Hello! Pro Egg
Encyclopedia
are a group of female singers under the Hello! Project
(commonly shortened to "Hello Pro") banner. They are girls chosen when Tsunku
and other audition administrators see talent in them that can be developed further, in the hope of one day turning them into successful musicians, and possibly integrating them into other Hello! Project groups. They receive free training. They are sometimes chosen out of runners-up at the auditions for Morning Musume
; Miki Fujimoto
is recognized as the first Hello! Pro Egg. In 2011, Hello Pro Egg member Mizuki Fukumura
also joined Morning Musume.
The first official Hello! Pro Egg audition was held in 2004, with subsequent auditions held in 2006 and 2007. The first "generation" of Eggs were chosen from the 2004 auditions, with a total of 30 girls passing the audition. These auditions were initially only for girls from elementary school age to 18 years old, but in recent years have allowed girls as old as 25.
Although Hello! Pro Eggs were at first rarely seen, since the mass graduation of Hello! Project's Elder Club in March 2009, they have gradually become more active, sometimes performing on stage during concerts (usually as dancers, but occasionally singers), and being assigned to Hello! Project units. It was recently reported that Egg fans are worried that all apart from 10 of them have been let go. 10 specific girls appeared at the concert and were the only ones in a recent photo set at the Hello shop. The ones that appeared were Saho, Kaneko, Takeuchi, Miyamoto, Katsuta, Takagi, Tanabe, Nagasawa, and Kudou. Jang Da Yeon was also with them.
Hello! Project
is the umbrella name for all female idol Japanese pop recording artists collective that are under contract with the Up-Front Group. The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is the super-group Morning Musume. Hello! Project's current leader is Risa Niigaki, the leader of Morning Musume...
(commonly shortened to "Hello Pro") banner. They are girls chosen when Tsunku
Tsunku
, better known professionally as , is a prolific Japanese record producer, songwriter, and vocalist.He is best known for having two major roles in the Japanese music landscape: first as the lead singer of the popular rock group Sharam Q, and now as the producer, primary composer, lyricist and main...
and other audition administrators see talent in them that can be developed further, in the hope of one day turning them into successful musicians, and possibly integrating them into other Hello! Project groups. They receive free training. They are sometimes chosen out of runners-up at the auditions for Morning Musume
Morning Musume
, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
; Miki Fujimoto
Miki Fujimoto
, professionally known by her birth name , is a Japanese pop singer and television actress. After failing the audition to join girl group Morning Musume with the fourth generation members, Fujimoto debuted as solo artist within Hello! Project in 2002 with the single "Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi"...
is recognized as the first Hello! Pro Egg. In 2011, Hello Pro Egg member Mizuki Fukumura
Mizuki Fukumura
is a Japanese pop singer. She is a ninth-generation member of Morning Musume. Prior to becoming part of Morning Musume, Fukumura was known as a member of the second generation Shugo Chara Egg!, and for her role of Amulet Heart in the live action segment of the highly acclaimed television series...
also joined Morning Musume.
The first official Hello! Pro Egg audition was held in 2004, with subsequent auditions held in 2006 and 2007. The first "generation" of Eggs were chosen from the 2004 auditions, with a total of 30 girls passing the audition. These auditions were initially only for girls from elementary school age to 18 years old, but in recent years have allowed girls as old as 25.
Although Hello! Pro Eggs were at first rarely seen, since the mass graduation of Hello! Project's Elder Club in March 2009, they have gradually become more active, sometimes performing on stage during concerts (usually as dancers, but occasionally singers), and being assigned to Hello! Project units. It was recently reported that Egg fans are worried that all apart from 10 of them have been let go. 10 specific girls appeared at the concert and were the only ones in a recent photo set at the Hello shop. The ones that appeared were Saho, Kaneko, Takeuchi, Miyamoto, Katsuta, Takagi, Tanabe, Nagasawa, and Kudou. Jang Da Yeon was also with them.
Members
- Members are ordered by group (age for those not in groups), with birth dates listed in brackets.
Hello! Project members that began as Eggs
- Erina ManoErina Mano, born April 11, 1991 in Kanagawa, Japan is a Japanese pop singer associated with Hello! Project. She joined in 2006 as a member of Hello Pro Egg, as a trainee. In 2007, she became a member of the Hello! Project futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and its musical group Ongaku Gatas...
, became a member of Ongaku GatasOngaku Gatasis a Japanese girl group consisted of select members from Hello! Project's futsal club Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and Hello Pro Egg.-History:The group was formed in 2007. The group's name combines the Japanese word ongaku with the Portuguese word gatas, taken from the name of the Hello! Project futsal...
in 2007, made her solo debut in March 2008 - S/mileageS/mileageis a Japanese girl group which originally consisted of four former Hello! Pro Egg members. They graduated from Egg status in 2010 and became full time members of Hello! Project. In 2010, they won the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist...
(group was formed in Spring 2009 and graduated from Hello! Pro Egg in April 2010)
- Ayaka WadaAyaka Wadais a Japanese pop singer signed to Hello! Project. She joined the project in 2004 as a member of Hello! Pro Egg and is currently a member of S/mileage and was a former member of Shugo Chara Egg!.-2004-2005:...
(also member of ZYX-α) - Yuuka MaedaYuuka Maeda, born on December 28, 1994 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese pop singer and a member of S/mileage, under Hello! Project.-2004:Maeda Yuuka joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Pro Egg in June 2004 when she passed the auditions alongside thirty-two other girls...
(also member of High-KingHigh-Kingis a Japanese idol group within Hello! Project. The group was created to promote Morning Musume's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, titled . Their sound is said to have an R&B feel....
