This is their story... (It's a quick and dirty version. Go find a H!P Wiki if you want a more in depth one.)
In 2002 an audition was held for some young girls to form, what would eventually be a testing ground for future training programs (H!P Eggs,Kenshuusei) in Hello!Project.
Can you take some babies and turn them into functioning idols? Hello!Project was going to try it out! Auditions were held via Hello!Morning and of the 27,958 applicants, 15 babies were chosen!
H!P Kids (Est. 2002):
Umeda Erika
Shimizu Saki
Yajima Maimi
Tsugunaga Momoko
Tokunaga Chinami
Murakami Megumi
Sudo Maasa
Natsuyaki Miyabi
Ishimura Maiha
Kumai Yurina
Nakajima Saki
Sugaya Risako
Suzuki Airi
Okai Chisato
Hagiwara Mai
The girls would then train, acting as backup dancers for established groups and singers, and were placed into various sub-groups, most noteably, Aa! and ZYX, to help mold them into the future stars Hello!Project hoped they would become. In 2004, the kids would finally begin to break out of their shell.
Berryz Koubou (2004-2015):
Shimizu Saki (2004-2015) - Captain
Tsugunaga Momoko (2004-2017)
Tokunaga Chinami (2004-2015)
Sudo Maasa (2004-2015)
Natsuyaki Miyabi (2004-2015) - Co-Captain
Ishimura Maiha (2004-2005)
Kumai Yurina (2004-2015)
Sugaya Risako (2004-2015)
In 2004 Hello!Project, lead by Tsunku began the break up of the kids and Berryz Koubou was born.
Originally the H!P Kids were going to be shuffled around, but the original lineup stuck.
Ishimura Maiha would be the only member to graduate the group in 2005.
The remaining girls carried on until they went on indefinite hiatus in 2015.
℃-ute (2005-2017):
Umeda Erika (2005-2009)
Yajima Maimi (2005-2017) Leader
Murakami Megumi (2005-2006)
Arihara Kanna (2006–2009)
Nakajima Saki (2005-2017)
Suzuki Airi (2005-2017)
Okai Chisato (2005-2017)
Hagiwara Mai (2005-2017)
The leftover girls remained in H!P Kids until they were finally given the name of ℃-ute.
Arihara Kanna, from the newly formed H!P Eggs, later joined the group in 2006.
Right before their major debut, Murakami Megumi left the group.
In early 2009, Arihara Kanna went on hiatus for a bunion deformity. After a few months of being out of the limelight, Kanna decided the idol life wasn't for her and she resigned from the group. Soon after Umeda Erika graduated in October of the same year.
Determined to carry on, the 5 remaining members would remain active.
They finally disbanded in 2017.
Meet the Girls!
Berryz Koubou (2004-2015)
Shimizu Saki (清水佐紀)
Birthdate - November 22, 1991
Graduated Hello!Project - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Yellow (2005-2006, 2009-2015)
(Past Colors - Green (2007) & Purple (2007-2008))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
ZYX (2003-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2015)
High-King (2008-2015)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
GREEN FIELDS (2012-2013)
Hello! Project Dance Club (2013-2015)
Retired - November 30, 2021
Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子)
Birthdate - March 6, 1992
Graduated - March 3, 2015 (Berryz Koubou)
Graduated - June 30, 2017 (Country Girls)
Member Color - Pink (2005-2006; 2007-2015)
(Past Colors - Navy (2005) & Yellow (2007))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
ZYX (2003-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Buono! (2007-2017)
ZYX-α (2009)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Country Girls (2014-2017)
Retired - June 30, 2017
Tokunaga Chinami (徳永千奈美)
Birthdate - May 22, 1992
Graduated - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Orange (2005, 2007-2015)
(Past Colors - Light Blue (2005-2006))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
ZYX-α (2009)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
DIY♡ (2012-2016)
Mellowquad (2013)
Sudo Maasa (須藤茉麻)
Birthdate - July 3, 1992
Graduated - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Blue (2005–2015)
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
4KIDS (2002–2003)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
ZYX-α (2009)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
Natsuyaki Miyabi (夏焼雅)
Birthdate - August 25, 1992
Graduated - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Purple (2006, 2009-2015)
(Past Colors - Light Blue (2007) & Red (2005-2006, 2007, 2008))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
Aa! (2003-2006, 2009-2015)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Sexy Otonajan (2005)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2008)
