Arashi (Boy band)

                            


Arashi (嵐^?, literally Storm) is a Japanese idol group formed under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, which announced the formation of the group on September 15, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The group was initially signed to Pony Canyon and released one studio album, one greatest hits album and six singles, beginning with their 1999 eponymous debut single, before moving to the Johnny's subsidiary label J Storm in 2001, which was initially set up for their succeeding releases.^[1] While their debut single debuted atop the Oricon weekly chart selling a little over half a million copies, the group subsequently faced slowly declining sales.
With the release of their eighteenth single "Love So Sweet", Arashi began gaining commercial success as "Love So Sweet" was used as the opening theme song for the high-rating drama Hana Yori Dango 2,^[2] making it one of the top five best-selling singles of 2007 in Japan and the group's first single to exceed 400,000 copies sold overall in nearly seven years.^[3] For the next two years, Arashi gained a number of achievements and records as they became the first artist to place the top two rankings on the Oricon singles yearly chart for two consecutive years with their singles "Truth/Kaze no Mukō e" and "One Love" in 2008 and "Believe/Kumorinochi, Kaisei" and "Ashita no Kioku/Crazy Moon (Kimi wa Muteki)" in 2009,^[4] simultaneously topped the 2009 Oricon singles, album and music DVD yearly charts, and became the third artist in Oricon history to monopolize the top three best-selling singles of the year.

C-ute

                            


C-ute (キュート Kyūto^?, stylized as ℃-ute) is an all-female Japanese pop group within Hello! Project, consisting of five teenage girls.

The character "℃" (degree Celsius) is substituted for "C" in notation for the purpose of expressing ardor—the hyphen bares no special meaning. The proper pronunciation for this group in Japanese is kyūto (キュート^?) with pitch accents on both "ū" and "o".

History

2005-2006: Formation of C-ute

C-ute was formed in the year 2005, consisting of seven girls from Hello! Project Kids who were not chosen to form the group Berryz Kobo. The group was officially announced on June 11, 2005, though its formation had been rumored for several months prior. Later, in January 2006,Kanna Arihara, a Hello Pro Egg, was added at the start of the Hello! Project Winter 2006 tour, as part of the Wonderful Hearts team. On October 31, 2006, Megumi Murakami left the group to pursue her studies further in school.

Prior to the band's formation, some members worked with members of Morning Musume in such side projects as Aa! and ZYX, as well as theMini Moni movie Okashi na Daibōken.

2007-2008: Major label debut

On February 21, 2007, C-ute's first official single "Sakura Chirari" was released. On the first day it ranked third on the Oricon charts, a feat not even accomplished by Morning Musume (who had ranked 6th on their debut single).^[2] With their debut single, they became the youngest group (with the average age of 13) to rank in the top 10.^[3]

On December 30, 2007, C-ute was chosen as the Best New Artist Award with Japan Record Award.

2009: Line-up changes

On February 26, 2009, Hello! Project announced that Arihara was having difficulty performing onstage due to having hallux valgus, or bunion deformity, and would not be able to attend Hello! Project's 10th Anniversary Fanclub event that week. She would also be absent from Hello! Project activities, including activities in C-ute, while receiving treatment.^[4][5] Hello! Project then announced in July 2009 that Arihara had left Hello! Project and C-ute and would not return.^[6]

On August 1, 2009, Hello! Project announced Umeda's departure from C-ute and Hello! Project to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion model.^[7] Her graduation was held on October 25, 2009, in Osaka, at the end of their 2009 fall concert tour.

