Hello! Project Shuffle Unit

Hello! Project Shuffle Unit
ハロー!プロジェクト シャッフルユニット
OriginTokyo, Japan
Genres
Years active
  • 2000-2003
  • 2005
  • 2009
Labels
Spinoff of
Past membersSee list
Websitewww.helloproject.com

Hello! Project Shuffle Unit (ハロー!プロジェクト シャッフルユニット, Harō! Purojekuto Shaffuru Yunitto) was a Japanese idol project group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2000 and associated with Hello! Project.[2] Beginning in 2000, the Shuffle Unit project was a yearly collaboration among existing Hello! Project acts, where members were recombined into three different groups to release a single for each.

After a four-year hiatus, the project was briefly revived in 2009, where several old sub-groups saw a return under new names and new members. After 2009, the project became defunct.

History

2000-2005: Initial beginnings

Beginning in 2000, Tsunku created a music collaboration project with members of Hello! Project rearranged into three separate teams. The first theme, "color", consisted of Akagumi 4 (あか組4), Kiiro 5 (黄色5), and Aoiro 7 (青色7). All groups released their singles on March 8, 2000, with Akagumi 4's single "Akai Nikkichō" charting the highest at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Charts.[3]

In 2001, the groups were rearranged under the theme "party", with the three groups San-nin Matsuri (三人祭), 7-nin Matsuri (7人祭), and 10-nin Matsuri (10人祭). All groups released their singles on July 4, 2001, with San-nin Matsuri's single "Chu! Natsu Party" charting the highest at #5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Charts.[4] In 2002, the groups were rearranged under the theme "happiness", with the three groups Happy 7 (ハッピー♥7), Sexy 8 (セクシー8), and Odoru 11 (おどる♥11). All groups released their singles on July 3, 2002, with Sexy 8's single "Shiawase Desu ka?" charting the highest at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Charts.[5]

In 2003, the groups were rearranged under the theme "natural", with the three groups 7 Air, Salt 5, and 11 Water. All groups released their songs as a triple-A-side single on July 9, 2003.[6] The project then took a brief hiatus in 2004, where Tsunku decided to promote all Hello! Project artists as "H.P. All Stars" instead.

Tsunku resumed the Shuffle Unit project in 2005, with groups rearranged under the theme "elegance." The three groups consisted of Sexy Otona Jan (セクシーオトナジャン), Elegies (エレジーズ), and Puri Puri Pink (プリプリピンク), all of whom released their songs as a triple-A-side single on June 22, 2005.[7] Sexy Otona Jan's song "Onna, Kanashii, Otona" was later featured in the 2013 film The Wolverine.[8]

2009: Champloo

On July 15, 2009, Tsunku revived the Shuffle Unit project with a cover album titled Champloo: Happy Marriage Song Cover Shū, describing it as J-pop with the intention of it being played during summer parties and weddings.[1] He named the concept of the Shuffle Units "champloo" to describe the "chaotic" member line-up.[1] The project also saw the revival of inactive or disbanded Hello! Project acts under new names with new members, including High-King, Mini-Moni (revived as Shin Mini-Moni (新ミニモニ。)), Tanpopo (revived as Tanpopo Sharp (タンポポ＃, stylized as Tanpopo#)), V-u-den (revived as Zoku V-u-den (続・美勇伝)), Petit Moni (revived as Petit Moni V (プッチモニV), ZYX (revived as ZYX Alpha, stylized as ZYX-α), and Aa![1] The Shuffle Units also released original songs on the Hello! Project's compilation album, Petit Best 10, and performed as concert-only units.[9]

Members

Member lists are adapted from Hello! Project's website:[10]

