Hello! Project Wiki/News/2014

December 17, 2014 - S/mileage becomes ANGERME, will release single in February

The final performance of S/mileage Live Tour 2014 Aki ~FULL CHARGE~ was also the final performance of the group both in its 6-member incarnation and with the name S/mileage. At the show it was announced that the new group name is ANGERME, which was suggested by Nakanishi Kana.

It is not meant to be "Anger Me", but a combination of French words meaning "angel tear". Ange + Larme = ANGERME. The kana pronounciation of the name is "アンジュルム", which in a straight romanization would come out "Anjurumu".

With the name change, so does the online location of things like their social media and video accounts--new links can be found from this HelloProject.com news article.

There were previously listings of "S/mileage"'s next single would release on February 4. New reports say that February 4 will indeed see ANGERME's first single, "Taiki Bansei / Otome no Gyakushuu".

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November 26, 2014 - New leader and sub-leaders of Morning Musume

At Michishige Sayumi's graduation it was announced that the new leader of Morning Musume is Fukumura Mizuki. Iikubo Haruna, who was appointed the sub-leader together with Fukumura in 2013, remains sub-leader and from now on she is sharing the position with Ikuta Erina, who was also appointed by Michishige at her graduation concert.

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November 5, 2014 - Country Musume is revived as Country Girls

It has been revealed that Country Musume has changed their name to Country Girls and added five new members: Inaba Manaka and Yamaki Risa from Hello Pro Kenshuusei, as well as three newcomers: Morito Chisaki, Shimamura Uta, and Ozeki Mai. Berryz Koubou member Tsugunaga Momoko will also join the group as their "playing manager."

Satoda Mai, who joined the group in 2002, remains a part of the group as their general manager.

The group will debut its new line-up at the Hello! Project concert tour in winter 2015.

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November 4, 2014 - Tanabe Nanami and Yoshihashi Kurumi completed their training within Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

On November 4, it was announced that Tanabe Nanami and Yoshihashi Kurumi ended their Hello Pro Kenshuusei training.

Tanabe joined the program in 2009 as a part of Shugo Chara Egg!. Yoshihashi joined in early 2011 and she had been missing in action since spring 2014.

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October 17, 2014 - Tsunku's cancer returns

Having announced less than a month ago that his cancer was in remission, Tsunku announced on his blog the unfortunate news that his cancer troubles have continued. He reports that even in September he had symptoms such as pain and swelling which caused him to get another biopsy of his vocal cords. While in New York for Morning Musume's recent concert, he got the news that cancer had been found. He quickly returned to Japan for more surgery, and will be taking time to recuperate.

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October 8, 2014 - Yajima Maimi will be the next Hello! Project Leader

On October 8, Michishige announced in an interview in New York that she nominated current ℃-ute leader Yajima Maimi to become the next Hello! Project leader once she graduates on November 26.

All previous leaders of Hello! Project were from Morning Musume. With the group mainly consisting teenagers by the time of her graduation, Michishige personally requested that Yajima become the 5th Hello! Project leader.

During the interview, Michishige said that Hello! Project will experience rapid changes with the indefinite hiatus of Berryz Koubou and the name change of S/mileage. She believes that Yajima can do the job. Yajima herself replied, saying that she will do her best.

Once the Morning Musume '14 Concert Tour Aki GIVE ME MORE LOVE ~Michishige Sayumi Sotsugyou Kinen Special~ show at Yokohama Arena concludes, she will become the fifth leader of Hello! Project, and the first Hello! Project leader to not be from Morning Musume.

Sources: SanSpo, 910 percent

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October 4, 2014 - S/mileage 3rd generation members, new name suggestions being taken

As announced at the opening show of SMILE FANTASY!, three members have been picked from Hello Pro Kenshuusei to join S/mileage. They are Murota Mizuki (16), Aikawa Maho (15) and Sasaki Rikako (13). Murota previously auditioned for S/mileage's second generation before becoming a Kenshuusei in 2012. Sasaki was a member of idol group SCK GIRLS before joining the Kenshuusei in 2013. Aikawa is the newest to Hello! Project, becoming a Kenshuusei earlier this year.

