Hello! Project Wiki/News/2012


 * December 31, 2012
 * Matsuura Aya has announced her marriage! She will be getting married to the lead vocalist of W-ind, Tachibana Keita. The ceremony date hasn’t been mentioned yet. Big congratulations to Ayaya and Tachibana!


 * December 25, 2012 - Former Morning Musume member Iida Kaori announces her 2nd pregnancyIida11.jpg
 * Former Morning Musume member Iida Kaori (31) has announced through her official blog that she is pregnant with her 2nd baby. Iida reported, “I’ve entered my stable period and I’m due next spring! Day after day, I wasn’t feeling very well… but now, I’m very healthy and recently, I feel small movements in my stomach. I love our child and I’m looking forward to its everyday growth.” She continued, “It will become lively from now on, but please continue to support me.” Iida married rock band 7HOUSE vocalist Kenji back in July of 2007. They were blessed with their first son in January of 2008, but he passed away after 6 months due to chronic renal failure. Since then, Iida had refrained from her activities, but made a comeback with a concert in January of 2009. She also became a member of Dream Morning Musume in 2011. Congratulations!


 * December 19, 2012 - Hello! Project members to get together for a 2-day event at Pacifico Yokohama Announced20121219_helloproject.jpg
 * It’s been revealed that the members of Hello! Project will be getting together for a 2-day event called ‘Hello! Project Haru no Daikansha Hina Matsuri Festival 2013‘ on March 2nd and 3rd at Pacifico Yokohama.
 * Participating are the members of Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, ℃-ute, and S/mileage as well as senbatsu members from Hello! Pro Egg. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Hello! Project, the girls will give their best performance with gratitude for their fans.
 * There will be 3 stages prepared for this event: ‘Zenyasai‘ (night) on the 2nd as well as ‘Berryz Koubou 10-nenme Totsunyu Special!‘ (noon) and ‘Thank You For Your Love!‘ (night) on the 3rd. Producer Tsunku♂ explained that the live will be like ‘Battle of the Bands’.
 * Additionally, Berryz Koubou, who will be celebrating 9 years since their formation, will be holding a commemorative ceremony during their daytime stage on the 3rd. The event will also feature performances by units from the project ‘SATOYAMA movement‘ and members of Hello! Pro Egg.


 * December 17,2012 - Takahashi Ai appears at the press conference for musical ‘The Wedding Singer’20121217_weddingsinger1.jpeg
 * On December 17th, Former Morning Musume member, Takahashi Ai, attended a press conference to announce the production of musical “The Wedding Singer“, held at a wedding hall in Tokyo.


 * Takahashi appeared in a waitress uniform, which was the costume for her role, and expressed her happiness,
 * “I am really happy to be able to appear on this loved musical.” When asked about the most impressive wedding she has ever attended, she answered, “My friend’s wedding from my hometown (Fukui) was quite magnificent. They changed their rings with a singer singing live, and the spotlights played on the couple…it was like a stage performance!”


 * At the conference, lead actor Inoue Yoshio, Ayabuki Mao, Yoshino Keigo, and the director, Yamada Kazuya also made appearances. About her co-stars, Takahashi said, “I’ve seen them all! I’m happy to be able to appear on the same stage with them. I’m too happy to be here that I might go crazy.” She continued, “Since I will be living a rare life in the musical, I would like to add emotions so that the audience will be able to feel sympathy.” The lead actor Inoue, who will be playing as “Robbie”, also said about Takahashi, “Ai-chan’s cuteness definitely suits the role. I am worried about our age difference… I want to follow Ai-chan’s youthfulness.”
 * “The Wedding Singer” is a musical comedy with a theme of marriage based on the 1998 film of the same name. It was first played in Japan back in 2008, and this will be the third and last time for it to be played.
 * At the conference, 60 people who were chosen among 1200 applicants by lottery were invited, and Takahashi and Inoue performed one of their duet song which will be played in the musical.
 * The musical will be open at Hibiya Theatre Crea during March 1st ~ 20th in 2013.


 * November 30, 2012 - New Hello! Project Kenshuusei Auditions AnnouncedBDrzu.jpg
 * New Hello! Project Kenshuusei (Eggs) auditions have been announced!
 * The news came somewhat unexpected since there seems to have been a huge amount of new Kenshuuseis added over the past few month, but a new audition possibly hints at the formation of a new group or just means that Tsunku is thinking of expanding the Eggs’ activities since there have been a lot of Egg appearances in concerts such as C-ute’s or S/mileage’s as back dancers.
 * According to the site, girls aged from 9 to 15 can apply to the audition, which seems like a reasonable age gap, and even though I’d quite like to see older girls join, many young girls have proven to have amazing talent joining at a young age in the past, so hopefully we will be getting details and footage from these auditions to be able to keep up with them!


 * November 27, 2012 - Morning Musume’s Michishige Sayumi and Sugi-chan appear at Yoshinoya event20121127_Sugi_chan_Michishige_Sayumi.jpg
 * Michishigi Sayumi and comedic talent Sugi-chan(39) appeared at the press conference for Yoshinoya’s new product, “Yakitori Tsukune Donburi.” Both Michishige Sayumi and Sugi-chan, who are said to be regular Yoshinoya customers, taste-tested the new product. Michishige commented on Sugi-chan’s posture as he stood next to her and held the dish with, ::“I can feel his manliness and wildness.”
 * After hearing that, it was suggested that they go on a Yoshinoya date to which she replied,
 * “I think there is a person who already likes (Sugi-chan) and I am not that person.”
 * Sugi-chan acted tough with his answer of,
 * “You are not my type! This means that it is ‘mutual love.’”


 * November 27, 2012 - Nakazawa Yuko gives birth to a baby girl
 * Former Morning Musume member Nakazawa Yuko (39) gave birth to a baby girl on November 25 []. The girl weighed 2980 grams. Congratulations!


 * December 1, 2012 - Takahashi Ai voice acts for ‘Meitantei Conan’20121125_takahashiai_meitanteikonan.jpg
 * Former Morning Musume’s Takahashi Ai will be making a guest appearance on the December 1st broadcast of NTV’s anime, :‘Meitantei Conan: Nagasaki Mystery Gekijou‘.
 * Takahashi will be providing the voice of a new actress named Nanao Futaba. The story will take place at various tourist :attractions in Nagasaki.
 * After observing the voice recording the previous week, Takahashi claims that she’s captured the image of her character.
 * “I’ve been watching it since before entering ‘Morning Musume’, and it’s a really famous work. There was pressure, and I was also nervous,”