Name Group Shuffle Units
Color Units (色ユニット) (2000) Festival Units (祭ユニット) (2001) Happiness Units (幸せユニット) (2002) Natural Units (自然ユニット) (2003) Elegance Units (優雅ユニット) (2005) Champloo Units (チャンプルユニット) (2009)
Yuko Nakazawa Morning Musume Akagumi 4 N/A Puri Puri Pink N/A
Maki Goto Morning Musume Akagumi 4 7-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 N/A
Miho Shinoda Taiyō to Ciscomoon Akagumi 4 N/A
Danielle Coconuts Musume Akagumi 4 N/A
Natsumi Abe Morning Musume Kiiro 5 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 Salt 5 N/A
Kei Yasuda Morning Musume Kiiro 5 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 N/A Puri Puri Pink N/A
Ruru Taiyō to Ciscomoon Kiiro 5 N/A
Ayaka Coconuts Musume Kiiro 5 7-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 11 Water N/A
Michiyo Heike — Kiiro 5 7-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 N/A
Kaori Iida Morning Musume Aoiro 7 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 11 Water Puri Puri Pink N/A
Sayaka Ichii Morning Musume Aoiro 7 N/A
Mari Yaguchi Morning Musume Aoiro 7 7-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 11 Water N/A
Atsuko Inaba Taiyō to Ciscomoon[a] Aoiro 7 N/A 7 Air Puri Puri Pink N/A
Miwa Kominato Taiyō to Ciscomoon Aoiro 7 N/A
Mika Coconuts Musume Aoiro 7 10-nin Matsuri Happy 7 7 Air N/A
Lehua Coconuts Musume Aoiro 7 7-nin Matsuri N/A
Rika Ishikawa Morning Musume — San-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 7 Air N/A
Ai Kago Morning Musume — San-nin Matsuri Happy 7 Salt 5 N/A
Aya Matsuura — — San-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 Salt 5 N/A
Asami Kimura Country Musume — 7-nin Matsuri Happy 7 11 Water N/A
Ayumi Shibata Melon Kinenbi — 7-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 11 Water Elegies N/A
Hitomi Yoshizawa Morning Musume — 10-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 11 Water N/A
Nozomi Tsuji Morning Musume — 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 11 Water N/A
Megumi Murata Melon Kinenbi — 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 11 Water N/A
Masae Otani Melon Kinenbi — 10-nin Matsuri Sexy 8 7 Air N/A
Hitomi Saito Melon Kinenbi — 10-nin Matsuri Happy 7 11 Water N/A
Rinne Country Musume — 10-nin Matsuri Odoru 11 N/A
Makoto Ogawa Morning Musume N/A Happy 7 Salt 5 N/A
Ai Takahashi Morning Musume N/A Happy 7 7 Air Elegies High-King
Risa Niigaki Morning Musume N/A Happy 7 7 Air N/A ZYX-α
Mai Satoda Country Musume N/A Sexy 8 7 Air Elegies N/A
Asami Konno Morning Musume N/A Odoru 11 11 Water N/A
Rika Ishii — N/A Odoru 11 N/A
Miki Fujimoto Morning Musume[b] N/A Odoru 11 11 Water Sexy Otona Jan N/A
Yuki Maeda — N/A Salt 5 N/A
Miyabi Natsuyaki Berryz Kobo N/A Sexy Otona Jan Aa!
Megumi Murakami Cute N/A Sexy Otona Jan N/A
Reina Tanaka Morning Musume N/A Elegies High-King
Saki Shimizu Berryz Kobo N/A High-King
Maimi Yajima Cute N/A High-King
Yuuka Maeda Smileage N/A High-King
Airi Suzuki Cute N/A Aa!
Lin Lin Morning Musume N/A Shin Mini-Moni
Kanon Fukuda Smileage N/A Shin Mini-Moni
Akari Takeuchi Hello Pro Egg N/A Shin Mini-Moni
Karin Miyamoto Hello Pro Egg N/A Shin Mini-Moni
Saki Nakajima Cute N/A Petit Moni V
Mai Hagiwara Cute N/A Petit Moni V
Erina Mano — N/A Petit Moni V
Koharu Kusumi Morning Musume N/A ZYX-Alpha
Momoko Tsugunaga Berryz Kobo N/A ZYX-Alpha
Chinami Tokunaga Berryz Kobo N/A ZYX-Alpha
Maasa Sudo Berryz Kobo N/A ZYX-Alpha
Erika Umeda Cute N/A ZYX-Alpha
Ayaka Wada Smileage N/A ZYX-Alpha
Saki Ogawa Smileage N/A ZYX-Alpha
Sayumi Michishige Morning Musume N/A Zoku V-u-den
Jun Jun Morning Musume N/A Zoku V-u-den
Risako Sugaya Berryz Kobo N/A Zoku V-u-den
Eri Kamei Morning Musume N/A Tanpopo Sharp
Aika Mitsui Morning Musume N/A Tanpopo Sharp
Yurina Kumai Berryz Kobo N/A Tanpopo Sharp
Chisato Okai Cute N/A Tanpopo Sharp

