Berryz Koubou

Berryz Koubou (Berryz工房, literally "Berryz Workshop"; sometimes romanized as Berryz Kobo or Berryz Kōbō) is an all-girl J-pop group within Hello! Project. The original eight members are originally from Hello! Project Kids and often were back-up dancers for W (Double You)'s music videos. Prior to the band's formation, in such side projects as Aa! and ZYX, and in the Mini Moni movie Okashi na Daibōken and Natsuyaki Miyabi was in a small group called Sexy Otonajan. Berryz Koubou's highest selling single is Dschinghis Khan.

2004
They were first announced at a Hello! Project Club Event on January 14, 2004. Hello! Project promoted the band by releasing three singles within a month of each other, starting in March 2004 with "Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai". Their first album, 1st Chou Berryz, followed the trilogy of debut singles in July 2004.

Berryz Kobo debuted at a concert on March 3, 2004, and they performed as backup dancers for W's promotional videos.

Even though there are exceptions (such as album songs) the lead vocals in Berryz Kobo's main single songs are most often Natsuyaki Miyabi, Sugaya Risako,Tsugunaga Momoko and Kumai Yurina.

2005
Special Generation was released on March 30th, 2005 and ranked #7 on Oricon Charts. It's their 1st single to get to be on the top 10 and the first to get more than 20k copies sold. At that time, members average age didn't exceed 12 years.

On September 11, 2005, it was announced that Ishimura Maiha would graduate from the group and Hello! Project to focus on her studies. Her graduation took place on the last night of their fall tour on October 2, 2005, making her the second H!P member who had her own Graduation Concert outside MM (the first's Heike Michiyo). Nowadays, she attends Shinagawa Étoile Girls High School, an elite private school in Tokyo.

2007
In February 2007, Berryz Kobo made news headlines after it was announced that the group would be holding a concert at Saitama Super Arena on April 1. Not only were the tickets for the two performances sold out (a total of 20,000 seats) almost two months before the premiere, but the event also marked a historical record in that the band officially became the first to perform in the arena whose members average age did not exceed 14 years (thereby dethroning Morning Musume, whose average was 16.3).

On April 1, 2007, Berryz Kobo held a concert at Saitama Super Arena, becoming the youngest female group ever to perform there. The tickets sold out two months before the concert, and a few days before the concert it was announced that there would be extra seats available.

2008
On March 12, 2008 they released Dschinghis Khan, their first cover song, which is currently their highest selling single, the one with most charting weeks and the single with most versions. However, their 21st single: "Watashi no Mirai no Danna-sama / Ryuusei Boy", released on November 11, 2009 took away the position of the Berryz single with most charting weeks (a total of 9 weeks).

Berryz Koubou participated at the Asia Song Festival 2008 in South Korea representing Japan along with w-inds and Tsuchiya Anna. They performed two times on October 3rd (Eve Concert, where they sang Dschinghis Khan, Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi, Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance and Special Generation) and 4th (Main Concert: Dschinghis Khan and Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance), and also, they held a handshake event thanks to PonyCanyon Korea. Berryz won the Asia New Comer Award along with the SM entertainment group SHINee. During their stay in Korea, the girls visited “Lotte World”, an amusement park in Seoul which is the largest indoor theme park in the world, and ranked seventh worldwide in attendance.

They performed at Sharang Q’s 20th anniversary concert on December 12, 2008. The girls performed: Dschinghis Khan (with °C-ute), MADAYADE, and LOVE Machine (together with °C-ute and Morning Musume) at the Nippon Budokan (日本武道館).

The group visited the 41st Nippon Yuusen Taishou Ongaku Shoujushou Award Show on December 17, 2008 at Nakano Sun Plaza and were runners up for the “Wired Music Prize” Award, which prized the songs loved by people (the theme of that year was "Heart"). They performed their 16th single: Dschinghis Khan. The other nominees were Asami Chiyuki, Horuichi Takao and Sakurai Kumiko.

2009
During their spring concert ~Sono Subete no Ai ni~, the girls celebrated their 100th concert on April 25, 2009 at Tochigi night. In this, they showed a recap video with the song "Bye Bye Mata ne" counting up from their 1st concert to their 100th (the list didn't include joint concerts).

