Morning Musume 12ki Member "Mirai Shoujo" Audition

Morning Musume 12th Generation Member "Mirai Shoujo" Audition (モーニング娘. 12期メンバー「未来少女」オーディション) was the audition to choose twelfth generation members for Morning Musume. The auditions were announced on March 16, 2013, the first day of the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2013 Haru Michishige☆Eleven SOUL ~Tanaka Reina Sotsugyou Kinen Special~.

Although no one won this audition, the seven finalists were later added to Hello! Pro Kenshuusei.

Audition Details

 * Application Requirements:
 * Female, Minimum of age 10 and maximum of 17 years of age by March 31, 2013.
 * Must not currently be under contract with any agencies.
 * Must have consent from legal guardian if under age.
 * Application Deadline: April 30, 2013; June 30, 2013
 * Total Applicants: 6,500+
 * Training Camp Choreographer: Yoshiko (Morning Musume's Choreographer)
 * Broadcast: On Hello! SATOYAMA Life

First round
The application deadline was April 30, 2013. However, due to a large amount of submitted applications after the deadline, applicants can also go to a specific location between May 25 and June 30th to audition in person. They must bring their paperwork and will perform a song acapella. Except for the audition events in Tokyo, auditioners will find out the same day if they move on to round two.
 * May 25, Hiroshima
 * May 26, Fukuoka
 * June 1, Sendai
 * June 2, Sapporo
 * June 8, Tokyo
 * June 9, Osaka
 * June 15, Tokyo
 * June 22, Nagoya
 * June 23, Tokyo
 * June 30, Osaka

Second Round
The second round was from June 29th to the July 16th. The videotape and profile of each girl were viewed by Tsunku, who then arbitrarily selected the ones he wanted to go into the third round. All the candidates were interviewed during this 2nd round.
 * For those who auditioned in person in Tokyo, the second round (exam) was held on June 29.
 * On July 16, the second round ended, those who passed the second round were mailed their results.

Third Round
The 50 candidates gathered in Tokyo for further screening. From there, they were selected, and invited to the training camp. Kenshuusei joined in this round. The third round ended on August 15.
 * Dance - Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne (Juice=Juice)
 * Voice - Kanashiki Amefuri (℃-ute)

Fourth Round
The finalists were taken to a training camp from where they received dance and vocal lessons, were they individually recorded Ten Made Nobore! and danced WANT! in a group in front of Tsunku and the dance teacher.


 * 7 girls were chosen to participate in the fourth round.


 * Yamaki Risa (山木梨沙), 15
 * Yokokawa Yumei (横川夢衣)
 * Niinuma Kisora (新沼希空)
 * Danbara Ruru (段原瑠々), 12
 * Haga Akane (羽賀朱音), 12
 * Funaki Musubu (船木結)
 * Oura Hirona (大浦央菜)

Results
On the 24th of August, a video was uploaded on the Youtube channel morningmusumechannel, with Tsunku anouncing the results. No one passed and as for now, there won't be a 12th generation.

Tsunku himself stated that some of the girls were really good and might be too good for Morning Musume which makes them stand out too much, and some girls where not that good which would have made them work too hard. The line-up at this moment is perfect for him. Tsunku is considering creating a new group within Hello! Project consisting of finalists from this audition.

Tsunku has invited all of the girls he saw potential in to join Hello! Pro Kenshuusei to gain more experience. It was later revealed that on September 22, 2013 that the 7 finalists had joined Hello! Pro Kenshuusei.

Comments by Tsunku and Members

 * Tsunku said: "To be able to take on the future of Morning Musume, I want to discover a spontaneous girl with an original image as if she’s from the future who will surely establish the era of tomorrow. If there is no valuable person in the audition, the number of Hello! Project members is not important for us. We are not a small profit and quick return group. We are professional. So nobody will pass the audition."
 * Tsunku asked the group: "What kind of 12th gen member do you want?"
 * Michishige Sayumi said: "As it is right now, when I say I'm the cutest it's not even a joke as I am the cutest, so I want a girl who's unbelievably cute so I end up being a joke when I say I'm the cutest."
 * Tanaka Reina said: "I want a yankee. As I'm graduating, the bothersome one will be gone. Someone who has a lot of confidence and makes their surroundings feel stronger."
 * Fukumura Mizuki said: "We don't have any more colors so isn't it enough already..."
 * Ikuta Erina said: "Eeeh, let's see. I thought that I was the girl of the future. No, no, really, I am a future girl. But I want a girl who's able to win over me."
 * Sayashi Riho said: "I want a reliable girl to join! Because like if another girl like Masaki-chan joins.... No, no, I like you Masaki-chan! But... but if a lot of girls like her joins..."
 * Iikubo Haruna said: "Two new members!"
 * Ishida Ayumi said: "Ah... mm... eeh... Right.... I'll believe in you, Tsunku-san, and just wait."
 * Sato Masaki said: "Eeeh... a normal girl."
 * Kudo Haruka said: "Eh, is it not too early? I don’t want someone too boyish to join. Leave that to me!"
 * Oda Sakura said "Earlier, before the concert, I told Suzuki-san how it seems likely that there will be an announcement like this..." Suzuki Kanon then responded: "Eh, you did?"

Trivia

 * All members from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei, except Juice=Juice's members, were allowed to participate in this audition and automatically passed to the third round.
 * Tsunku had previously commented on the TV show Mono mane Grand Prix that he wanted a girl named Fukumoto Manaka to join Morning Musume. It is possible that he planned on adding her through this audition. When Fukumoto was asked about the audition, she said she wants to be a solo singer rather than an idol.
 * There was a billboardpromoting the audition, that had one empty yellow box that said "Next is you!!", which may possibly indicate plans for another 1-member generation.
 * Before the deadline was extended, 6,000+ girls had already sent applications in.
 * Former Hello! Pro Kenshuusei member Yamaga Kanae, age 18, was rumored to be auditioning.
 * A YouTube dancer named Cuca auditioned, but failed the second round.
 * A YouTube dancer named Heidi auditioned in Nagoya, but failed.
 * According to a high school senior who auditioned but failed, the girls who were in the second round auditions the same day as her, and passed into the second round were mostly elementary school-aged.
 * Tsunku said in a tweet that the 12th generation candidates are strong. He wonders what would happen to the balance of the group if they were added to the current group.
 * Finalist Danbara Ruru was a student from Actor's School Hiroshima (ASH), which current Morning Musume member Sayashi Riho formerly attended.
 * After failing the audition, Danbara Ruru graduated from Actor's School Hiroshima.
 * A 17-year-old girl, going by the presumably fake name, Nikaido Aya, participated in this audition, but failed.
 * The 12th generation audition will be re-held in the future.
 * This is the 2nd Morning Musume audition to not have any winners.
 * The seven finalists were given a week to decide whether they wanted to take up the offer of becoming Kenshuusei. On September 22, all seven finalists were added to Hello! Pro Kenshuusei.
 * A Danish girl auditioned but only came to round 1