Hello! Project

'''Hello! Project''' (ハロー!プロジェクト) is the umbrella name for the all-female idol Japanese pop recording artists that are under contract with the, and managed by UP-FRONT PROMOTION.

Most Hello! Project artists' recordings are published by Up-Front Works on the zetima, PICCOLO TOWN, or hachama record labels. Iida Kaori's Mediterranean-styled works are released under the Chichukai label and Maeda Yuki's under the Rice Music label. Country Musume's older work was released on the Potato Label, Coconuts Musume's older works were originally released on the Sony record label, Sheki-Dol's first singles were released on SPREE RECORDS and Heike Michiyo's older works on Warner Music Japan, but they eventually all moved to zetima.

The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is Morning Musume. Since its creation in 1998, the main producer and songwriter was Tsunku, the lead singer of , until he resigned from his position as the general producer in October 2014. The current leader of Hello! Project is ℃-ute's Leader, Yajima Maimi.

1997-2002
In 1997, rock group, fronted by Tsunku, began auditions for a female vocalist. These auditions aired via the reality show ASAYAN, and resulted in Heike Michiyo being crowned the winner.

Tsunku, however, decided to give five of the runner-ups (Nakazawa Yuko, Abe Natsumi, Iida Kaori, Fukuda Asuka and Ishiguro Aya) a chance to become a group in their own right. The girls were set the task of selling 50,000 copies of "Ai no Tane," their demo single, in just five days. The girls sold the required number of copies in four days, and subsequently became an official group.

Morning Musume's debut single, "Morning Coffee." was released on January 28, 1998 on the One Up Music  label and charted at #6 on the Oricon weekly chart. The group's first official appearance was a joint live in August 1998, at Shibuya Public Hall (now Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall), under the name "Heike Michiyo and Morning Musume" (平家みちよとモーニング娘. ), the fanclub of the two acts was called "Hello!". The first official "units" were Tanpopo and Petitmoni, created in October

In 1998, the first "Michiyo Heike & Morning Musume Imotōbun Audition" took place, resulting in the addition of the "second generation" members of Morning Musume, Ichii Sayaka, Yaguchi Mari and Yasuda Kei.

In January, 1999, auditions for Country Musume were held on "Idol o Sagase!" (アイドルをさがせ!, Search For an Idol!).

In April, 1999, the official fan club was named "Hello! Project."

Auditions were once again held on ASAYAN between April and July, 1999, resulting in Taiyou to Ciscomoon and Coconuts Musume, with Country Musume's official formation announced.

In July, 1999, Hello! Project's first live concert, "Hello! Project '99 at Yokohama Arena" was held.

In March, 2000, the first shuffle units were formed, releasing the "theme" of Hello! Project as a B-side.

The first Hello! Project television show, "Hello! Morning," was created in April, 2000 and aired from 2000 to 2005.

In March 2001, Morning Musume co-founder and leader Nakazawa Yuko announced her graduation from the group. The actual graduation took place in April, and Nakazawa was subsequently named as leader of the entirety of Hello! Project. Nakazawa's graduation garnered considerable media attention, the first time the group had truly caught the attention of the mainstream press.

Between April and June 2002, the first and only Hello! Project Kids auditions were held. These auditions resulted in acquiring the future members of Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute. It also spawned off-shoot auditions such as auditions for Hello Pro Kenshuusei and Hello! Pro Kansai.

On July 31, a major reformation of all of the groups within Hello! Project began, which was referred to as "Haromageddon" (ハローマゲドン) (a pun on Hello (ハロー, Harō) and Armageddon (ハルマゲドン, "Harumagedon")) and "the 7/31 incident" by fans.

2006-2008
Beginning in 2006, with the graduation of more and more Hello! Project members, an increasing number of fans began to lose interest in the groups and abandoned them, cancelling their fanclub memberships and refusing to buy merchandise. This wave came to be known as the "Second coming of Haromageddon."

In February, 2006, former Morning Musume member and sub-leader of duo W, Kago Ai, was caught smoking in public while underage and dating a much older man. Kago was suspended from her activities and eventually began an attempt to return.

On March 26, 2007, Kago was again caught smoking. Her contract was instantly terminated.

In June, 2007, it was announced that Konno Asami, who had graduated from Hello! Project a year prior to study at university, would be returning. Konno became the first person to have graduated from Hello! Project to return.

On October 15, 2007, Tsunku created the. The first group out of NICE GIRL Project! was THE Possible, a group made up of Hello Pro Egg members.