 * November 18, 2012 - Tanaka Reina to graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project.TANAKA3.jpg
 * On November 18, it was announced that Tanaka Reina will be graduating from Morning Musume and Hello! Project. Tanaka's graduation was announced at Morning Musume 2012 Fall Concert Tour where her new band members were announced. On the same day, Tsunku and Tanaka made an announcement of her graduation in order to focus on her new band and to present new opportunities for Tanaka.
 * Comment by Tanaka Reina
 * Thank you for always giving me your support.
 * I, Tanaka Reina, will be graduating from Morning Musume with next year’s Spring tour!
 * Today, as I inform all the fans on stage, together with my 3 bandmates, I feel that for myself, I am beginning my journey to a new stage!
 * Morning Musume facing it’s 15 year anniversary, and I having joined as a 6th generation member, have reached my 10th year.
 * I feel like it’s a perfect turning point, as I start new activities with my band, and challenge myself with a full-time music career after graduation.
 * For my activities with Morning Musume and Hello!Project, I still have half a year left. With what’s left the Fall tour and the New Year’s Hello!Project concert, as well as the Spring tour, I will continue to sing in front of all the fans as Morning Musume’s Tanaka Reina so, please continue to give me your support!
 * 2012/11/18
 * Morning Musume
 * Tanaka Reina
 * Comment by Tsunku
 * We thank you for always giving your support to Hello! Project and Morning Musume！
 * Let’s cut to the chase, this is an Announcement regarding “Tanaka Reina”.
 * ''“Tanaka Reina” who joined Morning Musume in January of 2003, presently for 9 years and ten months,
 * It has been decided that she will graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project with the 2013 Morning Musume Concert Tour 2013 Spring MICHISHIGE ☆ ELEVEN SOUL ～Tanaka Reina Graduation Comemmoration Special～ final tour day.''
 * Her band has been formed, and she is proud to be one of the top 3 vocalists in the history of Morning Musume.
 * She is going forward with her band activities as well so, this felt like good timing, and we’ve decided on her graduation.
 * Seeing her mature in her own way, the things she wants to do on her own, her style, and her determination, I feel that from here, if she were to make use of the experience she’s gained with Hello! Project on her band activities and her solo work, it will lead to her progressing even more.
 * I’ve been talking with her about the matter of her graduation for many years, she’s a girl with a strong competitive spirit, and from here she can become an even cooler “Reina”.
 * Everyone, please give your a great amount of your support from here on to the “Tanaka Reina” doing her own peresonal work and bandmember “Tanaka Reina” with her band as well.
 * Hello! Project Coordinating Producer
 * Tsunku
 * 2012/11/18
 * Tanaka will graduate from Morning Musume at the end of their 2013 Spring Concert Tour, where she will conclude her activities in both Morning Musume and Hello! Project.


 * October 25, 2012 - Berryz Koubou members (except Shimizu) Opened Official Ameba BlogsBk13c-8.jpg
 * Shimizu Saki was the first Berryz Koubou member to have an Ameba blog (since February 2011). Now the other 6 members also have an official blog, too. Click on the member names to go to the their new blog. Tsugunaga Momoko, Tokunaga Chinami, Sudo Maasa, Natsuyaki Miyabi, Kumai Yurina, Sugaya Risako All the 6 members will start their blog on October 28th, with the exception of Tsugunaga Momoko, who started posting on November 10.


 * October 20, 2012 - H!P in FranceImg201210011358010531-300x224.jpg
 * Former H!P member Kikkawa Yuu appeared in Orleans, France. She also appeared at the Handshake event.
 * Michishige Sayumi, Iikubo Haruna, Fukumura Mizuki, and Ishida Ayumi appeared at Hard Rock Cafe in Paris on October 30 for the Handshake event. Tanaka Reina was originally intended to come, but stayed in Japan due to poor physical conditions.
 * In addition to that, Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa appear in Paris in November for a J-Melo event.


 * October 3, 2012 - Fujimoto Miki holds a talk show event for her latest book20121004_fujimotomiki_firstmamabook1.jpg
 * On October 3rd, talento Fujimoto Miki held a talk show to commemorate the publishing of her latest book, ‘Fujimoto Miki: First Mama Book‘.
 * During the event, Fujimoto reflected on her pregnancy period, and expressed,
 * “I was always uneasy.” She explained, “Of course I was uneasy about labor pains, but I also thought about what it would be like to become a parent,” and revealed, “There were a lot of things I couldn't tell anyone.”
 * She also shared that her husband, comedian Shoji Tomoharu, has always given full support since the pregnancy.
 * “When I was discharged from the hospital, he gave me a book called ‘Mikkitter’. From my pregnancy period to the time I gave birth, my husband jotted down his feelings for me through a memo function on his cell phone. He turned that into one book.”
 * Fujimoto also revealed her secret to losing 14 kg (30.8 lbs), “I lost weight by breastfeeding to a certain extent. Once I stopped losing weight, I did yoga everyday.” She then showed how to reduce swelling in the leg by putting a towel between her calves and thighs.
 * ‘Fujimoto Miki: First Mama Book’ is a collection of Fujimoto's essays that were serialized in women’s magazine, ‘saita‘. It’s now on sale for 1,500 yen (approximately $19 USD).


 * September 29, 2012 - Wada Ayaka performs with S/mileage while sitting down20120930_smileage_blitz1.jpg
 * On September 29th, idol group S/mileage held the 2nd day of their live tour, ‘2012 Aki ~Choi Kawa Banchou~‘, at Yokohama BLITZ.
 * Member Wada Ayaka, who suffered a ligament injury to her right ankle on the 1st day of their tour, also appeared at the concert and participated by singing and speaking in MC segments. It’s only been 6 days since her injury, so she sat down during most of the performances.
 * Comments from Wada Ayaka
 * I’m very sorry. My heart is full of energy, so I will do my best to make this a heartfelt stage.” She added, “Sitting on the chair, I didn't know what to do, but I was relieved after seeing everybody. Once my ankle gets better, I want to stand on stage again


 * September 24, 2012 - Takahashi Ai & Niigaki Risa Fan Meeting In ParisAirisaparis.png
 * A fan meeting in Paris with Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa has been announced. J-Melo will be hosting the meeting in Paris and tickets are free for everyone who applies. The ticket will also allow 2 additional guests (so 1 ticket covers 3 people) and everyone is invited to attend. The tickets are free and there’s no restriction on who can attend, it’s not like a FC only event. The official page even says that anyone from all over the world can apply for a ticket, though transportation, airfare, etc won’t be covered and the individual will have to take care of it. The site also mentions that Ai and Gaki will be performing too and it’s been a while since we've seen them both performing. The event will take place on November 10. Information/Application


 * September 15, 2012 - Hello!Project to hold a worldwide handshake event for their 15th anniversary120915_HelloProject.jpg
 * To celebrate their 15th anniversary, Hello! Project plans to say thank you to fans around the world through various handshake events.
 * Morning Musume’s Michishige Sayumi and Tanaka Reina will be celebrating the group’s 15th anniversary by taking several new members with them to Taipei, Paris, and Bangkok.
 * Hereafter, Hello! Project members will be heading around the world, so make sure you ask for them.


 * September 11. 2012 - Morning Musume welcomes 11th generation member Oda Sakura20120914_mm1-600x900.jpg
 * It was announced that Oda Sakura who is from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei, has officially joined Morning Musume as an 11th generation member.
 * This announcement was made during the public rehearsal for “Morning Musume Tanjou 15 Shuunen Kinen Concert Tour 2012 Aki ~Colorful Character~“, held at Harmony Hall Zama on September 14th. After the members performed their new song “Wakuteka Take a Chance“, Tsunku showed up on the stage, and announced that Oda Sakura would be the 11th generation member.
 * Oda is from Kanagawa, and is in the second year of junior high school. Though she was shortlisted for the S/mileage’s additional members audition, she could not make it.  After that Oda had been participating in Hello! Project's concerts as a Hello! Pro Kenshuusei this past year.  She then participated in the “Morning Musume 11th generation member ‘Suppin Uta Hime’ Audition”, and has now became a member among the 7,000 total applicants.
 * Oda commented, “All I can say now is that I am happy. Though I’m not sure what would happen in the future, I would like to try my own best.”  When asked which senior she admired, she answered “For singing, Takahashi Ai-san and Niigaki Risa-san, and for dancing, ℃-ute’s Nakajima Saki-san.”
 * Leader Michishige Sayumi said to Oda, “There will be many tough things since you are the only 11th generation member, but feel free to ask me anything“, and fellow member Tanaka Reina also gave Oda advice, “I think you will be through times when you feel like failing, suffering, and even thinking of quitting, but try to make an effort for 2, 3 years. Good luck!”


