drop out of the concerts. The concert on March 21st featured only the remaining five members, while the concert on the 22nd was cancelled.
* Yajima Maimi is currently filming for her first film. "Fuyu no Kaidan" ("Winter Ghost Story") also features H!P egg Fukuda Kanon.
* The two young children from the New Star auditions in Taiwan, Frances, 8, and Aiko, 6, have been signed up as part of Hello! Project Taiwan.
* The company that published Kago Ai's book has filed for bankruptcy.
Morning Musume to appear in Los Angeles
2009-02-13 07:08 AM
Morning Musume are to perform in America for the first time in their 10 year history. They will appear at the Anime Expo 2009, which will be held from July 2 to July 5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California.
Travel and ticket information can be found at: http://www.anime-expo.org/
Press Release
Official Announcement
Elder Club Graduation Concerts Take Place
2009-02-02 12:14 PM
The past weekend, Jan 31st to Feb 1st, saw the final joint Hello! Project concerts and the official graduation ceremonies for the 22 Elder Club members.
While their contracts and Hello! Project commitments run until the 31st of March, this was a chance for everyone to say goodbye, and for one last huge concert with all of the members.
The concerts saw a return to action for both Iida Kaori and Tsuji Nozomi, while former member Ishiguro Aya was present to watch the concert. A reported 72 members and 21 groups took part in the concert, making it the biggest Hello! Project concert ever.
The title of Hello! Project leader was officially passed from Nakazawa Yuko to Takahashi Ai, who is now the most senior member.
Also, the Morning Musume song "Love Machine", the Hello! Project's highest selling single, was performed for the last time. The current Morning Musume were joined for one last performance by all of the former Morning Musume members still with the company, and the song will now be retired.
Entire Elder Club to graduate from the Hello! Project
2008-10-19 03:45 PM
In a shocking announcement, all 22 members of the Elder Club will be graduating from the Hello! Project on March 31st 2009. They will have their final graduation concerts on the 31st of January and 1st of February at Yokohama Arena.
The people leaving includes all of the graduated Morning Musume members currently left in the Hello! Project: Nakazawa Yuko, Iida Kaori (currently on maternity leave), Abe Natsumi, Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari, Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Tsuji Nozomi (also on maternity leave), Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, and Fujimoto Miki.
Also to leave are Inaba Atsuko, Satoda Mai (Country Musume), Maeda Yuki, Matsuura Aya, Miyoshi Erika, and Okada Yui, plus the groups Melon Kinenbi and the non-H!P egg members of Ongaku Gatas (who have all already listed except for Korenaga Miki).
Presumably this also spells the end for groups such as EcoMoni, and the futsal team Gatas Brilhantes (including the four other Gatas-only members).
As it is today, this would leave 47 full members in the Hello! Project, with Takahashi Ai as the oldest and most experienced member.
The fate of the graduating members is unclear, however many are likely to stay with Up Front, such as Melon Kinenbi who have already announced that they will continue on as a group.
Announcement
Yoshizawa & Ishikawa are HANGRY & ANGRY
2008-10-12 10:16 AM
Yoshizawa Hitomi and Ishikawa Rika have formed a duo HANGRY and ANGRY for the fashion label HANGRY&ANGRY, and they will release a mini-album on November the 19th.
The label comes from fashion designer h.NAOTO, who has stores in Harajuku, and is based around the "grotesque cute world" of its two cats mascots: Hangry who loves punk fashion, and Angry who loves "sweet gothic and lolita fashion" and is "very savage" towards Hangry. They appear on clothing, stuffed animals and a whole range of other items.
Rika recently cosplayed Angry during a h.NAOTO fashion show along with several other Hello! Project members, and she will take that role again with Yossie appearing as Hangry.
Official Myspace site
Hello! Project News Update 2008-09-28
2008-09-28 10:48 AM
The Taiwan audition winners were announced on the 20th of September. The six chosen girls are Zhao Guo Rong (趙國蓉), Zeng De Ping (曾德萍), Wu Si Xuan (吳思璇), Gu Jun (古筠), Qiu Cui Ling (邱翠玲), and Zhong An Qi (鍾安琪). They will travel to Japan in November to start training, and will make their debut as Hello! Project members at a concert in January, releasing a mini album in Taiwan and Japan.
The members of the new unit tied to the "Shugo Chara!" anime were announced at an event on the 20th of September. The group will be called "Shugo Chara Egg!", and consists of Wada Ayaka, Maeda Yuuka, Fukuda Kanon, and Saho Akari. Their debut single "Minna no Tamago" will be released on December 10th, and will be the opening theme for the newly retitled "Shugo Chara!! Doki". Buono! are also to remain active, and will provide the ending theme. Official Site
Ayaka's husband Tanihara Hideto, 29, has just won the 2008 Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open with a 16-under-par. This is his second title of the year, and the eighth win of his career. He takes home the 40,000,000 yen first prize, which makes him the current highest earner in the Japan Golf Tour for this year.
Today saw the final episode of "Haromoni@". The show, which was a low budget and shorter replacement for "Hello! Morning", started on April 8th 2007 and ran for 77 episodes.
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Morning Musume to Cover Pink Lady
2008-09-08 07:26 AM
The 37th single from Morning Musume has finally been announced. "Pepper Keibu" will be a cover of the legendary jpop duo Pink Lady's debut single, and it will be released on September 24th.
This follows Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa's recent appearance as Pink Lady on the drama "Hitmaker Aku Yuu Monogatari", which was a retrospective of the life of the late songwriter Aku Yuu. The c/w will be "Romance", another Aku Yuu song originally performed by the singer Iwasaki Hiromi.
In addition, on the 26th of November Morning Musume will release "COVER YOU", an album featuring songs all written by Aku Yuu. It will include a cover of "Izakaya", a duet between Takahashi and the original singer Hiroshi Itsuki.
Ayaka's Surprise Marriage Announcement
2008-07-14 05:22 PM
Former Hello! Project member Ayaka and professional golfer Tanihara Hideto have announced that they have married. Tanihara, 29, is currently ranked 79th in the world golf rankings.
They had been dating for six months, and registered the marriage on July 8th. A ceremony and reception are planned for a later date.
The couple will shortly be in the UK, where Hideto will take part in this years Open championship.