Also, the site where you can suggest the new name for the group was opened. Submissions will be accepted through the end of October. This image shows an English translation for the form.

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September 30, 2014 - Four picked for Morning Musume's 12th generation

At Morning Musume '14's Nippon Budokan concert, the winners of the Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition! were announced. New to Hello! Project are Ogata Haruna (15) and Nonaka Miki (14). Coming from the Kenshuusei are Makino Maria (13) and Haga Akane (12).

Both Makino and Haga had previously auditioned for the group in the "Suppin Utahime" 11th gen audition and the "Mirai Shoujo" first 12th gen audition. It was after the first audition that Makino joined the Kenshuusei, and after the second for Haga.

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September 25, 2014 - Tsunku's cancer in remission

In February Tsunku announced he'd been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Though he continued writing and producing music, he lessened his workload to allow his health to take priority.

He's now announced that following months of treatments, he's been told his cancer is in complete remission. His voice is not yet recovered, though, so he says he will not immediately resume singing or television appearances.

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September 24, 2014 - S/mileage third generation, name change

On the latest episode of Hello! Project Station it was announced that S/mileage will be going through major changes. A third generation of members will be picked from Hello Pro Kenshuusei, and revealed on October 4. They will also be picking a new name suggested by the public, though there aren't further details available on that yet.

Apparently the 3rd generation was recommended by the remaining 1st generation members, to relieve worries that the group as a whole might disband whenever the remaining original members graduate.

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September 13, 2014 - Girls Beat!! no Member wo Tsuika Boshu Shimasu! second audition announced

On September 13, it was announced that Kago Ai's girl group Girls Beat!! is in search of new members.

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September 2, 2014 - Second campaign for Zenryoku Yasai Musume

Morning Musume '14 is getting a second campaign for Kagome Vegetable Juice in October.

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September 2, 2014 - Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition! is over

The winner(s) of the Golden Auditions have been chosen and will be revealed sometime in September.

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September 1, 2014 - Tanaka Karen and Oura Hirona completed their training within Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

On September 1, it was announced that Tanaka Karen and Oura Hirona ended their Hello Pro Kenshuusei training.

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August 7, 2014 - Country Musume Shin Member Audition finishes without winners

It was announced on the news section of the Country Shin Musume Shin Member Audition website that the audition has come to a close, and that at this time no appropriate new members had been found. It was not stated whether they will try again to restart Country Musume.

This year's other major Hello! Project audition, the Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition!, is still ongoing.

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August 2, 2014 - Berryz Koubou on hiatus starting 2015

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

All indications are that this is the end of Berryz Koubou as we know it; "indefinite hiatus" merely being a soft choice of wording.

By spring 2015 Berryz Koubou will have been around 11 years, and it will have been nearly 13 years since its members started as Hello! Project Kids.

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July 8, 2014 - Morning Musume and Country Musume audition update

On July 7 it was announced on the respective audition websites for Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition! and Country Musume Shin Member Audition that the second round of each had completed. Hopefuls continuing on to the third round will be contacted.

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May 6, 2014 - Ichii Sayaka is now a member of OFR48

On May 6, 2014 it was revealed that former Morning Musume member Ichii Sayaka had successfully auditioned for the idol group "OFR48". OFR48, full name 'Ofuro48', is a group that was formed in 2011, with the concept of 'bath house workers that you can meet'.

Previously, in April 2014, Ichii auditioned for AKB48 but didn't pass.

Ichii joined Hello! Project as a second generation Morning Musume member in 1998, she later joined the units Petitmoni and Aoiro 7. She graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project in May 2000 to continue her education.

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May 5, 2014 - Morning Musume '14 concert in New York City

It was announced on the Oricon website that Morning Musume。'14 will perform a solo concert in New York City on October 5, 2014 for the first time ever. Michishige Sayumi has expressed her wish to meet her fans in New York before she graduates.