 * September 10, 2012 - Morning Musume's 9th and 10th generation members get official blogs120911_MorningMusume_Blogs1-600x337.jpg
 * Do you want to keep up with your favorite 9th and 10th generation members of Morning Musume? Well, you’re in luck since they opened up two official blogs on September 10th!
 * Each generation has a separate but shared blog with the members of their same generation. Currently, each member has posted messages.
 * For english translations of all the members of the Hello Project you can go to blog-project.net


 * September 7, 2012 - Tsunku to release new solo single, “Shoppai ne”
 * It’s been revealed that Tsunku will be releasing a new solo single called “Shoppai ne” on September 26th.20120904_tsunku_shoppaine-300x263.jpg
 * This marks Tsunku’s first solo release in about a year and 9 months. “Shoppai ne” was included in the tribute album for Miki Takashi, “Moshimo Ashita ga ~Miki Takashi Tribute~“, which was released on July 25th. It describes a woman’s feelings that never fades after a break up. The music video for this song will feature Ishikawa Rika as the heroine.
 * Both “Shoppai ne” and the coupling track “Chikatetsu no Namida” were written by Ueda Momiji and composed by Miki Takashi. The arrangements were done by Suzuki Shunsuke, who is a familiar face to Hello! Project.


 * September 6,2012 - Tsuji Nozomi announces her pregnancy with 3rd child20120905_tsuji.jpeg
 * Former Morning Musume member Tsuji Nozomi has announced that she is currently pregnant with her third baby.
 * According to Tsuji and her husband Sugiura Taiyo’s blogs, she is in the third month of her pregnancy and will give birth in spring next year. Tsuji happily wrote, “I’m looking forward to see the Sugiuras that will be even more lively with the new family member. …


 * September 1, 2012 - Morning Musume To Attend JapanFesta 2012Morning-Musume-0235.jpg
 * Morning Musume have been officially announced to be attending JapanFesta 2012 in Bangkok.The selected members (or whole group) who will be attending will either perform a special mini-live for fans, either hold handshake events or other exclusive events probably like Berryz Koubou's Shimizu Saki, Kumai Yurina and Sugaya Risako who have already attended the event in August. Even though this announcement is kind of surprising since Morning Musume activities outside of Japan have been limited lately to Hawaii during the past 2 years or so while other groups like Buono! or Berryz Koubou were being requested abroad more, it’s really great to see that they will go to Thailand this upcoming October since this will allow the new members to experience something totally new and meet new fans, while they might also take this opportunity to promote for their upcoming album and single. Hopefully more members concerning this attendance will be released soon!


 * August 24, 2012 - Ishida Ayumi and Kudo Haruka On Break From Morning Musume Activities Due To InjuriesAyumi_and_haruka.jpg
 * It has been announced that 10th generation members Ishida Ayumi and Kudo Haruka will both restrain from participating in upcoming Morning Musume activities due to injuries. The report says that Ishida has sprained her ankle while Kudo has been suffering from pain in her left knee for quite some time, which might lead to future complications if she doesn't rest. Seeing that 2 members got injured almost at the same time is really painful to hear for all their fans and fans of the group, since it shows how much effort they are putting in the rehearsals and preparations for the many activities Morning Musume have planned for the near future such as TV appearances and performances, stage play performances, concert tour rehearsals and many more, and even though it shows how much effort the girls are putting in, it’s always a bother to hear that anyone got injured. With Morning Musume’s new single already announced and their new album and concert tour on the way, this seems like the worse time that such a thing could happen, but even though it’s the case, Ishida has to rest for only a month to recover while it might take longer for Kudo, so hopefully everyone can support them even if they don’t appear that much for a while since they definitely need all of their fans’ support and love to recover quickly.


 * August 20, 2012 - Tsungunaga Momoko 1st Solo Bus TourPage0001-610x430.jpg
 * Tsugunaga Momoko will have her 1st solo bus tour titled Momochi to Iku Otomomochi Tour ~Neboushi Chattara Yurushite Nyan♡~.As expected the price is rather high (around 64,800 – 65,800 Yen), but a trip led by Tsugunaga will probably worth the price for many so I encourage those interested and in the area in reserving their seat for the tour.
 * The tour will take place from 10/28 ~ 29.


 * August 19, 2012 - Up Up Girls and Kikkawa Yuu To Perform At Shiodome AXUp-Up-Girls-Kikkawa-Yuu.jpg
 * Kikkawa Yuu and the Up Up Girls (Kari) will be performing at Shiodome AX. Along with the the announcement that the Hello! Pro Kenshuusei would be appearing next at Shiodome AX it seems like fans of UF groups are in for another great surprise since the Up Up Girls and Kikkawa Yuu have also been added to the list of performers for next week. Kikka will only appear once. Up Up Girls (Kari) will appear twice. They will appear on 8/27.


 * July 30, 2012 - “Kikka Tab” Tablet AnnouncedKikkatab.jpg
 * Kikkawa Yuu branded Android-based edenTAB tablet featuring exclusive Kikkawa related apps and wallpapers titled Kikka Tab. There are only 100 available and they will be available for preorder on August 6th at 35,800 Yen. There will be two exclusive apps included with the tablet: Kikka Alarm which is basically a morning wake-up call app, and Kikka Camera with You.

Comments from Tsunku
 * July 21, 2012 - Mano Erina to Graduate from Hello! Project on February 23, 2013:On June 21, 2012, at Hello! Project Tanjou 15th Anniversary Live Summer 2012 ~Kitakore Natsu no Fan Matsuri!~, Mano Erina announced her Graduation from Hello! Project at the final of Hello! Project's 2013 Winter Concert on February 23, 2012. After the graduation of Mano Erina, Hello! Project Mobekimasu, will no longer continue as the Concert Unit within Hello! Project, thus forming a new Concert Unit in 2013.

In regards to Mano Erina

She was the girl who joined up in May 2006 as a Hello!Pro Egg. At first she was very unstable in dancing and singing, always hiding in the shadows of the other members she had the impression that she was soft and flexible.

That’s the kind of girl she was, but when she started working as a member of the Ongaku Gatas, And with advice about how to build the sensitive muscles of her body for dance, her dancing ability had suddenly improved during the concert several months later.

This was probably the results of the great efforts she put in while I wasn’t looking.

At the time that’s what I thought, and from the record maker I heard them voice that they wanted to bring Mano up for a solo debut, and so they had chosen to graduate her from Ongaku Gatas and put her on the road to being a solo singer.

And her indies work had given her the recognition for a major debut.