On October 28, 2007, former Morning Musume member Goto Maki, who had been inactive for some time, graduated from Hello! Project as a soloist. She later transferred to Avex.

In late 2007, Hello! Project started the Taiwanese "Morning Family New Star Audition," an audition aimed at recruiting Taiwanese members to join Hello! Project.

In April, 2008, the debut of Hello! Pro Kansai group SI☆NA was announced. The group never officially debuted and never recorded a song, though they occasionally appeared on television shows and radio.

In September, 2008, it was announced that, as a result of the Taiwanese auditions, the group Ice Creamusume (アイスクリー娘. ) was formed, consisting of six members. Duo Frances &amp; Aiko, both still only children, were announced from the same audition.

On October 19, 2008, Hello! Project announced that its entire Elder Club would be graduating on March 31, 2009.

2008 also marked the first time in a decade that Morning Musume had not performed at the annual Kouhaku Uta Gassen event, after ten consecutive appearances. The only Hello! Project member to appear on that year's show was Satoda Mai, marking the first appearance of a member of Country Musume.

2009-2012
In February 2009, it was announced that Hello! Project would begin a series of auditions in South Korea. The sole winner was Jang Da Yeon.

On February 1, 2009, at the Yokohama Arena, Hello! Project held its largest concert ever—Hello! Project 2009 Winter Kettei! Hello☆Pro Award '09 ~Elder Club Sotsugyou Kinen Special~—featuring 21 groups and 72 members. Former Morning Musume member Tsuji Nozomi performed in her first official event after a hiatus of a year and nine months. During the concert, then-Hello! Project leader Nakazawa Yuko passed her leadership position to Morning Musume leader Takahashi Ai. This mass-graduation caused another large surge of fan backlash, resulting in even more fan club cancellations and merchandise boycotts, and is considered the "third coming of Haromageddon."

Later in 2009, several of the old, dormant units were revived. Tanpopo, Minimoni, Petitmoni, ZYX, Aa! and v-u-den all returned with new line-ups, and High-King returned from hiatus with its original members. These groups became a new concert unit, "Champuru."

At the end of October 2010, Suzuki Airi from ℃-ute appeared on the cover of the December issue of UP to boy magazine together with Mayu Watanabe from AKB48. That was the first gravure collaboration between Hello! Project and AKB48.

On September 30, 2011, Takahashi Ai graduated and handed her position as leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project over to Niigaki Risa.

In January 2012, Morning Musume and Hello! Project leader Niigaki Risa announced her graduation at the end of the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2012 Haru ~Ultra Smart~ Niigaki Risa Mitsui Aika Graduation Special. After her graduation, Michishige Sayumi took over as leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project. That same month, Hello Pro Egg also changed it's name to Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

On May 18, 2012, during the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2012 Haru ~Ultra Smart~ Niigaki Risa Mitsui Aika Graduation Special it was announced that they were looking for new members during their Morning Musume 11ki Member "Suppin Utahime" Auditions.

During Morning Musume Tanjou 15 Shuunen Kinen Concert Tour 2012 Aki ~Colorful Character~ concert, Tanaka Reina announced she would be graduating from Morning Musume and Hello! Project.

2013-present
On February 3, during the Hello! Project Tanjou 15 Shuunen Kinen Live 2013 Fuyu ~Bravo!~ show in Fukuoka, a new unit was announced consisting of Miyazaki Yuka, Kanazawa Tomoko, Takagi Sayuki, Otsuka Aina, Miyamoto Karin and Uemura Akari, with each member representing a fruit. The unit was unnamed until February 25, when the name Juice=Juice and the member colors were revealed.

On March 16, 2013, on the first day of Morning Musume's spring concert titled Morning Musume Concert Tour 2013 Haru Michishige☆Eleven SOUL ~Tanaka Reina Sotsugyou Kinen Special~ the Morning Musume 12ki Member "Mirai Shoujo" Audition's opened. It was later announced on August 24, 2013, that no one won the auditions.

On April 30, 2013, Berryz Koubou member Natsuyaki Miyabi was appointed sub-captain of the group.

On May 21, 2013, Tanaka Reina graduated from both Morning Musume and Hello! Project. 9th generation member Fukumura Mizuki and 10th generation member Iikubo Haruna were made sub-leaders of Morning Musume making this the first time the group had two sub-leaders.

On the July 26, 2013, Hello! Project changed its logo. The new logo has a blue background with "Hello! Project" written in middle in white, under it the text "since 1998" can be seen.

