Minimoni

From Hello! Project Wiki

Mini Moni ミニモニ。
Also known as	Minimoni, mini-moni
Origin	Japan
Genre	Japanese pop
Years active	2000-2004 2009-
Label	Zetima
Associated acts	Morning Musume, Tanpopo, Coconuts Musume, W, Baka Tono-sama to Mini Moni Hime
Website	Hello! Project.com

Mini Moni (ミニモニ。) was a subgroup of Japanese pop girl group Morning Musume under the Hello! Project label. They were one of Morning Musume's most popular subgroups for their entire existence due to a combination of their outrageous music videos and live performances, their vocal harmonies, and their widely varied musical styles.

Contents 1 History 1.1 2000 1.2 2001 1.3 2002 1.4 2003 1.5 2004 2 Members 2.1 First Generation 2.2 Second Generation 2.3 Third Generation 3 Post-Mini Moni Careers 4 Mini Moni in American media 5 Discography

[edit] History

[edit] 2000

The group was founded in late 2000 by Morning Musume member Yaguchi Mari, who had an idea for a subgroup whose members were 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in height or shorter. Yaguchi, and Morning Musume's songwriter and producer Tsunku, selected two of Morning Musume's newest members, Kago Ai and Tsuji Nozomi, for the new subgroup and the trio began performing in concerts as Mini Moni. American-born Mika Todd of Coconuts Musume was later added into the group to give the group "an international flavour" and Tsunku made them official. Their debut single, "Minimoni Jankenpyon!", was a #1 hit.

While Mini Moni was initially directed towards younger listeners (in spite of the fact two of the members, Yaguchi and Todd, were in their late teens), they also had an older fan base consisting of older Morning Musume fans (especially of Yaguchi, Kago and Tsuji) and the parents of the younger Mini Moni fans.

[edit] 2001

The quartet released several singles in 2001 and 2002, and most of these tracks were compiled into their first album "Minimoni Song Daihyakka Ichimaki". The album's musical styles spanned wildly from track to track, defiantly incorporating such diverse styles as blues, electronica, march music, jazz, reggae, and horn-driven 60's soul music.

The group's almost anarchic presentation would also carry into some of the group's television appearances, many of which are circulated on-line, especially amongst the band's non-Japanese cult audience; these antics have included: Kago playfully saying "big doo-doo" (in English) in response to a Japanese TV interviewer's question (a bleeped version of the clip has been misidentified as "Kago says fuck you"); band members collectively grabbing the buttocks of a female assistant backstage at a concert (dubbed by some Western fans as the "Mini Moni Ass Grab", in parody of the song title "Mini Moni Bus Guide"); and an Utaban appearance where Kago slugged Yaguchi in the crotch while Yaguchi was in the middle of a sentence (which was actually a Morning Musume appearance for the song "Souda! We're Alive").

Simultaneously with their single releases, the band became the subject of a series of short cartoons of their own, Yarunoda Pyon!, in which they supplied their own voices. They also contributed their voices to the Hamtaro cartoon series, in which hamster versions of Mini Moni are featured. The group recorded two songs especially for Hamtaro under the group pseudonym 'MiniHams'.

[edit] 2002

In 2002, Yaguchi graduated from Mini Moni to take on leading the subgroup ZYX, one of the first Hello! Project groups to incorporate the Hello! Project Kids (including a couple of then-future members of Berryz Koubou and °C-ute). Another Morning Musume member, Takahashi Ai took Yaguchi's place, while Mika Todd, as the oldest member of the current lineup, took over as the group's leader.

That same year, all five members of Mini Moni filmed the movie Mini Moni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken! (Mini Moni The Movie: The Great Cake Adventure), part of the storyline of which, in the context of the movie's fantasy setting, "explains" how Yaguchi ended up leaving Mini Moni to begin leading ZYX and how Takahashi ended up in the band.

[edit] 2003

They started to have a more mature, modern R&B-heavy sound to their music with the single "Crazy About You", a style the group explored more heavily on their second album "Minimoni Songs 2". However, their silly side was also well represented on the album with two more songs they contributed to Hamtaro as MiniHams. Former member Yaguchi also appears on three cuts, two of which previously appeared on the Okashina Daibouken soundtrack. They also starred in a mini-series called Mini Moni's The Brementown Musicians starring Takahashi, Tsuji, and Kago; Mika made brief appearances in two episodes.

[edit] 2004

The group disbanded in May 2004 after the graduation of Mika Todd and the release of one final single, "Lucky Cha Cha Cha!".

An interesting side note is that Mika Todd usually wore drastically different costumes than her bandmates ((While the other girls wore skirts and bows, Todd was often seen wearing jumpsuits or typically more masculine outfits). This could be attributed to her being the tallest member of the group, just making the height requirements at the bands start. It is also possibly due to her being from Hawaii as opposed to the other members.