The group has two trademark songs: "Special Generation" (the most performed song of the group, something like LOVE Machine for Morning Musume) and "Bye Bye Mata ne" (performed only in special moments like their 1st concert, Ishimura Maiha graduation, their 1st concert at Saitama Super Arena, their first fan club tour in Hawaii and to celebrate their 100th concert performance).

2010
On March 3, Berryz released their 3rd doubla a-side single Otakebi Boy WAO!/Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! This single reached a peaking ranking of #3, making this their highest single ranking to date. With the end of this single's second week, Berryz ranks at #9, which makes also makes this not just highest ranking second week, but the highest ranking second week through out all of Hello! Project since 2003.

Members

 * Shimizu Saki (C)
 * Tsugunaga Momoko
 * Tokunaga Chinami
 * Sudou Maasa
 * Natsuyaki Miyabi
 * Kumai Yurina
 * Sugaya Risako

Former Member

 * Ishimura Maiha (graduated 10.02.2005)

Awards

 * [2008.10.04] 「Asia New Comer Award」 at Asia Song Festival 2008, Seoul Korea
 * [2008.12.17] Nominated to 「Wired Music Prize」 at 41st Nippon Yuusen Taishou Ongaku Shoujushou Award

Discography and Releases
Main article: Berryz Koubou Discography

Singles

 * 1) [2004.03.03] Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai (あなたなしでは生きてゆけない)
 * 2) [2004.04.28] Fighting Pose wa Date ja Nai!(ファイティングポーズはダテじゃない!)
 * 3) [2004.05.26] Piriri to Yukou! (ピリリと行こう!)
 * 4) [2004.08.25] Happiness ~Koufuku Kangei!~ (ハピネス ~幸福歓迎!~)
 * 5) [2004.11.10] Koi no Jubaku (恋の呪縛)
 * 6) [2005.03.30] Special Generation (スッペシャル ジェネレ~ション)
 * 7) [2005.06.08] Nanchuu Koi wo Yatteruu YOU KNOW? (なんちゅう恋をやってるぅ YOU KNOW?)
 * 8) [2005.08.03] 21ji Made no Cinderella (21時までのシンデレラ)
 * 9) [2005.11.23] Gag 100 Kaibun Aishite Kudasai (ギャグ100回分愛してく� さい)
 * 10) [2006.03.29] Jiriri Kiteru (ジリリ キテル)
 * 11) [2006.08.02] Waracchaou yo BOYFRIEND (笑っちゃおうよ BOYFRIEND)
 * 12) [2006.12.06] Munasawagi Scarlet (胸騒ぎスカーレット)
 * 13) [2007.03.07] VERY BEAUTY
 * 14) [2007.06.27] Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba (告白の噴水広場)
 * 15) [2007.11.28] Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi (付き合ってるのに片思い)
 * 16) [2008.03.12] Dschinghis Khan (ジンギスカン)
 * 17) [2008.07.09] Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance (行け 行け モンキーダンス)
 * 18) [2008.11.05] MADAYADE
 * 19) [2009.03.11] Dakishimete Dakishimete (抱きしめて 抱きしめて)
 * 20) [2009.06.03] Seishun Bus Guide/Rival (青春バスガイド / ライバル)
 * 21) [2009.11.11] Ryuusei Boy/Watashi no Mirai no Danna-sama (私の未来の� んな様 / 流星ボーイ)
 * 22) [2010.03.03] Tomodachi wa Tomodachi Nanda! / Otakebi Boy WAO! (友達は友達なん��! / 雄叫びボーイ WAO!)
 * 23) [2010.07.14] Maji Bomber!! (本気ボンバー!!)