On January 1, 2014, Morning Musume changed their name to Morning Musume '14.

On February 11, 2014, the sole member of Country Musume, Satoda Mai announced the Country Musume Shin Member Audition's. Satoda Mai won't be in the group herself because she was moving to New York. It was announced via VTR during the Hello! Project 2014 WINTER ~GOiSU MODE~.

On April 29, 2014, during the Morning Musume '14 Concert Tour Haru ~Evolution~ in Yamaguchi, Michishige Sayumi announced her graduation from Morning Musume '14 and Hello! Project. She was set to graduate at their fall concert.

On August 2, 2014, during the Hello! Project 2014 SUMMER ~KOREZO!~ show at Nakano Sun Plaza, Shimizu Saki announced that Berryz Koubou would be on an indefinite hiatus after the conclusion of their Spring 2015 tour.

In October 2014, Tsunku resigned as Hello! Project's general producer after the Morning Musume '14 Live Concert in New York in order to rest and spend more time with his family after his vocal cords were removed due to laryngeal cancer. He will continue to write music, and stay as Morning Musume's sound producer, but has decreased his amount of work. Tsunku's resignation was unknown to public until September 2015, when he confessed to it in a memoir he released titled Dakara, Ikiru.

On October 8, Michishige confirmed during an interview that the next Hello! Project leader would be Yajima Maimi of ℃-ute. Yajima would receive the title following the graduation of Michishige on November 26, 2014.

On November 5, 2014, it was revealed that Country Musume would be revived as Country Girls, with a new line-up of two Kenshuusei, three Morning Musume '14 audition participants, and Tsugunaga Momoko as the playing manager.

On November 26, 2014, Michishige Sayumi graduated from Morning Musume '14 and Hello! Project. At the time of her graduation, she was the longest serving member of Morning Musume.

On January 2, 2015 a new group made up of 8 Hello! Pro Kenshuusei was announced during the Hello! Pro Winter 2015 tour. There name was going to be announced sometime in January, but that was postponed. On February 25th, the group's name was revealed to be Kobushi Factory. The name was chosen with the help of Shimizu Saki and follows a similar pattern to Berryz Koubou.

On March 3rd, 2015, Berryz Koubou performed their last concert before the start of their indefinite hiatus - Berryz Koubou Last Concert 2015 Berryz Koubou Ikube!. They had been a group for 11 years, 1 month, and 17 days and graduated on the 11th anniversary of their debut.

Members

 * See Also: Hello! Project Acts &amp; Members


 * Leader of Hello! Project
 * Yajima Maimi (November 27, 2014 – Present)


 * (L) = Leader
 * (SL) = Sub-Leader
 * (PM) = Playing Manager


 * Hello Pro Kenshuusei
 * ⚫︎: Member of Kobushi Factory
 * ⚪︎: Member of Tsubaki Factory


 * 11th Gen: Hamaura Ayano⚫︎, Taguchi Natsumi⚫︎
 * 12th Gen: Ogawa Rena⚫︎
 * 16th Gen: Yamagishi Riko⚪︎, Nomura Minami⚫︎
 * 17th Gen: Ichioka Reina, Kaga Kaede, Kishimoto Yumeno⚪︎, Wada Sakurako⚫︎
 * 19th Gen: Fujii Rio⚫︎, Inoue Hikaru
 * 20th Gen: Yokogawa Yumei, Niinuma Kisora⚪︎, Danbara Ruru, Funaki Musubu
 * 21st Gen: Takemura Miu
 * 22nd Gen: Asakura Kiki⚪︎, Onoda Saori, Hashimoto Nagisa, Horie Kizuki, Ogata Risa⚪︎, Shimano Momoko, Hirose Ayaka⚫︎, Tanimoto Ami⚪︎, Inoue Rei⚫︎
 * 23rd Gen: Takase Kurumi
 * 24th Gen: Ono Mizuho, Nakano Rion, Yanagawa Nanami, Maeda Kokoro, Akiyama Mao, Kanatsu Mizuki, Kasahara Momona, Okamoto Honoka

Albums

 * [2001.12.19] Cover Morning Musume! ~Various Artist Covers "MORNING MUSUME"!~ (カバー・モーニング娘. ) (English language cover album)
 * [2002.10.30] CLUB Hello! TRANCE REMIX
 * [2002.12.18] Cover Morning Musume Hello! Project! (カバー・モーニング娘. ハロー! プロジェクト!) (English language cover album)
 * [2003.01.29] Hip Hits! Morning Musume Hello! Project International Collection (English language cover album)
 * [2008.12.10] Hello! Project Special Unit Mega Best (ハロー! プロジェクト スペシャルユニット メガベスト)
 * [2008.12.10] Hello! Project Shuffle Unit Mega Best (ハロー! プロジェクト シャッフルユニット メガベスト)
 * [2009.07.15] Chanpuru 1 ~Happy Marriage Song Cover Shuu~ (チ'ャンプル 1～ハッピーマリッジソングカバー集～)

