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Berryz Kobo (Berryz工房, Berryz Kobo? Literally 'Berryz Workshop'. Sometimes romanized as Berryz Koubou or Berryz Kōbō) is a J-pop group within Hello! Project. The original eight members are originally from Hello! Project Kids and often are back-up dancers for W (Double You)'s music videos. Prior to the band's formation, some members worked with members of Morning Musume in such side projects as Aa! and ZYX, and in the Mini Moni movie Okashina Daibouken.

They were first announced at a Hello! Project Club Event on January 14, 2004. Hello! Project promoted the band by releasing three singles within a month of each other, starting in March of 2004 with "Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai". Their first album, 1st Cho Berryz, followed the trilogy of debut singles in July 2004.

In February 2007, Berryz Kobo made news headlines after it was announced that the group would be holding a concert at Saitama Super Arena on April 1. Not only did the tickets for the two performances sell out (a total of 20,000 seats) almost two months before the premiere, but this event also marked an historical record in that the band officially became the first to perform in the arena, whose members average age did not exceed 14 years (thereby dethroning Morning Musume, whose average was 16.3).[1]

Members

Present members
Saki Shimizu (captain)
Saki Shimizu (清水佐紀, Shimizu Saki?, born November 22, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer. Her career began in 2002 when she successfully passed the audition for Hello! Project Kids, an all-female teen pop group within Hello! Project. Since then, she has continued to sing in that group and has become a part of two smaller groups composed of Hello! Project Kids members, Berryz Kobo and ZYX.

Momoko Tsugunaga
Momoko Tsugunaga (嗣永桃子, Tsugunaga Momoko?, born March 6, 1992 in Chiba, Japan) is a J-pop singer. Her career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the Hello! Project Kids, an all-female teen pop group within Hello! Project. Since then, she has continued to sing in that group and has become a part of three smaller groups composed of Hello! Project Kids members, ZYX, Berryz Kobo and Buono!.

Chinami Tokunaga
Chinami Tokunaga (徳永千奈美, Chinami Tokunaga?, born May 22, 1992 in Kanagawa, Japan) is a member of the J-pop idol group Berryz Kobo.

In 2002, Chinami successfully passed the Hello! Project Kids Audition and became a member of Hello! Project

Maasa Sudou
Maasa Sudo (須藤茉麻, Sudō Maasa?, born July 3, 1992 in Tokyo, Japan) is a J-pop singer in Hello! Project. In 2002, she successfully passed the Hello! Project Kids Audition. Sudo is currently a member of the group Berryz Kobo.

Miyabi Natsuyaki
Miyabi Natsuyaki (夏焼雅, Natsuyaki Miyabi?, born August 25, 1992 in Saitama, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer. Her career began in 2002 when she successfully passed the audition for Hello! Project Kids, an all-female teen pop group under Hello! Project. Since then, she has continued to sing in that group and has become a part of two smaller groups composed of Hello! Project Kids members—Aa! and Berryz Kobo.

On July 21, 2007, it was announced that Natsuyaki will be in a new unit with Airi Suzuki and Momoko Tsugunaga called Buono!.

Yurina Kumai
Yurina Kumai (熊井友理奈, Kumai Yurina?, born on August 3, 1993 in Kanagawa, Japan[1]) is a Japanese pop singer currently performing in the all-girl group Berryz Kobo, under Hello! Project.

Risako Sugaya
Risako Sugaya (菅谷梨沙子, Sugaya Risako?, born April 4, 1994 in Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer, idol, and a member of Japanese musical group Berryz Kobo.

History
In 2002, Sugaya successfully passed the Hello! Project Kids Audition. Her debut within the Hello! Project world came with the premiere of the first Mini Moni feature film, as part of 4Kids, a shuffles group formed exclusively for the movie.

In 2003, Sugaya starred in the movie Hotaru no Hoshi (蛍の星, Hotaru no Hoshi?), as Hikari, a fragile elementary school student who, with the help of her caring teacher, has a chance to be momentarily reunited with her deceased mother and overcome her emotional problems.[2] She also starred in the drama, Shonan Kawarayane Monogatari.

That year also marked her first appearance on Kōhaku Uta Gassen, as one of Aya Matsuura's backup dancers, during the 54th edition of the renowned NHK New Year program.

In early 2004, Sugaya became part of the newly formed group Berryz Kobo. Inside the group she, along with fellow member Miyabi Natsuyaki and, to a certain extent, Momoko Tsugunaga and Yurina Kumai, is one of the central performers.

Being a member of Berryz Kobo, she also participates in the band's weekly radio show Berryz Kobo Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki!.

She has also, like other Hello! Project members, appeared in the Musume Dokyu! segments, namely episodes 39, 40, 54, 55, and 56.

Additionally, Sugaya has done a commercial for the Nihon Shokuniku Shōhi Sōgō Center in October 2003.

In August 2006, Sugaya was interviewed by MC Maki Goto in the 12th installment of the online only show Hello! Pro Hour. She later re-appeared along Momoko Tsugunaga on the 20th and last episode of Hello! Pro Hour.

On October 12, 2006, Sugaya became the first member of Berryz Kobo and the youngest of all Hello! Project to release a solo photobook, which was, even prior to its release, met with mixed feelings both by Japanese and foreign fans. She herself admitted, in an interview with Sanspo.com, to first having doubts regarding the photoshoot, but claims to have had a pleasant experience and hopes her fans enjoy the various facets of her personality.[3]

On December 31, 2006, Sugaya once again took the stage at the 57th edition of Kōhaku Uta Gassen as a backup dancer in Morning Musume's performance of Aruiteru, along with the remaining members of Berryz Kobo, Country Musume and °C-ute.

References
1^ Sanspo.com Performers News Section (Japanese). Retrieved on February 2006.
2^ Cast of Characters for Hotaru no Hoshi
3^ (Japanese) Sanspo.com October 12, 2006

From Wikipedia