Albums

 * 1. 1st Chou Berryz :
 * 2. Dai 2 Seichouki :
 * 3. 3 Natsu Natsu Mini Berryz
 * 4. 4th Ai no Nanchara Shisū :
 * 5. 5(FIVE) 


 * 6. Berryz Kobo Special Best Vol. 1
 * 7. 6th Osakebi

EP's

 * 1. Special! Best Mini ~2.5 Maime no Kare~

DVD MAGAZINE

 * Purchasable only in the meeting place

Photobooks

 * 2005-05-20 – 1st Shashinshū "Berryz Kobo" (1st写真集「Berryz工房」)
 * 2005-08-02 – "Seasonz" (「Seasonz」)
 * 2005-08-25 – "Marugoto" - Berryz Kobo First Live Photobook (「まるごと」)
 * 2005-12-02 – "Switch On" - Berryz Kobo Live Photobook (「スイッチON」)
 * 2006-07-05 – "Nyoki Nyoki Champion" - Berryz Kobo Live Photobook (「にょきにょきチャンピオン」

In Concert

 * [2005.08.25] marugoto ( まるごと )
 * [2005.10.25] Abe Natsumi + Berryz Koubou Hello! Project 2005 Natsu no Kayou Show '05 Selection! Collection! ( 安倍なつみ+ベリーズ工房Hello!Project2005夏の歌謡ショー―05’セレクション!コレクション! ) - with Abe Natsumi
 * [2005.12.02] Switch ON! ( スイッチON! )
 * [2006.07.05] Nyoki Nyoki Champion!! ( にょきにょきチャンピオン!! )
 * [2006.09.21] Berryz Koubou & °C-ute in Hello!Project 2006 Summer Wonderful Hearts Land ( Berryz工房&°C-ute in Hello!Project 2006 Summer Wonderful Hearts Land ) - with °C-ute
 * [2007.10.04] 2007 Summer ～Welcome! Berryz Castle～ ( 2007夏 ～ウェルカム！Berryz宮殿 ～ )
 * [2008.07.04] 2008 Berryz Koubou vs Cutie Ranger Live Stage ver (2008 Berryz仮面　vs　キューティーレンジャ STAGE ver) - with °C-ute
 * [2008.07.04] 2008 Berryz Koubou vs Cutie Ranger Live Document ver (2008 Berryz仮面　vs　キューティーレンジャ DOCUMENT ver) - with °C-ute

Calendars

 * [2004.12.10] 2005 Calendar with W (Berryz工房 2005年 カレンダー)
 * [2005.10.29] 2006 Calendar (Berryz工房 2006年 カレンダー)
 * [2006.09.21] 2007 Calendar (Berryz工房 2007年 カレンダー)
 * [2007.10.01] 2008 Calendar (Berryz工房 2008年 カレンダー)
 * [2008.10.13] 2009 Calendar (Berryz工房 2009年 カレンダー)
 * [2009.10.10] 2010 Calender (Berryz工房 2010年 カレンダー)

Trivia

 * To announce their major debut, they held a press conference at Nakano Sun Plaza on January 14th, however they officially debuted on March 3rd the Japanese Doll Festival (雛祭り, Hinamatsuri), also known as Girls' Day, which is held on March 3rd (the third day of the third month).
 * The girls didn't know about their group name, Berryz Koubou, until day of its announcement to the public. They first saw the name on their costumes, but they couldn't read the kanji and were wondering what it was.
 * For their debut single, Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai, they spent a lot of time learning the choreography. Now they only need a few lessons for each new dance (approximately 3 or 4).
 * Their goal for 2007 was to appear on Kouhaku Uta Gassen, and they achieved it.
 * Nozomu Iwao, a famous japanese comedian of the duo "Football Hour", is a fan of Berryz. He often talks about them in the shows he's invited on (he even made a parody of Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba, in which he played Sugaya Risako, his favorite member).
 * Everyone in Berryz Koubou was born in Heisei Era, which is the current era in Japan (and began on January 8, 1989).
 * Their first performance together as Berryz Koubou was Morning Musume's song Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~.
 * They are the only H!P group who have a "Captain" instead of a "Leader".
 * The vocalist of the Japanese rock band "Base Ball Bear", Koide Yuusuke, is a fan of Berryz Koubou; that's one of the reason that they chose Kumai Yurina to be in their CM promoting (WHAT IS THE) LOVE & POP?, his group's 3rd album.
 * Famous manga artist Arina Tanemura is also a fan of Berryz; her favorite member is Sugaya Risako. She once traded autographs with Tsugunaga Momoko.
 * They were the first all-girl Japanese group to perform in Thailand.