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May 4, 2014 - Kosuga Fuyuka completes Hello Pro Kenshuusei training

On May 4, it was announced at the Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2014 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ event that Kosuga had finished her training within Hello Pro Kenshuusei. Kosuga herself wasn't at the event.

Kosuga joined Hello! Project on August 14, 2011 as a S/mileage sub-member, but left the group on September 9, 2011 after being hospitalized for severe anemia, she was a member for only 26 days. After her initial recovery, she joined Hello Pro Kenshuusei in January 2012. She went on hiatus from the group in November 2012 but returned in March 2013. She went on another hiatus in late January 2014 and didn't return.

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May 1, 2014 - Morning Musume '14 Hawaii Fanclub Tour 2014

This summer Morning Musume '14 will be back to Hawaii for a Fanclub Tour. This tour was announced on May 1, 2014. It will place on August 22 and 23, 2014.

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April 29, 2014 - Michishige Sayumi to graduate in 2014

It was announced at the 4/29 live of the Morning Musume '14 Concert Tour Haru ~Evolution~ in Yamaguchi that Michishige Sayumi will graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project at the end of Morning Musume's upcoming fall tour. She specially waited until the live at her hometown to announce it to the public, having already told the members beforehand. Michishige originally joined Morning Musume in 2003 as a 6th generation member, became leader of the group in 2012, and has been in the group for over eleven years, longer than anyone else.

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April 23, 2014 - Hello! Project official website revamps

HelloProject.com has changed to a completely new version. While not every change to an official website is newsworthy, in this case it affects this wiki both by making new information available that wasn't before, and breaking hundreds if not thousands of links to helloproject.com from here. Further information can be found in this blog entry.

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April 22, 2014 - Otsuka Aina performs at a cafe, opens blog

On April 20, Otsuka was spotted performing solo at the Shisui Deux cafe. After getting permission from her parents, she opened her own blog on April 22. In her first blog post, she mentioned that she wants to sing again, and from this point on, she will do her best, proceeding step-by-step.

According to an article by Girls News, Otsuka will be resuming public life.

Otsuka joined Hello Pro Kenshuusei in March 2011, and debuted in Juice=Juice on February 3, 2013 but left both Hello Pro Kenshuusei and Juice=Juice on July 5, 2013 due to issues with her contract and family.

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April 14, 2014 - Sugaya Risako sings Let it Go on M! Countdown.

On April 14, Sugaya Risako of Berryz Koubou sang "Let it Go" from Frozen on M! Countdown. The performance was a collaboration with Korean artists 2PM's Nichkhun, Girls Day's Minah, MBLAQ's G.O, and Block B's P.O. Berryz Koubou had also appeared as one of the guests, performing "Asian Celebration" and "Otona na no yo". This was a very odd, but welcoming performance with Berryz Koubou being the only Japanese performer there.

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March 15, 2014 - Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition! announced

On March 15, it was announced that Morning Musume '14's 12th generation audition will be re-held, titled Morning Musume '14 (Golden) Audition!. The audition is for females only, between the ages of 10-17 by March 31, 2014. The application deadline is on May 11, 2014.

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March 6, 2014 - Tsunku diagnosed with Laryngeal Cancer

According to Tsunku, he had begun feeling discomfort in his left vocal cord around 7-8 years ago, and in October 2013 his voice had gotten completely husky. As such, he went under surgery under general anesthesia when they discovered cancer in his larynx. The cancer was caught in its early stages, and Tsunku began treatment immediately. It is unknown when his voice will be usable again.

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February 11, 2014 - Auditions for Country Musume announced

On February 11, an audition for new Country Musume members titled Country Musume Shin Member Audition was announced. The audition is for girls only, aged 10 to 17 from all over Japan. Applications begin on February 12 and end on April 20. Satoda Mai will not be part of the unit, as she now resides outside of Japan.

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