Other Albums

 * [2001.11.29] FOLK SONGS (Ichii Sayaka with Nakazawa Yuko)
 * [2001.11.29] The Douyou Pops 1 Christmas to Fuyu no Uta Shuu (ザ・童謡ポップス1 クリスマスと冬のうた集)
 * [2002.02.20] The Douyou Pops 2 Haru no Uta Shuu (ザ・童謡ポップス2　春のうた集)
 * [2002.05.22] FOLK SONGS 2 (Nakazawa Yuko, Melon Kinenbi, Matsuura Aya & Ishii Rika)
 * [2002.06.25] The Douyou Pops 3 Natsu no Uta Shuu (ザ･童謡ポップス3 夏のうた集)
 * [2002.09.04] The Douyou Pops 4 Aki no Uta Shuu (ザ･童謡ポップス4 秋のうた集)
 * [2002.10.23] FS3 FOLK SONGS 3 (Nakazawa Yuko, Goto Maki & Fujimoto Miki)
 * [2002.12.04] Shinsaku Douyou Pops 1 (新作童謡ポップス (一))
 * [2003.03.06] Shinsaku Douyou Pops 2 (新作童謡ポップス (二))
 * [2003.05.21] FS4 FOLK SONGS 4 (Nakazawa Yuko, Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari & Melon Kinenbi)
 * [2004.02.25] FS5 Sotsugyou (FS5 卒業) (Nakazawa Yuko, Abe Natsumi, Yasuda Kei, Goto Maki, Matsuura Aya & Country Musume)
 * [2009.12.23] TOHOKU RAKUTEN GOLDEN EAGLES 5TH ANNIVERSARY " SONGS of RAKUTEN EAGLES " (Morning Musume, DEF.DIVA, GAM, ℃-ute)

Petit Best Compilation Series

 * 1) [2000.04.26] Petit Best ~Ki Ao Aka~ (プッチベスト～黄青あか～)
 * 2) [2001.12.19] Petit Best 2 ~3・7・10~ (プッチベスト2～三・7・10～)
 * 3) [2002.12.18] Petit Best 3 (プッチベスト3)
 * 4) [2003.12.17] Petit Best 4 (プッチベスト4)
 * 5) [2004.12.22] Petit Best 5 (プッチベスト5)
 * 6) [2005.12.26] Petit Best 6 (プッチベスト6)
 * 7) [2006.12.20] Petit Best 7 (プッチベスト7)
 * 8) [2007.12.12] Petit Best 8 (プッチベスト8)
 * 9) [2008.12.10] Petit Best 9 (プッチベスト9)
 * 10) [2009.12.02] Petit Best 10 (プッチベスト10)
 * 11) [2010.12.15] Petit Best 11 (プッチベスト11)
 * 12) [2011.12.07] Petit Best 12 (プッチベスト12)
 * 13) [2012.12.05] Petit Best 13 (プッチベスト13)
 * 14) [2013.12.11] Petit Best 14 (プッチベスト14)
 * 15) [2014.12.10] Petit Best 15 (プッチベスト15)
 * 16) [2015.12.16] Petit Best 16 (プッチベスト16)

Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita!

 * [2014.01.01] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 1 (ハロー!プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました! Vol.1 アイドル三十六房編（南波一海×嶺脇育夫）) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)
 * [2014.01.01] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 2 (ハロー!プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました! Vol.2 吉田豪編) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)
 * [2014.06.09] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 3 (ハロー！プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました！ Vol.3 掟ポルシェ編) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)
 * [2014.06.09] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 4 (ハロー！プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました！ Vol.4 小出祐介（Base Ball Bear）編) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)
 * [2014.08.13] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol.5 (ハロー！プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました！ Vol.5 tofubeats編) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)
 * [2014.08.13] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol.6 (ハロー！プロジェクトの全曲から集めちゃいました！ Vol.6 女子ミュージシャン編 [大森靖子・津野米咲(赤い公園) ・ユリナ(住所不定無職)]) (Compilation Album) (Limited Release)