[edit] Members

[edit] First Generation

• Yaguchi Mari (L)
• Mika Todd
• Tsuji Nozomi
• Kago Ai

[edit] Second Generation

• Takahashi Ai

[edit] Third Generation

• Linlin (L)
• Fukuda Kanon
• Takeuchi Akari
• Miyamoto Karin

[edit] Post-Mini Moni Careers

• Yaguchi Mari (矢口真里) continued as sub-leader of Morning Musume after she left Mini Moni. In 2003 she also formed the short-lived unit ZYX with four members of the Hello! Project Kids. In April 2005, she resigned from Morning Musume due to scandal and embarked on a solo career under the Hello! Project banner.
• Mika Todd (ミカ) is currently living and studying music in Los Angeles, occasionally travelling to perform with her father, jazz pianist Johnny Todd. She released a self-titled solo EP in 2005 that has been available only at her rare live performances.
• Tsuji Nozomi (辻希美) and Kago Ai (加護亜依) graduated together from Morning Musume in August 2004 to form a new unit, W, under the Hello! Project banner. Following Kago's suspension, Tsuji continued as a soloist in Hello! Project until May 10, 2007 when she announced that she was engaged to actor Sugiura Taiyou and already two months pregnant with his child. She is currently on personal leave from Hello! Project, but she may resume her career after having her baby. On November 26, 2007, Tsuji gave birth to a girl named Sugiura Noa(杉浦希空).
• Kago Ai (加護亜依) was suspended in February 2006 and then terminated in March 2007 after a series of tabloid scandals, she came back on April 6 but no longer under the Hello! Project banner. She is currently shooting a movie in Hong Kong.
• Takahashi Ai (高橋愛) continued as a member of Morning Musume and she is the current leader of the group and of the entire Hello! Project label. Her distinctive vocals have been more prominent on their last several singles and on their albums "Ai no Dai 6 Kan", "Rainbow 7" and "Sexy 8 Beat".

[edit] Mini Moni in American media

In February 2006 Mini Moni's name was invoked on American television (NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno) during a skit claiming that one of Leno's house band members had started out as a member of Mini Moni; a manipulated picture of the Leno band member with Mini Moni (in their outfits from the cover of "MiniMoni Songs 2") was aired as part of the sketch.

In June 2007, an excerpt from an early 2001 appearance by Mini Moni on Hello! Morning of a prairie dog turning his head suddenly, became the basis for the Internet phenomenon The Dramatic Chipmunk. A parody of the Dramatic Chipmunk clip, including lookalikes of Mini Moni, appears in Weezer's music video for their 2008 single "Pork and Beans". The real Mini Moni did not appear because of licensing issues, their lack of mainstream recognition in America and other logistical difficulties (including the fact that both Mika Todd and Kago Ai were no longer contracted by Up-Front Works by that time).

[edit] Discography

• Albums:

1. "Minimoni Jankenpyon!" (ミニモニ。ジャンケンぴょん！, "Minimoni Jankenpyon!")
2. "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta" (ミニハムずの愛の唄, "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta")
3. "Ai~n! Dance no Uta" (アイ～ン！ダンスの唄！, "Ai~n! Dance no Uta")
4. "Minimoni Hinamatsuri!" (ミニモニ。ひなまつり！, "Minimoni Hinamatsuri!"?)
5. "I Love Blues" (あいらぶぶる～す, "I Love Blues"?)
6. "Ai~n Taisou" (あい～ん体操, "Ai~n Taisou"?)
7. "Vitamin Fusoku Kaishou Koukyoukyoku" (ビタミン不足解消交響曲, "Vitamin Fusoku Kaishou Koukyoukyoku"?)
8. "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki!" (春夏秋冬だいすっき！, "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki!"?)

9. "Suki Suki Kirai Kirai Kirai Suki" (すき・すき・きらい・きらい・きらい・すき。, "Suki Suki Kirai Kirai Kirai Suki"?)
10. "Minimoni no Dekkai Tabi" (ミニモニ。のでっかい旅, "Minimoni no Dekkai Tabi"?)
11. "Okashi no Machi" (お菓子の街, "Okashi no Machi"?)
12. "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin" (ミニモニ。テレフォン！リンリンリン, "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin"?)
13. "Chiccha na Chiccha na Onna no Ko" (ちっちゃなちっちゃな女の子, "Chiccha na Chiccha na Onna no Ko"?)
14. "Mini Strawberry Pie" (ミニ。ストロベリ～パイ, "Mini Strawberry Pie"?)
15. "Ohayousan ~Mata Ashita no Uta~" (おはようさん～また明日の唄～, "Ohayousan ~Mata Ashita no Uta~"?)
16. "Minimoni Bus Guide" (ミニモニ。バスガイド, "Minimoni Bus Guide"?)