Even in Hello!Project at the time she was a unique solo artist, I thought she must be lonely and really uneasy. But even then I felt that she was without complaints, a real positive girl. (Though there was a time when her not voicing it had a small affect on her disposition too. lol)

From her major debut in March of 2009, 3 years and 4 months have passed, at this time, we’re announcing that in 2013, after the New Year’s Hello in her own solo live, she will be graduating from Hello!Project..

I think those of you who have seen this summer’s Hello already know this but, keeping in mind her current sense of rhythm, her suggesperformances have really improved.

I feel that with her current high spirits, that it’s a really good thing for her to graduate from Hello!Project. It’ll be a good step to her next stage.

After she graduates, I feel I want her to challenge herself steadily with acting, singing, and other new things.

With the 7 months or so until her graduation, I want her to keep growing, graduating as a “Cool Mano Erina”, and afterwards introducing herself to everyone as the “New Mano Erina” she will become.

Until then, everyone please, kindly support both Mano Erina and Hello!Project.

July 21, 2012

''Hello! Project Producer Tsunku''

Comment from Mano Erina

Thank you for always supporting me. I, Mano Erina, with the 2013 New Year’s Hello! Project Concert and the February 23rd planned solo concert in Nakano Sun Plaza, am graduating from Hello! Project.

Since the beginning of this year, Tsunku and the staff and I have continuously talked about my work from here on. From here on, I want to do my best in order to pursue my own potential and to broaden my abilities in singing and acting beyond what I have now.

It’s been about 4 years since I started my solo work, compared with the history of Hello!Project that’s really very little but, I’ve gained all kinds of experience. I’ve gotten to join Hello!Project, which was my dream, I got to have a solo debut, and there has been happiness, fun, and sometimes even frustration.

In order to head toward my dreams and goals, I want to take it into my own hands, and be determined to challenge myself more than I have before.

And I’d be happy if you continue to watch over me, Mano Erina, the same as always. From this point forward please continue to support me.


 * July 20, 2012 - Berryz Koubou's Tokunaga Chinami's Twitter account got suspended.
 * Strange enough did Chinami delete her account, many people who saw this were thinking that the Twitter account was only for the time she was in Thailand, because Hello! Project isn't linked to the SNS of the idols we won't get a clear answer why the account was deleted.
 * Chinami was only 3 three days active on Twitter.


 * July 17, 2012 - Berryz Koubou’s Tokunaga Chinami opens Twitter account20120716_tokunagachinami-600x316.jpg
 * According to her tweets, she is currently in Thailand. She’s been updating fans with photos taken overseas.
 * Apart from Tokunaga, the only member within BeriKyuu who has a twitter account is none other than Okai Chisato. Hopefully this will incite the other members to have their own personal social space soon for fans to be able to catch up with them world wide and be able to enjoy their regular updates.


 * July 16, 2012 - Up Front “RoxyGirls Audition” AnnouncedRoxy-Girls-Audition.png
 * A new Up Front audition titled RoxyGirls Audition has been announced. The audition has the same rules as Tanaka Reina’s band audition, but it’s sponsored by Yamaha and Beeast, with the band debuting under Up Front. They’re looking for girls who aim to debut in a band (either vocals, guitar, drum, bass or keyboard), and ages 15 and over with no previous contracts. The winner gets 100,000 Yen. It’s basically the same as Reina’s audition but with a bit less specifics and a cash prize, so in a way it seems like it could appeal to more girls who wish to be in a band since there are quite a lot of talented guitarists, singers, keyboardists, drummers, and bassists who are looking to be part of a band. It will be interesting to see what happens when this audition is over since it seems like Reina’s band and this band might have a friendly rivalry in a way, but for now we have to wait and see since there is still quite some time until the audition is over. The deadline is set for 9/15.


 * July 10, 2012 - Morning Musume’s 50th single sets a new record for groupMorning_musme_50th_single_One_Two_Three.jpg
 * Morning Musume’s fiftieth single “One Two Three / The Matenrou Show” sold 101,000 units during its first week. Debuting at number three on the weekly single charts, they set a new record for the largest amount of top ten singles, at fifty overall for the beloved idol group. With fifty top ten singles under their belt, Momusu now sits comfortably on top of the list of artists with the most top ten releases. They are followed by top artists such as Hamasaki Ayumi (48), B’z and SMAP (tied at 47), and THE ALFEE (46). “One Two Three / The Matenrou Show” is Morning Musume’s first single since member Michishige Sayumi was inaugurated as the eighth leader of the group. Since the single sold 101,000 units in its first week, “One Two Three / The Matenrou Show” has effectively sold over twice the amount that their April single “Renai Hunter” sold in its first week (41,000 units). This is also the first time in about ten years that the group has sold 100,000 units during the first week, their last time being the 2002 single “Koko ni Iruzee!” when Morning Musume’s second leader Iida Kaori still led the group. Michishige confessed, “We were so happy (about reaching our fiftieth single), but there was a lot of pressure. I’m truly happy, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you everyone!” Since Momusu is quickly approaching its fifteenth anniversary this September, she also added in, “So that we can be a group that will still keep being loved by many after twenty or even thirty years after this, we’re taking the baton handed to us by the senior members, and we’re doing our best to keep making new history [for the group].” Congratulations to Morning Musume on their huge achievements!


 * July 8, 2012 - Nakazawa Yuko makes an Appearance at a Morning Musume Live Event20120708_morningmusume_onetwothree25.jpg
 * On July 8th, Nakazawa Yuko made a guest appearance at Morning Musume’s release event for their latest single, “One・Two・Three / The Mantenrou Show“.
 * Wearing a long white dress that hid her pregnant stomach, Nakazawa smiled as the crowd called out, “Yuko!” and “Congratulations!” When asked if her baby (if a girl) would be joining Morning Musume in the future, she answered, “I’ve never thought about it, but if they will be long-lasting, it’s possible.”
 * Nakazawa encouraged the newest leader Michishige Sayumi, saying, “Shige-chan, I think it’s really difficult, but please overcome this pressure. It will be okay! I am cheering you on!” In response, Michishige broke out into tears and hugged Nakazawa.
 * When asked about being a leader, Nakazawa advised, “I think there were all kinds of leaders, but you don’t have to copy somebody to be a good leader. Hold onto your heart, and do your best with Reina. Don’t cry!” Then she said to the fans, “Also, everyone’s power. Things really change with everyone’s support, so please take care of them!”


 * July 6, 2012 - Happy 4th Anniversary Hello! Project Wikia
 * Today is the 4th Anniversary that Hello! Project Wiki was created.




 * Music Japan reveals guest line-up for their July 1st broadcast!
 * Popular music program Music Japan has now updated their website with the official guest-line up for next week’s episode, to air on July 1st. On this particular broadcast, a total of five artists – Jang Geun Suk, Morning Musume, Angela Aki, Momoiro Clover Z, and Kim Hyun Joong – will be performing their respective songs on this episode.


 * Nakazawa Yuko announces her pregnancy!Nakazawa_yuko.jpg
 * Former Morning Musume member Nakazawa Yuko(39) announced that she is currently 5-months pregnant at her 39th birthday’s live.She also reported this news on her official blog: “Finally, I am 5-months pregnancy, and it is a stable period, so the day I could announce it to everyone is here. This is my first experience, and I am anxious and feeling uneasy everyday, but at same time, I’m feeling joyful to become a mother.”She continued, “From now on, delivering a healthy baby will be my first priority. I will keep working as I carefully consider my condition.”In addition to the news, she also announced that she held her wedding ceremony in Hawaii at the beginning of June. She commented, “It was a really happy day with our close friends and family, who watched over us warmly.”Congratulations!