Timeline

Discography

Albums

Title Year Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN JPN
Hot
Champloo 1: Happy Marriage Song Cover Shū (チャンプル1～ハッピーマリッジソングカバー集～) 2009
Track listing
  1. "Diamonds" (High-King)
  2. "Ai wa Katsu" (愛は勝つ) (Cute & Erina Mano)
  3. "Yes-Yes-Yes" (Aa!)
  4. "Tentōmushi no Samba" (てんとう虫のサンバ) (Shin Mini-Moni)
  5. "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" (君がいるだけで) (Petit Moni V)
  6. "Heya to Y Shirt to Watashi" (部屋とYシャツと私) (Reina Tanaka from Morning Musume)
  7. "Mamotte Agetai" (守ってあげたい) (Risa Niigaki & Eri Kamei from Morning Musume)
  8. "Akizakura" (秋桜) (Ai Takahashi from Morning Musume)
  9. "Mirai Yosōzu II" (未来予想図II) (ZYX-α)
  10. "Only You" Zoku V-u-den)
  11. "Akai Sweet Pea" (赤いスイートピー) Tanpopo#)
  12. "For You..." (Lin Lin from Morning Musume)
  13. "Kanpaku Sengen" (関白宣言) (Berryz Kobo & Erina Mano)
  14. "Sekai wa Futari no Tame ni" (世界は二人のために) (Sayumi Michishige, Koharu Kusumi, Aika Mitsui, & Jun Jun from Morning Musume)
 37[11] — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
JPN
"Akai Nikkichō" (赤い日記帳)
(Akagumi 4) 		2000 2[3] — Petit Best: Ki-Ao-Aka
"Kiiroi Osora de Boom Boom Boom" (黄色いお空でBOOM BOOM BOOM)
(Kiiro 5) 		3[12] —
"Aoi Sports Car no Otoko" (青いスポーツカーの男)
(Aoiro 7) 		4[13] —
"Chu! Natsu Party" (チュッ!夏パ～ティ)
(San-nin Matsuri) 		2001 5[4] — Petit Best 2: San-Nana-Jū
"Summer Reggae! Rainbow" (サマーれげぇ!レインボー)
(7-nin Matsuri) 		6[14] —
"Dancing! Natsu Matsuri" (ダンシング!夏祭り)
(10-nin Matsuri) 		7[15] —
"Shiawase Beam! Suki Suki Beam!" (幸せビーム!好き好きビーム!)
(Happy 7) 		2002 3[16] — Petit Best 3
"Shiawase Desu ka?" (幸せですか?)
(Sexy 8) 		2[5] —
"Shiawase Kyōryū Ondo" (幸せきょうりゅう音頭)
(Odoru 11) 		4[17] —
"Kowarenai Ai ga Hoshii no" (壊れない愛がほしいの) / "Get Up! Rapper" (GET UP!ラッパー) / "Be All Right!"
(7 Air, Salt 5, & 11 Water) 		2003 2[6] — Petit Best 4
"Onna, Kanashii, Otona" (オンナ、哀しい、オトナ) / "Inshō-ha Renoir no You ni" (印象派 ルノアールのように) / "Hitoshirezu Mune o Kanaderu Yoru no Aki" (人知れず 胸を奏でる 夜の秋)
(Sexy Otona Jan, Elegies, Puri Puri Pink) 		2005 6[7] — Petit Best 5
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Video singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
JPN
"The Ki-Ao-Aka" (ザ・黄青あか)[18] 2000 — — Petit Best DVD
"The San-7-10-nin Matsuri" (ザ・三・7・10人祭)[19] 2001 — — Petit Best 2 DVD
Single V: "Shiawase Beam! Suki Suki Beam" / "Shiawase Desu ka?" / "Shiawase Kyōryū Ondo" (シングルV「幸せビーム!好き好きビーム!」「幸せですか?」「幸せきょうりゅう音頭」)[20] 2002 — — —
Single V: "Kowarenai Ai ga Hoshii no" / "Get Up! Rapper" / "Be All Right!" (シングルV「壊れない愛がほしいの・GET UP!ラッパー・BE ALL RIGHT!」)[21] 2003 — — —
Single V: "Onna, Kanashii, Onna" / "Inshō-ha Renoir no You ni" / "Hitoshirezu Mune o Kanaderu Yoru no Aki" (シングルV「オンナ、哀しい、オトナ/印象派 ルノアールのように/人知れず 胸を奏でる 夜の秋」) 2005 13[22] — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Notes

