Hello! Project News
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Hello! Project News Update 2008-04-30
2008-04-30 04:04 PM
In addition to Ayaka, Mutou Mika also graduated from the Hello! Project on the 30th of April. She joined the Hello! Project Eggs in 2006 as a Gatas trainee before being put into Ongaku Gatas, and has left to concentrate on her schoolwork. Source
Mano Erina will have her first fan club event since becoming a soloist. She will be joined by Berryz Koubou's Captain Shimizu Saki and C-ute's leader Yajima Maimi. The two shows will take place at the Stellar Ball in the Epson Shinagawa Aqua Stadium on June 29th, and include handshaking events. Source
In the early hours of April 29th, producer Tsunku's wife Kanako gave birth to twins. The babies, a girl and a boy, are the couples first children, and names have not yet been decided. Mother and babies are all said to be in good health.
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Coconuts Musume Ayaka Graduates
2008-04-30 11:38 AM
It was announced today that Ayaka has left the Hello! Project, effective immediately. With no Elder Club concerts on the horizon it means she will not be getting a graduation ceremony.
One of the longest serving members, Ayaka joined the Hello! Project in 1999 as leader of the Hawaiian group Coconuts Musume. She became well known for her Surprise English Lessons, which introduced many international fans to the company.
After Mika graduated four years ago the group was effectively ended, and Ayaka was left at a loose end. She continued to work on multiple radio shows and perform at Elder Club and the big Hello! Project concerts.
Ayaka has said that she will be concentrating on her acting career.
Official Announcement
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Hello! Project News Summary 2008-04-27
2008-04-27 03:09 PM
Morning Musume sold just over 48k copies of their single "Resonant Blue" in its first week, reaching number 3 in the weekly chart. That is the third highest sales figure of their last ten singles.
This week saw the release of three Hello! Project singles. On the first day, C-ute reached number 2 with "Namida no Iro" while v-u-den were number 8 with their final single "Nannimo Iwazu ni I LOVE YOU". Meanwhile, Fujimoto Miki's solo return "Okitegami" was number 14 for its first day.
Kago Ai has signed to a new agency called "Mainstream", and she mentioned on her blog that she has agreed to appear in a Hong Kong movie. No further details are available yet.
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Hello! Project News Summary 2008-04-20
2008-04-20 05:50 PM
Morning Musume's 36th single "Resonant Blue" was released this past Monday, reaching number 2 and selling approximately 25k copies on its first day. Takahashi Ai, Tanaka Reina and Junjun arrived in Taiwan on the 16th to promote the single and the Taiwanese leg of Morning Musume's Asian tour on the 24th of May. The third leg has been announced and will take place in Shanghai on the 28th of June.
Mitsui Aika was released from hospital on the 17th after having her appendix removed. She performed at the Morning Musume concert on the 19th in Nagoya sitting on a chair on the stage.
To promote "Cinderella the Musical", a special unit, "High-King", has been formed. Consisting of Takahashi Ai, Tanaka Reina, Shimizu Saki, Yajima Maimi, and Maeda Yuuka, they will release a single "C/C (Cinderella/Complex)" on June 11.
Matsuura Aya opened the 25th National Confectionery Exposition at Hijemi Castle on the 18th. The show is Japan's largest confectionary exhibition, with over 800 companies participating. Meanwhile, Ishikawa Rika was in Shibuya on the 20th to participate in a promotional event for the new soda "Fanta FuruFuru Shaker", where she performed with comedy duo "Speed Wagon".
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Hello! Project News Summary 2008-04-13
2008-04-13 10:00 PM
8th Generation Morning Musume member Mitsui Aika has been forced to rest after being diagnosed with appendicitis, and will miss this weekends concerts. It is currently unknown if she has had to have her appendix removed. Announcement.
Morning Musume will stage their first concert in South Korea this summer. It will be staged on 2008-06-01 in the Olympic Hall at the Seoul Olympic Park. Their upcoming single "Resonant Blue" will be released in South Korea on the same day as Japan. Announcement.
The four Hello! Project Kansai members have "graduated" as trainees, and formed their own unit "SI☆NA " (SI NA, pronounced she-na). The name is taken from the first letters of their names, Suma Ai, Iwashima Manami, Nakayama Nana and Abe Asami. They are working towards their debut, and it is unclear if they are still under the Hello! Project tag. Announcement.
Berryz Koubou single "Dschinghis Khan" has now edged out Buono! for the H!P Kids total sales record. It has sold a total of 35,395 copies, nearly 400 more then Buono's "Renai Rider".
Following her recently released interviews, former Hello! Project member Kago Ai has started an official fanclub called "Biscuit Club", and is writing a blog. Link.
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Kago Ai Speaks Out
2008-04-06 11:35 PM
Former Hello! Project star Kago Ai has given her first interview since having her contract terminated just over a year ago.
In the first in a six part series of videos released by Japanese site ohmynews.co.jp she apologises to her fans, family, and staff for her actions in a prepared statement, then talks about the family problems that led up to them. The other videos will be released on their website one a day until the 12th.
It is said that Kago, now 20 and with a short hairstyle, hopes to return to the entertainment industry as an actress.
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Berryz Koubou Hit Sales High
2008-03-18 02:02 PM
After a year of being overshadowed by their sister group C-ute, Berryz Koubou have taken the record for highest first week by a Hello! Project Kids unit.
Their single "Dschinghis Khan" has sold 30,667 copies in it's first week, beating C-ute's highest first week sales by 1.5k, and reached number 5 in the weekly chart. It also outsold the first weeks for anime tie-ins Buono! and the Kirarin Revolution singles.
The song was recorded by Berryz Koubou as the theme tune for a musical of the same name. It is a cover of the 1979 German Eurovision Song Contest entry by the band Dschinghis Khan, from which Morning Musume's 2000 hit Koi no Dance Site borrowed heavily.
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C-ute are the official 2008 Rakuten Eagles Supporters
2008-03-13 02:43 PM
C-ute will be this years official supporters of the Japanese Pacific League Baseball team Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and will release a single "Koero! Rakuten Eagles" on March 20th through the teams website and the official Hello! Project shop. The song, written by Tsunku, is said to be dynamic with a bright melody to inspire the players.
In previous years this role has been filled by Hello! Project groups Morning Musume, DEF.DIVA, and GAM. C-ute will perform the song before the teams first home game of the season on March 29th against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Rakuten Eagles Press Statement (Japanese)
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New Unit MilkyWay
2008-03-03 12:09 PM
A new unit from the anime Kirarin Revolution has been announced, following on from the success of Kira Pika.
Kirari star Kusumi Koharu be joined by Kikkawa Yuu and Kitahara Sayaka from the Hello! Project Eggs to form "MilkyWay". Their first song "Anata Boshi" will be released on the 30th of April.
Official Announcement
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Mano Erina Promoted to Soloist
2008-03-02 10:48 AM
Hello! Project Egg Mano Erina will be graduating from the Eggs and from Ongaku Gatas to start training for a solo career within the Hello! Project.
Erina had become the most visible of the Eggs, being pushed as one of the main faces in Ongaku Gatas alongside the established names.
She will leave Ongaku Gatas at the end of their current tour today, and graduate from the Eggs during the third Hello! Project Egg concert on March 29th.
Announcement
Tsunku's Comments
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