|
Mini-Moni
was a sub-unit of the Japanese idol girl groups Morning Musume and Coconuts Musume. It was formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2000 and associated with Hello! Project. The group was founded by Morning Musume members Mari Yaguchi, Nozomi Tsuji, and Ai Kago, with Coconuts Musume member Mika later added as a member. After Yaguchi's departure in 2002, Morning Musume member Ai Takahashi was added into the group. Throughout their career, Mini-Moni appeared in media aimed at children, having two animated series from 2001 to 2002, variety shows, as well as a 2002 film based on their stage personas titled ''Mini-Moni the Movie: Okashi na Daibōken!''. In addition to that, they also appeared in several ''Hamtaro'' movies, performing the theme songs under the name . The group later disbanded in 2004, after Todd left Hello! Project and Tsuji and Kago left Morning Musume to debut in W. In 2009, Mini-Moni was revived as a Hello! Project Shuffle Unit and concert-only unit under the name Shin Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minimoni01
was a sub-unit of the Japanese idol girl groups Morning Musume and Coconuts Musume. It was formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2000 and associated with Hello! Project. The group was founded by Morning Musume members Mari Yaguchi, Nozomi Tsuji, and Ai Kago, with Coconuts Musume member Mika later added as a member. After Yaguchi's departure in 2002, Morning Musume member Ai Takahashi was added into the group. Throughout their career, Mini-Moni appeared in media aimed at children, having two animated series from 2001 to 2002, variety shows, as well as a 2002 film based on their stage personas titled ''Mini-Moni the Movie: Okashi na Daibōken!''. In addition to that, they also appeared in several ''Hamtaro'' movies, performing the theme songs under the name . The group later disbanded in 2004, after Todd left Hello! Project and Tsuji and Kago left Morning Musume to debut in W. In 2009, Mini-Moni was revived as a Hello! Project Shuffle Unit and concert-only unit under the name Shin Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hello! Project Shuffle Unit
was a Japanese idol project group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2000 and associated with Hello! Project. Beginning in 2000, the Shuffle Unit project was a yearly collaboration among existing Hello! Project acts, where members were recombined into three different groups to release a single for each. After a four-year hiatus, the project was briefly revived in 2009, where several old sub-groups saw a return under new names and new members. After 2009, the project became defunct. History 2000-2005: Initial beginnings Beginning in 2000, Tsunku created a music collaboration project with members of Hello! Project rearranged into three separate teams. The first theme, "color", consisted of , , and . All groups released their singles on March 8, 2000, with Akagumi 4's single "Akai Nikkichō" charting the highest at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Charts. In 2001, the groups were rearranged under the theme "party", with the three groups , , and . All groups released their singles on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ai Kago
is a Japanese actress and former singer. In 2000, Kago debuted as a 4th generation member of the idol girl group Morning Musume. During her time in the group, she was also part of Mini-Moni and other Hello! Project sub-groups. In 2004, Kago departed from Morning Musume and became part of the duo W with Nozomi Tsuji. In 2006, Kago was suspended from her agency for underage smoking and subsequently dismissed in 2007, forcing her to leave W and Hello! Project. In 2008, she returned to entertainment as an actress, appearing in ''Kung Fu Chefs'' (2009), '' Ju-On: Black Ghost'' (2009), and '' Battle of Demons'' (2009). In 2009, Kago returned to music as well, releasing her debut solo single, "No Hesitation" (2009), followed by her jazz album, ''Ai Kago Meets Jazz'' (2010). She also formed her own girl group, Girls Beat!!, in 2013, of which she remained a member until 2016. Career 2000–2004: Morning Musume and Mini-Moni At age 12, Kago won the 4th National Audition of Morning Musu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mari Yaguchi
is a Japanese singer, actress, and television personality. She joined the girl group Morning Musume in 1998 as a second generation member and was the leader of subgroups within Hello! Project, such as Mini-Moni, Morning Musume Sakuragumi, and ZYX. After leaving Morning Musume in 2005, Yaguchi has continued to appear on television in dramas and variety shows. Career 1998-2005: Morning Musume Yaguchi became a member of Japanese idol girl group Morning Musume during the second generation auditions in 1998. In 1998, she also became a member of Tanpopo, one of Morning Musume's sub-groups. During her time with Morning Musume, her solo line "Sexy Beam" from their 2000 single "Koi no Dance Site" became a media phenomenon and became closely associated with her. In late 2000, Yaguchi founded Mini-Moni, a sub-group of Morning Musume and Coconuts Musume featuring members who are 150 cms. and shorter, as their leader. She left the group in 2002 after the release of '' Mini-Moni the Movie: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Shimura
(born , 20 February 1950 – 29 March 2020) was a Japanese comedian. He co-starred with Masashi Tashiro, Nobuyoshi Kuwano in the Japanese variety show '. Throughout his comedy career, Shimura was known for his "Bakatono-sama" character, which was unusual among Japanese comedians, in that he could satirize the deeds of powerful figures (a company president, a politician, a family head, a school principal, the head of a Japanese yakuza gang) under the garb of a foolish king who lived in the country a long time ago. Another popular routine of Shimura in the same show was "Henna Oji-san" eird/dirty old manwho entertained himself in the company of nubile girls. After being caught for his pranks, the character regularly ended the routine with a song 'Sou desu. Watashi ga Henna Oji-san desu'. ("That is correct. I am Henna Oji-san.") He was also known for his nonsense catchphrase "Daffunda" which would often end a Henna Oji-san skit. Shimura was most famous for starring in with th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hello! Project