 * June 18, 2012 - C-ute’s June 30th Concert To Be Broadcasted Live On YouTube Cutejune.jpg
 * C-ute have previously announced on their Ustream show celebrating their 7th anniversary that there will be a live YouTube broadcast of their performance on June 30th, and they have recorded a special video message to remind everyone of it. C-ute are one of the few groups that seem to have been doing this sort of things on a regular basis, whether it is on Ustream or most recently on YouTube, and since they seem to be a group that appeals to foreign fans more than others thanks to their very original tracklists, their energetic performances, them being labeled as the dancing group of H!P as well as their professionalism. The concert will be broadcasted live on 6/30 at 18:30 (JST), and you only need to tune in on time at C-ute’s official YouTube channel C-ute’s official YouTube channel


 * June 14, 2012 - Former Morning Musume member hashihashi Ai is in a relationship with Abe Koji?424px-Takahashi_ai_2011.jpg
 * It has been reported that former Morning Musume member Takahashi Ai (25) and comedian Abe Koji (37), the winner of 2010’s ‘R-1 Grand Prix’ (Japanese solo comedian battle), are in a relationship. According to a weekly tabloid magazine ‘FRYDAY‘ (issued on June 15th), the two are living together in Tokyo. Along with the article, the magazine posted pictures showing Abe dropping off Takahashi, who is currently playing a role in NHK Taiga drama ‘Taira no Kiyomori‘, at the TV station and picking her up after work with his car. The couple were also seen at the restaurant having a dinner together. Reportedly, they started dating after they co-starred in the stage play, ‘Hamlet’, back in May 2011. It is said that after Takahashi graduated from Morning Musume in September last year, they formally started dating. Both agencies denied the report and stated, “We heard they are good friends. There is no fact that they are living together.” Abe divorced his now ex-wife in 2007, and there is a daughter between them.


 * June 09, 2012 - Kikkawa Yuu to Appear at Anime Weekend in AtlantaKikkawa-Yuu-Atlanta.jpg
 * Kikkawa Yuu will make an appearance in Atlanta for the Anime Weekend event. The Anime Weekend event isn’t until September, so there’s not much information available. The website hasn’t been updated either, so now we only have to go on this flyer. Hopefully anyone living nearby will be able to attend and enjoy the event. The event date is set for 9/28-9/30.


 * June 07, 2012 - Ogawa Makoto App Released, Titled “Bagel Navi” Ogawa-Makoto-Bagel-Nav.jpg
 * A new iOS app by Ogawa Makoto titled Bagel Navi has been released on iTunes. The application helps you find the best bagel. We have seen various app releases from H!P in both the iOS and Android markets so it was quite a surprise to see that a new app was released by Ogawa Makoto, much more because of the theme she chose since it’s a very unique idea for an app. Applications for finding bagels are very rare (apart from the applications for stores that sell them). As for the app itself there isn’t much else to say but “sparkle filled colorful backgrounds with bagels and Makoto” … which sums up the appearance but it also features a link to various bagel shops, comments from Ogawa, a ranking of her favorite bagels, a “bagel date”, and more. Hopefully bagel and Ogawa Makoto fans get a chance to download the app!


 * June 05, 2012 - “Young Girls Who Want To Play In A Band With Tanaka Reina”Tanaka-Reina-Audition.png
 * A new project by Tsunku involving a group centered around Tanaka Reina has been announced. The audition is for a vocalists and a guitarist. Those who apply must be between the ages of 15 – 22. Tanaka will continue her activities in Morning Musume while being in this group. While details about the final band are somewhat scarce, it seems like it will give Tanaka a great opportunity to show her talent outside of Morning Musume. Auditions will start on 6/17 and continue for 4 weekends consecutively. Reina Audition Site.


 * May 31, 2012 - Buono! Invited To Perform At Nippon Budokan Alongside Other Idol GroupsBuono_deepmind.jpg
 * Buono! have been invited to perform alongside several idol groups in an event produced by AKB48′s Sashihara Rino titled Daichikaiyubi Matsuri ~Idol Rinji Soukai~ at the Nippon Budokan venue. Other groups that were also invited are Idoling!!!, Sashihara Rino, Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku, SUPER☆GiRLS, Tokyo Joshiryu, Passpo☆, Momoiro Clover Z, and Watarirouka Hashiritai 7. The event is (not surprisingly) centered on Sashihara Rino since you have to buy her single to get an application card for the ticket to the event (from what I understand), and while it might not be explicitly announced it’s a very smart way to encourage promotion for Sashihara since it encourages fans from other groups who otherwise wouldn’t buy her single to get one in order to see their favorite group perform at the Nippon Budokan. This in a way would give her some exposure and ultimately give her more fans (basic marketing), but it also helps the other groups too since there will most likely be many fans from other groups who might become their fans as well, so in the end it’s a great way for all groups to get great exposure. Most likely many Buono fans are also fans of other idol groups (we’re all idol fans after all), so I strongly encourage those in the area to check out the event if they’re interested since it seems like a great way to see many idol groups perform alongside each other in one of the best venues in Japan! The event will take place on 6/25.


 * May 23, 2012 - Yaguchi Mari and Nakamura Masaya hold their Wedding Ceremony.
 * On May 22nd, former Morning Musume member Yaguchi Mari and actor Nakamura Masaya held a wedding ceremony at St. Grace Cathedral in Aoyama. After holding their ceremony, the two held a press conference at their reception, where Nakamura expressed, “I was moved. Both our fathers cried from beginning to end, which made me cry. But as the groom, I think I was able to hold a successful wedding ceremony.” Meanwhile, Yaguchi revealed, “I’ve always lived at my parents’ house, so it really hit me when I thought about how I would be leaving.” She then said, “I’m afraid of the letter to both our parents at the reception. I will do my best to read it.” Her husband comforted her saying, “You’ll be okay.” As this was Nakamura’s first time seeing Yaguchi in a wedding dress, he blushed, “She’s too beautiful. She’s beautiful. She’s more beautiful than I have ever seen.” Yaguchi also said, “My husband is also very good looking today. I can show him off proudly.” The couple got married on May 22nd of last year, so this day marked their 1 year anniversary. Nakamura stated, “As a wife? She’s great!“, and Yaguchi responded, “His kindness is the best so I feel I’ve found a wonderful person. I’m sorry to boast.” About 260 guests including Dream Morning Musume, Nakayama Hideyuki, and Osawa Akane came to celebrate the couple’s special day. The members of Dream Morning Musume sang Morning Musume’s hit song, “Happy Summer Wedding“. This day also marked the opening of Tokyo Sky Tree. To commemorate this occasion, the couple made a 63.4 inch wedding cake, 1/1000 the size of the Tokyo Sky Tree.


 * May 21, 2012 - Berryz Koubou To Attend “Japan Festa 2012″ In Bangkok03142be.jpg
 * Berryz Koubou has been selected to attend the annual Japan Festa held in Bagkok. Hello! Project groups have been a part of the Japan Festa for 3 years now and each year, 3 or 4 artists/groups from Hello! Project and Up-Front Agency are chosen and put into a poll for Thailand fans to chose which one they’d like most to attend the event, and it seems that thanks to Berryz Koubou’s concert held in Thailand a couple of years ago, they have gained some notoriety there and were the ones chosen by fans to attend this year’s event (the other selected groups were Morning Musume, C-ute and S/mileage). The event will be held on August 25 for a meet and greet session and on August 26 for a mini-concert.