) - Kanon FukudaKanon Fukudais a Japanese pop singer and seiyu born in Saitama, Japan. She is a member of the Hello! Project band S/mileage, and a former member of Shugo Chara Egg!.- Biography :2004...
(also member of Shin Minimoni) - Akari Takeuchi (added in August 2011; also member of Shin Minimoni)
- Rina Katsuta (added in August 2011)
- Morning MusumeMorning Musume, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
- Morning Musume
- Mizuki FukumuraMizuki Fukumurais a Japanese pop singer. She is a ninth-generation member of Morning Musume. Prior to becoming part of Morning Musume, Fukumura was known as a member of the second generation Shugo Chara Egg!, and for her role of Amulet Heart in the live action segment of the highly acclaimed television series...
, (joined Hello! Pro Egg in 2008, added to in January 2011) - Haruka KudōHaruka Kudō (singer)is a Japanese pop singer. She is a tenth-generation member of the pop group Morning Musume. Prior to joining Morning Musume, Kudō was a Hello! Pro Egg member.-2010:...
(added to in September 2011)
Current members
- Rie Kaneko (b. July 1, 1997)
- Karin Miyamoto (b. December 1, 1998)
- Sayuki Takagi (b. April 21, 1997)
- Nanami Tanabe (b. November 10, 1999)
- Wakana Nagasawa (b. November 8, 1996)
- Jang Da Yeon (b. September 19, 1995)
- Kurumi Yoshihashi (b. September 22, 1999)
- Ayano Hamaura (b. April 26, 2000)
- Natsumi Taguchi (b. July 21, 2000)
- Aina Otsuka (b. April 3, 1998)
- Minami Mogi (b. January 14, 1999)
- Rena Ogawa (b. Match 27, 2000)
Former members
- Maho Oyanagi, left in July 2005
- Miyuki Kawashima, left in September 2005
- Mirei Hashida, left in June 2007
- Manami Ogura, left in August 2007
- Kanami Morozuka, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Kaede Ohse, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Aina Hashimoto, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Yurika Akiyama, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Robin Shōko Okada, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Yuki Goto, joined The Possible in 2006, left Hello! Project in October 2007
- Ayumi Yutoku, joined Tomoiki Ki wo Uetai in 2005, left Hello! Project in November 2007
- Mika Mutō, joined Ongaku Gatas in 2007, left Hello! Project in April 2008
- Yui OkadaYui Okadais a former member of J-pop group v-u-den that was associated with Hello! Project. She remained within the group until its disbandment in 2008, after which point she was contracted with Up-Front Agency...
, joined v-u-denV-u-denis a Japanese pop group within Hello! Project. The group was formed in August 2004 and consists of members Rika Ishikawa , Erika Miyoshi, and Yui Okada, with Ishikawa being the leader. The name means: , , and...
in August 2004, left Hello! Project in March 2009 - Miki Korenaga, joined Ongaku Gatas in May 2007, left Hello! Project in March 2009
- Kanna AriharaKanna Ariharais a Japanese pop singer and former member of C-ute.Arihara joined Hello! Project in 2004 as part of the Hello! Pro Egg. Then she joined Tomoiki Ki o Uetai from 2005 until 2006, where she moved onto the current group, C-ute....
, joined C-ute in January 2006, left Hello! Project in July 2009 - Erina Aoki, left in or before November 2008
- Azusa Sezaki, left in spring 2009
- Yuri Sawada, joined Ongaku Gatas in 2007, left Hello! Project and Ongaku Gatas in August 2009
- Arisa Noto, joined Ongaku Gatas in May 2007, left Hello! Project in September 2009
- Momoka Komine, left in June 2010
- Mia Sainen, left in June 2010
- Irori MaedaIrori Maedais a Japanese pop singer and member of the Japanese idol group AKBN0. She is a former Hello Pro Egg member. She joined Hello! Project in 2006 as a member of Hello! Pro Egg. In 2011, she left Hello Project for AKBN0.- 2006 :...
left in November 2010, joined AKBN0 (Akabane 0) in March 2011 - Asuna Okai, left in November 2010
- Tomomi Hirano, left in November 2010
- Runa Kizawa, left in November 2010
- Linlin, joined Morning Musume in March 2007, left Hello! Project in December 2010
- Minami Sengoku, joined Ongaku Gatas in 2007, left Hello! Project Egg in December 2010 and became host of the show "Up-Front Girls" together with K-Pop dance cover group UFZS
- Saki Mori, finished training in January 2011, became member of UFZS
- Konatsu Furukawa, finished training in January 2011, became member of UFZS
- Anri Tanaka, left in or before March 2011
- Sayaka Kitahara, finished training in March 2011, was transferred to an Up-Front Agency related agency to become a soloist and seiyuu.
- Azusa Sekine, finished training in March 2011, became member of UFZS
- Manami Arai, finished training in March 2011, became member of UFZS
- Ayano Satō, finished training in March 2011, became member of UFZS
- Akari SahoAkari Sahois a member of Up Up Girls and a former member of Hello! Pro Egg, an idol trainee program under the Hello! Project umbrella. She was also an original member of Shugo Chara Egg!, and played the role of Amulet Spade in the live action segment of the highly acclaimed television series Shugo Chara!...
, finished her egg training in April 2011 and joined Up-Front Girls in May 2011 - Saki OgawaSaki Ogawais a former Japanese pop singer, best known as one of the 4 founding members of the Japanese pop group S/mileage.-Biography:Ogawa joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Pro Egg in June 2004 when she passed the auditions alongside thirty-two other girls...
, joined S/mileage in Spring 2009, left Hello! Project in August 2011