Video Games

 * [2004.xx.xx] Hello! Project Battle Festval (PC/Doujin)

Sports festivals

 * [2001.03.31] Hello! Project Daiundōkai (Saitama Super Arena)
 * [2002.11.03] Hello! Project Daiundōkai (Osaka Dome)
 * [2003.11.16] Hello! Project Sports Festival 2003 (Osaka Dome)
 * [2003.11.22] Hello! Project Sports Festival 2003 (Tokyo Dome)
 * [2004.11.14] Hello! Project Sports Festival 2004 (Toyota Stadium)
 * [2004.12.05] Hello! Project Sports Festival 2004 (Saitama Super Arena)
 * [2006.03.19] Hello! Project Sports Festival 2006 ~Hello!Diva Athlete~ (Saitama Super Arena)

Radio Shows
Many of the groups/girls in Hello! Project host radio shows or have in the past. They include guest speakers, upcoming release previews, the girls' selected choices of music and often funny radio skits or segments.

TV Shows

 * [1999.01.05 - 2002.03.26] Idol wo Sagase! (アイドルをさがせ！)
 * [2000.01.04 - 2000.09.29] Morning Musume no Heso (モーニング娘. のへそ)
 * [2000.04.02 - 2007.04.01] Hello! Morning (ハロー！モーニング)
 * [2000.10.02 - 2001.03.30] Bishoujo Nikki (美少女日記)
 * [2001.04.02 - 2001.09.28] Bishoujo Kyouiku (美少女教育)
 * [2001.10.01 - 2002.03.29] Shin Bishoujo Nikki (新・美少女日記)
 * [2002.04.01 - 2002.09.27] Bishoujo Kyouiku II (美少女教育II)
 * [2002.04.02 - 2002.12.24] Morning Musume Tsuushin (モーニング娘. 通信)
 * [2002.09.30 - 2003.03.28] Bishoujo Nikki III (美少女日記III)
 * [2003.03.31 - 2003.09.27] Sexy Onnajyuku (セクシー女塾)
 * [2003.09.29 - 2003.12.26] Soreyuke! Gorokkies (それゆけ!ゴロッキーズ)
 * [2004.01.05 - 2004.04.02] Yoroshiku! Senpai (よろしく!センパイ)
 * [2004.04.05 - 2004.10.01] Futarigoto (二人ゴト)
 * [2004.10.04 - 2004.12.24] Majokko Rikachan no Magical Biyuuden (魔女っ娘. 梨華ちゃんのマジカル美勇伝)
 * [2005.01.05 - 2005.04.01] Musume Document 2005 (娘. ドキュメント2005)
 * [2005.04.04 - 2006.05.05] Musume DOKYU! (娘DOKYU!)
 * [2006.03.03 - 2006.11.24] Hello Pro Hour (Online only)
 * [2006.05.08 - 2006.09.29] Musume DOKYU! Eruda Yonchoume no Hitobito (娘DOKYU!～絵流田4丁目の人々～)
 * [2006.10.02 - 2008.03.28] Uta Doki! Pop Classics (歌ドキッ！～ポップクラシックス～)
 * [2006.11.04 - 2007.02.17] ℃-ute has come.
 * [2007.04.08 - 2008.09.28] Haromoni@ (ハロモニ@)
 * [2008.03.31 - 2008.10.03] Berikyuu! (ベリキュー！)
 * [2008.10.06 - 2009.03.27] Yorosen! (よろセン！)
 * [2009.04.02 - 2010.03.25] Bijo Houdan (美女放談)
 * [2010.04.01 - 2011.04.14] Bijo Gaku (美女学)
 * [2011.04.21 - 2012.05.24] Hello Pro! TIME (ハロプロ！ＴＩＭＥ)
 * [2012.06.07 - 2013.12.26] Hello! SATOYAMA Life (ハロ！ＳＡＴＯＹＡＭＡライフ)
 * [2014.01.09 - Present] Girls Live

Total Sales

 * (All totals are current as of April 23 2013)

Hello! Project Products Price List (in Yen)

 * Single Regular Edition CD: 1000JPY
 * Single Limited Edition CD+DVD: 1600JPY
 * Single Limited Edition CD: 1200JPY
 * Single V DVD: 1500JPY
 * Event V DVD: 2000JPY
 * Concert DVD: 3800JPY
 * Concert Blu-ray: 5714JPY
 * Music Video Collection: 3000JPY
 * Album Regular Edition CD: 3000JPY
 * Album Limited Edition CD+DVD: 3600JPY