Discography

Singles

#	Title	Information
Indies[fn 1]
1	"Massara Blue Jeans" (まっさらブルージーンズ?)	Release date: May 6, 2006 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Megumi Murakami, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Erika Umeda, Kanna Arihara Center: Maimi Yajima
2	"Soku Dakishimete" (即 抱きしめて?)	Release date: June 3, 2006 Lead vocal: Megumi Murakami Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Megumi Murakami
3	"Ōkina Ai de Motenashite" (大きな愛でもてなして?)	Release date: July 9, 2006 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Megumi Murakami Center: Airi Suzuki Note: This song was used as an ending theme song for the anime Kirarin Revolution
4	"Wakkyanai (Z)" (わっきゃない（Ｚ）?)[fn 2]	Release date: July 29, 2006 Lead vocals: Megumi Murakami, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Kanna Arihara, Chisato Okai Center: Megumi Murakami, Airi Suzuki Notes Last single to feature Megumi Murakami.
Major
1	"Sakura Chirari" (桜チラリ?)	Release date: February 21, 2007 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Mai Hagiwara, Maimi Yajima Center: Airi Suzuki
2	"Meguru Koi no Kisetsu" (めぐる恋の季節?)	Release date: July 11, 2007 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki, Maimi Yajima Center: Airi Suzuki
3	"Tokaikko Junjō" (都会っ子 純情?)	Release date: October 17, 2007 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Mai Hagiwara, Saki Nakajima Center: Airi Suzuki
4	"Lalala Shiawase no Uta" (Lalala　幸せの歌?)	Release date: February 27, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Saki Nakajima, Mai Hagiwara Center: Maimi Yajima
–	"Koero! Rakuten Eagles" (越えろ!楽天イーグルス?)[8]	Release date: March 20, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Airi Suzuki
5	"Namida no Iro" (涙の色?)	Release date: April 23, 2008 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki, Maimi Yajima Minor vocals: Saki Nakajima Center: Maimi Yajima
6	"Edo no Temari Uta II" (江戸の手毬唄Ⅱ?)[fn 3]	Release date: July 30, 2008 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Center: Airi Suzuki, Saki Nakajima
7	"Forever Love"[9]	Release date: November 26, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Chisato Okai Center: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Notes Last single to feature Kanna Arihara.
8	"Bye Bye Bye!"[10]	Release date: April 15, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Mai Hagiwara Center:Mai Hagiwara
9	"Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu" (暑中お見舞い申し上げます?)[11]	Release date: July 1, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Notes Cover of 1970s idol group Candies's hit single "Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu"
10	"Everyday Zekkōchō!" (Ｅveryday絶好調！！?)[12]	Release date: September 16, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Chisato Okai, Saki Nakajima Center: Mai Hagiwara Notes Last single to feature Erika Umeda
11	"Shock!"[13]	Release date: January 6, 2010 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki Center: Airi Suzuki
12	"Campus Life (Umarete Kite Yokatta)" (キャンパスライフ～生まれて来てよかった～?)[14]	Release date: April 28, 2010 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Minor vocal: Maimi Yajima Center: Airi Suzuki, Maimi Yajima
13	"Dance de Bakoon!" (Danceでバコーン！) [15]	Release date: August 25, 2010 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki, Maimi Yajima Minor vocals: Chisato Okai Center: Maimi Yajima
14	"Aitai Lonely Christmas" (会いたいロンリークリスマス) [16]	Release date: December 1, 2010 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki Center: TBA

[edit]Albums

#	Title	Release date
1	Cutie Queen Vol.1 (キューティークイーン VOL.1?)	October 25, 2006
2	2 Mini Ikiru to Iu Chikara[fn 4] (②mini～生きるという力～?)	April 17, 2007
3	3rd: Love Escalation (3rd～LOVEエスカレーション!～?)	March 12, 2008
4	4 Akogare My Star (④ 憧れ My STAR?)	January 28, 2009
S	C-ute Nandesu! Zen Single Atsumechaimashita! 1 (C-uteなんです！全シングル集めちゃいましたっ！①?)	November 18, 2009
5	Shocking 5 (ショッキング5?)	February 24, 2010

DVDs

#	Title	Release date	Contents
Concerts
1	Cutie Circuit 2006 Final in YOMURILAND EAST LIVE ~9gatsu 10ka wa C-ute no Hi~	December 6, 2006	Performance on September 10, 2006 inYomiuri Land East
2	C-ute Debut Solo Concert 2007 Spring: Hajimattayo! Cutie Show	April 18, 2007	First concert series on February 25, 2007 at Nihon Seinenkan
3	C-ute Concert Tour 2007 Spring: Golden First Date	July 18, 2007	Performance in April 2007 at Tokyo Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan
4	C-ute Cutie Circuit 2007: Magical Cutie Tour & 9gatsu 10ka wa C-ute no Hi~	November 21, 2007	Performance on September 10, 2007
5	C-ute Live Tour 2007 Fall: Hōkago no Essence	December 19, 2007
6	C-ute Live Tour 2008 Sprin: Love Escalation	April 24, 2008
7	Berryz Kobo & C-ute Nakayoshi Battle Concert Tour 2008 Haru: Berryz Kamen vs Cutie Ranger with C-ute tracks	July 9, 2008
8	C-ute Concert Tour 2008 Natsu: Wasuretaku nai Natsu	November 12, 2008
9	C-ute Cutie Circuit 2008: 9gatsu 10ka wa C-ute no Hi	December 17, 2008
10	C-ute Concert Tour 2009 Haru: ABC	July 22, 2009
11	C-ute Cutie Circuit 2009: 9gatsu 10ka wa C-ute no Hi	November 25, 2009
12	C-ute Concert Tour 2009 Natsu Aki: Cutie Jump!	January 27, 2010
13	C-ute Cutie Circuit 2009: Five	February 17, 2010
14	C-ute Concert Tour 2010 Haru:Shocking Live (C-uteコンサートツアー2010春～ショッキングLIVE～?)	July 7, 2010
Music video compilations
1	Music V Tokushuu 1 ~Cutie Visual~ (ミュージックＶ特集①～キューティービジュアル～?)	September 6, 2006	PVs, a live performance, an interview, and "making of" videos
2	Music V Tokushuu 2 ~Cutie Visual~ (ミュージックV特集②〜キューティービジュアル〜?)	June 24, 2009
Theatre
1	Geidan Geki Hello Dai 2 Kai Kouen "Neru Ko wa C-ute" (劇団ゲキハロ第２回公演「寝る子はC-ute－ｕｔｅ」?)	September 5, 2007	Recorded on June 15, 2007
2	Geidan Geki Hello Dai 4 Kai Kouen "Keitai Shosetsuka" (劇団ゲキハロ第4回公演『携帯小説家』?)	January 21, 2009
3	Geidan Geki Hello Dai 6 Kai Kouen "Atarumo Hakke!?" (劇団ゲキハロ第6回公演 「あたるも八卦！？」?)	September 23, 2009
Television shows
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 1 (ベリキュー！Vol.1?)	May 27, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 2 (ベリキュー！Vol.2?)	May 27, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 3 (ベリキュー！Vol.3?)	June 24, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 4 (ベリキュー！Vol.4?)	June 24, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 5 (ベリキュー！Vol.5?)	July 22, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 6 (ベリキュー！Vol.6?)	July 22, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 7 (ベリキュー！Vol.7?)	August 26, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
—	Berikyuu! Vol. 8 (ベリキュー！Vol.8?)	August 26, 2009	Berryz Kobo, C-ute
Other
—	C-ute Suzuki Airi in Okinawa Airi's Classic	June 25, 2008
—	Maimi Yajima - 17's	April 29, 2009
—	Airi Suzuki - Pure Blue	July 1, 2009
—	Hagiwara Mai in Hachijo-jima	October 21, 2009
—	Alo-Hello! C-ute DVD	October 28, 2009
—	Maimi Yajima - Fix no E	June 23, 2010