 * May 20, 2012 - Morning Musume Announces 50th Single "One Two Three / The Matenrou Show"11110-mjpkc6qu90.jpg
 * Morning Musume has reach an impressive milestone. The group has announced that they will be releasing their 50th single, "One Two Three / The Matenrou Show" on July 4th. The single will be released in 7 editions. There will be a regular edition version which only includes a CD, 3 limited edition versions which only include a CD and 3 limited edition version which include a CD and a DVD. Each limited edition version of the single will include an application for an event. Further details about the single have not yet been revealed.


 * May 14, 2012 - Nakajima Saki & Sengoku Minami Starring In A Stage Play Titled “Junkers Come Here”Nakajima-sengoku.png
 * The play though is based off an anime movie and here’s the the plot summary from Anime News Network:
 * The story is about a young girl named Hiromi Nozawa and her dog, Junkers (pronounced Yoon-kers). Hiromi is having troubles at home mainly because of her parents wanting to separate. As she is fighting the loneliness and sorrow which is tearing her apart………Junkers trys to comfort her because unlike any other dog….he can talk and grant her 3 wishes. The stage play will be running from 7/3 to 7/8.


 * May 13, 2012 - Morning Musume & S/mileage FC Event, “Gachi☆Kira”
 * “Mousuma Morning-Musume-Smileage-New-Members-1602.jpg (モースマ), the name for the new members of MM and S/mileage, will have an interesting fan club event this summer. Over the course of 4 nights, the 12 new members will be placed into shuffle units of 6 members, with each member performing twice. Each night will have a variety of attractions which will serve as a competition for a later fan club live in which the members who were successful in the competition will get to lead more than the members who did poorly. The event’s name is “~Gachi-Kira~”
 * Preliminary events (at Yokohama Blitz):
 * June 15: Fukumura, Ikuta, Ishida, Kudo, Nakanishi, Tamura
 * June 18: Sayashi, Suzuki, Iikubo, Sato, Takeuchi, Katsuta
 * June 20: Fukumura, Suzuki, Iikubo, Kudo, Nakanishi, Takeuchi
 * June 28: Ikuta, Sayashi, Ishida, Sato, Katsuta, Tamura
 * Final event (at Zepp Tokyo): July 1 (two shows)”
 * It’s a competition between the new members with the winner(s) receiving the spotlight. H!P has had a lot of funny friendly competitions in the past so I’m really looking forward to seeing this on DVD because anything can happen.


 * May 4, 2012 - Mitsui Aika to graduate from Morning MusumeRENAIAIKA1.jpg
 * Mitsui Aika’s graduation has just been announced. Official Aika's statement: Thank you for always supporting me. But at this time I, Mitsui Aika, have decided to graduate from Morning Musume. Last May, I felt a lot of discomfort in my foot. There have been various attempts to help me improve my problem, but I have been diagnosed with an ‘abnormal’ bone disorder. Because of this, I’m closing full activities as a Morning Musume member so that I may rest. Recently, I’ve been feeling more grateful for being able to participate in Morning Musume and have been looking forward to participating in a range of activties. However, I went to get diagnosed on April 23rd. Although they said “You bone doesn’t show any signs of abnormality. So it won’t be problem during everyday life activities”, they also said “however, if you continue with strenuous exercise, this could potentially happen again”. I thought maybe I’d be at 100% one day as a Momusu member, but the diagnosis said there is a risk of recurrence. I spoke with my mother about the consultation and my future. You need to put your health first, and not worry about the members, staff or fans. So, I wish to graduate. As it’s because of my body, I should graduate soon. Tsunku and the staff agreed that the best time to graduate would be during the spring tour since the last performance on May 18th is at Budokan. I know it is sudden. I want to apologize to the members and the fans and hope they understand. I’m sorry to the fans who hoped that I would be able to dance in full. So until the end of the Budokan performance, I will do my best. So until the last show, thank you for your support. After Morning musume, I will consult with the staff and Tsunku about what kind of activities I can do within Hello Project.


 * April 27, 2012 - Berryz Koubou Concert Tour 2012 ~Berryz Station~ Raw Available on USBBerryz-Station-USB.jpg
 * It was announced that the raw footage of Berryz Koubou Concert Tour 2012 ~Berryz Station~ would be available for purchase on a USB. According to the official announcement it looks as though you have to reserve in advance and the USB will be available for pick up after the concert. Since it’s on a USB it’s easier for fans to upload it on the internet. Once everyone has seen it, they might be reluctant to purchase the actual DVD, even if the DVD will be of better quality. The USB will be available for purchase at the 4/29 concert.


 * April 17, 2012 - “Pocket Morning” and “Mousou Denwa LIFE” Apps AnnouncedPokemo_release.jpgMousoumobekimasu_release01.jpg
 * Two new apps will soon be released for iOS and Android devices, the first titled Pocket Morning and the second titled Mousou Denwa LIFE. Pocket Morning will be the mobile version of the popular Q&A questions, but it will also have photos as well as live chat. Mousou Denwa LIFE (Eng: Delusion Phone LIFE) seems like an app that simulates a phone call from a Hello! Project member, although only Tanaka Reina, Shimizu Saki, Tsugunaga Momoko, Wada Ayaka, Fukuda Kanon, and Nakajima Saki will be included. Hopefully those with iOS or Android devices try the apps out once they’re released, since it’s not everyday we get to enjoy apps from Hello! Project! Pocket Morning will be out on 4/26 while Mousou Denwa LIFE will be released on 5/2.


 * April 03, 2012 - Niigaki Risa To Star In 2 Stage Plays Upon GraduationNiigakiRisa..PNG
 * It has been scheduled for Niigaki Risa to star in 2 upcoming stage plays after her graduation in May. it seems like her acting career that already kicked off in her days within Momusu will be continuing after her graduation, and having 2 secured spots in 2 stage plays is a great way for Gaki-san to establish herself as an actress, and I’m glad to see that plans have been already made for her since this means that we will be hearing from her for quite some time even after she graduates from Morning Musume and H!P. The stage plays are titled Minori and Tumbling Vol.3, the first having a sort of typical love story starring Gaki as the main act as stated in the description of the play (first challenge at starring on stage upon graduation), while the second seems to be more interesting since Risa will, apart from playing the lead role, have a very strict character. The stage pay Minori will run from 6/29 till 7/10 while Tumbling Vol.3 will run from 8/8 till 8/12.


 * March 31, 2012 - Satoda Mai To Graduate From Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and Sapporo CerbiesSatodamaiblog.jpg
 * Satoda Mai announced that she will graduate from Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and Sapporo Cerbies. With the announcement that Satoda got engaged back in January it was somewhat expected that she would focus a bit more on her personal life once her wedding took place this month to Masahiro Tanaka, and not surprisingly we finally got the announcement that she will indeed be leaving Gatas and Sapporo Cerbies. It seems like the best choice for her since after all she might want to focus a bit more on her marriage, which is understandable since marriage usually means that there will be less time for other activities. She will leave the groups on 3/31.