is a Japanese musical collective consisting of all female recording artists and groups under Up-Front Promotion, a subsidiary of Up-Front Group. The name was initially used as Michiyo Heike and Morning Musume's fan club name in 1999, but has since then been used to represent all female recording artists at Up-Front Promotion. Until 2014, their songs were primarily produced by Tsunku. Hello! Project's main acts consist of Morning Musume, Angerme, Juice=Juice, Camellia Factory, Beyooooonds, and Ocha Norma. Notable acts in the past associated with Hello! Project include Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto, Mini-Moni, W, Melon Kinenbi, Berryz Kobo, and Cute. Artists Yuko Nakazawa was Hello! Project's leader from April 15, 2001 to March 31, 2009. Ai Takahashi became the group's leader from April 1, 2009 to September 30, 2011. Risa Niigaki then became the leader from October 1, 2011 to May 18, 2012. After her departure, Sayumi Michishige became the leader from May 19, 2012 to November 26, 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morning Musume
, formerly simply and colloquially referred to as , are a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top ten singles with an amount of 64. Morning Musume was formed in 1997 by rock singer-songwriter turned record producer Tsunku, who later composed the vast majority of the group's songs over the decade. They are the lead group of Hello! Project that specialises in upbeat, pop-oriented music coupled with dance performance. The group produced several splinter groups, and often collaborates with other Hello! Project acts, including Country Musume, Berryz Kobo, Cute, Melon Kinenbi, and v-u-den. The group's name can be translated as "Morning Girls" or "Morning Daughters"; as the name suggests, it consists of members mostly in their late adolescence and early 20s. History 1997-1998: Formation and beginnings Japanese producer Tsunku started the group in 1997 throu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coconuts Musume
was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 1999 and associated with Hello! Project. It was promoted as the "girls from Hawaii". After nine years, the group officially disbanded when Ayaka Kimura graduated from Hello! Project. Members * 1998–2008 – * 1998–2004 – Mika Todd * 1998–2001 – Danielle DeLaunay * 1998–2000 – Chelsea Ching * 1998–2000 – April Barbaran * 2000–2002 – Lehua Sandbo History While in Hawaii, Tsunku's fellow band-mate from Sharam Q, Makoto, discovered the five girls who were to become Coconuts Musume. He had requested that Tsunku pick up the act, and in 1999, Coconuts Musume debuted on a Japanese television program, Asayan. The group originally consisted of Ayaka Kimura, Mika Todd, Chelsea Ching, Danielle DeLaunay, and April Barbaran, with Chelsea taking lead vocals. After two singles, Chelsea and April left the group due to the difficulties of adjusting to life ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mika Todd
was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 1999 and associated with Hello! Project. It was promoted as the "girls from Hawaii". After nine years, the group officially disbanded when Ayaka Kimura graduated from Hello! Project. Members * 1998–2008 – * 1998–2004 – Mika Todd * 1998–2001 – Danielle DeLaunay * 1998–2000 – Chelsea Ching * 1998–2000 – April Barbaran * 2000–2002 – Lehua Sandbo History While in Hawaii, Tsunku's fellow band-mate from Sharam Q, Makoto, discovered the five girls who were to become Coconuts Musume. He had requested that Tsunku pick up the act, and in 1999, Coconuts Musume debuted on a Japanese television program, Asayan. The group originally consisted of Ayaka Kimura, Mika Todd, Chelsea Ching, Danielle DeLaunay, and April Barbaran, with Chelsea taking lead vocals. After two singles, Chelsea and April left the group due to the difficulties of adjusting to life ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
W (duo)
W was a Japanese duo formed in 2004 by Up-Front Promotion and associated with Hello! Project. The members consisted of Nozomi Tsuji and Ai Kago, former 4th generation members of the idol girl group Morning Musume. Tsuji and Kago had previously achieved fame through being in the group and the sub-group Mini-Moni. W's formation was announced at the same time as Tsuji and Kago's planned departure from Morning Musume. Prior to their official departure, they debuted with several cover versions of songs, including their debut single, "Koi no Vacance" (2004) and their first album, ''Duo U&U'' (2004). After leaving Morning Musume, W released their first original song, "Aa Ii na!" (2004), followed by "Robo Kiss" (2004). In 2005, W starred in their first musical, ''Mysterious Girl Detectives Cara & Mel: The Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin'' (2005). They reprised the roles of their characters with the release of "Miss Love Tantei" (2005). In 2006, W's activities were halted after Kago ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ZYX (pop Group)
was a Japanese idol project group associated with Hello! Project. It was formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2003. Its members consisted of Morning Musume member Mari Yaguchi and Hello! Project Kids members Erika Umeda, Saki Shimizu, Maimi Yajima, Momoko Tsugunaga, and Megumi Murakami. The group remained active until 2004. History The name ZYX is a kind of acronym using a somewhat intricate play in notation. "Z" and "Y" are taken from the phrase "Bai ni," meaning "double in size," is represented not as "B" but as a multiplication sign "×" which was then represented by the letter "X." Also, the letters ZYX are the last letters of the English alphabet in reverse order. In Hello! Project, this inverted order naming is followed by the groups " W" created in 2004, " v-u-den" in 2005, "The Possible" in 2006, and SI☆NA in 2008. This line-up of groups continues the reverse alphabetical naming (ZYX-W-VU-T-S). On February 28 and March 1, 2015, ZYX reformed for Berryz Kobo Matsuri with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