Minimoni Song Daihyakka Ichimaki (ミニモニ。ソング大百科1巻, Minimoni Song Daihyakka Ichimaki?) is the first album of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on June 26, 2002 and sold 187,470 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. Minimoni. Town no Minimoni Cafe
2. Okashi Tsukutte Okassui~!
3. Watashi wa Kono Yo de Ichiban Bijin
4. Minimoni. Cafe de Daisoudou
5. Minimoni. no Dekkai Tabi (remix)
6. Joouchama no Himitsu
7. Nakajeriita Shiro ni Shinobi Kome
8. Kyoui no Reizouko Sono Na wa Reizou
9. Chika no Rouya kara Nigedasou
10. Suki Suki Kirai Kirai Kirai Suki
11. Fushigi na Pocket
12. Shoe Cream Man
13. Kusure Yuku Nakajeriita Shiro
14. Tadaima Minimoni Cafe
15. Sayonara Minimoni Cafe
16. Genki Jirushi no Oomori Song
17. Curtain Call

The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

1. OPENING
2. CRAZY ABOUT YOU
3. WASSUP? Enryo ga Theme
4. Mirakururun Grand Purin! / Minihamuzu
5. Kowarenai Ai ga Hoshii no (Minimoni Version)
6. Zukyun LOVE
7. LOST LOVE
8. Minimoni Version
9. Gyutto Dakishimete
10. Kuro Minimoni. Jankenpyon
11. Minimoni. Kazoe Uta ~Date Version~
12. Rock n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series!~
13. Okashi Tsukutte Okkasui~!
14. Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song / Minihamuzu
15. Genki Jirushi no Oomori Song / Minimoni. to Takahashi Ai + 4KIDS
16. Shiro Minimoni. Jankenpyon
The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

• Singles:

1. "Minimoni Jankenpyon!" (ミニモニ。ジャンケンぴょん！, "Minimoni Jankenpyon!"?)
2. "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki!" (春夏秋冬だいすっき！, "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki!"?)
3. "Minimoni Jankenpyon! (Instrumental)" (ミニモニ。ジャンケンぴょん！ (Instrumental), "Minimoni Jankenpyon! (Instrumental)"?)
4. "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki! (Instrumental)" (春夏秋冬だいすっき！ (Instrumental), "Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki! (Instrumental)"?)
The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin" (ミニモニ。テレフォン！リンリンリン, "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin")
2. "Minimoni Bus Guide" (ミニモニ。バスガイド, "Minimoni Bus Guide")
3. "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin (Instrumental)" (ミニモニ。テレフォン！リンリンリン (Instrumental), "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin (Instrumental)")
4. "Minimoni Bus Guide (Instrumental)" (ミニモニ。バスガイド (Instrumental), "Minimoni Bus Guide (Instrumental)")
"Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin" (ミニモニ。テレフォン！リンリンリン, "Minimoni Telephone! Rin Rin Rin"?) is the second single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on September 12, 2001 and sold 341,560 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta" (ミニハムずの愛の唄, "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta")
2. "Minihamuzun Takatatta!" (ミニハムずんたかたった！, "Minihamuzun Takatatta!")
3. "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta (Instrumental)" (ミニハムずの愛の唄 (Instrumental), "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta (Instrumental)")
"Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta" (ミニハムずの愛の唄, "Minihamuzu no Ai no Uta"? lit. Minihams' Love Song) is the third single of the subgroup Mini Moni. It was released on December 5, 2001 and sold 265,590 copies. The group released this under the alias "Mini Hamuzu" (ミニハムず, Mini Hams) for a motion picture version of the popular anime Hamtaro. In the film they appear as hamster caricatures of themselves. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Minimoni Hinamatsuri!" (ミニモニ。ひなまつり！, "Minimoni Hinamatsuri!")
2. "Mini Strawberry Pie" (ミニ。ストロベリ～パイ, "Mini Strawberry Pie")
3. "Minimoni Hinamatsuri! (Instrumental)" (ミニモニ。ひなまつり！ (Instrumental), "Minimoni Hinamatsuri! (Instrumental)")
4. "Mini Strawberry Pie (Instrumental)" (ミニ。ストロベリ～パイ (Instrumental), "Mini Strawberry Pie (Instrumental)")
"Minimoni Hinamatsuri!" (ミニモニ。ひなまつり！, "Minimoni Hinamatsuri!"?) is the fourth single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on January 30, 2002 and sold 325,440 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Ai~n Taisou" (アイ～ン体操, "Ai~n Taisou")
2. "Ai~n! Dance no Uta" (アイ～ン！ダンスの唄, "Ai~n! Dance no Uta")
3. "Ai~n Taisou (Instrumental)"
4. "Ai~n! Dance no Uta (Instrumental)"
"Ai~n Taisou" (アイ～ン体操, "Ai~n Taisou"?) is the fifth single of the subgroup Mini Moni. It was released on April 24, 2002 and sold 212,230 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Genki Jirushi no Ōmori Song" (げんき印の大盛りソング, A Large Serving of Energetic Signs Song)
2. "Okashi Tsukutte Okkasui~!" (お菓子つくっておっかすぃ～！, "Okashi Tsukutte Okkasui~!")
3. "Genki Jirushi no Ōmori Song" (Instrumental)
4. "Okashi Tsukutte Okkasui~!" (Instrumental)
"Genki Jirushi no Ōmori Song" (げんき印の大盛りソング, A Large Serving of Energetic Signs Song) is the sixth single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on November 27, 2002 and sold 53,681 copies.The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