 * March 31, 2012 - Nakazawa Yuko Is Officially MarriedNakazawa_yuko_2009h.jpg
 * Today, Nakazawa Yuko announced that she had officially submitted her registration and had gotten married. The ceremony hasn’t taken place, although it is expected that she will have it before her birthday in June. Since the announcement of her engagement a few months ago, everyone has been looking forward to the day Yuko gets married since she is among the few members who hasn’t had a chance to get married, something that became somewhat of a light joke among H!P, thankfully it seems like those days are over since the big day has come. The actual ceremony hasn’t taken place but like most H!P fans I’ll be looking forward to the pictures of the happy couple once it does since it’s a very happy moment for everyone, although it might be a private event for friends and family. Despite that we wish Yuko a big congratulations and a long and happy life with her new husband!


 * March 23, 2012 - New Morning Musume Radio Show For 9th And 10th Generation Members AnnouncedMM-9th-10th-gen.png
 * A new radio show for the 9th and 10th generation members of Morning Musume titled Morning Musume no Morning Gakuen ~Houkago Meeting~ (Morning Musume’s Morning Campus ~AfterSchool Meeting~) has been announced. The 8 girls will be hosting the show since this seems like it will be kind of chaotic if everyone wants to have a little talk segment, and while it might be a little hard for everyone to manage showing off their great personalities to the listeners in only half an hour, I really hope that the regularity of the show will allow everyone to gather and have fun together since this will definitely be interesting to listen to, having 8 young girls talking about various subjects. The first broadcast will air on April 7th from 24:30 till 25:00 JST. The radio show will be held every Saturday from 24:30 till 25:00 on Radio NIPPON.


 * March 18, 2012 - Niigaki Risa's "Baba-chan" Gone to HeavenO0249033211844489714.jpg
 * According to Niigaki's Ameba Blog and Blog translations Niigaki Risa's Grandmother who she calls Baba-Chan has passed away on March 9th at the age of 78. Death is unknown due to the fact that it wasn't said on the blog or the hospital or where she died at. Best Wishes to Niigaki From all fans. A quote from Niigaki says "Right now it feels like there’s a big hole in my heart, but the funeral service is over, and we were able to bid farewell properly." Please Support Niigaki Risa in her last moments as a Morning Musume 5th Generation member


 * March 11, 2012 - Dream Morning Musume holds their “final” concertUntitled.png
 * On March 10th, Dream Morning Musume held their ‘First chapter final’ live concert titled “Dream Morning Musume Special LIVE 2012 Nippon Budokan~Dai 1 Shou Shuumaku ‘Yuusha tachi, Shuugou seyo’~” at Nippon Budokan. Current Morning Musume members, and OG members, Ishiguro Aya and Tsuji Nozomi made their guest appearance. Moreover, Goto Maki who has been on indefinite hiatus since the end of last year, also made a surprise appearance, showing a great performance. Dream Morning Musume was formed on January 28th 2011 with 10 former Morning Musume members (Fujimoto Miki did not participate in this live due to her pregnancy).  The group has been active mainly for concert tours over this past year.  After this live concert, Dream Morning Musume’s activity is going on hiatus for now. For the live, a total of 24 former and current Morning Musume members got together on the stage. Ishiguro who appeared on the stage for the first time in 12 years since she graduated from the group, performed sub-unit Tanpopo’s debut song “Last Kiss”, and “Tanpopo” with Iida Kaori, Yaguchi Mari, and Ishikawa Rika. She commented, “I thought that there could be a barrier between the members since it’s been so long, but actually there wasn’t.  I’m glad.” Nakazawa Yuuko and Abe Natsumi then ran up to Ishiguro and Iida, and showed the reunion of the first generation of Morning Musume. Nakazawa said, “It’s fun that these four of us got together again.  Please remember Fukuda Asuka (who was also the first generation member) in your head now!” Tsuji who has been on her child-care leave, joined the performance of “The☆Peace!“, and said, “Since Budokan was the very first stage for me, I’m glad that I was able to stand on the same stage with the members again.” Goto visited the concert to celebrate her old fellows’ grand occasion after getting called out by the producer Tsunku♂.  She appeared as Pucchimoni (or Petitmoni) with Yasuda Kei and Yoshizawa Hitomi.  They performed  a medley of “Chokotto Love” and “BABY! Koi ni KNOCK OUT!“, while receiving many “Gocchin” calls by the audience.  Goto said, “It’s been a while to come to Budokan, and Pucchimoni too!  Watching the PV in those days brought back memories. I also looked young and powerless.” Since the day was almost exactly a year since the Tohoku earthquake occurred, they sent out the message during the first MC.  Last December, the members visited the devastated areas, and 70 disaster victims were invited to this concert. Nakazawa said with tearful eyes, “Dream Morning Musume is immortal. As long as Morning Musume keeps going, we also have to keep working hard too.  Let’s meet again someday!", and they performed “Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru” all together in the end.


 * February 23, 2012 - Ishiguro Aya & Tsuji Nozomi to make guest appearance at Dream Morning Musume’s last live20120223_ishiguro_tsuji.jpg
 * It’s been announced that former Morning Musume members Ishiguro Aya (33) and Tsuji Nozomi (24) will be making a guest appearance in Dream Morning Musume’s last live! Dream Morning Musume was created temporarily in January of last year, and consists of 10 former members of Morning Musume. The group will hold their last concert at Nippon Budokan on March 10th. This will be Ishiguro’s first concert since graduating from Morning Musume over 12 years ago. Meanwhile, Tsuji last took the stage 3 years ago for Hello! Project’s Yokohama concert. Hello! Project producer Tsunku offered Ishiguro to participate after she had requested to view the live from the audience. From there, Tsunku also called out to Tsuji, which became the deciding factor of their appearances. Although details regarding their appearances have not been revealed, Ishiguro commented, “I want to enjoy every minute that I can spend with everyone.” Tsuji also stated, “I want to prepare myself from now.”


 * Febryary 19, 2012 - Yoshizawa Hitomi And Ishikawa Rika To Sing Opening Theme For “Sengoku Collection” AnimeAnime.jpg
 * Yoshizawa Hitomi and Ishikawa Rika will sing the OP theme for the tentatively titled Sengoku Collection anime. According to the information Yossie and Rika will sing the OP theme and Sweety will sing the ED. The anime itself is based on a social networking game, but here is some info about the anime from ANN:
 * The story is set in the tumultuous Sengoku Era of historical Japan, when military masters circle the figurative throne of Japan’s first shogunate. In the game, “God of War Cards” have been sealed in six hidden treasures, and fighting breaks out among those who seek the treasures.
 * As a new military master, the player embarks on a journey to obtain the treasures by clearing quests and fighting bosses. It will be interesting to see just how the OP theme sounds since Rika and Yossie singing outside of HANGRY&ANGRY is something we haven’t seen in a while. The anime will start on 4/5.


 * February 17, 2012 - Niigaki Risa Official Ameblo Blog Risaaa.jpg
 * Today Niigaki Risa opend a new ameblo blog. Since several of members already have an ameblo blog, it's good to see that Risa has one now. It's great for her fans to finally be able to enjoy reading her new blog on Ameblo.


