Terada Mitsuo

"Hello! Project is a production, not a product."

- Tsunku, 2013



Tsunku (つんく, often written as つんく♂), real name Terada Mitsuo (寺田光男, born October 29, 1968 in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan), is an extremely prolific Japanese record producer, songwriter, and vocalist. He is best known for having two major roles in the Japanese music landscape: first as the lead singer of the popular rock group, and now as the producer, primary songwriter, and main studio backing vocalist for idol supergroup Morning Musume, in addition to Matsuura Aya and other associated artists under the Hello! Project banner, for whom he has written and produced a number of chart-topping hits. He has also produced music for other Japanese artists, including Hamasaki Ayumi when she debuted. His musical influences include The Beatles, Queen, and Onyanko Club.

Biography
Tsunku is the producer of and mastermind behind Hello! Project, TNX, and NICE GIRL Project!, as well as producer of some non-Hello! Project acts such as Deka Moni and EE JUMP.

Tsunku later worked with Nintendo and J.P.ROOM to create the music video game, Rhythm Tengoku. It was released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance on August 3, 2006, and later as an arcade on September 20, 2007. He also worked on Rhythm Heaven for the DS as well as Rhythm Heaven Fever on Wii.

On October 1, 2006, it was announced that Tsunku had created a new company called TNX consisting of singers such as Ami Tokito and other people including Tatsuya Naka, a magician who appeared on Hello! Morning.

On September 26, 2007, Tsunku released a compilation album with the temporary title of "Sharan Q ~ Morning Musume" ~Tsunku 15 Years in Entertainment Commemoration Album~, containing songs by both Sharan Q and Morning Musume, and another one on December 5, 2007 titled Tsunku Best Work Collection, containing songs sung by Tsunku himself.

On July 1, 2011 Tsunku started a new entertainment show titled “TsunTube", it airs on MXTV every Friday and focuses on music, games, anime, idols, software, and manga.

Personal Life
Relationships=

In June 2006, Tsunku married Idemitsu Kanako (出光 加奈子), a 25 year-old former model from Fukuoka.

On March 24, 2008, Tsunku announced that his wife was expecting their first child in May, after being already eight months pregnant at the time. The next day, Tsunku revealed on his blog that his wife was actually expecting twins.

Tsunku then announced on April 30, 2008 that his wife had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl through natural childbirth. An article stated, "The boy is healthy while the girl is expected to spend a few days in the incubator before rejoining the family."

On March 16th, 2011, Tsunku's wife gave birth to their third child, Tsunku commented that both mother and child are "very, very healthy."

Currently, Tsunku's solo career is on hold as he deals with an unspecified throat condition. He plans on getting surgery for his throat condition sometime in 2014.
 * -|Health=

On March 6, 2014 Tsunku revealed on his blog that he had been diagnosed with Laryngeal cancer.

Profile

 * Real Name: Terada Mitsuo (寺田光男)
 * Birth Date:
 * Birthplace: Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
 * Height: 170 cm (5'7")
 * Blood type: B
 * Band: Sharam Q (vocalist)

Singles

 * [1999.11.03] Touch me
 * [2010.06.02] Tsubasa (翼)
 * [2010.12.29] To You
 * [2012.09.26] Shoppai ne

Collaborations

 * [1999.04.24] LOVE ~Dakiatte~ (LOVE～抱き合って～; with 7HOUSE and Hamasaki Ayumi)
 * [2002.02.27] Suggoine! (すっごいね！) (as The Tsunku Bi♂To (ＴＨＥつんくビ♂ト))

Albums

 * [2000.12.06] A Hard Day's Night
 * [2004.02.18] TAKE 1
 * [2005.07.13] TYPE2 (タイプ２)
 * [2006.06.28] V3~Seishun Cover~ (V3～青春カバー～)

Compilations

 * [2007.09.26] Tsunku Best Sakuhin Shuu Ue Vol.1 'Sharam Q ~ Morning Musume' ~Tsunku♂ Geinou Seikatsu 15 Shuunen Kinen Album (つんく♂ベスト作品集 上 「シャ乱Q~モーニング娘. 」~つんく♂芸能生活15周年記念アルバム~)
 * [2007.12.05] Tsunku Best Sakuhin Shuu Shita Vol.2 'Sharam Q ~ Morning Musume' ~Tsunku♂ Geinou Seikatsu 15 Shuunen Kinen Album (つんく♂ベスト作品集 下 「シャ乱Q~モーニング娘. 」~つんく♂芸能生活15周年記念アルバム~)

Trivia

 * Shares the same birthday as former Morning Musume member, Ogawa Makoto, and former member,.
 * He is apparently good friends with AKB48 mastermind, Akimoto Yasushi (also known as Aki-P)
 * In the anime Gintama, idol singer Terakado Tsuu's producer, who goes under the name of Tsunpo, was meant to parody Tsunku.
 * Tsunku appears in the Regular Edition cover and the Single V cover of Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa wo Honki de Negatterun da yo!
 * Is nominated for the sexiest male singer and the best use of social media at the Jpop Asia awards 2012.
 * He has said he would like to create ENK48.
 * He graduated from Kinki University (近畿大学) in 1991.
 * He considers Hello! Project an expansion of himself, and says Hello! Project is a production not a product.
 * He says because the Hello! Project members' parents trust him, he thinks of the Hello! Project members like his own daughters.