Others

Many DVDs were released to the official fan club and are only obtainable by mail order for a limited time.

Photobooks

• Berryz Kobo & C-ute in Hello! Project 2006 Summer (Released September 21, 2006)
• So cute! – C-ute first photobook (February 21, 2007)
• Hajimattayo! Cutie Show – C-ute debut solo concert live photobook (April 11, 2007)
• Moving down through Japan! Travel Diary of C-ute in 2007 Summer – photobook of Cutie Circuit 2007: Magical Cutie Tour (October 4, 2007)

Radio programs

• Cutie Party – FM-Fuji, Saturdays 23:00-23:30 JST (Yajima, Suzuki & Okai, since October 7, 2006 to September 27, 2008) as the opening portion of Hello! Project Night
• C-ute Cutie Paradise C-ute キューティー☆パラダイス C-ute Cutie Paradise – Radio Nihon, Tuesdays 21:30-22:00 JST (Umeda & Suzuki, since November 5, 2008)

Awards and recognitions

• 49th Japan Record Awards: Newcomer Artist Award 2007
• 50th Japan Record Awards: Best Works of the Year Award 2008

See also

• Hello! Project Kids
• Berryz Kobo
• Gatas Brilhantes H.P.

Footnotes

1. ^ These singles were not released on a major record label. They were only sold at concerts, fan club events and at the Hello! Project Official Shop. These singles have no coupling tunes.
2. ^ (Z) is pronounced as zetto (ゼット^?).
3. ^ This single is a version of "Edo No Temari Uta I", released by Enka singer Hiroshi Itsuki, who is also an Up-Front Works artist.
4. ^ Actually a mini album, but was considered as their second album.

References

1. ^ Information for C-ute Nandesu! Zen Single Atsumechaimashita! ① Pony Canyon Korea
2. ^ "Oricon Style" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-01-22.
3. ^ "MTV Chinese article" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2007-03-22. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
4. ^ "『C-ute 有原栞菜』に関するお知らせ" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2009-02-26. Archived from the original on 2009-04-25.
5. ^ "C-ute" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-04-30. "有原栞菜: ※現在休養中"
6. ^ "『C-ute 有原栞菜』に関する大事なお知らせ" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2009-07-11.
7. ^ ""C-ute Erika Umeda" Important Information" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2009-08-01.
8. ^ "Koero! Rakuten Eagles" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
9. ^ "Forever Love" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
10. ^ "Bye Bye Bye!" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
11. ^ "Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
12. ^ "≪発売延期≫Ｅveryday絶好調！" (in Japanese). e-hon.
13. ^ "Shock!" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
14. ^ "Campus Life ~Umarete Kite Yokatta~" (in Japanese). Hello! Project.
15. ^ http://www.helloproject.com/discography/cute/s_018.html
16. ^ http://www.helloproject.com/discography/cute/.htlm

External links

• Official Hello! Project profile (Japanese)
• Official Hello! Project discography (Japanese)

Preceded by Ayaka

Japan Record Award for Best New Artist 2007

Succeeded by Jero

[show] v • d • e C-ute

[show] v • d • e Hello! Project