  1. ^ Atsuko Inaba was part of Taiyo to Ciscomoon until their disbandment.
  2. ^ Miki Fujimoto was a soloist before joining Morning Musume in 2003.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Tsunku. つんく♂オフィシャルウェブサイト (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "Up-Front Works | Shaffuru yunitto: Shinguru" シャッフルユニット:シングル [Up-Front Works | Shuffle Units: Singles] (in Japanese). Up-Front DC Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "赤い日記帳". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "チュッ!夏パ～ティ". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "幸せですか?". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "壊れない愛がほしいの/GET UP!ラッパー/BE ALL RIGHT!". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "オンナ、哀しい、オトナ/印象派 ルノアールのように/人知れず 胸を奏でる 夜の秋". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  8. ^ "由紀さおり×ウルヴァリン!? 最新作の挿入歌に「生きがい」". Natalie (in Japanese). September 17, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2020. 劇中では、由紀さおりの「生きがい」のほか、ハロー！プロジェクトのシャッフルユニットであるセクシーオトナジャンが2005年にリリースした楽曲「オンナ、哀しい、オトナ」、ヒップホッププロデューサーのDJ PMXによる「その時が来るまで… feat. K DUB SHINE」の3曲が挿入歌として採用された。
  9. ^ "プッチベスト10". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. ^ ハロプロヒストリー [Hello! Project history] (in Japanese). Up-Front DC Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on January 2, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  11. ^ "チャンプル1～ハッピーマリッジソングカバー集～". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  12. ^ "黄色いお空でBOOM BOOM BOOM". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  13. ^ "青いスポーツカーの男". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "サマーれげぇ! レインボー". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "ダンシング!夏祭り". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  16. ^ "幸せビーム!好き好きビーム!". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  17. ^ "幸せきょうりゅう音頭". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  18. ^ "DVDザ・黄青あか". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  19. ^ "ザ・三・7・10人祭". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  20. ^ "シングルV「幸せビーム!好き好きビーム!」「幸せですか?」「幸せきょうりゅう音頭」". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  21. ^ "シングルV「壊れない愛がほしいの・GET UP!ラッパー・BE ALL RIGHT!」". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  22. ^ "シングルV「オンナ、哀しい、オトナ/印象派 ルノアールのように/人知れず 胸を奏でる 夜の秋」". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 25, 2019.