 * February 08, 2012 - Michishige Sayumi x Sanrio Collaboration Announced Sayubunny.jpg
 * Michishige Sayumi has made a bunny character called Sayu-usa which will be collaborating with Sanrio’s character Cinnamonroll.
 * On Valentines Day there will be a launch event at Hello Kitty’s Kawaii Paradise stage in Odaiba. There will be collaboration goods for sale, and the first 20 to purchase the goods set will get a handshake ticket to see Sayumi.
 * There will be various goods for sale. Collaborations between H!P members and some other company are somewhat rare nowadays. Sayu’s overly cute personality and her trademark Usa-chan peace are perfect for many fans who prefer cute things, so I’m not surprised at all that Sanrio has chosen her since it seems like a natural partnership between the two. From what I can tell the event will be done in honor of Cinnamonroll’s 10th anniversary. Hopefully fans in the area can check out the event since it’s a very cute way of celebrating Valentines Day! The event will take place on 2/14.


 * February 07, 2012 - Niigaki Risa announces FC Bus TourImg20120205115201241.jpg
 * Niigaki Risa announced on her blog that she will have an FC bus tour.Details such as the location, the official title, and prices haven’t been revealed. It was just a matter of time until we heard of a special solo event for Gaki since H!P members usually get one last solo event before their graduation. That’s why I’m really happy to see that she will have one about a month before her graduation since fans will be able to attend and show their support.The announcement was done on Gaki’s blog along with a message that more details will be released soon, but it’s something everyone can look forward too since there are many pictures shortly after the event. Since this is her last event I encourage everyone who can to attend it since it’s a pretty unique opportunity to enjoy a bus tour with Gaki.The tour will take place on 4/21 ~ 4/22


 * February 03, 2012 - Morning Musume Stopwatch App Release For Android & IOSMM-Stopwatch-App.jpg
 * According to the staff twitter, a new Morning Musume stopwatch app for Android & IOS has been released.
 * Here is the app description:
 * Stopwatch Application, which includes photos & voices of “Morning Musume” ( Japanese famous idol) on its timeline. Let’s find and complete them measuring time. For example, try to stop 0:00:03:0 or 0:01:00:0. 0 millisecond is important. If the time is a jackpot, you’ll get pics (and voice, sometimes). If you fail to stop on 0 millisecond, the meter will be turn red, gradually. When the meter turns red completely, you are forced to be back to 0:00:00:0. Though there is no pics or voice, if you succeed to stop on 0 millisecond,the meter will recover, slightly. Sometimes, you will get warp hole, that leads you at a specific prior time. Finishing this app with measuring time, when you run this app again, you can continue measuring time added time since you quit before. So you are free from fear of the loss of battery.


 * January 28, 2012 - S/mileage Starring In A New Movie “Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro ・Igyou”Smileage-kaidan-shin-mimibukuro-igyou-1-300x199.jpg
 * S/mileage will be starring in a new horror movie titled “Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro ・Igyou” Most of the movies that the H!P members are featured in is horror genre. S/mileage just got the chance to be featured in a movie as the stars. The last movie they were in, they made a small cameo as themselves and this time around I think they’re the main characters. The movie will be released in theater in summer. Even though that’s still awhile away, we were able to get a screen cap of Dawa from part of the movie as well as a shot of the entire group. Hopefully more will be released soon and until then please keep supporting S/mileage anyway you can!


 * January 26, 2012 - Satoda Mai Is Married!Satoda-Mai-9283-300x225.png
 * It was just announced that Satoda Mai is now married! There is not much is known about her new husband except that he’s a baseball player and that his name is Masahiro Tanaka. Regardless of that I wish the both of the much happiness.


 * January 21, 2012 - Yajima Maimi’s 1st Casual Dinner Show Announced:According to the H!P FC site, Yajima Maimi will have her 1st Casual Dinner Show event in March. With a 20th birthday we usually get the announcement of a casual dinner event, since it usually relates to the age a member becomes an adult in Maimicutest.jpg, and it’s great to see that Maimi will be getting a chance to have one since it will give everyone a chance to enjoy her singing as well as a nice dinner. The prices for the tickets are somewhat costly since it includes the cost of dinner (around $180~194 US dollars) but I encourage those who can attend to do so since it’s a really nice event for fans to enjoy alongside their favorite idol. Captain had one back in November and she performed numerous songs, from Berryz, as well as other artists, so it’s safe to say that we can expect to hear Maimi cover at least one song from another group/artist. Maimi’s birthday is in February, but the event’s won’t take place until March, so there will be plenty of time until the event is planned to start, so I hope that everyone who is interested in going and can get a ticket attends since it’s a perfect event for Maimi fans. The dates are set for 3/17 at La Donna (14:00 and 18:30) and 3/20 at Flamingo the Arusha (14:00 and 18:00).


 * January 18, 2012 - Niigaki Risa’s Graduation Concert Will Be At Nippon BudokanNiigaki.jpg
 * According to a tweet, Morning Musume’s Concert Tour 2012 Spring ~Ultra Smart~ Niigaki Risa Graduation Special will be held at Nippon Budokan. The source of the information is apparently the H!P FC executive newsletter. Gaki is now the member with the longest time in Momusu and H!P, so I think graduating at the Budokan is the least they can do since after all she was planning on graduating with Ai-chan a few months ago in the same place. If this is confirmed then that means that Momusu will have performed twice in the Budokan before her graduation (once at Dream Momusu’s concert in March), which is great news to hear. Hopefully this is confirmed soon by H!P since so far we only have a tweet from a trusted fan, but we should see some kind of message appear soon since it seems like the most likely event. The concert will take place on 5/18 at 18:00.


 * January 12, 2012 - Mitsui Aika’s Ameba Blog Is Officially Open, Titled “aika”
 * According to reports from her FC event, Mitsui Aika will now have a new Ameba blog open to the public titled aika. As many might already know, Aika had an FC blog titled Aika no Pastel Color Days which was only open for fans in the fan club. It has been some time since the blog opened and for the most part Aika hasn’t posted that often in it, until today where it was announced that she will indeed have a new blog open for everyone to enjoy. It’s great news to hear that she will have a public blog since fans everywhere can be up to date about her daily life, and it comes with great timing since Mitsui seems 100% ready to dance and perform at concerts and events. For now there are no posts in the blog, but she will probably start to post soon, as indicated by her recent FC blog post mentioning rehearsals for her next FC event.


 * January 02, 2012 - Niigaki Risa To Graduate From Morning Musume and Hello! ProjectRisachan.jpg
 * Today at Hello! Project concert, Niigaki Risa has just announced that she will graduate from Morning Musume and Helllo! Project at the end of Morning Musume’s Spring Concert Tour 2012. According to fan reports her graduation was originally scheduled to be alongside Ai-chan’s, but due to the new members coming into the group it was postponed. Sayumi will apparently be the Momusu leader (Reina will be sub-leader) with Shimizu Saki being the Hello! Project leader, which is a somewhat unusual way of splitting the power to two people. Gaki is also apparently going to focus on acting when she graduates, so it’s nice to see that she will still continue to be in the entertainment business.Morning Musume will have a very noticeable absence of energy once she graduates. It will be hard to make up for that large amount of energy that she had during concerts, but I’m confident that the newer members as well as Sayu, Reina, and Mitsui will be able to carry the group just fine after she leaves. Niigaki Risa will graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project at the end of the Spring Momusu concert tour.