Hello! Project Shuffle Unit

Hello! Project Shuffle Unit (ハロー!プロジェクトシャッフルユニット) was the name given to special annual units in Hello! Project composed of mixed members from current major units. Beginning in 2000, Shuffle Units were created for the purpose of shuffling around these members for releases and concerts as well as to promote friendly competition with a season-long collaboration to see which shuffle unit was able to sell the most copies of their single. By 2003, the competition idea was dropped and unit songs were all sold on the same single.

Shuffle Units were generally composed three to a year, included all current members of Hello! Project, and given a "theme" for their groups. The style of each song in a given year was varied; however, the groups all shared the same B-side.

After 2005, the concept of Shuffle Units was abandoned in favor of splitting Hello! Project into Wonderful Hearts and Elder Club due to the size of Hello! Project. These groups were followed by Hello! Project Mobekimasu, an all-member group similar to H.P. All Stars special unit. In recent years, concerts have simply featured random and unofficial shuffling of members.

2000 Shuffle Units[]

The theme for the 2000 Shuffle Units Akagumi 4, Aoiro 7, and Kiiro 5 was "Colors" ("Red", "Blue", and "Yellow" respectively). The B-side for this years singles was "Hello! no Theme", a pop-song that is now considered Hello! Project's theme song.

Due to the disbanding of T&C Bomber and graduation of some members shortly following the shuffle releases, 4th generation Morning Musume members Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Kago Ai, and Tsuji Nozomi, as well as soloist Maeda Yuki, filled in as alternates during concerts and performances.

Single: "Akai Nikkichou"
Members:
- From Morning Musume: Nakazawa Yuko and Goto Maki
- From Coconuts Musume: Danielle
- From T&C Bomber: Shinoda Miho
Notes: Winner of the competition to sell the most amount of singles.

Single: "Kiiroi Osora de BOOM BOOM BOOM"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Abe Natsumi and Yasuda Kei
From Coconuts Musume: Ayaka
From T&C Bomber: RuRu
Soloist: Heike Michiyo

Single: "Aoi Sports Car no Otoko"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Iida Kaori, Yaguchi Mari, and Ichii Sayaka
From Coconuts Musume: Mika and Lehua
From T&C Bomber: Kominato Miwa and Inaba Atsuko

2001 Shuffle Units[]

The theme for the 2001 Shuffle Units 3nin Matsuri, 7nin Matsuri, and 10nin Matsuri was "Festival" ("Cute Festival", "Raggae Festival", and "Traditional Fesitval" respectively). The B-side for this years singles was "Hello! Mata Aou Ne".

Single: "Chu! Natsu Party"
Members
- From Morning Musume: Ishikawa Rika and Kago Ai
- Soloist: Matsuura Aya
Notes: Winner of the competition to sell the most amount of singles. Berryz Koubou covered "Chu! Natsu Party" in 2006 on their summer-themed EP, ③ Natsu Natsu Mini Berryz

Single: "Summer Reggae! Rainbow"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Yaguchi Mari and Goto Maki
From Coconuts Musume: Ayaka and Lehua
From Country Musume: Asami
From Melon Kinenbi: Shibata Ayumi
Soloist: Heike Michiyo

Single: "Dancing! Natsu Matsuri"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Abe Natsumi, Iida Kaori, Yasuda Kei, Yoshizawa Hitomi, and Tsuji Nozomi
From Coconuts Musume: Mika
From Country Musume: Rinne
From Melon Kinenbi: Murata Megumi, Otani Masae, and Saito Hitomi

2002 Shuffle Units[]

The theme for the 2002 Shuffle Units Happy♡7, Sexy 8, and Odoru♡11 was "Happy" ("Happy", "Sexy", and "Festival Barbie" respectively). The B-side for this years singles was "Yoku Aru Oyako no Serenade".

Single: "Shiawase Beam! Suki Suki Beam!"
Members:
- From Morning Musume: Kago Ai, Ogawa Makoto, Niigaki Risa, and Takahashi Ai
- From Coconuts Musume: Mika
- From Country Musume: Asami
- From Melon Kinenbi: Saito Hitomi
Notes: Winner of the competition to sell the most amount of singles.

Single: "Shiawase Desu ka?"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Yaguchi Mari, Goto Maki, Yoshizawa Hitomi, and Ishikawa Rika
From Coconuts Musume: Ayaka
From Country Musume: Satoda Mai
From Melon Kinenbi: Otani Masae
Soloist: Heike Michiyo

Notes: Goto Maki later recorded a solo version of this song for her second solo album 2 Paint It Gold.

Single: "Shiawase Kyouryuu Ondo"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Abe Natsumi, Iida Kaori, Yasuda Kei, Tsuji Nozomi, and Konno Asami
From Country Musume: Rinne
From Melon Kinenbi: Murata Megumi and Shibata Ayumi
Soloist: Matsuura Aya, Ishii Rika, and Fujimoto Miki

2003 Shuffle Units[]

The theme for the 2003 Shuffle Units SALT5, 7AIR, and 11WATER was "Elements". The B-side for this years singles was "Oh! Be My Friend".

This is the first year in which all songs by the Shuffle Units were combined into one released single.

Single: "GET UP! Rapper"
Members:
- From Morning Musume: Abe Natsumi, Kago Ai, and Ogawa Makoto
- Soloist: Matsuura Aya and Maeda Yuki
Notes: Matsuura Aya later released a solo version of the song on her third studio album ×3.

Single: "Kowarenai Ai ga Hoshii no"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Ishikawa Rika, Takahashi Ai, and Niigaki Risa
From Coconuts Musume: Mika
From Country Musume: Satoda Mai
From Melon Kinenbi: Otani Masae
Soloist: Inaba Atsuko

Notes: As part of Minimoni, Takahashi and Todd remade the song for the second Minimoni album Minimoni Songs 2; all four members did the singing while Todd and Tsuji Nozomi did the raps; Inaba is also on this version as a backing vocalist.

Single: "BE ALL RIGHT!"

Members:

From Morning Musume: Iida Kaori, Yaguchi Mari, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Tsuji Nozomi, Konno Asami, Fujimoto Miki
From Coconuts Musume: Ayaka
From Country Musume: Asami
From Melon Kinenbi: Saito Hitomi, Murata Megumi, Shibata Ayumi

Notes: Minimoni released a version of this single for Minimoni Songs 2. Mika Todd and Ayaka performed the song together at Todd's final Hello! Project performance.