Hello! Project Kids

'''Hello! Project Kids (sometimes referred to as H!P Kids''') is a group of 12 girls chosen out of 27,958 applicants. The results for this audition were announced on the June 30, 2002 episode of Hello! Morning. Currently, Hello! Project Kids is divided into 2 groups: Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute, as well as Buono! and the fusion unit BeriKyuu.

Members

 * Shimizu Saki (清水佐紀)
 * Yajima Maimi (矢島舞美)
 * Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子)
 * Tokunaga Chinami (徳永千奈美)
 * Sudo Maasa (須藤茉麻)
 * Natsuyaki Miyabi (夏焼雅)
 * Kumai Yurina (熊井友理奈)
 * Nakajima Saki (中島早貴)
 * Sugaya Risako (菅谷梨沙子)
 * Suzuki Airi (鈴木愛理)
 * Okai Chisato (岡井千聖)
 * Hagiwara Mai (萩原舞)

Former Members

 * Umeda Erika (梅田えりか) Graduated - October 25, 2009
 * Murakami Megumi (村上愛) Left - October 31, 2006
 * Ishimura Maiha (石村舞波) Graduated - October 2, 2005

Main Groups

 * Berryz Koubou (2004-)
 * ℃-ute (2005-)

Sub-groups

 * 4KIDS (2002-2003)
 * ZYX (2003, 2009)
 * Aa! (2003, 2009-2011)
 * Buono! (2007-)
 * Bello! (2009)
 * BeriKyuu (2011-)
 * Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
 * Dia Lady (2013-)
 * Mellowquad (2013-)

Featured Groups

 * Aa!
 * Athena & Robikerottsu
 * DIY♡
 * Ex-ceed!
 * GREEN FIELDS
 * Guardians 4
 * H.P. All Stars
 * High-King
 * Kira☆Pika
 * Petitmoni V
 * Plumeria
 * Sexy Otonajan
 * Tanpopo#
 * Zoku v-u-den
 * ZYX
 * ZYX-a

2002-2003
The Hello! Project Kids joined Hello! Project in 2002 and consisted of fifteen young girls chosen out of 27,958 applicants in the Hello! Project Kids Audition. The results for this audition were announced in the 2002.06.30 episode of Hello! Morning. They were called H!P Kids due to their young age at the time of their joining. They supported Hello! Project in various ways, such as dancing at concerts. Their first recording and PV shooting as a group was for "Ganbacchae!" in 2003.

In 2003, Some of the members were placed in bands led by Morning Musume members: Natsuyaki Miyabi and Suzuki Airi were selected to be in Aa!, while Umeda Erika, Shimizu Saki, Yajima Maimi, Tsugunaga Momoko, and Murakami Megumi were placed in ZYX. Both units were short-lived, and their activity stopped when half of the Hello! Project Kids were choosen to form Berryz Koubou in January 2004.

2004
In early 2004, eight of the girls were placed into a new group called Berryz Koubou. The remaining seven girls were then referred to as Hello! Project Kids, but on June 11, 2005 they formed a new group named ℃-ute.

All the Hello! Project Kids participated in the 2004 shuffle unit H.P. All Stars.

2006
Arihara Kanna joined Hello! Project as a Hello! Pro Kenshuusei in 2004 and was placed into ℃-ute at the beginning of 2006. However, she never joined the Hello! Project Kids group.

2007
In July, 2007 Tsugunaga Momoko, Natsuyaki Miyabi, and Suzuki Airi formed Buono!, a unit formed for the sake of providing the openings and endings for the anime Shugo Chara!.

2011
In 2011, Tsunku announced a new project within Hello! Project. Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute would join to form the new fusion unit, BeriKyuu. In November 2011, BeriKyuu released their debut single Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku.

2012
In 2012, Hello! Project Kids reached their 10th Anniversary.On June 20, 2012, BeriKyuu released their second single, Chou HAPPY SONG. On June 30, 2012, in commemoration of their 10th Anniversary, Hello! Project Kids released a photobook which commemorates their ten years within Hello! Project.

Photobooks

 * [2012.06.30] Hello! Project Kids Debut 10th Anniversary Berryz Koubou x ℃-ute Crosstalk BOOK RIVAL ~12 Shoujo no 10-nen Monogatari~

Trivia

 * Minegishi Minami of AKB48 tried out for Hello! Project Kids, but didn't make it.
 * In 2002, the addition of Hello! Project Kids was the most amount of members added to Hello! Project.
 * As of 2012, with the graduation of Niigaki Risa), Hello! Project Kids have been in Hello!Project longer than any other members.