Buono! (2007-2017)
Ex-ceed! (2010)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
DIY♡ (2012-2016)
Mellowquad (2013)
Hello! Project Dance Club (2013-2014)
Ishimura Maiha (石村舞波)
Birthdate - November 20, 1992
Graduated - October 2, 2005
Member Color - Light Blue (2005)
(Past Colors - Purple (2005))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2005)
Retired - Est. 2015
Kumai Yurina (熊井友理奈)
Birthdate - August 3, 1993
Graduated - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Green (2005-2006; 2007-2015)
(Past Colors - Purple (2007))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Bello! (2009)
Guardians 4 (2009-2010)
Tanpopo# (2009-2011)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Ujicha♥Taishi Maccha's (2011-2014)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
Sugaya Risako (菅谷梨沙子)
Birthdate - April 4, 1994
Graduated - March 3, 2015
Member Color - Red (2006, 2007, 2009-2015)
(Past Colors - Orange (2005-2006), Pink (2005, 2007) & Yellow (2008))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2004)
4KIDS (2002–2003)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Guardians 4 (2009-2010)
Zoku v-u-den (2009-2011)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
Dia Lady (2013)
C-ute (2005-2017)
Umeda Erika (梅田えりか)
Birthdate - May 24, 1991
Graduated - October 25, 2009
Member Color - Yellow (2006–2009)
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
ZYX (2003-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
ZYX-α (2009)
Bello! (2009)
Yajima Maimi (矢島舞美)
Birthdate - February 7, 1992
Graduated Hello!Project - June 12, 2017
Member Color - Red (2009-2017)
(Past Color - Pink (2006-2009))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
ZYX (2003-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006–2007)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2015)
High-King (2008-2015)
Bello! (2009)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
DIY♡ (2012-2016)
Hello! Project Dance Club (2013-2016)
6 Pack (2016)
Shimadagawa (2017)
Murakami Megumi (村上愛)
Birthdate - June 6, 1992
Left - October 31, 2006
Member Color - Light Blue (2006)
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
ZYX (2003-2004)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2006)
Sexy Otonajan (2005)
Arihara Kanna (有原栞菜)
Birthdate - June 15, 1993
Left - July 9, 2009
Member Color - Red (2006-2009)
Other Groups -
Hello Pro Egg (2004–2006)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Tomoiki Ki wo Uetai (2005–2006)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
Nakajima Saki (中島早貴)
Birthdate - February 5, 1994
Graduated - June 12, 2017
Member Color - Blue (2009-2017)
(Past Color - Orange (2006-2007))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Mix Gatas (2006)
Athena & Robikerottsu (2007-2008)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2011)
Guardians 4 (2009-2010)
Petitmoni V (2009-2011)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
DIY♡ (2012-2016)
Mellowquad (2013)
Hello! Project Dance Club (2013-2016)
HI-FIN (2013-2016)
SYS (2015)
NakaZYXtai!!! (2017)
Kamiishinaka Kana (2017)
Suzuki Airi (鈴木愛理)
Birthdate - April 12, 1994
Graduated - June 12, 2017
Member Color - Pink (2009-2017)
(Past Color - Yellow-Green (2006-2009))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
4KIDS (2002–2003)
Aa! (2003-2006, 2009-2015)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
Buono! (2007-2017)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Ujicha♥Taishi Maccha's (2011-2014)
Dia Lady (2013)
AAAa (2016)
REAL LOVE (2017)
Okai Chisato (岡井千聖)
Birthdate - June 21, 1994
Graduated - June 12, 2017
Member Color - Green Green (2009-2017)
(Past Color - Blue (2006-2009))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Athena & Robikerottsu (2007-2008)
Tanpopo# (2009-2011)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Team Okai (2012-2013)
Mellowquad (2013)
Triplet (2014-2016)
Okaileage (2017)
Cattivo! (2018)
Retired April 30, 2020
Hagiwara Mai (萩原舞)
Birthdate - February 7, 1996
Graduated - June 12, 2017
Member Color - Yellow (2009–2017)
(Past Color - Purple (2006–2009))
Other Groups -
Hello! Project Kids (2002-2005)
4KIDS (2002–2003)
H.P. All Stars (2004)
Little Gatas (2004–2007)
Kira☆Pika (2007)
Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
Petitmoni V (2009-2011)
BeriKyuu (2011-2012)
Cat's♥Eye 7 (2012)
HI-FIN (2013-2016)
Hagi-King (2017)
Semi-Retired June 12, 2017