1. "Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song" (ミニハムずの結婚ソング, "Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song")
2. "Minihamu Kisha" (ミニハム汽車, "Minihamu Kisha")
3. "Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song (Instrumental)" (ミニハムずの結婚ソング (Instrumental), "Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song (Instrumental)")
"Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song" (ミニハムずの結婚ソング, "Minihamuzu no Kekkon Song"?) is the seventh single of the subgroup Minimoni and the last single with Mari Yaguchi. It was released on December 4, 2002 and sold 60,001 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里, Mari Yaguchi), Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji) and Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago).

1. "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~" (ミニハムずの結婚ソング, "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~")
2. "Oshaberi Suki ya nen" (おしゃべりすきやねん, "Oshaberi Suki ya nen")
3. "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~ (Instrumental)" (ロックンロール県庁所在地～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ (Instrumental), "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~ (Instrumental)")
"Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~" (ロックンロール県庁所在地～おぼえちゃいなシリーズ, "Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~"?) is the eight single of the subgroup Minimoni and the first single with Ai Takahashi as a member of the group. It was released on April 9, 2003 and sold 58,084 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

1. "Minimoni Kazoe Uta ~Ofuro Version~" (ミニモニ。数え歌～お風呂ば～じょん～, "Minimoni Kazoe Uta ~Ofuro Version~")
2. "Minimoni Kazoe Uta ~Date Version~" (ミニモニ。数え歌～デートば～じょん～, "Minimoni Kazoe Uta ~Date Version~")
3. "Minimoni Jankenpyon! ~2003 Version~" (ミニモニ。ジャンケンぴょん！～2003ば～じょん～, "Minimoni Jankenpyon! ~2003 Version~")
4. "Minimoni Kazoe Uta (Instrumental)" (ミニモニ。数え歌 (Instrumental), "Minimoni Kazoe Uta (Instrumental)")
"Minimoni Kazoe Uta" (ミニモニ。数え歌, "Minimoni Kazoe Uta") is the ninth single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on May 14, 2003 and sold 29,088 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

1. "Crazy About You"
2. "Renai Isshunen" (恋愛一周年, "Renai Isshunen")
3. "Crazy About You (Instrumental)"
"Crazy About You" (Crazy About You, "Crazy About You"?) is the tenth single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on October 16, 2003 and sold 36,473 copies.The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).(高橋愛).

1. "Mirakururun Grand Purin!" (ミラクルルン　グランプリン！, "Mirakururun Grand Purin!")
2. "Pi~hyara Kouta" (ピ～ヒャラ小唄, "Pi~hyara Kouta") * Performed by Natsumi Abe.
3. "Mirakururun Grand Purin! (Instrumental)"
4. "Pi~hyara Kouta (Instrumental)"
"Mirakururun Grand Purin!" (ミラクルルン　グランプリン！, "Mirakururun Grand Purin!") is the eleventh single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on November 19, 2003 and sold 16,410 copies.The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).

1. "Lucky Cha Cha Cha!" (ラッキーチャチャチャ！, "Lucky Cha Cha Cha!")
2. "Egao no Date, Saigo no Date" (笑顔のデート 最後のデート, "Egao no Date, Saigo no Date")
3. "Lucky Cha Cha Cha! (Instrumental)"
"Lucky Cha Cha Cha!" (ラッキーチャチャチャ！, "Lucky Cha Cha Cha!"?) is the twelfth and last single single of the subgroup Minimoni. It was released on April 21, 2004 and sold 34,398 copies. The members at the time of the album were : Mika Todd (ミカ・トッド, Mika Todd), Nozomi Tsuji (辻希美, Nozomi Tsuji), Ai Kago (加護亜依, Ai Kago) and Ai Takahashi (高橋愛).